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Tire recommendations


Kzoo

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I have used Conti 4000s and 4 Seasons for that last several replacements.  I did the same on a backup bike Daughter#3 is using.  The tires on Daughter#3 bike are wearing and Daughter#2 sliced a rear tire yesterday.  They have both had a rash of flats this year all for different reasons.  I am their tire changer....  I am tired of fighting with Conti tires on the rims.  Daughter#3 has switched back and forth a couple times between a factory (Giant) tire and Conti.

I'm looking for a fairly puncture resistant tire recommendation.

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21 minutes ago, Kzoo said:

I have used Conti 4000s and 4 Seasons for that last several replacements.  I did the same on a backup bike Daughter#3 is using.  The tires on Daughter#3 bike are wearing and Daughter#2 sliced a rear tire yesterday.  They have both had a rash of flats this year all for different reasons.  I am their tire changer....  I am tired of fighting with Conti tires on the rims.  Daughter#3 has switched back and forth a couple times between a factory (Giant) tire and Conti.

I'm looking for a fairly puncture resistant tire recommendation.

Go.

Bontrager hardcase tires are pretty flat resistant and easy to mount. Don't get the lite ones though. The lite ones suck. I switched to Contis Gatorskin after buying a set of Bontrager AW3s. My first two sets of Bontrager hardcase tires were awesome. Zero flats in many years of riding. 

Something like this:

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/equipment/cycling-components/bike-tires/road-bike-tires/bontrager-aw1-hard-case-road-tire/p/11024/?colorCode=black_grey

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1 hour ago, Kzoo said:

I am their tire changer....  I am tired of fighting with Conti tires on the rims. 

You don't find that the Contis loosen up a LOT after a few hundred miles?  When I first mount a brand new set, those suckers are tough to get on (I use plastic levers).  But, usually by the time the first flat rolls around, they have stretched/loosened up enough that I can often just use thumb power to mount them.

But, man, when a tire is a beotch to mount, I am an angry dude.

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18 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

You don't find that the Contis loosen up a LOT after a few hundred miles?  When I first mount a brand new set, those suckers are tough to get on (I use plastic levers).  But, usually by the time the first flat rolls around, they have stretched/loosened up enough that I can often just use thumb power to mount them.

But, man, when a tire is a beotch to mount, I am an angry dude.

I find they loosen the more time you have to mount them.  I don't think there's much bead stretch from just rolling with them. 

 

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1 hour ago, dennis said:

Bontrager hardcase tires are pretty flat resistant and easy to mount. Don't get the lite ones though. The lite ones suck. I switched to Contis Gatorskin after buying a set of Bontrager AW3s. My first two sets of Bontrager hardcase tires were awesome. Zero flats in many years of riding. 

Something like this:

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/equipment/cycling-components/bike-tires/road-bike-tires/bontrager-aw1-hard-case-road-tire/p/11024/?colorCode=black_grey

Thanks.  I'll look into these.  Quick check on Amazon they only have the Lites available.  Thanks for the warning.

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20 minutes ago, Kzoo said:

I find they loosen the more time you have to mount them.  I don't think there's much bead stretch from just rolling with them.  

 

I'll have to think about that.  If I'm lucky, I'll go the whole life of the tire before a flat (from pushing it past its limit), but on the few occasions the Contis do flat, I definitely notice they are easier to mount the older they are. I think that when mounted, even at 90 psi, they are constantly flexing as they go through the rotation, so that  movement, over thousands of miles, "softens" them up a bit. 

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33 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

I'll have to think about that.  If I'm lucky, I'll go the whole life of the tire before a flat (from pushing it past its limit), but on the few occasions the Contis do flat, I definitely notice they are easier to mount the older they are. I think that when mounted, even at 90 psi, they are constantly flexing as they go through the rotation, so that  movement, over thousands of miles, "softens" them up a bit. 

You're not flexing the bead as you're rolling them...

I have them on my bike and I wear them out every couple thousand miles without flatting (knock on simulated woodgrain).  Between the 2 daughter's bikes they have had 7 flats in the last 5 weeks.  Yesterday Daughter#2 rolled over something and cut her sidewall.  Saturday Daughter#3 had a flat on a ride with me - we were unable to find the cause.  Daughter#2 had 2 flats earlier on the inside of the tube that looked to be caused by bad rim tape.  2 different places and we couldn't find an issue.  We replaced the rim strip anyways and no more issues until yesterday.  Their flats are getting real annoying.  I know some times that's just the way it is but I've already gone through one patch kit in the last month...

 

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I ride on good clean roads/trails  but I have been a big fan of the Ritchey Race Slicks for a while now. I have been riding them 10+ years, my wife the past couple of years.  As high end tires go they are pretty reasonably priced and my wife and I.... well you know where I was going...

Again we ride on good roads so consider that...

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21 hours ago, donkpow said:

I have some Conti touring tires that seem to be bomb proof. I like them better than the Schwalbe Marathon.

My Conti 4 Seasons have been as well and I'll stay with them on my bike.  I'm trying to stay away form Conti on the daughters' bikes.  On has Conti and will need to be replaced very soon and the other has a rear tire issue that needs replaced now.  I'm tired of fighting with the Conti beads.

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49 minutes ago, bikeman564™ said:

conti gatorskins are the choice of me :)  PITA to get on/off but they is a good taar

I had a memorably bad experience mounting those when I bought them, but they've held up well so far.  Last time I had to repair a tube it went much easier.

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On 7/15/2019 at 1:11 PM, Kzoo said:

I'm looking for a fairly puncture resistant tire recommendation.

Coming back to this question, I have to say go with the Gatorskins and suck up the one time wrestling match.  They're about as flat resistant as tires come, and you really shouldn't have to EVER change them except after they wear out in 5,000+ miles.  I'm not sure how much your daughters ride, but dealing with tire swaps every couple years shouldn't really be that much of a hardship.

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7 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

Coming back to this question, I have to say go with the Gatorskins and suck up the one time wrestling match.  They're about as flat resistant as tires come, and you really shouldn't have to EVER change them except after they wear out in 5,000+ miles.  I'm not sure how much your daughters ride, but dealing with tire swaps every couple years shouldn't really be that much of a hardship.

I wouldn't say they are that good. I ran through two sets on the old bike in like eight years in the city and all around. I still got plenty of flats and before they wore out, chunks were falling off. I never had any problem mounting them, though. Now I've got a set of Trek wheels with Gatorskins on them. That combination is hard to mount and dismount.

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You know, above I commented on my Gatorskins, and then I noted that after initial difficulty mounting them, a field change last summer went pretty easily.

It didn't even occur to me to knock on wood or anything with such a comment, and so I flatted on Saturday morning's ride.

The good news is that the field change was even easier this time - in fact, I was astounded when I was able to remount the tire without levers.  (maybe the high temps helped)

The bad news - that's two flats in I think about 800 miles.  Is that a bad record?  Honestly I don't remember which tire was the problem last summer - but either I got one puncture in each tire, or two in the rear*.  Not sure if either is as good a performance as I expected.  And to be fair, I weigh around 250 pounds and so my tires do a lot of work.

 

*self-reported

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I have found that Kenda tires are the easiest to mount.  I used these on a road bike I built but I have no idea what the life expectancy was because I sold the bike to a coworker who moved shortly after.  He did ride it on his first century however.

https://www.amazon.com/KENDA-Kaliente-Cloak-Folding-Bicycle/dp/B07C1CHYCJ/ref=pd_cp_468_2?pd_rd_w=L0eXw&pf_rd_p=ef4dc990-a9ca-4945-ae0b-f8d549198ed6&pf_rd_r=9CK5P1VJ3WWNDCPZSPF9&pd_rd_r=47c4d3f4-e8b3-43f9-875f-47e53278ee62&pd_rd_wg=lIynL&pd_rd_i=B07C1CHYCJ&psc=1&refRID=9CK5P1VJ3WWNDCPZSPF9

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On 7/23/2019 at 8:59 AM, TrentonMakes said:

You know, above I commented on my Gatorskins, and then I noted that after initial difficulty mounting them, a field change last summer went pretty easily.

...The good news is that the field change was even easier this time - in fact, I was astounded when I was able to remount the tire without levers.  (maybe the high temps helped)

Interesting. That definitely doesn't match Kzoo's experience, yet it does mine.  All my tires seem to get easier to mount with usage.

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On 7/26/2019 at 2:59 PM, Razors Edge said:

Interesting. That definitely doesn't match Kzoo's experience, yet it does mine.  All my tires seem to get easier to mount with usage.

What I was saying is they do get a little easier each time you have to unmount the tire.  They don't get easier (or stretch the bead) from just riding them.

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1 hour ago, Kzoo said:

What I was saying is they do get a little easier each time you have to unmount the tire.  They don't get easier (or stretch the bead) from just riding them. 

So, what is making it easier?  The process of mounting them?  I don't think that's necessarily true.  I've mounted a tire, realized the tread pattern was backwards, removed, and remounted, and still had a hard time. Likewise, I've mounted a new tire (a beotch) ridden on it for several thousand flat free miles, eventually had to fix a flat, and had it come off and go on easily.

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  • 4 weeks later...
33 minutes ago, bikeman564™ said:

I want one :) 

Interesting doodad.  Considering, though, that you won't have one on the road if you get a flat, how much do you really want to force a tight fitting tire onto a rim?

image.png.da8557efa95758a8c0dd52ff467b37b8.png

I am still trying to understand why my tires get easier to remove and refit over time. @Kzoo seems unwilling to clarify what's making it easier. :(

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1 minute ago, Razors Edge said:

 how much do you really want to force a tight fitting tire onto a rim?

 

I am still trying to understand why my tires get easier to remove and refit over time. @Kzoo seems unwilling to clarify what's making it easier. :(

I need to get the tire on.

Mine get easier too over time. I would say because they're stretched from being in the assembled position. Right out of the box, they are folded and stiff AF.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I came here to post about my tires but this thread looks like a good place to do it. I’m a firm believer in “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. I ride Bontrager Race Lite hard case tires on both of my bikes and I don’t get flats. I also don’t spend a lot of time cleaning my bikes. Today I removed my front pannier racks because I don’t know if I’ll ever do any long tours again. As I was washing my bike I noticed my tires might have issues. My front tire has a partial puncture. Probably from all the dirt and gravel I ride. This tire has unknown thousands of miles on it.

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I think I’ll be ok with this tire. My back tire was replaced after Petite’s Big Adventure. They no longer make the ones like I have on the front. When I was washing it I found a white spot showing through. What the heck is that?  That can’t be the casing showing through already can it?

1E801033-E321-4979-91C2-5DD06ACA3E1E.thumb.jpeg.19d18dcb34c5551884105e35efb1aed1.jpeg

I always carry something to boot a tire, I’m thinking both these tires have some life left in them. I do have a new tire in my bike stuff that I bought when I replaced the back tire, I was going to put it on the front but it looks like the back one might need it more.

Im going to try to get my birthday ride in on Monday. I will be riding mostly a paved trail except for a nasty bypass that is stone and mud. Do you suppose these tires have another 70 miles left in them?

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On 9/13/2019 at 5:55 PM, Longjohn said:

When I was washing it I found a white spot showing through. What the heck is that?  That can’t be the casing showing through already can it?

image.png.b239710c6cc4044e726bde23ad7db52e.png

A few years back, I came to a light and as I slowed I heard a fwap-fwap-fwap sound from my tire.  I hopped off and spun the tire, and revealed a spot that looked like something was stuck to the tire - like a large sticker.  I was near home, and rode on to finish the ride.  When I gave the tire a real inspection, it was really a spot worn completely through the rubber and to the fabric casing.  The tire was basically flat free it's whole life, but once I saw that spot, and realized it would begin gathering grit, etc., I swapped it for a new tire.

With the exception of a couple tires that have been prematurely destroyed by huge cuts (rode over a broken bottle's bottom once), my tires generally owe me nothing after long lives of little or no issues.

At 70 (way to go!), you can justify two new tires to ensure another decade of headache free riding :D

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