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• I love the idea and will probably try it but be warned: About 20 years ago I bought an inner tube that stated it was "thorn" resistant. Thinking that I never saw a thorn that could puncture my tire much less get to the innertube, I laughed. One week later I was riding to work when POW! my tire went flat. Further examination showed a thorn about 3 inches long and thicker(and stronger) than many nails, had penetrated the tire and went through the innertube twice, at the inner and then outter portions. If one of those monsters gets you, you could be in for a world of hurtin'. Besides, I can change bicycle tires with my hands and I always carry a multitool with me(as everyone should) so simply carrying a spare might be better if you have a high number of flats.

  That being said, I still love the idea. Maybe someone can work on how to prevent monster thorns from getting the spare?

  Posted by: ehrichweiss on July 18, 2006 at 2:10 PM

• Carrying a wadded up spare and owning a patch kit is probably less likely to mess up your spare than keeping it in the tire.

  Posted by: SpaceMooseMasterOfTime on July 18, 2006 at 3:28 PM

• The biggest problem with this is that unless you take the time to remove the thorn/glass/whatever that caused the puncture in the first place, you will just have another flat a couple miles down the road.

  Considering how easy it is to change a flat with a little practice, this seems a little silly.

  Posted by: antichason on July 18, 2006 at 3:42 PM

• One problem here. Weight in the wheels is "felt" more than weight on the frame. (I think it has something to do with the top of the tire going twice as fast as the bike.)

  I put some cheap thorn liners in once. Immediately felt their difference. (Harder to pedal.) After I realized they weren't much use, I pulled them. Noticed it was easier to pedal.

  On my mtn bike, I can change a flat without tools. I would rather carry a spare tube and swap it out than carry all that extra weight in my wheels. I just don't get flats all that often.

  (BTW, I once saw some tubes that were guaranteed against not to go flat. Guarantee said if you get a flat, mail it in for a free exchange - and include several dollars for return postage. Cost of mailing would be more than just buying a new tube.)
  

  Posted by: Perf on July 19, 2006 at 7:40 AM

• I don't think you would want to do this on a mountain bike. If you often get pinch flats (aka snake bites), you run the risk of pinching both inner tubes, defeating the purpose of storing the second tube in the tire. YMMV, but I find it's easier just to carry a spare with the rest of my gear.

  Posted by: rbils on July 19, 2006 at 4:56 PM

• i love the idea but these plp are right, if a nail goes in it will probably go all the way in, hitting the spare. this happenned to me once, i accidently ran over a fork and it got stuck so hard into it, i had to use pliers to get it out (had to walk home for a mile, not that i minded that much, it's great exercise lol) my idea would be to find some maliable piece of hard rubber or metal to seperate the spare inner tube, so that anything entering and hitting the main tube would glide as it hit the rubber or metal piece therefore missing the spare, but yes carrying a spare externaly of the tire is a good idea too :D

  Posted by: feenix on February 11, 2008 at 10:57 AM

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