non pneumatic tyres - good investment?

[Crystal_pixie]

Ok chaps another question before I blow the best part of £100 on these.

So bit of background. I have an 22 mile round trip each day combination of good cycle path (we are very lucky in Bristol) and quiet roads.

Its been bothering me lately that I would struggle on my own if I had a rear wheel puncture and my bike is too big to get in the back of the car.

So I am thinking about investing in some of these - http://www.geckorubber.co.uk/ We have some local distributors but they are expensive and like most I don't want to waste my money! Anyone have experience of non pneumatic tyres?

 

[daveboy]

Short review here.

http://ebiketips.road.cc/content/news/first-ride-gecko-rubber-solid-tyres-630

 

[RobF]

There have been several attempts over the years to produce a solid tyre.

All have proved unusable for one reason or another - apart from on wheelbarrows and wheelchairs.

Someone may crack it one day, and Gecko could be it but you won't know unless you try a pair.

Tannus from Korea looked promising, but rider experiences are mixed to say the least.

Apart from dodgy grip and handling, a hidden cost of solid tyres is they hammer wheels and spokes.

Gecko say the wheels must have 36 spokes, many ebikes will have 32 which in itself is quite a lot compared to many push bikes.

http://www.geckorubber.co.uk/where-to-buy.html

https://www.tannus.co.uk/product-info.html

 

[danielrlee]

Apart from dodgy grip and handling, a hidden cost of solid tyres is they hammer wheels and spokes.l

This.

Forces are transferred from the ground to the whole wheel much more uniformly with pneumatic tyres, where solid tyres concentrate forces from the ground to a specific area of the wheel.

 

[rich_r]

As an alternative way to deal with a rear puncture, have you considered taking a double ended (sausage) inner tube and means to inflate it? They're very popular now for emergencies and not as expensive as you might think. The big thing is that you don't have to take the wheel off to put it in the tyre.

Basically you pull the tyre half off the rim, pull the old inner tube out and tie it to the frame so it's out of the way. Then feed in the sausage tube into the tyre, pop it back on the rim and inflate. When you get home you can remove the wheel and repair and refit the normal inner tube (or a new one).

 

[danielrlee]

.....or, learn puncture repair and gain a skill for life.

Face your fear!

 

[fatwomble]

.....or, learn puncture repair and gain a skill for life.

Face your fear!

It really isn't hard to do.

Although I'm interested in how they progress with solid tyres. Despite being a dab hand at fixing punctures or swapping inner tubes (done so many over the years), it does disrupt the day if it happens on the way to work. I had one the other morning, despite slime inner tubes (which appeared to do nothing) and puncture resistant tyres, it made me behind programme for the day and as I'm a Planner, that's not a good thing.

 

[rich_r]

If you have a hub motor, repairing a puncture with minimal tools at the side of the road can be awkward due to the wiring and weight. Even more so with a rear one. Hence alternatives to having to remove the wheel are useful.
Obviously not an issue with mid-drive, or if you have a rear puncture and you've got a front hub motor.

 

[danielrlee]

If you have a hub motor, repairing a puncture with minimal tools at the side of the road can be awkward due to the wiring and weight. Even more so with a rear one. Hence alternatives to having to remove the wheel are useful.

You don't have to remove a wheel to repair a puncture. Simply remove one side of the tyre bead from the wheel and work through this opening. Shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to fix.

 

[rich_r]

True - maybe my choice of words wasn't the best.

For small punctures that you can stick a patch on, I don't remove the wheel. But if it's a split or a pinch that you have to swap the tube for then you would.

 

[danielrlee]

True - maybe my choice of words wasn't the best.

For small punctures that you can stick a patch on, I don't remove the wheel. But if it's a split or a pinch that you have to swap the tube for then you would.

There's always have the option of buying larger patches, or using more than one on a repair. The most I've used on a single puncture is three, but that was a 1.5" tear in the tube.

I do accept that there's a point where it does become easier to just swap the tube out though, although there's still no need to remove a wheel with a GAADI tube.

 

[Warwick]

Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres aren't 100% puncture-proof, but are as close as you're going to get. Cheaper than your alternative too.

To be ultra-safe, you could also use Slime inner tubes. That's a bit like using a condom whilst on the pill though.

 

[rich_r]

I do accept that there's a point where it does become easier to just swap the tube out though, although there's still no need to remove a wheel with a GAADI tube.

That's what I was describing in my original post, only without using the name of just one particular make of tube

 

[Crystal_pixie]

As an alternative way to deal with a rear puncture, have you considered taking a double ended (sausage) inner tube and means to inflate it? They're very popular now for emergencies and not as expensive as you might think. The big thing is that you don't have to take the wheel off to put it in the tyre.

Basically you pull the tyre half off the rim, pull the old inner tube out and tie it to the frame so it's out of the way. Then feed in the sausage tube into the tyre, pop it back on the rim and inflate. When you get home you can remove the wheel and repair and refit the normal inner tube (or a new one).

There really is no need for sarcasm. Ebikes are heavy and yes I have changed my front tyre on my own. My bike has Schwalbe tyres that are very difficult to get off (four broken tyre irons later) and I do a fair distance each day. I was asking for opinions not sarcastic comments.

 

[Crystal_pixie]

Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres aren't 100% puncture-proof, but are as close as you're going to get. Cheaper than your alternative too.

To be ultra-safe, you could also use Slime inner tubes. That's a bit like using a condom whilst on the pill though.

Someone mentioned slime to me - I will investigate....

 

[jdallan]

There really is no need for sarcasm. Ebikes are heavy and yes I have changed my front tyre on my own. My bike has Schwalbe tyres that are very difficult to get off (four broken tyre irons later) and I do a fair distance each day. I was asking for opinions not sarcastic comments.

I think you have misunderstood rich_r's post - I'm sure no sarcasm was intended. Linear tubes ("sausage" if you like) are carried by several members, myself included, to make repairs on the road more quickly.

Jim

 

[soundwave]

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/park-tool-valve-core-tool-vc1/rp-prod149833?gs=1&utm_source=google&utm_term=&utm_campaign=Chain+Reaction-UK-PLA-PLA-All-DT-SE-Shopping+QLB+Generic+Desktop&utm_medium=base&utm_content=mkwid|s5qiBc1XL_dc|pcrid|161850070953|pkw||pmt||prd|546437UK

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Stans-No-Tubes-The-Solution-Tyre-Sealant_16157.htm?sku=14384&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google_shopping&gclid=CjwKCAjwj8bPBRBiEiwASlFLFYtHU8F6SaTlaqjlF6V4k2bKdoGThTMOc0SLWyMblGrqV1t-AyKO0BoCT4wQAvD_BwE

take the valve out of the tube with above tool and inject the sealant in to the tube replace the valve and pump up.

that should stop most punctures

 

[fatwomble]

I think you have misunderstood rich_r's post - I'm sure no sarcasm was intended. Linear tubes ("sausage" if you like) are carried by several members, myself included, to make repairs on the road more quickly.

Jim

I didn't read any sarcasm in that reply.

 

[D C]

There really is no need for sarcasm.

I'm sure you've misunderstood, there really are such things. It was an attempt to be helpful to you.
If you do a bit of googling you'll find them for about a tenner.
Reminds me I must get one.
Dave.

 

[falmouthtony]

There really is no need for sarcasm. Ebikes are heavy and yes I have changed my front tyre on my own. My bike has Schwalbe tyres that are very difficult to get off (four broken tyre irons later) and I do a fair distance each day. I was asking for opinions not sarcastic comments.

Totally agree
Seems to me that folk who can 'simply remove one side of the tyre' are living in a different world to me.
To get a wideish nobbly tyre of my narrow lightweight sunringle rims on my cube is a twenty minute sweaty wrestling match ... That in a controlled situation in a garage with the wheel off.
To get one off on a muddy track on a rainy day (that's when they happen)....
Well, personally - I know I'm getting old - but no chance.