Phil Fouracre wrote:Interesting comments. I think you can only go on personal experience. I've been fairly convinced for a long time, as I just stopped getting punctures when I originally tried it. Riding country lanes it was becoming a depressingly regular experience. Impression confirmed when I changed tyres on one bike a while ago and noticed small brown spots on tube, as you do, picked it off to expose a small spot of green under it. Counted a number of these and became a complete convert.
Which is a great endorsement IMO.
In my usual 7,000 to 8,000 mile per year I will puncture about three time max but usually only twice .
That's riding mainly on about 70to75% country lanes only using A or B roads when I have to and 25to30% towpaths,gravel/dirt roads,bridleways and tracks,etc.
There was a time when thought my best protection against punctures was thicker treaded tyres ie;Marathon H308 and H368 with short spell on M+'s.
However there's been no puncture increase since using lighter tyres,Gatorskins,Paselas(which had there own problems with sidewall deterioration)Marathon Slicks(now obsolete,Mr Schwalbe why did you stop making them?
) which are really nice riding tyres.P/racer Ribmos are nice tyre to ride and seem to puncture less(two in 6years use).
But the daddy of them all are Hypers
incredible tyres one puncture in 5,000 miles and the ride is unsurpassed IME.
I can fully understand someone who cycles to deadlines,commuting,etc,using slime or M+'s,but if you puncture regularly I'd be thinking about riding technique and tyre maintenence,though some parts of the country are worse than others for flints,etc.
I'm not criticising anyone or slime tubes as I've never used them but never felt the need to,M+'s and I suspect other similar type tyres OTOH aren't a pleasant experience IME.