Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - 700x23 with tire liners for a 235 Clyde?

I've recently acquired a road bike with 700x23 tires. Last year after too many pinch flats I had given up on my 27x1 1/8,27x1 and 700x28 shod wheelsets and went to 27x1 1/4, 27x1 3/8, and 700x35 tires, thornproof tires with tire liners between the tires, and filled the tubes with Slime (except the presta valved 27x 1 3/8). The new robust wheelsets have performed without flats, giving me reliable no ridehome rides and commutes. Some of that protection is due the tire liner, so have any of you comparably weighted Clydes found 700x23s with tire liners provide enough pinch protection to merrit such skinny tires, or do you think I should try 700x28/30/32? (my chainstay clearance measurements say I'm too close to call on 700x32-probably a true 32 will be too wide but a narrow 32 likely clears the stays)? (The bike is my performance/group ride/occaisional time trial/race road bike vs. a commuting bike so I don't have to be as concerned about delays getting to work)

I weigh 260 lbs and I have 700X23 tires on my road bike... and I have not had a pinch flat in a long long time. Are you riding particularily rough roads?

Depends on the roads. I can (and have) gone 1000 miles with nary a flat on 23c's on the roads here (weighing as much as 290, though nowadays I'm closer to 260). Our roads are pretty decent, though we do have sand/gravel in the shoulder until april/may or in some places year-round; and your occasional ruts.

There's always the bad stroke of luck, like double-flatting on the same day 2 hours apart.

I weigh 260 lbs and I have 700X23 tires on my road bike... and I have not had a pinch flat in a long long time. Are you riding particularily rough roads?

Kinda-lot of patches and one inch steps height changes and uneavenly settled roads. There are a few places I'd be comfortable running skinny tires, but others not.

Since a couple of you bigger than me have got by, Ithink I'll give it a try with a tire liner and upon the first pinch flat, go to wider tires-tire liners give both pinch flat and puncture protection so that might be enough extra insurance.

Tire liners protection for pinch flats? Hmmm!

My experience at about and around the same weight is the liners edge dig into the tubes causing flats. I've tried covering the edge with tape, trimming with a razor blade,. Always do better with out a liner. But I used them for punctures, never heard of protection from pinche flats!:D

yeah liners won't help pinch flats only possibly protect against thorns and puncture flats.

I ride conti gp 4000's with black chili compound. I also rode cheap vittoria zafforino. I haven't had problems with either. I am religious with checking tire pressure before each ride. Even the shortest little ride around the MUP.

I'm 278 and 6'. I look like the fat guy in a little coat.

Look at 25c and 26c tires

A Conti 28 is really a 26 and the tire weighs less than 300gr so it's quite light.
That would allow a lower pressure and nicer ride while still being pretty quick.

The Vredstein Fortezza 25c is a really sweet tire.

in the almost two years and 6500 miles I haven't had a pinch flat on my 23c's. I am around 235 and have been heavier.

Only had 1 pinch flat, and the wheels was not even on the bike yet. Agree can't see the tire liner helping that. Wondering if your tube was the wrong size, or were you having just run of the mill flats on your 28's, not pinch flats. I've been riding 23's since I weighed 345, now 285.

I rode my 23s without a single pinch flat when I was north of your weight and (asides from a sliver or two of glass) havn't expirienced any flat trouble. This includes commuting duty where a ten mile commute contained 2 miles of riding over an expansion joint every 20 feet.

So my question to you is what PSI are you running your tires at? At max pressure there should be almost no instances of pinch flats. Slime is...a mess, considerably more bother than its worth. Just wait until you have to change that tire.

Pump your tires up to the proper pressure and avoid treating a road bike like a MTB, and you'll minimize your pinch flats. I can't remember the last time I had a pinch flat on my 23s or 25s, usually inflated to 120psi.

Unless I wound up running the tires at too low a pressure, pinch flats haven't occured on my watch in years.
I'm 226 (been as high as 247)riding on 700x23s Vittorias or Vredesteins mainly.
Roadways in the niagara region of nys can get nasty (potholes and ruts)
The largest problems come about this time of year when the road hash is everywhere on the sides of the roadways.
That said: I always carry a new spare tube along with the patch kit. After a particularly nasty sliced tire on a 60 miler last season I've begun carrying a spare folding tire along on the 'far away from home' rides.

I bunny and curb hop my road bike regularly and generaly beat the crap out of it. From a little over 300 down to 250 plus commuting gear I never had a problem.. Didn't even have a problem when I slid into a little old expension joint.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2300/2176862392_7d2de71b4b.jpg?v=0
I regularly have to kind of bunny hop up/down these and they are sometimes as much as 3" difference in height.

The only pinch flat I got was on a suspended rear bike with 1.35" tires when I hit it 4"+ deep pothole far bigger then my wheel at 20+mph which I did't know was there until I hear the thunk followed by the rider ahead calling out "hole". :rolleyes:

Used to get flats all the time with high-pressure 23's. Now, I'm a 700x28 guy with air pressure at around 110. I like the softer ride. Also, ever since I began using "Messenger" tires, I have not had a flat -- well over 2000 miles.

I am 216lbs and run the 700x23 all the time. Air em up! I use 110 lbs, and check them before every ride.

Many years ago I used to get pinch flats all the time. It was a combo of my stupid curb hopping and never airing the tires up. It was 'user error' :) Then I got smart. :D

Jack

HI,
I had pinch flats with Mich slicks I asked my LBS, and he highly reccomend the Botrager heavy walled tire . Haven't had a flat since, and the hard rocks, nails , and glass have been seen here and there but so far so good,(now I ve gone and messed up bragging about my lack of flats)
Doug
I weigh around 245 now..stil loosing

PS they roll real easy too... My LBS had me pinch the tire without air pressure and they are pretty hard ,should make a flat alot of fun to remove .....

Race Lite Hardcase http://bontrager.com/model/00443/en
Quote from web page
((Dramatically reduce the risk of flatting with the triple flat protection of Race Lite Hardcase tires: the bead-to-bead woven construction reduces sidewall cuts; anti-pinch ribs eliminate pinch flats; and a Kevlar belt provides outstanding puncture resistance))
http://media.bontrager.com/images/products/square/white/280/06bo85790.jpg

in the almost two years and 6500 miles I haven't had a pinch flat on my 23c's. I am around 235 and have been heavier.


+1 same here

all my flats come from puncture. i would normally have up to 4 flats a week. glass and stuff is brutal where i am and it didnt matter if the tire was new. i have been running liners for a year now and no flats. i started riding liners when i was still 280. but as for pinch flats i really dont think these will save you. a harder walled tire others have mentioned might help.

I weigh around 245 now..stil loosing

Race Lite Hardcase http://bontrager.com/model/00443/en


+1 on the Race Lite Hardcase. I'm also 245 and run 120 psi and they're very fast and very durable. :thumb:

Tire liners protection for pinch flats? Hmmm!

My experience at about and around the same weight is the liners edge dig into the tubes causing flats. I've tried covering the edge with tape, trimming with a razor blade,. Always do better with out a liner. But I used them for punctures, never heard of protection from pinche flats!:D

+1. I had more flats trying to prevent flats with liners!!

Also, the ones I had came with some talc for installation -- I was careful not to get talc on the rim, but must still have -- my tire would not stay mounted (tube would blow out between the rim and the tire) until I removed the tire and washed all the talc away!!!!

I ride a pretty rough MUP with 23's at ~215# -- no pinches -- I picked up a nail last week that went through the outer case of the tire and missed the tube though!!!

+1 on the Race Lite Hardcase. I'm also 245 and run 120 psi and they're very fast and very durable. :thumb:

I have the hardcases (700 x 32) on my commuter due to their indestuctable nature

my roadie have gatorskin 700x23s though for nice road feel/ cornering

neither had any pinching problems just punctures, i run without liners. Def check your pressure.

Race Lite Hardcase http://bontrager.com/model/00443/en


+1 on the race lite hardcase in terms of being a great tire for preventing flats
-1 on how hard it is to mount / remove the silly things (wire bead). That said, I never flatted with them on my old bike, but I spent 40 min removing them to move them to my CX bike.

I ride the normal (non-hardcase) race lites in 23c on my racing road bike. Great rolling tire, though I have gotten a few flats, once every 1000 miles I'd say.

Hey Crast, is your name Jeff btw?

I've put 260 mi on some well used Conti gp 4000's this month with zero flats. I started at 220 lbs am down to 202......110 psi..