PUNCTURE PROTECTION

HOW CAN A PUNCTURE BE PREVENTED?

The best and most important protection against punctures is a high-quality tire with a good puncture protection belt.

Maintain the correct inflation pressure. If the inflation pressure is too low, the risk of punctures is substantially higher. Check and correct the inflation pressure at least once a month with a pressure gauge.

Tire control: It also helps to check the tire for embedded foreign objects and to remove them. Replace worn tires.

The best protection belt will not serve any purpose if “internal safety” is notobserved. Only purchase quality tubes. The rim tape is also important. The rim tape protects the tube from mechanical damage from spoke ends, metal burrs and holes in the rim. An appropriate rim tape must completely and securely cover all spoke holes.

Puncture protection tapes can be inserted between the tire and tube at fitting. They protect from punctures, but are not without problems because they lie between the tire and the tube and cause defects due to friction. Therefore, we do not offer protection tapes separately. It is better that the protection belt is incorporated into the tire.

In certain cases the use of a puncture protection liquid is helpful.

Latex tubes are favored as a puncture protection means as well. The chapter “Tube” explains the advantages and disadvantages.

WHICH IS THE BEST PUNCTURE PROTECTION BELT?

The safest bicycle tire for most purposes is our „flat-less“- tire Marathon Plus. The SmartGuard belt, made out of highly elastic special rubber, is approx. 5 mm thick. The decisive advantage of SmartGuard is its effectiveness against objects that become lodged in the tread, that are rolled over at each turn of the wheel and will eventually penetrate virtually any protection belt. This is where the advantage of SmartGuard comes into effect. A thumbtack, for example, is embedded in the rubber without causing any damage.

This simple operating principle is superior even to high-tech protection belts made of aramid or Vectran. However, these belts have another advantage. They provide very light tires with a very good puncture protection. The fibers themselves are highly cut-resistant. These fibers are woven using patented weaving technology to produce a very tightly woven texture for our V-Guard.

Both technologies are patented.

HOW SHOULD PUNCTURE PROTECTION LIQUIDS BE USED?

Basically, there are two kinds of puncture protection liquids. The first kind works solely mechanically. The liquid contains small fibers or particles that will close the hole. Advantage: Such liquids can stay in the tube for an unlimited amount of time.Disadvantage: The hole is not really repaired but only plugged and it can open up again e.g. the next time the tire is inflated. The second kind of liquid is latex based. The latex milk hardens in the puncture and provides a lasting repair. Unfortunately, these kinds of liquids can only stay in the tube for a limited amount of time before they cure completely.

Our Doc Blue is also based on latex and is effective in the tube for approx. 2-7 months or approx. 2000 km as a preventative. Additional particles in the liquid ensure that larger holes are also quickly sealed. These particles in the liquid are also the reason that the valve core must be removed for filling. Liquids, which can be filled with the valve installed, are usually extremely thin and therefore only able to seal very small holes.

For all puncture protection liquids, the following applies: The liquid can only seal the hole when the wheel rotates. Handling can be problematic. A good, puncture protected tire is the best and simplest solution for most people.

We recommend Doc Blue mainly for tubeless systems and tubular tires. In these cases it is a useful aid as otherwise these tire types either cannot be repaired at all or only with great difficulty. Furthermore, Doc Blue is suitable for preventing punctures in particularly light tires for a limited time, for example, a competition. It also makes sense as an additional protection for touring in extremely thorny areas.

In an emergency Doc Blue can repair small punctures without dismantling tube and tire. However, greater damage, like cuts or snakebites, cannot be repaired with a latex solution.

WHICH PUNCTURE PROTECTION BELTS DOES SCHWALBE OFFER?

TECHNOLOGICALLY, SCHWALBE HAS BEEN SETTING THE BENCHMARKS FOR PUNCTURE PROTECTION ON BICYCLES FOR MANY YEARS.

Two examples of this: Only Schwalbe has the travel and city tires that can call themselves "unplattbar" (Protection 7). For mountain bikes, Tubeless has become the standard for performance-oriented use through the Schwalbe fabric inserts of Tubeless Easy technology - and together with sealing milk for optimal puncture protection (Protection 6).
For fast, light bikes that are in daily use, the DualGuard was developed. The combination of rubber insert and fabric insert is the perfect compromise between everyday and speed-oriented use.

SMARTGUARD | UNPLATTBAR

Most effective protective belt for bicycle tires. 5 mm highly elastic special rubber. Partly obtained from recycling. Unsurpassed, for more than 15 years. It has proven itself in practice like no other puncture protection. Only tires with SmartGuard® can rightly call themselves "unflattable". They are available exclusively from Schwalbe.

TIRES

Marathon Plus | Marathon Plus Tour | Marathon Plus MTB

TUBELESS EASY

The tubeless technology of Schwalbe - special monofilament fabrics (SnakeSkin or MicroSkin) prevent air loss and guarantee maximum puncture protection in combination with sealing milk.

TIRES

DUALGUARD

Schwalbe's new puncture protection technology combines two protective layer principles (special rubber + nylon fabric) under the tread: 2 layers of nylon fabric, 2.5 mm highly elastic special rubber.

TIRES

Marathon GT | Marathon GT 365 | Marathon GT Tour

DOUBLE DEFENSE

The combined puncture protection is available in three versions. In the race version (A) protect SnakeSkin (all around) and additional RaceGuard (under the tread). In Tour tires (B) SnakeSkin acts on the sidewalls and high-density V-Guard is under the tread. "Plus" tires (C) combine a layer of GreenGuard under the tread and SnakeSkin on the sidewalls

TIRES

(A): Nobby Nic | Smart Sam | Durano DD

(B): Marathon Mondial

(C): Smart Sam Plus

V-GUARD

Extremely lightweight and cut-resistant high-tech fiber. This high-tech fabric provides a high level of puncture resistance for lightweight race and touring tires.

TIRES

Schwalbe One | Schwalbe G-One Speed | Marathon Supreme

GREENGUARD

3 mm highly elastic special rubber, partly from recycling. The highly elastic rubber on a 67 EPI carcass is used in the classic Marathon, the Energizer models and many other high-quality touring tires.

TIRES

Marathon | Energizer Plus | Energizer Plus Tour | Big Apple Plus

PUNCTUREGUARD

This rubber insert, also 3 mm thick, provides excellent puncture protection in the entry area.

TIRES

Delta Cruiser Plus | Land Cruiser Plus | Kid Plus

RACEGUARD

Double layered fabric under the tread. Ideal puncture protection when a tire must be fast and light above all. 2 layers crossed nylon fabric, 67 EPI carcass.

TIRES

K-GUARD

Natural rubber insert, reinforced with Kevlar® fibers. The protection standard for all Active-Line tires.

LITESKIN & PERFORMANCE

Tire constructed of high quality carcass fabric without a separate protective belt. Generally, the minimum standard for all Schwalbe tires: 50 EPI carcass.