Tyre advice

Jay dubbleU
Jay dubbleU Posts: 3,159
edited December 2008 in Commuting chat
Ok guys, fifth puncture in a month, this time a slit 5mm through the tyre and kevlar backing so I've had it with the Maxxis Detonators - went to my LBS and they suggested Schwalb Marathons or Marathon Plus, Specialized Nimbus Armadillos or Conti Travel Contacts - anyone have any experience with any of these? All feedback (good or bad) appreciated

Comments

  • fossyant
    fossyant Posts: 2,549
    I actually commute on light weight tyres TBH - hate the heavy, so called bullet proof stuff.

    I commute on 26 x 1.2 Hutchinson Top Slicks - great fast light tyres - no 'events' in 5 months.....

    Both road bikes have Michelin Pro Race 2's - only two 'events' - both within two rides on same route - big hole in road....second deflation due to looking for said big hole...and I missed it..bang.......used them for nearly 2 years......
  • prj45
    prj45 Posts: 2,208
    Armadillos!

    This was a shot of mine after a few of months:

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  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    I do use the M+'s though they do kill the ride some what being heavy stiff tires, this said they are pritty fairy proof
  • sbsmac
    sbsmac Posts: 21
    After 3 punctures in a single week I put a Schwallbe Marathon on my back wheel and haven't had a puncture in 6 months !
  • artaxerxes
    artaxerxes Posts: 612
    I use the standard Schwalbe Marathons and haven't had a puncture since I bought them 6 months ago. They pick up lots of glass and other detritus from the streets of London but so far so good.
    Just make sure you inspect the tyres regularly and remove the bits of embedded glass etc, to stop them going any deeper.
  • Jay dubbleU
    Jay dubbleU Posts: 3,159
    Thanks - looks like the Marathons have it - any reason why no-one (apparently) uses the Contis ? My commute involves some off road so I need something thats not too slick
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Conti rubber is like chewing gum.
  • rb1956
    rb1956 Posts: 134
    I run Schwalbe Marathon tyres in ISO size 40-406 (20"x1.5") on my bike. It's not the lightest, sportiest tyre on the market, but it's hard-wearing and very tough. It's Kevlar® belted for puncture protection, and rated up to 7 Bar (100psi). For general-purpose cycling, I think it's hard to beat.
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    Jay dubbleU wrote:
    Thanks - looks like the Marathons have it - any reason why no-one (apparently) uses the Contis ? My commute involves some off road so I need something thats not too slick

    marthon's and simular tires should be fine for light off road.
  • gtvlusso
    gtvlusso Posts: 5,112
    Never had an issue with th MAxxis Detonators in a year of riding - replaced with Armadillo's though on my main bike and conti gator skin as spares.......I had constant punctures with Conti Ultra's (non gatorskin)
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    alfablue wrote:
    Conti rubber is like chewing gum.

    Rubbish - I run GP4000S' and Conti Attack/Force - superb tires, light, fast and puncture resistant. I hate those so called bombproof heavy tires - good top end road tires have excellent puncture protection without the performance penalties.

    Trying Pro Race 3's on the new wheels (but only cos they're available in red unlike the contis!)
  • benzjammin1980
    benzjammin1980 Posts: 6
    I've been commuting on a set of Marathon Plus for 2 years without a single puncture (touch wood)

    They're heavy and a bugger to fit but they are well worth it :D
  • biondino
    biondino Posts: 5,990
    Am now up to about 1,700 miles without punctures on my Schwalbe Ultremos, so I agree with jash. But I imagine we have different kinds of bikes to most Marathon Plus users.
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  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    jashburnham wrote:
    alfablue wrote:
    Conti rubber is like chewing gum.

    Rubbish - I run GP4000S' and Conti Attack/Force - superb tires, light, fast and puncture resistant. I hate those so called bombproof heavy tires - good top end road tires have excellent puncture protection without the performance penalties.

    Trying Pro Race 3's on the new wheels (but only cos they're available in red unlike the contis!)
    Er, it is my opinion and experience, it may be different from your opinion and experience, but it is not rubbish, any more than your opinion and experience is rubbish (it isn't is it?).
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    alfablue wrote:
    jashburnham wrote:
    alfablue wrote:
    Conti rubber is like chewing gum.

    Rubbish - I run GP4000S' and Conti Attack/Force - superb tires, light, fast and puncture resistant. I hate those so called bombproof heavy tires - good top end road tires have excellent puncture protection without the performance penalties.

    Trying Pro Race 3's on the new wheels (but only cos they're available in red unlike the contis!)
    Er, it is my opinion and experience, it may be different from your opinion and experience, but it is not rubbish, any more than your opinion and experience is rubbish (it isn't is it?).

    But with which conti tires? The GP4000S I mention are the best rolling tires I've ever used, so much so that there's a noticeable difference between them and the 4000's - something others I know that use the S version have commented on. They are in no way like chewing gum. In fact there's an excellent article here: http://www.conti-tyres.co.uk/conticycle/road_tyres/attack%20force/Resistance%20Fighters.pdf

    Conti was the overall winner in a very thorough test.
  • davbay
    davbay Posts: 60
    I've been commuting on Scwalbe Blizzards - (came with the bike). 18 months of some hard cycling and not 1 puncture. Very pleased with them.

    Watch me get a friggin puncture later on.
    Anyone else ride a Schwinn?...
  • Jay dubbleU
    Jay dubbleU Posts: 3,159
    I appreciate the comments, but bear in mind I'm running on 26x1.5s so 700 tyres are not really in the equation - plus the fact that my commute is partially offroad so I need something with a bit of grip
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Well neither of us should really generalise from one tyre to the whole range. The test looks thorough but these are really racing tyres, not touring/commuting tyres as per the OP's query. Also, it was only the S version that outperformed other brands. My experience has been with sports contacts (26x1.0) and gatorskins, perhaps more in keeping with the OP's needs, and these tyres wore quickly (sports contacts lasted only 4 months) and picked up many punctures and cuts. They came with a puncture guarantee, which is useless because there is no way it is convenient to take the wheel and tyre to the LBS for every puncture - far better to do without the guarantee in favour of making a tyre that genuinely performs in this respect, which many other brands do. Just my experience.
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    biondino wrote:
    Am now up to about 1,700 miles without punctures on my Schwalbe Ultremos, so I agree with jash. But I imagine we have different kinds of bikes to most Marathon Plus users.

    probably yes, the bike i have Marathon pluses is a big green workhorse, 50lb unlaiden, my other bikes have differnent tires for there different uses.
  • andrewc3142
    andrewc3142 Posts: 906
    Conti GP's (23c) work for me on my road/commute bike for the winter without any punctures. Marathons work well on the tandem, tourer and folding as well as my 8 year old's road bike. Also no punctures.
  • Jay dubbleU
    Jay dubbleU Posts: 3,159
    Well - I've gone for the Marathons - ordered a set from Wiggle plus Conti MTB tubes - we'll have to see how they perform 8)
  • jinnan_tonnix
    jinnan_tonnix Posts: 78
    Another vote for Marathons.

    I commute on a rough canal towpath. I used to use cheapo tyres and used to get one or two punctures a week (sometimes more on a bad week). It was getting stupid. I stuck some Marathons on, and in the last 1,500 miles I've had just one slow puncture (something spiked the tube - not sure what it was).

    Three thumbs up for Marathons.
  • blackworx
    blackworx Posts: 123
    Put marathons on my other half's bike after I got sick fed up of fixing her punctures. She gets less punctures now, but still far too many. Road positioning certainly has a lot to do with it - the PF is a good old fashioned guttersnipe.
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  • Jay dubbleU
    Jay dubbleU Posts: 3,159
    Astonishing - ordered Marathons Monday evening - the Wiggle elves had them to me by Wed am - think they must have access to some kind of time travel :)
  • Bassjunkieuk
    Bassjunkieuk Posts: 4,232
    I got my first visit from the PF with my SM+'s. I can only assume it happened on my long Sunday ride last week as that was the last time the bike was used!
    Thankfully I got the bike down today (it hangs in the hall) to raise my saddle a bit and found I had a flat rear tyre :-(
    Glad I found it this morning rather then tomorrow before I try to leave for work!
    Was only a very small hole that I really had to look hard to find, even in a bowl of water! It was litterally pin head sized and blew a small bubble that I had to knock to get it to come off!

    All fixed now that but I did find a small hole and a TINY shard of glass in the rear tread. I had noticed the rear had worn down quite a bit (about 1800 miles on this set) and will be replacing them with some Gator Skins one I get the go ahead to get the new kit to fit my new wheels :-)

    A right pig to get them off, I needed 2 tyres levers to stop the tyre hopping back on the rim as I removed it but I them managed to get them back on using just my hands :shock:
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  • bikerdude67
    bikerdude67 Posts: 2
    After 3 punctures in a week with lightweight tyres on my road bike, I put a pair of Bontrager 700 x 23 RACE X LITE s on. No more punctures. My 45km daily commute is on a road that has more broken glass on it than a window factory- and I just ride through it when I can't avoid it. They are also rated to 120 PSI as well. Keeping them inflated to the max makes a huge difference. They are 69 ( Australian) bucks a pop.

    I have them on my road bike and my single speed. Not one puncture.

    Hope this helps.
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    Trek Soho S

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