# Goathead Thorns vs Tubulars anyone?



## wildboar (Nov 27, 2008)

So I moved out here to the front range from the midwest where all we had was chipseal and corn fields. I have always ridden tubulars on my road bike and I've been off for quite a while and I'm slowly piecing it back together. I've been riding my mountain bike this fall and the super beefy semi-slicks I have on that just laugh at the thorns that I have run into.

Please educate me on the road bike tires though. I live out towards DIA so I will be riding on the highways mostly towards Brighton. Are these things enough of a problem on the highways that you have to go with clinchers just for the ease of repair? I always ran Conti Sprinter 250's before and I never had a problem with flats, only when the tire would wear down to the casing and chipseal would finally kill it.


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## MarshallH1987 (Jun 17, 2009)

Mostly fields out there so i guess it will depend on what the damn wind blows onto the road. I've ridden out that way a few times and haven't had any problems with goatheads yet but i guess you'll just have to wait and see how many actually end up on the roads.
If you use some kind of sealant like Stan's No Tubes you would probably be alright, but the goatheads seem to have little problem getting into any kind of tire thrown at them. If your going to run tubulars still i'd recommend something that's got a bit of thorn protection and add some sealant.
clinchers work great but again i'd add sealant so that your not constantly fixing flats.


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## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

I ride tubulars in eastern Oregon. Goatheads abound, but not so much on the roadway itself. I have to be careful rolling my bike off on the shoulders or in parking areas to make sure there are no stickers in the tires. That is where you will be getting them, if you get any... I get a big auto-size bottle of Slime. Squeeze a little into each tire after mounting. I've had no flats this season..about 8000 miles since spring. I ride Victoria or conti sprinters till they get thin and squared-off.

Last season I had a series of flats..sometimes both tires, before I figured out that someone had pulled up a bunch of goathead plants and tossed them into the parking area where I do a lot of training rides out of...Once I realized what was up, I brought a broom along and swept the area where the plants were tossed...or carried my bike out to the road pavement..


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## shongalola (Nov 2, 2005)

I've done a fair amount of riding east of DIA over winter and no problems with Goatheads - just dont get off the blacktop.


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## moonmoth (Nov 8, 2008)

MarshallH1987 said:


> clinchers work great but again i'd add sealant so that your not constantly fixing flats.


 I read somewhere else in here that sealant is useless at 60psi or greater. If this is true, how does one use sealant on road clinchers?


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## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

moonmoth said:


> I read somewhere else in here that sealant is useless at 60psi or greater. If this is true, how does one use sealant on road clinchers?


 It works for me..not always, I suppose but usually. I use slime from an auto parts because Stan's is overpriced.
Don Hanson


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