Daft question of the day, chunky mountain bike tyres are less likely to get punctures aren't they?

[megletthesecond]

I have a lovely Raleigh town bike with normal tyres ( not racing bike skinny nor chunky mountain bike). But it's forever getting punctures from riding on concrete, I'm not trundling through forests or off road. I had new inner tubes and slime put in just before lockdown. Two gentle cycle rides around town and a week later and the tyres were as flat as a pancake. So it's sat there unused for two months now. I've had it for five years and gone through several inner tubes despite only using it occasionally.

If I get a mountain bike with proper tyres it should last longer shouldn't it? I'm getting fed up with it now. The kids mountain bike tyres last for ages.

Yes to a certain extent, but you should not get as many punctures as you are on slick tyres. Make sure your tyres are well inflated - look at 80-100 psi (but check the wall of your tyres for proper range). Knobbly tyres are a lot stickier to pedal so if you don't need them, I'd get the slick ones sorted out. Much less effort!

Nope. It depends what the tyre is made of and what it’s intended use is. Width doesn’t make any difference either. Knobbly mountain bike tyres are designed for gripping on off road surfaces not necessarily protecting against punctures, particularly on the road.

You’d be best off going for a set of continental gatorskins - they’re my go to winter training tyre (Road). The only time I start to get punctures is once the tyre is worn (yours might be by the sound of it?). They’re more or less bombproof. Alternatively Schwalbe Marathons are good too. Both are hard work to fit.

I’ve had 2 on my road bike in over 4000 miles. I run fast tyres so not especially designed to resist punctures. A lot of it is luck. Honestly if you are riding on the road don’t use MTB tyres because they are hard work, not designed to grip tarmac like they are mud and if you get a bit of flint it’s going to go through whatever you are using.

If it’s repeatedly going down did you check inside the tyre and rim before replacing the inner tube as there could be debris left in there. Also if you are using CO2 to inflate them they will need re inflating more often as that will leak quicker than air. I properly pump my tyres up at least once a week, just like your car tyres they will lose air over time.

Have you got a bit of glass or a thorn stuck in your tyre if they keep going down? Or a faulty valve?