Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Road tire for a clyde

I had my first flat today (after over four years of cycling and commuting fairly frequently)! In all fairness, most of that time was spent on a hybrid with 700x38C tires. I've had my road bike about a year and had the first flat today. I think I might have over-inflated it, it said it was good to 125 p.s.i. but I may have gone a few over. Plus, I just moved to Denver from Ohio and I hear goatheads are prolific here.

At any rate, I liked the old tires because they could go to 125 (supposedly) and I hear the higher the better for clydesdales. They are Kenda Kontenders but aren't made anymore. Of course, I want something that won't blow out like my sidewall did today. Any suggestions on a good 700x23C road tire? I carry a patch kit but that was useless. I think I'm going to have to go all out and bring spare tube and tire and get the whole slime/kevlar/whatever combination to handle the conditions here.

I use Continental gatorskins over 3000 miles to date and nothing has punctured them, (Touch wood)

The Michelin Krylion's are fantastic, but are tight to install. The Bontrager Race Lights I use on my Hybrid, 700x28's are a excellent tire. Highly recommend these. They also come in folding 23's and 25's.

A couple of points, just my opinion but based on nearly 40 years as an adult Clyde.
1. Your first flat in FOUR YEARS? Bite me. I had three last week. How in the name of God so you ride four years without a flat?
2. 125 psi is way too high for non-racing cycling. If you have to go that high to avoid pinch flats, your tires are too small. Grant Petersen has a good explanation of this, with some recommendations, at the Rivendell Web site, www.rivbike.com. Well worth reading even if you don't follow his advice.
3. I dunno why any Clydesdale would use 23mm tires. Again from the Riv site, Grant doesn't advise those for anybody heavier than 140-150, and explains why. I weigh 240, and haven't used anything smaller than 32mm in years. Nearly all my riding these days is on 35mm Panaracer Paselas, my all-time all-around favorite tire.
4. You're right, that's goathead country. We have them here, too. They'll go through a Mr. Tuffy like Mr. Tuffy wasn't home, and even penetrate an Armadillo. Try to ride around them.
For what it's worth, I've done the same commute since 1979 on many different bikes with tires ranging from 21mm to 41mm. The difference in speed between, say, a 25mm at 115psi and a 35 at 85psi is too small to measure consistently.
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i ride 700x23c... and i am substaintially over 150, what is this Riv site you speak of? i use them mainly because the bike came with them (conti ultras) but doubt i would ever go past 25 on my road bike i think it would look downright foolish after 32 or so... i don't over inflate though (115psi for a 120 max).

What do you gentlemen recommend as far as type/brand of inner tube? Are any brands of tube more durable or can withstand higher pressure than the others?

I use the Vittoria Rubino Pro's 700x23c. I weigh 280 down form 305 two months ago. Have no problems with flats. I run 130 in the back and 120 in the front. As I continue to lose weight I will drop the psi down.

I'm over 2 times the 150lb 'limit' for 23c and I have no problems with the stock Mondo slicks on my Allez at 115-125psi recommended I find I keep it closer to 110psi and the tire still holds its shape perfectly fine with me on it. It has no sag in the tire at all.

What do you gentlemen recommend as far as type/brand of inner tube? Are any brands of tube more durable or can withstand higher pressure than the others?

I usually buy the cheapest tubes I can find, tubes actually don't hold pressure, the tire does, take a tube, and inflate outside the tire, it will actually grow to about double the size of the tire without blowing, the tire and rim hold the tube to it's normal size, and holds the pressure in place. I usually replace the tube when I replace the tire, because they are cheap (I paid $2.25 the last one I bought), and I usually keep 2 spares, one in the saddle bag, and one in a pannier. You can keep the one in the saddle bag rolled in an old piece of towel if you like, to protect it.

I get my tubes from Pricepoint. If you have non-Deep V type rims, you can 5 tubes for $10. Fast service as well.

The Schwalbe Marathon Plus is the toughest tire I've seen. It is also weighs the most of any tire I've seen (over 600 grams for the 700 x 25 size). As far as flat-protection I have great confidence in this tire (though I have only ridden on it 8-10 times since January, with no flats of course). I am just over 200 lbs and ride the Marathon Plus (700 x 25) on the rear wheel of my flatbar roadbike. I ride it at around 90 psi , the sidewall reads 70-115 psi, but I've not had good experiences pushing the psi any higher than 90 (I just got back into biking a couple of years ago and am still getting used to the supper-skinny tires and using presta valves. Some of my "tube failures" of the last two years were possibly due to not knowing to "burp" the presta valve, or not getting the tube set properly in the tire (especially around the area of the valve), or distrust/inacuracy of the gauge on my floorpump).

The added weight (over 600 grams, compared to the 350 gram, thinner-skinned, Michelin Dynamic 700 x 25 that was on the back rim) is noticable and somewhat distracting. I would probably opt for the relatively lighter Armadillo tire in a similar situation in the future (the terrain I ride on is not that harsh, the biggest flat maker here in Southwest Virginia seems to be pieces of glass, often clustered together in a small area (from a beer bottle or a car wreck) which are often avoidable with some diligent observation), but if avoiding flats is your top priority the Marathon Plus is possibly the best (Schwalbe claims there is no better tire for preventing flats).

I haven't seen the Marathon Plus offered in a 700 x 23 (but I think it is made in most sizes between 25-40c). It is heavy but built like a tank. It was difficult (and took some strategy) to get the brand-new tire mounted on the rim, but I read that after some use the tire should be easier to mount.

Sorry for being long-winded, just wanted to throw in the Marathon Plus as a possible solution.

I've been using these for almost a year now an like them a lot, a bit expensive but they have been bullet proof

http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=35687

+2 on the Continental Gatorskins, I'm 280lbs and have 2500 miles on a set of 700x28s (fyi they run small so 28s are more like other 25s). Only flat was from a piece of a needle sharp thin steel wire that got through somehow. Even with pliers I had a hard time getting that wire out of the tire. I run these around 110 or so. The Gatorskins are a bit slower than the Bontrager Race Lites I had on the bike previously but then again if you are changing a tire on the side of the road you aren't going very fast. FWIW I can definitely tell the difference from 23's to 25's to 28's and beyond but I tend to ride hard and fast so I may be more sensitive to resistance.

Shog

These are the only road tires I run. Best out there IMHO.

http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/de/en/continental/bicycle/themes/tires/race/ultra_gatorskin/ultra_gatorskin_en.html

not knowing to "burp" the presta valve

"burp" the presta valve? What's this?

P.S. I use Mr. Tuffy's and I pick a heck of a lot of nice big glass chunks out of my tires without flatting. My solution to goatheads, though, is simply not to move to "goathead country":)

I'm going with Schwalbes on my next bike, but all the suggestions here are great. FWIW I also have a set of Armadillos, and they'll spit out anything I throw at them (I have the 26x1.50 Nimbus Armadillo). I generally hear the same from everyone else who runs them.

Personally, I did the skinny high pressure tires for a year, and while they are awesome and fast, I'd rather have comfort. On my next bike I'm going with 700x35c Marathon Supremes.

The Michelin Krylion's are fantastic, but are tight to install. The Bontrager Race Lights I use on my Hybrid, 700x28's are a excellent tire. Highly recommend these. They also come in folding 23's and 25's.

+1 on Michelin Krylion Carbon's.

I didn't have any trouble getting the 700x23c's on my Mavic Open Pro's. I did it with no tools even when they were brand new. It really depends on the wheel and luck.

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii141/Jynx0406/krylion.jpg?t=1208883738

Okay.

I appreciate the perspective of the folks at Rivendell, and I really enjoy getting back away from all the "mandatory" gear for a road bike ride. That's why I have my vintage steelie, with toe clips, and a brooks, and friction shifting, but...

The reality is that there must be some reason we aren't all riding:

-lugged steel, with
-bar-end shifters
-handlebar baskets
-platform pedals
-wide tires, and using
-handlebar or other baskets.
-Oh, and wearing nothing but wool, and crocs or tevas.

I like taking a ride in normal human clothing etc. but I also don't think that everything is quite as simple as it's indicated there...

It's hard to know what the answer is without clearer ideas of your weight etc... I've been op Conti Gatorskins 700x28s without incident for a while now, and have been between 208-225. If you weight 201, there are different answers than you would get if you are 380.

[QUOTE=Dr.PooLittle;6562528]"burp" the presta valve? What's this?

burp = unseat the internal gasket...I got the term from here:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=373605&highlight=burp