Nobody likes them. They can take you out of a race and will disrupt your commute. At the very best, it’s an aggravation. It’s very common to see many riders who really dread fixing flats because fixing one isn’t simple if you don’t know how to do it. You can get tire liners (like Mr Tuffy) that help prevent flats but they are both heavy and dramatically increase rolling resistance.
Or you can use a tire sealant. Normally about one ounce (28 grams) of sealant will work for both tires. The sealant won’t work with catastrophic failures that would require a tire replacement but will work for almost everything else. At bike shows you regularly see tire sealant companies stick ice picks into tires without them losing air.
Another great alternative is to carry a bottle of sealant so that if you do get a flat you just use the sealant instead of replacing the tube. A much easier, quicker, and better fix (but have you ever seen anyone do this on a group ride?). You will need tubes with removable valve cores (pretty common).
If you happen to run tubulars, this is a no brainer. It kind of boggles my mind that the pros haven’t figured this one out yet – but they haven’t. Think about it – 28 grams and no flats.
Thanks for reading – John Neugent
