The Best Ways to Prevent Bicycle Tire Punctures in Cyprus

Published on 22th of July, 2024

99% of all bicycle tire punctures on the island of Cyprus are caused by thorns produced by weeds growing along the roads. The spikes on these thorns are so powerful that they can puncture even puncture-proof bicycle tires. These thorns are everywhere on the island, and avoiding them is impossible. Sometimes, you can get up to 10 thorns in your tire at once. In this article, we will explore effective ways to combat these thorns so that you experience punctures no more than once a year.

Method 1: Purchase specialized anti-puncture tires for your bicycle. You can order them from bike24.com. They are usually manufactured by Schwalbe.

Method 2: Convert your bicycle wheels to tubeless. However, this requires special rims and knowledge. A bike shop can help you with this, but this method also has drawbacks because the thorns are so powerful that the sealant inside the tire does not always seal the hole.

Method 3: Fill the bicycle tube with sealant. For this, you need a tube with a removable Presta valve. Pour the sealant into the tube and put the valve back. The probability of punctures will decrease by 70-90%.

Method 4: Add glitter to the sealant in the tube or tire. This will effectively seal any hole in the tube or tire caused by thorns.

Method 5: Buy special tape from Aliexpress, which is placed between the tube and the tire. In my experience, the probability of a puncture decreases to 1% (though the tape can sometimes fold inside the tire, so it needs to be checked and adjusted periodically).

COMBO: Tape + sealant + glitter. With this combo, you will no longer fear any punctures.

That's it, no more punctures in Cyprus!