Puncture resistant tires

After two flats in three days--1st the front wheel and then the back) I am thinking about upgrading to some puncture resistant tires. I ride a Trek Belleville WSD with Bontrager H2 Eco Design 700/35c tires.  I commute to work daily, and use my bike for transportation.  The environmentally responsible tires are super cool, but the truly eco-friendly thing is to be out on my bike as much as possible--I can't be worried about flats.  I do all the things you are supposed to do, watch for shiny stuff, avoid the shoulder, ride as far left as safe. I also keep my tires well inflated.

 

Does anyone have any recommendations?  I did a search for puncture resistant tires on the forum and I found a brief mention of Amadillo tires. Are these a good option for me?  Thanks for your help!

 


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Permalink Reply by Digital Dario on April 24, 2011 at 10:22am
I'm pretty happy with my continental gatorskins. I use 700/25c. They make them up to 700/32c though.
Permalink Reply by Finch on April 24, 2011 at 11:42am
I have a Armadillo on my back tire and a Gatorskin on my front: I have yet to get a flat on either tires after many many many miles.
Permalink Reply by mike w. on April 24, 2011 at 12:44pm

Look for a tyre with kevlar or polyamide belts under the tread. Several manufacturers make them.

i've had good service from Panaracer Pasela TG tyres. Not bullet proof, but close. i weigh in at ~180 lbs and i'm not gentle on wheels and tyres. i have them on 3 wheelsets and ride them in dailycommuter service with one puncture in about 5 years. They're available in 35mm to 25mm widths.

Permalink Reply by Kevin Mulcky on April 24, 2011 at 3:58pm
+1 on the Pasela, That's what i use on my commuter and tandem. Although I think the non TG version rides better and still hardly get flats.
Permalink Reply by Amy Y on April 24, 2011 at 4:17pm
Not a tire suggestion - but do you have the tire liners? It has cut down #flats for me, especially for the real wheel.
Permalink Reply by Allen Wrench on April 24, 2011 at 4:54pm

my family and I have been riding with Schwalbe Marathon tires on most of our bikes for 10 years in Chicago and every flat so far (and we have not had many of them) has been a valve problem or a rim tape issue. Check your rim tape.

 

Ours are the regular Marathon, not the Plus with blue foam in it. The plain ones have a little too much tread but last forever and the new ones all have reflective strips.

 

I agree with the suggestion to keep your existing tires and try tire liners; if that doesn't cut it get fancy tires... Good luck.

Permalink Reply by The Doty on April 24, 2011 at 4:57pm
I've gone more than 2000 miles on bontrager hard case 700x32 without any flats at all.
Permalink Reply by Adam "Cezar" Jenkins on April 24, 2011 at 5:14pm
I just got gatorskin hardshells. Got a flat last week, but I give them a pass because that was some nasty glass. Which is my point. No matter what, eventually you run over a razor blade.
Permalink Reply by Brandon A. Gobel on April 24, 2011 at 5:42pm

I really like riding Michelin City 700x35's. I usually ride 'em all the way down into the yellow protective core from skid stopping and I never get flats, even after rolling through unavoidable glass or nailing many of the wonderful pothole we have around town. Best part is, they have reflective sidewalls, REI always has 35c and 32c in stock and they're like $27!!! Or for a little more $ Panaracer RIBMO's are awesome too, they have an arched profile which make them pretty fast and they come in many sizes as well as 32c or 35c.

Permalink Reply by Gort 12-mile Pinklegneep on April 25, 2011 at 3:43am

I've had multiple flats on gatorskins however the only time I got a flat on an armadillo was after a couple of years when the tire had become so riddled with glass that it had eventually worn through.

 

It's a pity armadillos aren't carried more widely because in my experience nothing else holds up like they do.

Permalink Reply by April on April 25, 2011 at 8:30am
Thanks so much for your help everyone! These are great suggestions. I think I am going to go with Armadillo or Gaterskin tires (depending on what I find at my local bike shop) with inverted treds for my bike. I'll also take a look at the Panaracer RIBMO since two people recommended them. Oh and F.Y.I., my commute is 6 miles each way and I do 16+ during the weekend as well as various errands and such on weeknights.

Thanks again!!!
Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on April 25, 2011 at 9:37am

I've had Schwalbe Marathon or Marathon Plus tires on three different bikes over the last several years.  I've ridden thousands of miles on these tires and only gotten a flat on a rainy day when my tires were getting old (a bit too cut up) and a small piece of glass stuck in the tread.  I ride regularly on the Major Taylor Trail and in other areas where broken glass can be a problem.  Sometimes the road or path is thoroughly covered with broken glass of various sizes and other people around me are getting flats, while I'm not.  The extra cost of the tires is well worth it in time saved NOT changing flats and in money NOT spent on tubes and patches.

 

I've also used Mr. Tuffy liner strips on my road bike for years and only had a flat on a day when I was lazy and didn't pump up my tires before going, then ended up with a pinch flat (snakebite).  That bike has been ridden a lot on the south side and west side in areas with a LOT of broken glass.  The tires end up looking cut up, but don't get flats as long as they'd pumped up at or near max rated pressure for the tire.


Allen Wrench said:

my family and I have been riding with Schwalbe Marathon tires on most of our bikes for 10 years in Chicago and every flat so far (and we have not had many of them) has been a valve problem or a rim tape issue. Check your rim tape.

 

Ours are the regular Marathon, not the Plus with blue foam in it. The plain ones have a little too much tread but last forever and the new ones all have reflective strips.

 

I agree with the suggestion to keep your existing tires and try tire liners; if that doesn't cut it get fancy tires... Good luck.

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