Flat tyres on adv bikes?

[marks]

I suspect we have a higher chance than road bikes of having pinch flats and picking up nails/screws in our tires (I've had 2 flats in the last 2 months).

The amount of gear I carry to change a tube is considerable - 2 x tubes, 2 x levers, big wheel nut spanners, tire goop aerosol etc etc.

My son uses some special 'notubes' shit in his mountain bike tires which seems pretty impressive and appears to be able to be used in motorcycle inner tubes.

have a look at this (http://www.notubes.com/moviedemo.php)

anyone got any thoughts on this or used something similar?

can I pump this crap in and live happily ever after?

[awayatc]

Not sure about that, but you don't need that much gear to fix/change your tube....
Levers and spanners fair enough, repair kit, small handpump and I only carry 1 spare tube, a thin one for the rear.....
You are more likely to get a punture in the back, and it would stretch over the front rim in an emergency....
(I also carry a nylon head hammer to put tyre back on..)
Got 4 punctures last year, and put new tyres on myself....so can do it now in less the half an hour if I have to....
So you could still put this "Goo" in your tyre if you want, but I would still carry puncture repair kit as well....

[Oscar]

I suspect we have a higher chance than road bikes of having pinch flats and picking up nails/screws in our tires (I've had 2 flats in the last 2 months).

The amount of gear I carry to change a tube is considerable - 2 x tubes, 2 x levers, big wheel nut spanners, tire goop aerosol etc etc.

My son uses some special 'notubes' shit in his mountain bike tires which seems pretty impressive and appears to be able to be used in motorcycle inner tubes.

have a look at this (http://www.notubes.com/moviedemo.php)

anyone got any thoughts on this or used something similar?

can I pump this crap in and live happily ever after?

I doubt it.

We tried all sorts of stuff when we were riding enduro's back in the day (I was showing Triboy a side valve heavy duty tube the other day - the valve stuck out the side of the tyre so it coul be run at low/no pressure and not rip out the stem) and nothing really worked all the time. Even yer Bib Mousse are incredibly expensive, hard to deal with and have a limited life.

I had a flat last week that was caused by a 4' self tapper that made three holes in the tube. That spooge would have simply meant that the inside of the tyre would have been covered in snot.

[Paladin]

A little tool I picked up the other day after putting the D606's on the DR was a valve locator/puller. Its a little handle with a 6 inch or so piece of wire sticking out and a metal valve insert attachment on the end that screws into the valve like a valve stem. Feed it thru the valve hole in rim, screw into valve, pull valve thru hole - voila! Easy peasy and beats faffing about skinning ya knuckles trying to get the damn valve back thru the hole in the rim! (A little trick Andrew Templeton at Roadsafe showed me) Worth every cent of the $15 cost IMHO.

[XF650]

I'm also keen to know how well this goo stuff works for m/bikes. Interweb search reveals nearly as much dribble as there is about tyres & oil.
One concern is the mess, if you still have to patch or change a tube.

To save weight & space I carry modified axel / plug spanners for levers. The one on the left is shop version for $25, the one on the right I made from a $5 Bunnings spanner - just grind the open end down to a spoon shape.

[warewolf]

We've had this discussion before fairly recently, might be in the tyre thread?

I'm with Oscar. Stick to the basics & do it well.

I carry the following:


OEM standard weight front 21" tube (fits the rear if it has too, but weighs less) saved when you upgraded to a HD front. I wouldn't want to stretch a 17" rear onto a front 21" rim.
Combo tyre levers, preferably with the axle spanners on the other end
puncture repair kit (for the second and subsequent holes only)
mtb pump (unless I leave it at home, eh Ryan?)
small spray bottle of lens/visor cleaner for bead lube

If everyone in the group carries this, you can deal with a lot of flats between you.

Back in my more regular bicycle days I tried lots of fancy solutions. Nothing was worth it. Carry the simple tools and the skills to use them. (And if you don't have the skills, carry the tools to suit your bike as you are more likely to find a skilled helper than the right tools.)

btw valve puller is very nice but not needed. Hook a tyre lever on the far side to hold the bead clear ... piece of piss.

[awayatc]

stretching a 17 in ch tube to a 21 inch rim may not work, but I don't know any bike with those wheels fitted,
usualy it is 17 back and 19 front, or 18 back and 21 front.....
And that works.......

[Taz]

but I don't know any bike with those wheels fitted,


DR650, XT600, F650GSPD, any many more

[Paladin]

small spray bottle of lens/visor cleaner for bead lube
[/LIST]

btw valve puller is very nice but not needed. Hook a tyre lever on the far side to hold the bead clear ... piece of piss.

A bottle of soapy dishwasher liquid works well on the bead too! ;)

Now why didn't I think of hookin the tyre lever in? Grrrrr! Good tip mate!

A nice, but unfortunately heavy, tool is a deadshock rubber mallet - good at home but bit heavy to drag around the countryside maybees!

[Oscar]

A bottle of soapy dishwasher liquid works well on the bead too! ;)

Now why didn't I think of hookin the tyre lever in? Grrrrr! Good tip mate!

A nice, but unfortunately heavy, tool is a deadshock rubber mallet - good at home but bit heavy to drag around the countryside maybees!

Those little cans of WD40 or CRC are the business.

Also, as far as mallets etc are concerned, you're wearing/riding them!
Use the heal of yer boot to break beads or "walk the tyre on". I wear MX boots which are great for this job.

On the 950 rear tyre (which is enormously wide and difficult to persuade off the bead), we used the sidestand on the 990.

[tri boy]

All under the supervision of Pooey of course:2thumbsup
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=341891&page=134

[warewolf]

DR650, XT600, F650GSPD, any many more...KLR650, airhead boxers. I would venture to suggest that the above list make up the biggest chunk of adventure bikes in NZ.


A bottle of soapy dishwasher liquid works well on the bead too! ;)Lens cleaner comes in a spray bottle for ease of use, evaporates away readily, plus it is a multi-function tool. Although I 'spose dishwash is too, as it makes an acceptable hand cleaner, but there is some debate about its slipperiness returning when the tyre gets wet. Multi-use equipment really helps to keep the load down. WD-40 is a temporary lube, cleaner, chain lube and many other uses.

[BMWST?]

do many of the newer bikes run tubeless?21 Not though eh?

[Oscar]

do many of the newer bikes run tubeless?21 Not though eh?

Only big BMW's as far as I'm aware.
It was the only time I ever wanted a BM was when I saw that screw poking outta my tyre.

[marks]

Thank you gents

I'll give this stuff a try while continuing to carry all my tire changing crap (sans aerosol goop)

If my life dramatically improves as a result I'll let you know

[Transalper]

stretching a 17 in ch tube to a 21 inch rim may not work,.......
I carry one spare 19 inch tube to do my 17 inch rear wheel or 21 front on the DR650.

[NordieBoy]

I like "True Blue Tyre Goo".
Worked well the only time I've needed it to.

The other times it was sitting on the bench at home when I needed it :(

Only works if the hole is in the outside circumference (tread area).

[Woodman]

For the lube I use little sample packs of handcleaner.