Puncture-resistant tyres?
 

Hello everybody!

I am considering buying new tyres after having numerous punctures with my Specialized All Condition tyres.
These only happened to my REAR tyre. I've never flattened my front tyre so far (Keep fingers crossed...)

I noticed that pieces of glass, metal and little stones often get stuck in the rear tyre and make their way into it until they reach the tube.
I need to check regularly the tyre to make sure they are not there. I don't weigh too much, around 80 Kg, so I don't have specific weight needs.

However I am considering trying an anti-puncture tyre for the rear wheel.

Specialized All-Condition Armadillo, Continental Ultra GatorSkin, Schwalbe, Michelin or others?



Any advice is more than welcome!!

Thanks a lot!!

I'm going to move this to General for you, get better replies.

I will say that I ride in NYC a lot and I found the glass rips apart Armadillos and Gatorskins like they were butter. And they're not cheap!

I went with the Vredestein Fortezza SE with the Slime liner. Once a week I pick out the glass that the liner stopped from the Gatorskin in front, see a few nicks in the back with the Vredesteins but that's it.

Double check what psi your rim can hold though - not all of them can take 160 psi.

You don't mention how often you're having flats, but a certain number of them is inevitable. They're just a part of cycling. I've had as many as nine on a century ride, and six on my 25-mile commute (that's uncommon--I ran over a field of broken glass in one case and a pile of thorny branches in the other--but it's just coincidence, not a recurring problem that needs to be addressed). overall, riding in a desert area with many thorns and poor street-sweeping, I probably average one every 75-100 miles.
A few points:
Flats on the front are way better than flats in the rear. I can change a front puncture, including inflation with a frame-fit pump, in less than four minutes. Because of the driveline, rear takes longer.
You can eliminate many of those "hammered-in" punctures by avoiding obvious sharp things in the road and by running your (gloved) hands lightly over the tire when you unavoidably hit some. When you hear the tick-tick-tick of a shard of glass hitting the road, reach back (AHEAD of the brake bridge, not behind it, lest you be sucked in) and let your hand trace the tire as it rotates. usually you'll dislodge the object. Do the same in the front as necessary.
Warning: this takes a little practice. If you're not comfortable, stop and remove the object by hand.
There are many puncture resistant tires, most of them presumably effective to some degree. I don't care much for Armadillos because of the harsh ride, but friends swear by them. Several of my friends also use GatorSkins. I haven't tried Schwalbe because of the weight, though I doubt I'd notice it when i was riding. My favorites for several years have been Panaracer Pasela TG's (TG=Tour Guard, with a kevlar belt. There's also a non-TG model, which lacks the belt).

I check my tyres before every ride- unless I have only done a few miles on them since the last check. Normally I just find a bit of grit but after a long ride in the country- I found 4 thorns- 2 bits of glass and several bits of grit embedded in the rubber. Prise them out with a small screwdriver and they won't be in the tyre at the start of a ride to force their way through the rubber and into the tube. Mind you- two of those thorns had caused a puncture when I pulled them out- but it is easier to repair at home than on the road.

And I weigh 70kgs ride on Michelin PR2's in 700x23 and rarely get punctures. Puncture resistant tyres are around but I have not yet found the need for them. But Michelin PR2'sand Continental 4000s do have some puncture resistance built into them.

For me the gatorskins have been outstanding. Was having lots of flats on cheapy michelins, put on the gatorskins, and 1500 miles later, no flats, no issues, no complaints and I ride over lots of crap in the road.

Schwalbe Marathon's. Great tires.

Thanks
 

First of all, thank you all for your comments and advice.

As for the number of punctures I've had so far, they are 6-7 since I bought my Specialized Sirrus, that is to say in 4/5 months.
I must say that I've been using my bike almost every day, but I never ride in the country, just on city streets or roads.

It seems that Gatorskin are by far the most popular tires. As Air suggested, I'll have a closer look at the Vredestein Fortezza SE with the Slime liner, as well.

Thank you all!!

Puncture-resistant tire
 

Schwalbe Marathon's tires, too, sound very interesting.

I'll take them into consideration.

Cheers!

another option is the panaracer tourguide tires. they have a kevlar belt, the stuff used in bullet proof vests. i have been using them since i was getting flats too often with conventional tires and it put a stop to getting flats for me.

Has anybody tried the TRAK tires at Bikemania? I think these are the Schwalbe generic tires and at $17 a tire look like a good deal. I was going to try the 700X35C for my touring bike build but the have a 700X25C tire also. I am currently running Continental tour plus's and don't have any complaints except that I think I will only get around 2000, possibly 3000 miles out of them. I have a little over 1000 on them now and have only had one flat so far but they are wearing down, in the back anyway.