Goat heads! Tubeless would help if they give you flats often.
a2lowvw on
If you ride often then go tubeless. If you are a sporadic rider where the bike sits for weeks/months at a time I would use something like the Mr. Tuffy tire liners instead.
DesiccantPack on
You in Florida?
Yeah, tubeless is the answer.
Feralest_Baby on
I used to have those in my front yard. I’d ride home from work and get a flat in my driveway.
bb9977 on
Nope these are insane compared to what we have here.
Tubeless for sure and I’d be going to a super tough tire too.
Supple/light/fast tires are pointless if they’re punctured.
LICK_THE_BUTTER on
Tubeless and orange seal endurance using Tesa tape for the rim. You won’t find a better combination. This is coming from 8 years as a mechanic that regularly abuses his own bike. One sat for a few years and with dried up sealant i just aired it up and went out for a ride lol. Thing still holds up, but this also varies by rim.
equality4everyonenow on
Try the Tannus armor inserts. Nothing is tough enough for goat heads so you just create more distance between the sharp part and your tube
FlacoLoeke on
In Brazil’s northeast desert, mountain bikers usually equip “Mister Bode”. It’s an anti puncture band made from goat skin
One time I got a flat from a goat head and while walking to the nearest bike shop my other tire also picked up more and went flat. Shop said there were about 20 in the tires, good times.
brickyardjimmy on
Pretty much anyone who has cycled for more than 10 minutes have dealt with goat heads.
2407s4life on
I lived in the Mojave desert for a little while, had like 12 flats in the first month of riding (including some with puncture resistant tubes and tires). Went tubeless and had no flats for like 3 years.
Tweakers on
If you use tubes, get liners; if you do tubeless, get more sealant — lots more sealant, as in buy stock in sealant companies. Also, tubeless and sealant is messy and takes constant fussing with tires and sealant. Some prefer one over the other and you will too after you accumulate some experience.
np2fast on
I rode from Flagstaff to the canyon and back a while ago. Got 3 flats on that day due to goat heads.
I was using gatorskins and tire liners and still got flats. Despise these things!
McGeetheFree on
Goat heads! The scourge!
GreenGhostBravo on
All my life
Initial-Mousse-627 on
Moved to a wetter climate with clay soils.
Go-diamond-in-paint on
Yes goat heads suck go tubeless to save the headache some what
Beneficial_Safety280 on
Nasty stuff. But I felt to have decent protection on a touring roadbike (when cycling the Southern Tier a couple years ago) with puncture protected tires (basically a thicker plastic strip inside the tire). Such puncture protection inserts are also available for retrofitting.
Avasia1717 on
moved to a new area and got 4 flats in 2 months from goatheads, in my big mtb tires. then i got a new bike with skinny road tires, and some extra tubes because of all the goatheads. now four years later i still haven’t gotten a single flat.
was it the skinny road tires? was it because i was prepared? who knows, but it worked.
Taste_the__Rainbow on
Tire liners and tubeless both worked well for me. Liner on the trail bike. Tubeless on my road bike.
blindchief on
Arizona rider here. I used tubeless for a bit. Sometimes I’d hit a goat head and then sealant would just spray everywhere because there was so many goat heads. 30 bucks to add sealant every month or so cause it would spray out of holes sometimes got to me. I switched to tannus inserts five years ago and have never had a flat once. Just replace them every few years.
Cranks_No_Start on
I have HD tubes and a 1/2 bottle of slime. I also carry a small leatherman with pliers to pull them out and it’s been good to go.
Tbf. A 26×4.0 has a little more air volume.
MantraProAttitude on
Effing 24hrs of Hurkey Creek transition area!! 😡😡
mad_poet_navarth on
Ah, my childhood in Colorado. So happy I now live in Oregon.
goaoka on
Solid rubber tires. They suck, but better than buying tubes by the dozen.
26 Comments
Should I go tubeless?
Goat heads! Tubeless would help if they give you flats often.
If you ride often then go tubeless. If you are a sporadic rider where the bike sits for weeks/months at a time I would use something like the Mr. Tuffy tire liners instead.
You in Florida?
Yeah, tubeless is the answer.
I used to have those in my front yard. I’d ride home from work and get a flat in my driveway.
Nope these are insane compared to what we have here.
Tubeless for sure and I’d be going to a super tough tire too.
Supple/light/fast tires are pointless if they’re punctured.
Tubeless and orange seal endurance using Tesa tape for the rim. You won’t find a better combination. This is coming from 8 years as a mechanic that regularly abuses his own bike. One sat for a few years and with dried up sealant i just aired it up and went out for a ride lol. Thing still holds up, but this also varies by rim.
Try the Tannus armor inserts. Nothing is tough enough for goat heads so you just create more distance between the sharp part and your tube
In Brazil’s northeast desert, mountain bikers usually equip “Mister Bode”. It’s an anti puncture band made from goat skin
https://preview.redd.it/anie3ezwqrfe1.png?width=500&format=png&auto=webp&s=142ed4d461356cdb9bea379727ad085cd8ad1075
One time I got a flat from a goat head and while walking to the nearest bike shop my other tire also picked up more and went flat. Shop said there were about 20 in the tires, good times.
Pretty much anyone who has cycled for more than 10 minutes have dealt with goat heads.
I lived in the Mojave desert for a little while, had like 12 flats in the first month of riding (including some with puncture resistant tubes and tires). Went tubeless and had no flats for like 3 years.
If you use tubes, get liners; if you do tubeless, get more sealant — lots more sealant, as in buy stock in sealant companies. Also, tubeless and sealant is messy and takes constant fussing with tires and sealant. Some prefer one over the other and you will too after you accumulate some experience.
I rode from Flagstaff to the canyon and back a while ago. Got 3 flats on that day due to goat heads.
I was using gatorskins and tire liners and still got flats. Despise these things!
Goat heads! The scourge!
All my life
Moved to a wetter climate with clay soils.
Yes goat heads suck go tubeless to save the headache some what
Nasty stuff. But I felt to have decent protection on a touring roadbike (when cycling the Southern Tier a couple years ago) with puncture protected tires (basically a thicker plastic strip inside the tire). Such puncture protection inserts are also available for retrofitting.
moved to a new area and got 4 flats in 2 months from goatheads, in my big mtb tires. then i got a new bike with skinny road tires, and some extra tubes because of all the goatheads. now four years later i still haven’t gotten a single flat.
was it the skinny road tires? was it because i was prepared? who knows, but it worked.
Tire liners and tubeless both worked well for me. Liner on the trail bike. Tubeless on my road bike.
Arizona rider here. I used tubeless for a bit. Sometimes I’d hit a goat head and then sealant would just spray everywhere because there was so many goat heads. 30 bucks to add sealant every month or so cause it would spray out of holes sometimes got to me. I switched to tannus inserts five years ago and have never had a flat once. Just replace them every few years.
I have HD tubes and a 1/2 bottle of slime. I also carry a small leatherman with pliers to pull them out and it’s been good to go.
Tbf. A 26×4.0 has a little more air volume.
Effing 24hrs of Hurkey Creek transition area!! 😡😡
Ah, my childhood in Colorado. So happy I now live in Oregon.
Solid rubber tires. They suck, but better than buying tubes by the dozen.