chris_farley

I'm currently riding on 700x28 Continental Gatorskins. No flats since I put them on 600 miles ago.

When I *do* get a flat, though, they will be HUGE pain to work with. The bead is insanely tight, and I could not get the tire on the rim without jamming it on with a tire lever or two. When mounting them, I punctured two tubes before I finally figured out how to get it on over the rim.

I flatted on a different bike the other day, and could get the tire on and off without using a tire lever at all. It was wonderful. But I get a lot more flats with those tires.

What's a good compromise between puncture resistance and ease-of-getting on and off?

DataJunkie

Folding ultra gatorskins. I find folding tires easier to install and remove.

nahh

not these: https://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=3636434
i saw this today, it's a huge hunk of foam. and exceedingly expensive too!

but on a relevenat note: +1 on the folding tires. they are much easier to take on and off.

chris_farley

I totally looked for 700x28 Gatorskins. They don't make 'em. (At least I couldn't find them...)

I like the fatter tire.

ScottE22

Tonight I installed a set of Vittoria Randonneur 700x28 on my commuter. They replaced a dry-rotted pair of 700x25 Vittoria road slicks that were probably 10 years old (just getting back into riding).

It's been a long time since I've replaced tires on a road bike and I found these things impossible to get over the rim without tire levers. I popped my last spare tube trying to get them on. In the end, I got them installed but I'm riding tomorrow with no spare tube...

I came here looking to figure out what the secret "trick" is that I forgot (or never learned) on getting tires on the rim! I don't remember my mountain bike tires being this hard to install!

ShadowGray

Who needs puncture resistance? I just use my awesomeness to sweep debris out of my way.

I also used Schwalbe Blizzard with kevlar for a bit, those worked well but I've also never run into a road flat. Ever. *knocks on wood* On the bright side, they go on and off like butter for me. I don't think they make those anymore.

They have the 28s, but not in stock:
https://www.universalcycles.com/shopp...1&category=627

Or did you mean 38s?

BoiseShwin

I bought Schwalbe Marathon XR in 35's. One would be hard fought to find tires tougher than these.

Popeyecahn

Try 23's... I took my wimpy self to an LBS and had the giant bike tech get the tire over the rim, and even he had a bit of a struggle. I had already had one flat that wasted my lunch and then some trying levers without success (read: pinch flat) to get the thing back on.

Excellent, thank you!

ChrisMartinTX

700x23 armadillos... on second set, first had ZERO flats. these are not the most maintained roads in texas either.

chris_farley

You can't get folding 28s. Maybe I'll try the 25s sometime, though.

I've worked with beaded tires before, but these steel beaded Gatorskins are something else...

pinkrobe

Conti Ultra Gatorskin Pro 700x25C folding. FTW.

knobster

https://www.biketiresdirect.com/produ...il.asp?p=COC3P

I use the 25's.

slugman

I've got the 28/wire bead gatorskins on my commuter at the moment. Went a year and a half or more before my first flat on them the other month, and another a few weeks ago. I've got a folding pair of 25's (or are they 23's) laying in wait but haven't quite been able to bring myself to swap them while the 28's are still fine. Plus with the Boston roads I ride on... I'm somewhat frightened to go skinny. I agree with you on how snug the tires are, I've been worried that I'll snap my tire levers the two times I've had to fix a flat, and of course it's been the rear wheel each time and not the front where for some reason I put a tube with a short valve that requires I find a pebble for my pump head to inflate it...

ok, rant over, I know I should just change it all out.

slowjoe66

Armadillo's rock. Also Panaracer Pacela TG are very nice.

huhenio

dammit!!!

That is like sharks with lasers on their heads!!!

hairytoes

Very very nice. I get about 5000 miles out of a tyre before the tread is worn down, and only 1-2 punctures in those miles. IMHO, the perfect commuting tyre.

Podolak

I run Armadillos, they work great. You can get skinny Armadillos but I run these.

Psydotek

Gatorskins. 700x23 with whatever bead i happen to find avaliable. Currently using the wire bead ones. It just takes a little extra grunt to get them on/off. Those Soma Fabrictaions steel core tire levers should come in handy later.

Quickbeam

I like the Avocet FasGrip Duro Plus K's. I'm on my second set of 700 X 32's on my commuter and I've had only two flats. One of which was a big nail that went through the side wall. The problem is they're getting almost impossible to find. I've got 700 X 35 Panaracer Pasela TG's on my Atlantis and those have been good tires too. I've heard really good things about the Schwalbe Marathon Plus in terms of flat resistance. I've got one more set of the Avocets stashed away. Once I've gone through those I'll probably try the Schwalbes.

Sixty Fiver

Baby powder / talc really helps with difficult installations.

Put some in the tire, remove excess, insert the tube, and then mount as per normal... the powder helps the bead slide over the edge to the wheel's rim and works like little ball bearings.

And your wheels will smell great too.

* A very smart woman told me that if you have an allergy to latex you should not powder your tyres as the powder can pick up small amounts of rubber and once airborne, it can be inhaled.

mconlonx

I put Schwalbe Marathon (something?) 700x28 tires on new rims for a bike I built up. One went on, no problem. The other... I ended up ordering a set of steel-core Soma tire levers because the plastic Park levers weren't doing the job. Same brand and size of rims, same brand and size of tires; one was easy-peasy, the other was a total b!tch. About 300mi commuting so far and no flats. Along the same route, I rode another bike with older 23mm tires and flatted; and we've had two flats on 27 x 1-1/4 tires on our tandem. One more flat on the tandem and it gets kevlar... no matter how difficult it is to get the tires on.

dynaryder

Specialized All Conditions Sports in regular Flak Jacket. Zero flats,good handling,good in rain,easy to put on/off.

SSP

Schwalbe Marathon Plus in 700x28. I put about 2000 miles on them without a flat, until yesterday when I hit a big nail that went through the tire and out the sidewall (no tire would have stopped that).

Mr. Underbridge

Man, I hate that. How hard is it to build tires to decent tolerances such that they don't have that variability? I had a set like that this weekend - front I almost get on with my bare hands, rear is taking two levers and I'm afraid of breaking them.

Popeyecahn

Yup grunt I just do not possess. I'm shy with using levers to get the tire back for obivious reasons.

In theory yes, but with the damn Gatorskins either you have kung fu grip or magic powers, nothing else works. I tried some but I was just not able to complete the task.

So after today's debacle, they're gone. I'm sick of them, they suck. It's bull*****e that one doesn't need in one's life. If the shop won't take them back (they recommended them and did the install and f'd that up...) they'll be up for grabs for someone with magic powers or kung fu grip for cheap. They still have the mold flashing on them...

Bottom line I want to ride my bike, enjoy the view and get back in shape not concern myself with whether or not I can repair a flat. I will consider the folding type of course though...