solid tyres

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
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therms
Posts: 4
Joined: 13 Dec 2021, 3:42pm

solid tyres

Post by therms »

Morning all,
I have a 2015 Boardman CX that I do/ did about 5000 miles a year commuting on roads.
Unfortunately, an incident in July has meant that I haven’t been able to cycle. I’m now at the stage of getting my fitness levels back so I can get back on my bike.
While I’m getting there I’m doing a re-build on the bike. One of the bigger issues were the constant punctures and I thought about putting on solid tyres.
I’m not overly worried about a bit of extra weight because I don't compete.
I wondered if anyone had any experience or could offer advice.

Thanks
Jdsk
Posts: 24639
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: solid tyres

Post by Jdsk »

Welcome.

Previous discussions:
search.php?keywords=solid+tyres&terms=a ... mit=Search

Jonathan
therms
Posts: 4
Joined: 13 Dec 2021, 3:42pm

Re: solid tyres

Post by therms »

Thanks for the reply. I'll go to the existing thread.
Nearholmer
Posts: 3930
Joined: 26 Mar 2022, 7:13am

Re: solid tyres

Post by Nearholmer »

I had the same bike for commuting and leisure, 2016 model, and ran it on and off road on Continental Contact Plus, initially 32mm, latterly 35/37mm, one thorn puncture in six years despite riding over all sorts of detritus, broken glass etc, and the nicks in the tyres being very visible due to the colour of the puncture-proofing layer.

Personally, I’d use those tyres, rather than either solid ones or schwalbe marathon plus, which are draggier and less comfortable.
Barrowman
Posts: 441
Joined: 8 Jan 2022, 6:35pm

Re: solid tyres

Post by Barrowman »

Solid tyres are horrid. Don't do it. A decent puncture proof tyre is the way forward.
therms
Posts: 4
Joined: 13 Dec 2021, 3:42pm

Re: solid tyres

Post by therms »

A puncture proof tyre?

I bought the tyres that have the protective strip in them, I forget the make, but I think it may have been a Continental, and it didn't seem to make much difference. Punctures always seemed to come in runs of bad luck; I'd have no punctures for a couple of months and then three in a month.

As I'm nearing being fit and able to start my commute again I thought I'd look at alleviating the problem.

Is there a compromise between the solid tyres, which seem to be hated and the puncture proof tyres that I haven't had much luck with?

Thanks everyone for your continual support with this.
mig
Posts: 2702
Joined: 19 Oct 2011, 9:39pm

Re: solid tyres

Post by mig »

having 'runs' of visits from the p* fairy always makes me think that, perhaps, the cause of the initial instance may well not have been removed from the tyre casing. perhaps also that the split in the rim tape hasn't been detected and merely waits until the next time that the tube hits the spoke end or snags on the split.

always worth a thorough check of the tyre for anything embedded within - far easier in the dry - as a part of general maintenance and also a check of the rim tape when you're able to do so. any split in a plastic tape can be really quite sharp.

an ounce of prevention and so forth......
therms
Posts: 4
Joined: 13 Dec 2021, 3:42pm

Re: solid tyres

Post by therms »

Hiya Mig,

I think you may be right. Fix the tyre by the side of the road and get home and never do a thorough job of checking the tyre of wheel - that sounds about right.
Barrowman
Posts: 441
Joined: 8 Jan 2022, 6:35pm

Re: solid tyres

Post by Barrowman »

Yes it sounds like the source of your punctures may be in the rim and not the tyre. Although you can get the same puncture twice if you have something like a thorn or broken glass or nail in the tread that you haven't removed.
Or a perished tyre?
When you take a punctured tube out, assess where the puncture is in relation to the valve and check the tyre wall for something lurking. If the puncture is on the rim side not the tyre side look at the rim tape , is it covering the rim at the edges? Split (particularly the shiny plastic ones ) ( I favour canvas glued on rim tapes) Is there a spoke that's poking through the rim tape? Rough edge on a box section spoke hole ? Riding with too little pressure in the tube?
I have had all of these happen to me over the years. Plus a puncture whilst carrying my trike over a bridge and catching a wheel in a hawthorn tree. :roll: Yes honestly .
Manc33
Posts: 2218
Joined: 25 Apr 2015, 9:37pm

Re: solid tyres

Post by Manc33 »

There is no such thing as a puncture proof tyre. I had Marathon Plus with Tannus Armour inserts and still got a puncture. That's when I swapped to Tannus Aither solid tyres. Are they horrible? Yep, but I don't want punctures so I'll tolerate them. They aren't cheap and they certainly aren't easy to fit.
We'll always be together, together on electric bikes.
yostumpy
Posts: 994
Joined: 29 Oct 2010, 6:56pm

Re: solid tyres

Post by yostumpy »

Surely it’s easy to check whether the p* is at the top of the tube, at the side, or underneath, and the where, will give you the cause.

Slime tubes anyone?
mattsccm
Posts: 5101
Joined: 28 Nov 2009, 9:44pm

Re: solid tyres

Post by mattsccm »

Of course the alternative is in totally the opposite direction. Tubeless. You may puncture but you won't know or carein virtually all cases. There may be well advertised problems for some people but I find them perfect and would rather ride anice tyre that a hose pipe. Not suited to everyone of course.
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