flat s... flat again sh..

Michael Cowart MD said:

New to sport. I'm sick of flats from thorns. Any real working advice out there. Thanks, Mike in
Plano. [email hidden]

Slime-filled tires and Mr. Tuffies (or slime tube liners).

--
Bob M in CT Remove 'x.' to reply

Michael Cowart MD said:

New to sport. I'm sick of flats from thorns. Any real working advice out

Back when I lived in Grapevine, I used to use tire liners, like Mr Tuffy. They had edges that would
eventually cut the tube, though, so it just resulted in a different kind of flats. That was the
mid-90s, maybe they've improved.

Moving out of the DFW area was most effective for cutting down the number of flats, but I don't
suppose that's an option. :-)

--
-BB- To reply to me, drop the attitude (from my e-mail address, at least) "It's a shallow life that
doesn't give a person a few scars" - Garrison Keillor

Thornless tubes (extra thick) make a big difference but you will still get flats. That's just part of the fun!

Pre-slimed tubes are almost 100% successful against most thorns. Cost about $10. Worth much more in
skipped aggravation and walking it out.

And don't any of you tech-weenies say they're heavy. They add about 4 ozs per tire, but hey, you can
take a leak before a ride and shed that much. Or skip that cheeseburger.

Paladin top-posting to pick a fight

Michael Cowart MD said:

New to sport. I'm sick of flats from thorns. Any real working advice out there. Thanks, Mike in
Plano. [email hidden]

Paladin said:

Pre-slimed tubes are almost 100% successful against most thorns.

Cost

Quoted message said:

about $10. Worth much more in skipped aggravation and walking it

out.

Quoted message said:

And don't any of you tech-weenies say they're heavy. They add about

4

Quoted message said:

ozs per tire, but hey, you can take a leak before a ride and shed

that

Quoted message said:

much. Or skip that cheeseburger.

Paladin top-posting to pick a fight

Your urine rotates like a tube? Doesn't a rotating cheeseburger get colder fairly quickly?

Paladin said:

Pre-slimed tubes are almost 100% successful against most thorns. Cost about $10. Worth much more
in skipped aggravation and walking it out.

And don't any of you tech-weenies say they're heavy. They add about 4 ozs per tire, but hey, you
can take a leak before a ride and shed that much. Or skip that cheeseburger.

Oh, c'mon now, what about all that "rotating weight" business?

Quoted message said:

Paladin top-posting to pick a fight

Allright then, I'm getting in my car right now to come over and kick your ass; I'll be there in
about 8 hours. On second thought, there's a good chance I might lose, so maybe I'll just pop another
Trippel instead. :-)

--
-BB- To reply to me, drop the attitude (from my e-mail address, at least) "It's a shallow life that
doesn't give a person a few scars" - Garrison Keillor

BB said:

Paladin said:

Pre-slimed tubes are almost 100% successful against most thorns. Cost about $10. Worth much more
in skipped aggravation and walking it out.

And don't any of you tech-weenies say they're heavy. They add about 4 ozs per tire, but hey, you
can take a leak before a ride and shed that much. Or skip that cheeseburger.

Oh, c'mon now, what about all that "rotating weight" business?

Quoted message said:

Paladin top-posting to pick a fight

Allright then, I'm getting in my car right now to come over and kick your ass; I'll be there in
about 8 hours. On second thought, there's a good chance I might lose, so maybe I'll just pop
another Trippel instead. :-)

You and Pete are right from your points of view. I recall similar conversastions especially

after a race, when everybody's thinking wieght-wheenie while waiting for the results and
free schwag.

I'm not sure about the cold-thing, as I'll ride down into the mid-teens, and never had trouble (that
I was aware of) with my slimed tubes.

My perspective is less about physics, and a little more down-home, I think.

But my point here, is that so many beginner people get discouraged from riding due to the
dog-gone flats

you can get so easily from goatheads (insert your thorn of choice). It strands lots of bikes
in garages,

especially when dads get tired of their kids' flats and give up, and putting slime into
tubes is really

a messy hassle.

Except for an occasional snake-bite, I almost never get flats out on the trail. I'd like to hear
from the AZ riders what they use down there. I rode the NV desert a few times, and was amazed at how
much of the environment (like all of it) is geared toward drawing blood from riders who fall or
brush too close to the flora.

And with a garage full of bikes, it's really cheap to buy 1 or 2 slimed

tubes per year and pretty much forget about normal flats.

O well, I'll stop preaching and apologize for how crazy this post will look, since my word-wrap is
on coffee break, or other drugs.

Paladin

Paladin said:

[cut]

Quoted message said:

Except for an occasional snake-bite, I almost never get flats out on the trail. I'd like to hear
from the AZ riders what they use down there. I rode the NV desert a few times, and was amazed at
how much of the environment (like all of it) is geared toward drawing blood from riders who fall
or brush too close to the flora.

And with a garage full of bikes, it's really cheap to buy 1 or 2 slimed

tubes per year and pretty much forget about normal flats.

O well, I'll stop preaching and apologize for how crazy this post will look, since my word-wrap is
on coffee break, or other drugs.

Paladin

As a former AZ rider (15 years), I rode both slime tubes and Mr. Tuffies. The slime tubes were
invaluable. I would changes tires and tubes once per season and the tires would be littered with
holes. On my racing bike in CT, I still use Mr. Tuffies because I just hate flats.

--
Bob M in CT Remove 'x.' to reply

snip

Quoted message said:

Except for an occasional snake-bite, I almost never get flats out on the trail. I'd like to hear
from the AZ riders what they use down there. I rode the NV desert a few times, and was amazed at
how much of the environment (like all of it) is geared toward drawing blood from riders who fall
or brush too close to the flora.

Paladin

Arizona rider here. Most of the trails are not prone to goatheads due to the lack of rain. The
goatheads are usually along the approaches to the trails where watering occurs so if you can avoid
the approaches it helps minimize flats. I've had more flats from sidewall tear-out due to the sharp
granite that's so prevalent on our trails.

I tried using tire liners but I got more flats from the liners pinching the tube.

I switched to using schaeder valved tubes so that I could slime them myself. Typically a couple of
oz. (vs the 4-6 oz in a pre-slimed tube) is sufficient and doesn't make near the mess when pinch
flats occur. The last couple of months (Sep-Oct) are usually the worst time for goatheads and slime
is a necessary part of riding for me. When I raced I always had slime tubes and the weight didn't
seem to matter and I've never had a flat in a race. Losing another 10 pounds would have made a lot
more difference!

Gary (195 lbs, too light for Clydesdale, too heavy for the competition)

"Michael Cowart MD" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<cMfob.49544$9E1.214416@attbi_s52>...

Quoted message said:

New to sport. I'm sick of flats from thorns. Any real working advice out there.

Ride where there are no thorns.

JD

On Fri, 31 Oct 2003 at 15:54 GMT, Paladin penned:

Quoted message said:

Except for an occasional snake-bite, I almost never get flats out on the trail. I'd like to hear
from the AZ riders what they use down there. I rode the NV desert a few times, and was amazed at
how much of the environment (like all of it) is geared toward drawing blood from riders who fall
or brush too close to the flora.

I'd like to hear from the AZ folks, too, since I'll be in the Scottsdale/Phoenix area over XMas.

--
monique PLEASE don't CC me. Please. Pretty please with sugar on top. Whatever it takes, just don't
CC me! I'm already subscribed!!

Monique Y. Herman said:

I'd like to hear from the AZ folks, too, since I'll be in the Scottsdale/Phoenix area over XMas.

Take an extra tube, patch kit, and a pump. I've ridden South Mountain a few times while on trips,
and never got any flats (but did get some cactus needles in the arm once - ouch!). But if I didn't
have any way to FIX flats, Murphy says I'd have had some. If you have schraeder valves, make sure
the bike you're renting does too (otherwise that spare tube is a waste). Presta valves will work in
any wheel long enough to get you home.

And if you're renting a bike, bring your own helmet. The loaners are usually pretty disgusting! Of
course, if you're bringing your own bike then its just a matter of bringing all your kit.

--
-BB- To reply to me, drop the attitude (from my e-mail address, at least) "It's a shallow life that
doesn't give a person a few scars" - Garrison Keillor

Monique Y. Herman said:

On Fri, 31 Oct 2003 at 15:54 GMT, Paladin penned:

Quoted message said:

Except for an occasional snake-bite, I almost never get flats out on the trail. I'd like to hear
from the AZ riders what they use down there. I rode the NV desert a few times, and was amazed at
how much of the environment (like all of it) is geared toward drawing blood from riders who fall
or brush too close to the flora.

I'd like to hear from the AZ folks, too, since I'll be in the Scottsdale/Phoenix area over XMas.

Use slime-filled tubes. Oh yeah, watch out for snakes sunning themselves on the trail. I've run over
a few rattlesnakes. And, if you've never been there before, it's going to be hotter than you think,
especially in the sun. Use sunscreen. Don't forget your sunglasses. Take shorts and t- shirts (you
can ride in cotton since the humidity is low). Take a camelback or other water-carrying device. My
rule about AZ is the following: if you're in the sun, you're hot.

--
Bob M in CT Remove 'x.' to reply

On Fri, 31 Oct 2003 at 19:20 GMT, Bob M penned:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Use slime-filled tubes. Oh yeah, watch out for snakes sunning themselves on the trail. I've run
over a few rattlesnakes. And, if you've never been there before, it's going to be hotter than you
think, especially in the sun. Use sunscreen. Don't forget your sunglasses. Take shorts and t-
shirts (you can ride in cotton since the humidity is low). Take a camelback or other
water-carrying device. My rule about AZ is the following: if you're in the sun, you're hot.

Thanks for the pointers. When last I was in AZ, it was also over Christmas, but somehow we managed
to hit the one time in AZ's history when temperatures were down in (iirc) the 30s. Brrrr!

Before that, we were there in July ... 108 degrees farenheit and people were praising the mild
weather! That place is nuts!

--
monique PLEASE don't CC me. Please. Pretty please with sugar on top. Whatever it takes, just don't
CC me! I'm already subscribed!!

Monique Y. Herman said:

On Fri, 31 Oct 2003 at 19:20 GMT, Bob M penned:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Use slime-filled tubes. Oh yeah, watch out for snakes sunning themselves on the trail. I've run
over a few rattlesnakes. And, if you've never been there before, it's going to be hotter than you
think, especially in the sun. Use sunscreen. Don't forget your sunglasses. Take shorts and t-
shirts (you can ride in cotton since the humidity is low). Take a camelback or other
water-carrying device. My rule about AZ is the following: if you're in the sun, you're hot.

Thanks for the pointers. When last I was in AZ, it was also over Christmas, but somehow we managed
to hit the one time in AZ's history when temperatures were down in (iirc) the 30s. Brrrr!

Before that, we were there in July ... 108 degrees farenheit and people were praising the mild
weather! That place is nuts!

Well, last week it was in the 100s! This week, the forcast is high 70s. But the sun there is brutal.
Park your car while it's 60 outside, and you'll have to roll your windows down and de-heat the car.
I've only used an ice scraper there once.

--
Bob M in CT Remove 'x.' to reply

Stay out of the pricker bushes.

Fire up MTB 03

Monique Y. Herman said:

I'd like to hear from the AZ folks, too, since I'll be in the Scottsdale/Phoenix area over XMas.

I ride trails in mountains in the Sonoran Desert where there are no other bikers and hence the
trails are pretty rough since no one maintains them. I use slime tubes and tuffy strips, and I get
several punctures per ride. I can hear the air whistling out but as long as I keep moving the slime
coagulates and patches it. I carry a pump and some CO2 cartridges, since I usually have to add air
before the ride is over.

Don't ride over what appear to be twigs or branches, since many of our local trees and bushes have
long sharp spines which are so big that even a slime tube won't seal. Cholla and cactus spine
punctures will usually seal OK. The rule of thumb in Arizona is that every plant has spines or
thorns or glochids etc. somehwere on it, even if it doesn't look like it, so in general don't touch
anything. Carry tweezers and a comb (for cholla) and duct tape or Elmer's glue (for glochids).

Daytime temps in December will probably be in the 60's or 70's. Most rattlesnakes will already be in
their winter dens, but when temps get into the 70's they may come out to look for a quick meal.
They're pretty sluggish in the cool weather, so you can get up pretty close to take a look. They're
beautiful creatures. The real treat that time of year is all of the birds, since AZ is one of the
places they fly south to get to in order to get out of the cold.

Tlacatecatl Tlacaxipe

"Monique Y. Herman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Fri, 31 Oct 2003 at 15:54 GMT, Paladin penned:

Quoted message said:

Except for an occasional snake-bite, I almost never get flats out on the trail. I'd like to hear
from the AZ riders what they use down there. I rode the NV desert a few times, and was amazed at
how much of the environment (like all of it) is geared toward drawing blood from riders who fall
or brush too close to the flora.

I'd like to hear from the AZ folks, too, since I'll be in the Scottsdale/Phoenix area over XMas.

Tip 1: All the bike shops I visited in Phoenix had industrial sized containers of Slime. All you
need is to put Schrader valved tubes on your bike.

Tip 2: Get the Salmon and an Amber Ale at Hops Bistro in Scottsdale.
Mmmmmmm.

Mike

"JD" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Michael Cowart MD" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<cMfob.49544$9E1.214416@attbi_s52>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

New to sport. I'm sick of flats from thorns. Any real working advice out there.

Ride where there are no thorns.

JD

JD,

The one week/weak dad