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I brought my road bike to Mumbai where the roads are pretty bad (lots of potholes, gravel...), I've been getting a puncture roughly every 2 weeks. The tires are about 6 months old. They are a bit worn out, but people I ask here say it's fine.

What are my options to deal with this? Should I line the tire with old tubes?

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    bicycles.stackexchange.com/questions/6753/…
    – WTHarper
    Commented Jul 29, 2013 at 12:44
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    Also this: bicycles.stackexchange.com/questions/5558/…
    – WTHarper
    Commented Jul 29, 2013 at 12:44
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    Also this too: bicycles.stackexchange.com/questions/14858/…
    – WTHarper
    Commented Jul 29, 2013 at 12:45
  • @WTHarper The third link relieved me a lot... I was worried that the bike wouldn't be able to take the roads here
    – nishantjr
    Commented Jul 29, 2013 at 12:55
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    Folks on a limited budget have been known to take an old tire and cut off the bead on each side, then stretch it over a "good" tire. Or to cut just the tread from an old tire (preferably one that's not too heavy) and place it inside the "good" tire (being careful to not leave sharp edges against the tube). Either of these requires a bit of effort and likely some strong language, and the ride will not be smooth. But you do what you need to do.
    – Daniel R Hicks
    Commented Jul 29, 2013 at 14:29

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Kevlar tyres. Or at least kevlar liners. Check the pressure regularly, especially if running on patched tubes.

I suspect sharp debris/litter may be the problem

Lining with old tubes doesn't seem like a good idea - they're no stronger than the tube you've got, and add significant bulk affecting how the tube sits.

For properly bad roads, I wouldn't ride on road tyres - get something designed for rougher urban use. All the major tyre manufacturers make something with kevlar, slightly thicker rubber and a bit of grip compared to road tyres. I've fitted continental's version to a mountain bike for city use, and it will take much more sharp stuff than MTB tyres.

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  • Yes, the problem is definitely debris... I shall try out kevlar lining or tires with kelvar in them. Thanks
    – nishantjr
    Commented Jul 29, 2013 at 12:59
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    Note that you want a Kevlar belted tire, not one with a Kevlar bead. The Kevlar bead makes the tire "foldable" but does not in any way improve puncture protection. Kevlar belted tires improve puncture resistance at least 10x.
    – Daniel R Hicks
    Commented Jul 29, 2013 at 14:26
  • @DanielRHicks, a very good point, I had forgotten Kevlar beading was a thing in my enthusiasm for Kevlar belts.
    – Chris H
    Commented Jul 29, 2013 at 14:28

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