Tires & Tubes Just don't want a FLAT FRONT tire! Mousse, Tannus, or FlatOut (Or something better???)

[mxxx_rooster]

Hey all!

I turned my hybrid Trek into a commuter bike and LOVE it! My only concern is that I hit a bit over 30 MPH on flat roads and have attained 53 MPH on steep down hills, and the only thing that ever worries me is a FRONT flat. I'm in my 60's and grew up racing dirt bikes, and we've used Mousse tires (not racing - trail riding) and they work well. The problem is that my eBike with 700 x 35c tires will instantly lose all air if popped... and if that's when I'm cornering, I'm road pizza! FlatOut with Mr Tuffies were suggested but FlatOut apparently remains liquid and on a thin tire I feel as though it'll go flat before the liquid "clogs" the hole. Tannus seems to be a better option although reviews commonly state that it compresses by a large percentage over a relatively short period of time and, as an under inflated tire would do, impairs both tire life/performance as well as battery cycle life (single charge mileage). Then, there are old school Mousse type of inserts. I have thoughts on a motorcycle tire, but a higher pressure tire with little volume, well, I have no lived experience!

Any ideas of which is best for a commuter bike with a higher pressure, thin tire?

Thanks, everyone!

 

[fabbrisd]

You are right to be conceerned aboiut Safety - don't overthink this Front Flat thing - the very best Flat Protection is (1) Mr Tuffy Liners - the best rated liners by Rolling Resistance group ombined with (2) FlatOut Sportsmans Formula - the best rated eBike tire sealant . Don't overthink - my recommendation is based on my experience and backed up by 3rd party reviews/testing. Go to FlatOut website to put in your tire size for their recommended "dose" for each tire.

 

[addertooth]

I had to do the same analysis after two flat tires a month back.
All of the options were considered.

All of the options have fan boys, as well as serious detractors.
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Those who have used Tuffy liners adore them, except for those who had those liners "shift in position" and cause imbalances or irregular shaped tires.
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Those who have used Tannus equally love them, except for those who have used them for a year and discovered how much they compress and become much thinner protection. Some also report challenges installing this product.
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Of the various liquid tire sealants, the favoritism shifts towards Flat-out, with some sticking with classical products like Slime. Most agree that the "clean up" when it is time to replace the tire is easier with Flat-Out, with no gooey latex residue to clean up at tire change time.
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The choice made for my bike was a combination of plan A + plan B. Tires which were known to have a thicker carcass (with a weight penalty) and Flat-Out. Some variants of a Kevlar belted tire (plus sealant) could have been an option if it had been found in that time window.
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I would suggest you go onto YouTube and look at all the sealant test videos. In all of the comparison videos I saw, Flat-Out comes out on top.
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I live in the high desert of Arizona, where we have a lovely plant called a "Goat Head". You cannot roll across most patches where there is plant life (including many lawns) without picking up those thorns. I was experiencing about 1 flat per 2 weeks before I made the tire/sealant change. Now, a month later, no flats. I have pulled the thorns out of my tires, and gave the tire a few spins and it sealed itself.

 

[biknut]

I used to get flats pretty regularly. Now I fill my tires with slime, and haven't gotten a flat a long time. The trick is to consider what the bottle recommends as a minimum amount. I always add about 1/2 that much more in each tire.

 

[JerryB]

Slime works....plus.....SLOW down......53mph on an ebike is too fast.....unless you have a death wish.....be safe.

 

[th 'fern]

Commuter tires = Schwalbe Marathons, come in several widths.
Have not checked lately but they used to come in a couple of models.
On a tandem that carries 350lbs of riders.