General Cycling Discussion - Tire thicknesses

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travelinhobo

05-21-07, 02:54 PM

For those of you in the know... are there differences in the thickness of a tire, or are all tires created equal? I bought some cheap Bontrager tires last summer and have had non-stop flats since then. I just bought some Michelins for an upcoming tour and wonder if there are variations in the thickness of the treads (inside to outside). My thinking is, they'd all be the same. thanks.

Retro Grouch

05-21-07, 05:06 PM

Nope. There are significant differences.

Imagine a triangle with the three points labeled High performance, puncture resistance, and low cost. If you search long enough, you will be able to find a bike tire that fits anywhere within that triangle that you want. Keep in mind, however, that if you choose to maximize puncture resistance your tire will cost more and won't have the lively performance of a pure raceing tire.

You just have to decide what your personal trade offs are.