I got 3 flats in the last two weeks. It looks like the thorn thistles are in full bloom here in northern calilf. So I went and did it. I put tire liners on my micheling pro2 race tires. My question is how much will the tire liners affect my tire performance ?

I got 3 flats in the last two weeks. It looks like the thorn thistles are in full bloom here in northern calilf. So I went and did it. I put tire liners on my micheling pro2 race tires. My question is how much will the tire liners affect my tire performance ?
Are you racing or training? I use a wheelset with 23mm armadillos for training. Thorns and glass are always in bloom here. Ideally, a race course would be swept so you wouldn't have any issues. As far as affecting performance, the tire would be less supple but you probably wouldn't notice. Someone could sneak into your garage and put them in and you wouldn't know it until you had a flat. I give up some ride quality to ensure that I can always finish my ride. Conti gatorskins are good and provide a better ride, but I have had better luck thorn-wise with the armadillos. The best flat resistant race tires that I have ever used are Vredenstein Tri comps.

I got 3 flats in the last two weeks. It looks like the thorn thistles are in full bloom here in northern calilf. So I went and did it. I put tire liners on my micheling pro2 race tires. My question is how much will the tire liners affect my tire performance ?

Definitely agreed about the thorns in full bloom. And to think I thought that the poppy was the state flower?

Anyhow, I posted a rant about how many flats I was getting with Hutchinson “Top Speed” crappy tires. Sure, a lot of the flats were caused by thorns, but changing the rear tire to a Continental Grand Prix Supersonic so far has mysteriously caused me to not get flats anymore. I don’t feel like typing all that crap back again, so I’ll save everyone the hassle.

-he who stacks pork

Install a butyl tube with a removable valve core so you can prevent flats with a sealant such as Flat Free (http://www.flatfree.com/ ). Flat Free is a fibers-suspended-in-liquid similar to Slime but I think is better than Slime.Tufo sealant is latex based and dries up after a few months according to Tufo North America. According to Slime their sealant stays effective for 2 years. Flat Free claims to stay effective for the life of the tire.

Another fibers-suspended-in-liquid alternative to Slime that I haven't tried yet is Ride-On. Both Flat Free and Ride-On are usually available in 8 ounce bottles on eBay. Search: "ride-on" tire. Or search "flat free" tire.

Slime dominates the retail market but the real market for tire sealant is for commercial, industrial and military vehicles where it is sold in fifty five gallon drums, and these two lesser known companies (at least to bicycle riders) are for real along with other companies that don't sell quantities less than 5 gallon cans of their product.

Are you racing or training? I use a wheelset with 23mm armadillos for training. Thorns and glass are always in bloom here. Ideally, a race course would be swept so you wouldn't have any issues. As far as affecting performance, the tire would be less supple but you probably wouldn't notice. Someone could sneak into your garage and put them in and you wouldn't know it until you had a flat. I give up some ride quality to ensure that I can always finish my ride. Conti gatorskins are good and provide a better ride, but I have had better luck thorn-wise with the armadillos. The best flat resistant race tires that I have ever used are Vredenstein Tri comps.

These are working really well for me 2 years, lots of miles, zero flats