# Plastic circular strip inside tires to prevent punctures?



## armstrong (Jul 9, 2013)

Do these exist? I'm not sure why, but I remember such a thing existing back in the day. Or is this a figment of my imagination?

I'm talking about a round strip of plastic that goes inside the tire, in between it and the tube. 

If they exist, they are useful right? What are they called?


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

armstrong said:


> Do these exist? I'm not sure why, but I remember such a thing existing back in the day. Or is this a figment of my imagination?
> 
> I'm talking about a round strip of plastic that goes inside the tire, in between it and the tube.
> 
> If they exist, they are useful right? What are they called?


Aka: tire liners. Mr. Tuffys, etc. Every bike shop on the planet should have them in stock...


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## armstrong (Jul 9, 2013)

Are these things must-haves in tires?


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

armstrong said:


> Are these things must-haves in tires?


Some people think so. I can't stand them.


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

armstrong said:


> Are these things must-haves in tires?


Yah, if you like your tires to feel like rocks. 

Really? They suck.


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## DCash (Jun 20, 2012)

tihsepa said:


> Yah, if you like your tires to feel like rocks.
> 
> Really? They suck.


Agree, don't like the ride. 

It would be better to buy puncture resistant tires such as Gatorskins.


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

I also got more than one flat while using tire liners. I began to dub them Mr. Not So Toughies. I no longer have anything to do with them.


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## mpre53 (Oct 25, 2011)

armstrong said:


> Are these things must-haves in tires?


No. Good rim tape is necessary, but not tire liners.


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## junior1210 (May 2, 2013)

DCash said:


> Agree, don't like the ride.
> 
> It would be better to buy puncture resistant tires such as Gatorskins.


+1 for puncture resistant tires, and if necessary go for puncture resistant tubes as well. They cost more, but will work better.


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## JoePAz (Jul 20, 2012)

I use them on my mtn bike as a protection from thorns. I can still get flats, but it has prevent some flats from cactus. 

I do not use them on my road bike.


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## froze (Sep 15, 2002)

Using tire liners depends on whether getting flats is a big issue for you. Maybe you commute and you don't want the down time fixing a flat, or maybe you live in an area that has goatheads (thorn) and their puncturing your tires a lot, then maybe you need to consider a liner.

Mr Tuffy is a plastic/nylon liner that isn't all that great of a liner, better than no liner though but a headache to install and to reinstall after a flat. If a liner is your idea of preventing flats then consider the Panaracer FlatAway liner, this liner is far tougher against flats than a Mr Tuffy.

However your first line of defense against flats is your tires. I don't consider the Gatorskin tire to be all that tough, a tad tougher than normal tires but not that great. I tried the Gatoskins when I use to live in the Mojave desert where Goatheads roamed freely and they still punctured through those tires. If you are really concerned about flats then look to tougher tires like the Conti Gator Hardshell, or the Specialized Armadillo All Condition (this stopped 100% of all my Goathead flats), Bontrager Hardcase, Panaracer Pasela TG, or Schwabe Marathon (probably the toughest against flats but also the heaviest). Personally I would find a good semi light tire like the Armadillo or the Gator Hardshell and put a Panaracer FlatAway liner just on the rear tire since that's where most of the flats occur; and I wouldn't use a thick tube either, just a regular 80 or so gram tube. When I used the Armadillo's I never used a liner with them and used a 65 gram racing tubes and never had a flat again for over 15,000 miles whereas before I averaged 3 to 7 flats a week with liners and thick tubes!


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## armstrong (Jul 9, 2013)

froze said:


> Using tire liners depends on whether getting flats is a big issue for you. Maybe you commute and you don't want the down time fixing a flat, or maybe you live in an area that has goatheads (thorn) and their puncturing your tires a lot, then maybe you need to consider a liner.
> 
> Mr Tuffy is a plastic/nylon liner that isn't all that great of a liner, better than no liner though but a headache to install and to reinstall after a flat. If a liner is your idea of preventing flats then consider the Panaracer FlatAway liner, this liner is far tougher against flats than a Mr Tuffy.
> 
> However your first line of defense against flats is your tires. I don't consider the Gatorskin tire to be all that tough, a tad tougher than normal tires but not that great. I tried the Gatoskins when I use to live in the Mojave desert where Goatheads roamed freely and they still punctured through those tires. If you are really concerned about flats then look to tougher tires like the Conti Gator Hardshell, or the Specialized Armadillo All Condition (this stopped 100% of all my Goathead flats), Bontrager Hardcase, Panaracer Pasela TG, or Schwabe Marathon (probably the toughest against flats but also the heaviest). Personally I would find a good semi light tire like the Armadillo or the Gator Hardshell and put a Panaracer FlatAway liner just on the rear tire since that's where most of the flats occur; and I wouldn't use a thick tube either, just a regular 80 or so gram tube. When I used the Armadillo's I never used a liner with them and used a 65 gram racing tubes and never had a flat again for over 15,000 miles whereas before I averaged 3 to 7 flats a week with liners and thick tubes!



Great detailed reply. Thanks!


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## skitorski (Dec 4, 2012)

Thanks Froze !! FWIW never seen a liner in any shop here at least 5 shops. Nothing.


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## froze (Sep 15, 2002)

skitorski said:


> Thanks Froze !! FWIW never seen a liner in any shop here at least 5 shops. Nothing.


Most LBS's can order it, if still no luck try this: Amazon.com: Panaracer FlatAway Tire Liner: Sports & Outdoors

I actually tried this! see: Panaracer Flat Away felt innertape - YouTube By the way, Mr Tuffy failed this easily; I also tried it with a small finishing nail I banged through a piece of wood then tried with my hands to get it to penetrated the liner with no success.

And see: Panaracer Flat Away felt innertape - YouTube I had something cut my Rubino Pro Slick and penetrated the tire all the way but the liner stopped it from hitting the tube. I was then able to peel back the liner and place a tire boot over the cut and replace the liner, I then put Super Glue on the cut on the outside of the tire. 

If you ever used a Mr Tuffy before you have to trim the Tuffy to get it to fit without overlap same is true with the Panaracer FlatAway, but you will notice something odd, the Tuffy cuts like butter, the FlatAway is a pain in the arse to cut. Also the FlatAway is the only liner that sticks to the inside of the tire so you don't have to hassle with the liner to make sure it stays in place which you're never sure with Tuffy type of liners. Supposedly the FlatAway is a one tire use liner, but I was able to peel the liner off once to put in a tire boot, and again (to see if I could) to put it into another tire, it did go into another tire but the adhesive is now very weak but held enough to get the tube in. So it's probably good for 2 tires but not 3.


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## skitorski (Dec 4, 2012)

Flat yesterday was a goathead through the sidewall. That's 12 tubes since December in the garage awaiting their re-patch or disposal fate. After watching that video, I'm not convinced it is goatproof. Might try it, nothing to lose but a few grams in weight. Thanks Froze.


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## froze (Sep 15, 2002)

skitorski said:


> Flat yesterday was a goathead through the sidewall. That's 12 tubes since December in the garage awaiting their re-patch or disposal fate. After watching that video, I'm not convinced it is goatproof. Might try it, nothing to lose but a few grams in weight. Thanks Froze.


Don't forget, the first line of defense against flats is the tire itself, I had huge success with Specialized Armadillo All Condition tires (no liner), so huge I never had a thorn flat again. The second line of defense would be the Panaracer FlatAway liner, but I had such huge success with the Armadillos that I would only use a liner as an extra precaution for only the rear tire. The last line of defense is the tube but that line of defense is so minor I wouldn't bother using a thick thorn resistant tube, just a regular light weight 85 gram or so tube.

The Specialized Armadillo is not a very good riding tire, but that was back when I used them, supposedly Specialized improved the tire but I haven't rode on the new version so I can't tell you how they ride. The other tire I would consider is the Continental Gator Hardshell with the liner in the rear. There are even better tires out but they'll weigh at least 100 grms more than either of those two.


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