Best tyres/tubes/repair kits!

Anonymous

Hi,

Im just reassembling an old (1980s?) Dawes Stratos, and at the moment it has 'temporary' tyres on it (apparently these can be stored rolled up or something in case of an emergency).

It has a couple of punctures too so I think I want to replace the whole kaboodle, and I am looking to be commuting in London (SW11 to London Bridge/Angel/Canary Wharf).

What is good for maximum wear resistance/minimum punctures etc?
I am also looking at doing a long endurance ride at some point in October, so ideally the tyres I want will fit the bill for that.

Same question with tubes - ultra hard wearing I think will be key!

Good repair kits anyone!?

Oh yeah - for what its worth, I dont want to spend a fortune, just after some hassle free fun riding to get fit and save some money on commuting. I've always been a big cycling fan, and kicked myself for not getting out more. No more excuses!

Sorry for all the questions!

davis

Schwalbe Marathon Plus are the best for puncture resistance. Many people speak of putting them on, and only taking them off when they're worn out many thousands of miles later. Keep the tyres well-inflated though.

Tubes are, for me, interchangeable. I think quite a few people swear by Continental, and swear at Specialized tubes. I use Specialized, and don't have a problem.

As for repair kits, I'd probably get one of the relatively cheap solvent and patch jobs, and carry a spare tube.

So, Schwalbe Marathon Plus, and a spare tube on the bike, any old repair kit, and patch the tube when you get home or to work.

Anonymous

Sweet, ill look at those. - will they fit on my road bike ok - they seem slightly wider.

The continental GP4000s seem to be popping up a lot, and about 26 quid a tyre - are these more for speed then?
Thanks

davis

Well, they are available in a number of sizes, and usually 28c will fit road wheels. You don't say what size you've got on there now, though.

GP4000s are brilliant, but they're nowhere near as tough as the SMPs. You did specify you wanted toughness as your priority, so that's why I recommended SMPs.

Anonymous

Aaaah ok, thanks for that.

Think I might get the SMPs for the time being as I can't be overly faffed with hundreds of punctures. I think I want to make small adjustments to this old bike to make it more comfy for an impending Mizen to Malin. Maybe get the GP4000s then.

jejv

coriordan wrote:

Think I might get the SMPs for the time being as I can't be overly faffed with hundreds of punctures

Punctures are usually in the back. If that's what happens to you, M+ on the back will do the job, and you can put something lighter and grippier on the front.

MichaelW

Marathon Plus are the toughest tyres but they are such a tight fit, it is almost impossible to repair a puncture by the roadside.I have used the cheaper plain old Marathon for several years, tough enough to give 1 flat/year but easy enough to change inner tubes.

With tubes, get one with a suitable valve for the rim. V-shaped aero rims need longer valves than std box-section rims. If the valve is too long it can be levered over during pumping, causing damage to the inner tube. I prefer tubes from known brands such as Shwalbe, Continental, Michelin etc.

I like Rema repair kits, their patches are nicely feathered at the edges.

Initialised

Forget any kits with glue. Get the little packets of neoprene patches. Slime Scabs or the slightly cheaper Leeches. I find I often don't need to take the wheel off to fix patches with these.

wgwarburton

There have been many reports of unreliable repairs made with self-adhesive patches.... Have you found these ones to work permanently?
Cheers,
W.