Tyred and deflated

[And]

I've just come back from a cycle - powered trip to my local town centre with yet another puncture - I average 4 or 5 a year. Like 75% of my punctures it was caused by a thorn from a thorny shrub, probably Pyracantha or firethorn, after I rode over cuttings left on the roadway by a gardener. The evidence was visible on the inside of the tyre; a needle - like point of a few millimetres in length.

The sharp woody thorns could equally have injured dogs' paws, causing pain and distress to owners and pets. I was just inconvenienced, being five minutes late for an appointment, taking a little longer to cycle home with a flat tyre and then spending a few minutes fitting a new inner tube. (It used to be half an hour to fit one, but I've had a lot of practise.)

Pyracantha is a very popular shrub as it is an effective deterrent for burglars and the berries are a good winter food source for birds. The same applies to hawthorn, equally popular locally. I wouldn't want the shrubs to be dug up, but I wish gardeners would clean up after themselves and not leave thorns on footpaths, cycle paths and roadways!

I'm going to have another go at sourcing protective plastic strips to place inside tyres as mine were lost when my trike was serviced. However, whilst I might be able to protect my tyre's inner tubes, dogs can't protect their paws. Have any of you who are cyclists and/or dog owners come across the same problems? Also has anyone come across a cheap method of puncture proofing tyres? Suggestions would be very welcome!

[Stinky Bob]

I havent a solution I am afraid but I wouldn't bring your bike or dog this way because when the local farmers cut the hedgerows the lanes are chock full of needles and I just cut across their fields instead (except for one with English Longhorns filled with mums and calves).
PS You can buy tyre liner but I would ask around if they really help before you buy, here is an amazon one Amazon.co.uk: tyre liner

[KeenTeen17]

I got a puncture once every week with my old bike - it got rather annoying so I bought a new one. I don't really have as many. Its awful on the canals though. The farmers just leave the cuttings on the towpath. You should knock on this guys door and tell him a thing or two

[Johnny Redgate]

Originally Posted by KeenTeen17

I got a puncture once every week with my old bike - it got rather annoying so I bought a new one. I don't really have as many. Its awful on the canals though. The farmers just leave the cuttings on the towpath. You should knock on this guys door and tell him a thing or two

Well, I'm not quite sure what you expect us farmers to do. The public and the wildlife like hedges, hedges need trimmimg. How would you expect the thorns to be picked up from the thousands of km of hedges that get trimmed every year? And it is a problem for me too. Several of my sheep go down with thorns in their feet after hedge trimming each year meaning I have to catch them, extract the thorns and in the worst cases poultice the feet.

[And]

I think anyone who cycles in the country must accept that there are extra risks - it's ridiculous to expect a farmer to clear up cuttings. I was cycling in an urban area though and I would expect someone to clean up their mess in these circumstances. I don't envy you having to poultice sheeps' feet!

[Johnny Redgate]

I use a tyre sealant in my vehicle tyres that is meant to seal around punctures. You can put it in through the valve before you get a puncture. Supposed to work for tubeless tyres and those with inner tubes. Might be worth a go but it isn't cheap. Mind you a bike tyre wouldn't need much.

[And]

Cheers, Johnny. I actually did buy a bottle of the tyre sealant, but quailed at the thought of pulling out the valve and fitting it again... that's the sort of operation that never goes well with me!

[WhiskyBottle]

I used to have an armoured shield inside my bike tyres, made of Kelvar or similar. I used to cycle the canals around Coventry to get to work and the hedge cutting season was bad. With the Kelvar strips in the tyres I once got home and noticed the tyre was hissing. When I dismantled it I had 5 thorns through the tyre, but only one made it through the armour. I rarely got punctures after fitting the armour.

One bad winter water froze in cracks in the tyres and split the tyres open, the armour was good enough to hold the tube in and get me home. Highly recommended (that was in off-road tyres)

[Dogghound]

I do alot of cycling and the solution is simple. Use Gel inner tubes (Slime inner tubes) these can take alot more punctures before they need replacing. i.e about 30! Good luck.

[And]

Many thanks for the suggestions! A version of my first post appeared in my little local weekly paper last Friday, I shall be interested to see if anyone responds to it and if they have had the same problems as me.