Are bicycle tire liners good/worth it?

i love road biking and love going fast! but as soon as i get a flat i am doomed because i just can't do the install of a new tube and all that. on a mountain bike sure its easy but on a road bike its definitely more difficult i screwed up my hand once trying to replace it. anyways i went to bike shop today and guy recommended to me either get MEGA TUBE which is a lot thicker than ur normal bike tube or get mr tuffys tire liner. OR get BOTH and my tires will be bulletproof! lol. anyways it sounds good since a flat tire is my worst enemy but i read around online that it kinda weighs the bike down? will i really go that much slower? is it worth it? tell me ur thoughts/experiences/etc i wanna hear from you guys!|||I've used tyre liners in the past, and once fitted they do seem to work, but they do have a weight penalty. Because the weight is on the edge of the wheel it had a noticeable effect on acceleration, and will also slow you down on hills.


Continental do a range of tyres, and some of them have a 12 month anti puncture guarantee.I've used tyres like these for over 3,000 miles, and the only puncture was a piece of curved glass that cut through the sidewall of the tyre (and a few pinch flats because I let the pressure drop too far).





Another thing I've tried is tyre sealant. This did work, and saved me a few punctures while I've been on long rides, but it can be messy, and again, it has a weight penalty.|||I always run tire liners, and since you say that you can switch out new tubes that fast, I recommend that you do the same. People say that because they may add an ounce or two to your bike, but big deal. Will that two ounces really slow you down that much? Ever since I've had tire liners, I have yet to flat, and it makes riding a lot less worrisome.|||Tire liners, and heavyweight tubes will surely slow you down. Flats are really not difficult to repair on a road bike, I find it easier to change a tube on a road bike than on a mountain bike, so it is just about learning how to do the job. There is no guarantee that a heavier tube or tire liners will prevent all flats. Fear of flats is your biggest enemy. Learn how to deal with them and free yourself|||if you don;t install tire liners right, they can cause flats





because they have sharp edges, that can rub a hole in the tube





just saying





wle|||tire liners and thick tubes help ALOT,but this does no make your tires bullet proof. i run liners and thorn proof tubes and have still managed to get flats. it is just a fact of life when cycling ,if you are running pneumatic tires you will get a flat,some things you just cant watch for,my last 2 flats were caused by 1 a sharp piece of metal about a 1/4 inch x 3/8 long by about a 1/32 thick ,right thru the tire ,liner ,and tube.the second was caused by a small finish nail about 3/4 inch long ,how in the world am i supposed to watch out for and avoid these kind of things ? don't think it can be done ,so i just need to accept the fact that i am gonna get flats once in a while.|||1. Check your tires and rims for sharp objects. Typically flats are caused by sharp objects. Inspection should be done carefully to reduce the chance of cutting yourself.





2. Buy good quality tires, preferably ones that are touring or city tires. I've had very good luck with touring Continental and Panaracer tires. Touring tires are durable and are still reasonably quick. Plus the extra width gives a better ride. You won't notice the difference in speed.





3. Some tires are belted. This does help. Again, touring tires are they way to go. No tire liners required.





4. Make sure the tires are properly inflated. An under-inflated tire leads to pinch flats. These are obvious when you see 2 holes in the tube roughly where they contacted the rim and the tire and tube collapsed enough to pinch. Use a tire gauge to make sure about pressure. The squeeze test is not accurate enough as it is too inconsistent.





Best of luck!|||I hate flats too. Buy a Panaracer RiBMo tire or a heavier treaded tire with kevlar built into the road contact surface, make sure you're riding with the tire pumped to at least 80psi, and cycle carefully so you don't knowingly go over any glass etc. Also, whenever you get your bike overhauled (for me that's every few years), replace the tires and inner tubes. Doing the above has kept me flat-free for (believe it or not) 26 years. Okay, I don't ride all that regularly - I maybe average once or twice a week over that time, but still I think that's pretty good going.