cycloanarch

I work at a shop in Memphis where the roads are always full of glass, metal and other debris. We have been suggesting the Bontrager Hardcase tire to our customers for a while now as a tough alternative to the Specialized Armadillo which we are not able to carry. Having previously worked for a shop that sold Armadillos I can say don't recall fixing more than one or two flats on those tires. In fact, i am still running them on my bikes without any flats. This has not, however, been the case with the Bontragers. I have seen the Hardcases come back time and again with small punctures from glass and whatnot. So we are now on a search for a tire that is as durable as the Armadillo and in the same price range. Any suggestions are welcome as we would like to provide the best product to our customers with full confidence.


Thanks,
mike

Banzai

I'm with you on the Armadillos. Mine are close to 4,000 miles and still running strong.

Most people on this board will recommend Schwalbe Marathons. I've never tried them myself, but they're the next tire I plan on experimenting with. They cost a bit more than Armadillos, but a lot of people will absolutely ride nothing else...at least I keep hearing.

For something in a comparable price range, look into Continental Gatorskins. My ATB/foul weather commuter uses the Continental tire, and I've been happy with it so far. I don't have anywhere close to the same kind of miles on it, so it's a statistically invalid comparison...but so far, so good.

newbojeff

I carved up the Bontrager Hardcases that came stock on my bike. Piece of glass shredded 'em. In their defense I think the glass lodged into the tire and gradually opened up a big hole.

I've just recently put on Conti Gatorskins. After 200 miles, I got a flat from a 1/2 in roofing tack that was sticking perpendicularly through the tire and tube. Don't think anything would stop it.

Before getting the Gatorskins, I did a lot of searching of the forums. The tough tires that are mentioned most frequently are:

Conti Gatorskins
Specialized Amadillos
Schwalbe Marathons
Vittoria Randonneurs

I'm hoping to take many, many miles to work through each of them to see which I like best.

Jarery

My hybrid bike originally came with bontrager hardcase, i got a flat every 2 weeks. After a few months i replaced with nimbus armadillo. I then went 12,000 km with 1 flat, which was a nail thru the tire and rim.

When they wore out i tried continental sport pro with tuffy liners. I'm back to a flat every 2 weeks (crappy roads). Just today on the way home i picked up some armadillos again.

CBBaron

The toughest tire is probably the Schwalbe Marathon Plus.
The Schwalbe Marathon is also a good tire and lighter than the very heavy Plus.
I've also had good luck with Panaracer Tserv for Messenger.
In the good puncture resistance but faster category the Conti Gatorskin are good tires for 23-28mm road tires.
Craig

I-Like-To-Bike

Half the price too. I've been using Schwalbe Marathons (not PLUS) for nine years and swear by them for reliable flat free commuting. Good ride is another feature.

wild animals

i use schwalbe marathons (not plus) and i like them a lot. i run over all kinds of crap and the only flat i've had on them was a slow leak that came from a piece of metal that i think was stuck in the tire when i brought it home from the shop. it looked like a piece of steel bike cable, and it took a couple of weeks for it to work its way through. they have reflective sidewalls too! i really like them. i've only ridden them in relatively nice weather though so i don't know how they perform in nastier weather conditions. they cost $24 apiece from universalcycles.com. $24 isn't so much compared to most kevlar-belted tires, i think.

chipcom 

I've been impressed with the Continental Contacts I started using earlier this year.

I-Like-To-Bike

The Schwalbe Marathons work well in bad, wet, and snnowy weather too, as well as on unpaved roads. Unfortunately universal.com doesn't sell my size 47 x 622. I've bought from the Canadian Head Office online since returning to North America. Last time I paid about $30 US apiece.
Now they are $36. Still a good deal.

https://schwalbetires.com/node/120/ok

noisebeam

I've been happy with Conti Gatorskins. I also use IRC Triathlon kevlar belt (a $10) tire on my 27" wheel bike with equal pleasure.

Also tell your customers not to ride too close to the gutter where the glass and nails collect. Unless you want to sell more tires/tubes. As long as one rides in the zone where a sufficient enough percentage of drivers drift into, the sweeping action of the cars tires creates a debris free zone (and pushes that debris to the gutter)

Al

knobster

I use the Hardcase's on my road bike and the Armadillos on my ATB commuter. Not sure what to tell you as I've NEVER had a flat on any tire at all. I run the 26x1.95 Armadillos and they are pretty heavy....

krazygluon

I'm awaiting a verdict on my hardcase's. My old bike rides on Gatorskins and I haven't had the remarkable flatproof riding that everybody claims. I've had 4 flats in 500 miles: 1 confirmed from a piece of glass (very thin sliver that got in the tread right at a vulnerable point) 1 confirmed pinchflat and 2 single-point punctures that I can't find causes of...I suspect it may the be the rims or the rim-tape eroding and allowing a puncture, because the holes are pretty high up the side wall, but only on one side. can you get single-sided pinch flats?

noisebeam

Gatorskins are not designed to prevent flats due to underinflation and/or pinches from pothole edges nor from improper installation.
I've gone thru several gatorskins where the tire wore out before I ever got a flat. Part of this is due to riding well away from debris zone, although I do often pass thru debris at intersections and on club rides when the paceline doesn't go where I'd prefer.
Al

mikdes

U had some Conti Top Touring 2000 tires and didn't have any punctures, but did have a pinch flat that was my own fault and that of the cheap tube I was using. I think the Contact is pretty similar. I'm thinking of putting the Marathons on my new commuter, though.

dynaryder

The only flat I've ever gotten from road debris was on a Hardcase.

I've gone flat-free on Vittoria Randonneurs,Specialized Nimbus and All Condition,and Michelin Transworld Citys. Have run through lots of glass with each of these with zero probs.

coolerthanthou

Armadillos have worked well for me in the past however did have a nail go straigh through them before, but nothing you can do about that.

cgchambers

Another one for the Armadillo's. Love those tires, have about 2000 miles on mine with no flats, GREAT tire. Just be careful in the wet weather, not the best cornering.

SMN21601

I just switched to the schwalbe marathons two weeks ago (ordered from biketiresdirect.com). I have logged about 300 miles on them and absolutely love the ride so far with no trouble (other than trying to mount the suckers on my rims). I ditched my Conti Town & Country tires because I had a flat about every 10 days with them and the side walls were starting to shread after a mere 2100 miles. -Scott

derath

I have run over a broken bottle with armadillos, heard the glass crunching

No flat.

Hard as hell to get mounted on the rims though

-D

BigMacFU

I ran over a bunch of unavoidable glass on the Queensborough bridge Friday and my Marathons (not plus) crunched it up and spit it out. Checked the tires when I got home and nothing implanted in them.

JoebikerLa

I'm useing the continental contact. Not many miles, but no flats. I ride over lots of glass and junk on the side of the road in an industrial area to work. On my daily commuter I use the Serfas Drifter with FPS (flat protection system).

If you read the write up on the contacts, it has a guarantee against flats. (failure)

"We are so convinced of its SafetySystem puncture protection that we offer a 1 year guarantee against tyre failure."


https://www.conti-online.com/generato...curity_en.html

https://www.conti-online.com/generato...ontact_en.html

grolby

The Vittoria Zaffiro is also a good, relatively inexpensive tire that comes in a wide range of sizes. I've had very good results with this tire. It is a near-slick tread design, too, which is very nice. I can't recommend the Panaracer Pasela Tourguard very strongly - it's a good, fast tire, but the skinwall sidewalls appear to be pretty vulnerable. I had any number of pinch flats and sidewall cuts while using them.

balto charlie

Ihave ridden 3 of the best
Armadillos(over 5000 miles) and S. Marathons(2500 miles) were awesome 1 flat each
Conti Contacts 3flats (2500) BUT twice I let the tire run too low on air. Probably my fault BUt The other have also run on the low side at times. I ought to contact Conti and tell them. I really like the conti ride though.