Puncture resistant tyres?

Hello!!

Curious on this as I did an audax this year and suffered with several punctures, needing to get help from others. I am using Conti GP5000, but wondering if there is something more durable?

Hi Beth!

Great question. Not that I do anything ultra, but I have had real success reducing punctures when I switched to tubeless - I actually just use the TL version of the tyres you run :slight_smile:

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Second the tubeless suggestion here, for training at least. Running the Schwalbe’s, which are easier to mount than the Conti’s. Downside is that if your sealant cannot do the job anymore you are screwed. There is no practical way to fix a tubeless flat on the roadside. So for your main events tubes are still the way to go IMHO.

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Thank you!! I will check tubeless out - will check those suggestions out.

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Don’t get this. If you get a flat whilst running tubeless you can just shove an inner tube in!

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That is the accepted wisdom. In practice, try to get the TL tire off without the extra grabber tool, try to get the new tube into the sticky sealant and then try to reseat the tires with a handpump. It sounds all great, but in reality, it just does not work. Try it at home, with the tools you would have with you. N.b. I change tubes with regular clinchers without tools.

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Agreed on that. The good thing about tubeless is that you can probably ride it partially deflated home (perhaps with a plug) anyway, that’s pretty much what I always did. The couple of times the tyre blew so bad it deflated to zero, a tube would pinch in the gap it caused anyway.

I have always found that getting the tyre on for the first time is the pain. After that on and off with fingers. Schwalbe One Pro for me for years and several 10’s of thousands of km’s. Let down once when it was so cold I couldn’t hold a tyre lever to get a tube in.

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The tyre being warm is definitely a way to make it easier. Conti GPS5000 TL were the worst. I used Bontrager R3 TL (I think) and they were really easy.

You need a good pump too!

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Thank you everyone!! @pav what pump do you have or recommend?

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I’ll have to check, will be buried somewhere in the garage!! Something like this, that has a tank you pump air into, is what you need to make fitting tubeless tyres easier: Foundation Airblast Tubeless Floor Pump | Jenson USA

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Hi Beth,

For me I’ve covered many miles on my old GP 5000’s I think longest ride was about 130miles and 11,000ft of climbing. For me what I did notice with those tyres was as they go older and worn punctures did happen but not until I’d covered a thousand or so miles I would say. I also rode these all year round even in the wet horrid British winter.

Tubeless I’ve not tried on the road bike as getting the tire in the size I wanted wasn’t an option when I was looking so ended up with Goodyear 4 seasons. So far I’ve been very happy with them. If going tubeless you can carry tire plugs but knowing how to use them is vital and you need to test your technique on an old tire. You can always put a tube in out on the road but again need to know how to remove the valve etc and also can be very messy with the sealant. For me unless you running 30mm+ tires I’d stay with tubes.

I always carry two tubes and patches, Co2 combination inflator and pump from Bontrager plus the usual tools and chain quick links.

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Tbh, the best thing for mounting tubeless is an air compressor. This is useful for so many other things around the home, workshop & bike. Eg cleaning the bike, wash it down with water then spark the air compressor up and use it to dry off the transmission, chain etc

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If you are down to closing a small gap, you might as well use the wrapper from a gel. The sealant should keep it in place till you inflated the tire. Got to try this the next time my tires are ready for a replacement.

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Yeah, we have used all kinds of things to seal gaps, even when using tubes, a gel wrapper can be useful to plug a gap that’ll pinch the tube.

On the sealant point, do you regularly replace your sealant? That caught me out a few times. Getting a small puncture, but having no sealant (or old) left to create a strong enough seal.

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Yes I’ve been caught out with old balls of sealant in the tyre.

One reason I carry a tube in a tough plastic bag as 30yrs back I slashed an mtb tyre on some flint riding the South Downs. Used the bag to cover to slash and new inner tube to get me back to home in Brighton. Also used the tyre stuffed with grass on a mates bike before as well.

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Nice one! Thanks everyone :slight_smile:

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Take the tires off every month (or every other), clean the sealant out, new sealant in and reseat them. Mostly concerned about the sealant drying out and getting too sticky.

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That makes it a hard nope from me :joy: :joy:

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From memory they say about topping up your sealant every 3 months. However if you consider that it starts to harden. If you only top up and never remove the old solid chunks that one will add weight but I would say would also impair the ability of the sealant to move around in the tyre and seal a hole.

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