shop service? to liner or not? puncture from tyre liner

[eldavo]

I'm pretty much all DIY, but recently had the local shop install a pair of tyre liners in my new Giant Upland at the same time as they were assembling it, and I opted for 1.5" tubes/tyres. I also bought at the same time another Giant Upland. Both for retail price ~AU$300 and the only other thing I bought was the liners at $20, 20% off of the marked $25.

The third time out, I inflated the cold pressure from ~50psi f/r to ~75psi f/r (tyres marked 35-80psi). Cycled for 30min and the next morning the rear was flat. Inspected the tyre and couldn't find and punctures externally. I was mightily p'd off, and the last month the bike has sat there and I've put it off with one thing after another.

Today I reinspected the tyre, couldn't find anything, took off the wheel/tyre/tube. Partially inflated the tyre and quickly found the mark of the tyre liner. Where it overlaps, so the liner is two-deep, and the tapered end of the liner was touching the tube, there was a razor-blade like cut from the edge of the liner.

Is there a no-punctures way to install liners?
Should the bike shop replace the tube? Fit the liners a better way?

I have a colleague who goes to one bike shop he had good service at, while his local were just average at best. I decided to buy my bikes from my local shop for the initial convenience, not going to the best priced place offering good service, or the one my colleague recommended.

I'm leaning towards doing it all myself, but if folks here think it's not unreasonable to ask for a tube replacement, I will... but don't have confidence the tyre liners would be fitted any better, if that is possible. I guess just a loss of confidence, and do it myself in the end.

 

[gclark8]

My GF has an Upland, Conti City Contact 26x1.5, Kevlar Belt, no liners, no punctures either.
http://www.cyclingforums.com/t363004.html

I have heard of many liner induced punctures.

 

[eldavo]

I have heard of many liner induced punctures.

Yep I forgot to note, the gf has ridden her upland 15-20 times in the same time I got 3 and the flat... hers have no liners, and haven't had any flats yet.

I removed the rear liner, patched it, inflated to 75psi, and went for a ride with her. Not flat on the ride, see how it goes by the morning. I'll remove the liner from the front as well tomorrow.

In my google search, I read a guy writing about a brush mechanism that fits over the tyre near the V-brake and sweeps the tyre of any protruding thorns picked up. He said works on the theory they are picked up, and don't do full damage until the subsequent wheel revolutions drive it deeper. He noted a marketed version called "Carlton" and also DIY methods with boot laces.

I am also a new rider of an on/offroad motorcycle and need to get a puncture repair kit specifically for that and practice changing those tubes, so I'll soon have some appreciation for how easy the bicycle is in comparison.

Next purchase is spare heavy-duty tubes (suggestions?) and a small pump that has a foot support to hold the base down, and valve extension like the one in bottom of pic below:

When I really have no time, I might measure the necessary circumference for the liners, cut them to exact size, smooth off the join, and use some all-clear silicon at the join. I'd like to get them to work, I could have bought 10 packs of rubber patch cement to use with all the patches I have instead of the liners

elcheapo

 

[gclark8]

http://www.dotbike.com/Products/ProductsS17C42P1689.aspx A good portable pump, suit the m/cycle too...

 

[11ring]

Good tyres are cheaper, lighter and more puncture resistant than standard ones with liners. Some Conti tyres come with a 1 year no puncture guarantee.

My GF has an Upland, Conti City Contact 26x1.5, Kevlar Belt, no liners, no punctures either.
http://www.cyclingforums.com/t363004.html

I have heard of many liner induced punctures.

 

[andrewj]

I had exactly the same problem with "Slime" tyre liners. The ends overlapped and eventually cut a groove in the tube. I perservered though because I was dead set sick of fixing flats. I next tried "Mr Tuffy's" and gound the ends to a taper to stop the the same problem as the Slimes. I have been using the these for a couple of months now and have had no punctures (except by a major pot hole and big nail through the side wall which nothing could have prevented) and I would recommend them to anyone, they are great.