Tire Advice-- Broken Glass and Commuting

The broken glass on the Prairie Path, with the change in weather, has gone from occasional to very common. I've been commuting on it with minimal incident since May, but now I've had three flats in the last week, and it is becoming tiresome. I'm riding an older Schwinn Suburban with 27 x 1 1/4 tires, and the original wheels. I'm looking for suggestions-- the current tires are nothing special, but have been replaced this season.

On the bright side, I replaced my own tube (front tire) for the first time in 3000 miles of riding last week!

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Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on December 17, 2012 at 4:45pm

Schwalbee Marathon.

Permalink Reply by Kevin Mulcky on December 17, 2012 at 5:18pm
Marathons are good. I think they make gatorskins in 27", and pasella tourguards are nice budget tires...
Permalink Reply by Tim Heckman on December 17, 2012 at 5:32pm
I see a Schwalbe Marathon GG RLX Wire bead tire listed on Amazon for $37.50 in the 27 by 1 1/4 size.
Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on December 17, 2012 at 5:34pm

They do, in stock at Rapid Transit no less.  We also have Gatorskins in that size.

Jeff Schneider said:

I don't think the Schwalbe Marathon (which I love) is available in 27".  In that size, the best you can get might be the  Panaracer Pasela Tour Guard.

notoriousDUG said:

Schwalbee Marathon.

Permalink Reply by A.K.A Paul on December 17, 2012 at 5:56pm
Try Stans No Tubes.
Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on December 17, 2012 at 6:09pm

What are you running for tire pressure and how often do you check them?  Where are you riding?

Daniel G said:

I have run Gatorskins on all surfaces, in a number of cities, in touring/commuting/rec environments for three years now, and I can't say for sure that they prevented one flat. I seem to get more flats with them than with my no-name $10 700x32 treads. Armadillos were a bit better than Gatorskins for me, but I'll be moving on to Pasella Tourguards next. If my weekly flats do not abate I will try slime or simply stop buying expensive tires altogether.

Permalink Reply by Bailey Gene Newbrey on December 17, 2012 at 6:51pm

Stans is great. Never leave home on tubulars without it. Also awesome for standard clinchers. Pasela TGs & Marathons are without a doubt the way to go with 27" wheels. Another great upgrade would be to an alloy rim that can allow for a higher tire pressure than the stock steel rims. Congrats on changing your own tube, self-sufficiency is a great feeling.
 
A.K.A Paul said:

Try Stans No Tubes.
Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on December 18, 2012 at 3:19am

I see a ton of flats caused by tire liners.  If they are not installed carefully or the tire is ridden at too low a pressure they can bunch up and promote pinching the tube.  If you have an odd tire size for which there is no good puncture protected tire they are OK but if you can buy a good tire do that instead.

Permalink Reply by Tim Heckman on December 18, 2012 at 3:33am
I am appreciating all of the advice. It's a Schwinn Suburban, so I'm not too worried about it getting any slower; bulletproof is my objective.
Permalink Reply by Apie (11) on December 18, 2012 at 3:52am

They make Marathons for old schwinns?!  I purchased the kendas because I was told they were the only ones that are made for that size.   DUG, I respect your knowledge on all things bike but I think you may be mistaken. 

Permalink Reply by Dan Allison on December 18, 2012 at 4:16am

The Schawlbe Marathon Plus is the most bomb-proof tire I've ever rolled on, but they are very heavy and slow. I don't know if they're available in 27", but if they are you can kiss glass flats goodbye forever. The only flat I ever got with my marathon plus tires was a 2" long deck screw, and frankly no amount of tire protection is gonna stop something like that.

I've also had extremely good luck with Vittoria Rubino Pro III's on my road bike. I'm on my second set of them right now, nearly 8,000 miles between the two pairs, mostly from daily city bike commuting, and not one single flat (knock on wood). though they don't have any super-special flat technology in the tire, so i just chalk it up to profoundly good luck.

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on December 18, 2012 at 4:58am

It depends on the Schwinn tire size you have...

If you have a 27" Schwinn you can get a Marthon but not the Marathon Plus a plus in that size. 

If you have a 597 ISO 26" Schwinn you are out of luck.

If you have a later 26" wheel Schwinn or yours has been retrofitted with a 590 ISO you can get both the Marathon and the Marathon Plus

If you have an old Schwinn with a 571 ISO 26" wheel you are out of luck.

If you have a late model Schwinn cruiser replica that uses 559 ISO 26" wheels you can get both the Marathon and Marathon plus.

If you have one of the Schwinn mountain bikes with a 584 ISO 26" wheel you can get a Marathon that might fit.

Bike tire sizing is stupid.  Especially early Schwinn.  It never ceases to amaze me that something as simple as a bicycle has provided us with like 7 different diameters of 26" wheel...

Apie said:

They make Marathons for old schwinns?!  I purchased the kendas because I was told they were the only ones that are made for that size.   DUG, I respect your knowledge on all things bike but I think you may be mistaken. 

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