What's the most puncture proof tire for road bikes (700x23)
 

I am commuting on my bike and I have Michelin PRos. It's a waste using these tires where there are no curves I'll be taking at high speed. What's the most punture proof tire out there? I don't care if it is heavy or has a lot of rolling resistance. I just want a bulletproof tire as possible....fixing a flat is not something I want to deal with after a stressful day of work. Again, I'm not concerned about rolling resistance or weight so I'm not weighing those into the purchasing decision. I just want something as bombproof as possible.

Armadillos/Gatorskins/Krylions (sp?). If you use the search, you might find many threads about this.

i commute daily on Michelin Krylion Carbons and have yet to get flat.

I've also got the Krylions and have only had a couple of flats since I got them (about Christmas). Most of the time it takes a bad ass chunk of glass to break through. I've put at least 2000km through them at the very, very least.

Michelin's Carbon series seem to keep bad stuff from happening. They're heavier than the Pro2, but still perform pretty well.

I just got a pair of Krylion off ebay for $54 shipped

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...8564&rd=1&rd=1

i use the continental duraskin on the rear only and havent had a flat since i put them on a few hundred miles ago. i doubled it up w/ a tougher innertube also.

you'd be surprised at the weight difference between the krylion and the pro2

something like 10 grams

I agree with the Krylion's ability to deflect glass and to be very puncture resistant. However, I don't think they are as longed lived as Conti gators.

In fact, I have had very long service from all of the conti's I have tried: Contacts (commuter bike), Gators, and GP4000. Great tires!

i have ultra gatorskins which i have had for about a year. ive had about 7-10 flats (2 or 3 from hitting holes in the street im sure no 23 x 700c tire could take). that is of course in miami, where people break glass on the street to pass the time.

although i have buddies who swear by armadillos.

Those tires that Fred Flintstone has on his car look like they will withstand most road hazards.

I run the Michelin Carbons and have only had 1 flat in 12K miles.
The area's I ride in have few hazards but I have run over a lot of glass a couple times and no issues.

If you want bomb proof tires go with the armadillo's.
Heavy and crappy handing tire but nothing short of a direct hit from a roofing nail will penetrate the them.

Armadillos.

I've gone through 4 or 5 sets of Armadillos, and the only flat I had was the tube cracking/slicing around the valve stem area. Although they're pretty much the only road tires I've used extensively, so I can't compare the other characteristics.

I bought some "low end", cheapo Continental 28mm tires last year...an older version that evolved into the 2007 "Ultra-Sport". They are the most "flat proof" tires I have used. No "high tech" solution. Just lots of rubber where the rubber meets the road. A 350 gram 28mm tire has a LOT of rubber between the road and the inner tube. The contact patch is not only significantly wider than a 23mm tire, it is much, much thicker.

Ultra-expensive 23mm tires weighing 230 grams have a narrow contact patch, and a very thin layer of rubber at the point of contact. They try to protect that thin layer of rubber by putting a "hard" belt underneath to prevent flats. Not a good solution. The narrow contact patch harms handling, and cornering. The hard belt and smaller air cushion harm shock absorption.

And, quess which tire lasts more miles, the one with a thick layer of rubber, or the one with the paper-thin layer of rubber?

There is an easy, cheap way to compare tires. Put a pair of 28mm Continental "Ultra Sport" tires on your bike for a month. Then go back to a 23mm tire with an "anti-flat" belt. Odds are, you will much prefer the ride quality and handling of the "Ultra Sport".

And, you will enjoy not getting flats. (In a year of riding with the "Ultra Sport" tires and Continental tubes through the glass and trash strewn rubble of inner-city Houston...zero flats).

Finally, paying $40 a pair for tires that last 2,000 to 3,000 miles is a bit more enjoyable than paying $100 a pair for tires that last 1,000 miles.

I punctured the Specialized "All-Condition" stock tires that came with my bike just shy of 300 miles. It took a boxcutter blade to flatten my Armadillo. After about 1000 miles, the Armadillos haven't flattened to the normal road hazards. A lot of nicks and small gashes though thats to be expected from city streets.

Thats what I ended up with after several other brands and tire liners.

Schwalbe Marathons (i think it's the marathons) get one of the highest puncture resistant ratings over in the Commuting forum followed by Specialized Armadillos then the Continental Gatorskins. However, the Gatorskins are reputed to be the most "road race" ready of the 3. The Michelin Krylion Carbon's are also very good, probably most comprable to the Gatorskins while having an edge in terms of better grip and rolling resistance.

On my commuter I use Gatorskins + Mr. Tuffy tire liners + Performance's thorn resistant tubes. Heavy as can possibly be (espically on some Velocity Deep-V 28/32 spoke rims) but i haven't flatted yet. I commute 2-3 times a week with each commute being 16 miles a day on less than ideal roads and plenty of rocks and shattered car window glass. I just see the heavy wheels as training aids so when i do get back to my road bike on the weekends i'm flying! :D

Specialized Armadillos, Continental Gatorskins, or Bontrager Hardcases

Armadillos ride like rocks, but are possibly the toughest tire around.

Gatorskins are not as tough in the sidewalls, but very puncture resistant and ride nicer.

Hardcases seem to fall in the middle, the sidewalls are tougher than Gatorskins and the ride is smoother than Armadillos. Some of them are dual compound so they wear well and still handle the curves.

Having tried all three, I thought the Armadillos rode like poo, the Gatorskins eventually blew a sidewall (after about 18 flat free months of commuting), and I'm using the Hardcases on 3 bikes right now.

Also, if these tires are just for commuting think about a 25c. They don't roll much slower, and the ride is more comfortable.

Mr Tuffy liners can actually cause flats if they're not perfectly installed. The tube gets a little wound up, there's extra friction, and then it goes flats. Those thorn resistant tubes are probably protecting you more from your liners than road debris.

If you haven't had a problem, then no worries. If you start getting mystery flats ditch the liners.

Mate, your sort of missing the point of the high end tyre market. Performance is the goal here and durability and wear rate a distant second and third place respectively.
Having said that I just bought a pair of Ultra gatorskins and some GP 4000s to do a little back to back comparison of my own. One of the Gatorskins came in at 220g and one 216g. While the GP4000s came in at 216 for one and 211 for the other. I thought that was rather curious. After being all amped to try the Gatorskins due to a rather glowing reference from many a rider, I pulled a staple out of the rear this morning?? A staple?? Nothing would have stopped it. It was half way in.
Still the performance of the continentals is great in all weather I actually trust them more than any other tyre i've used in the wet. My last tyres were Michelin Pro2 race, and whilst they are a fantastic dry tyre for cornering at speed as soon as it gets the slightest bit damp they are terrifying. Also once I removed them, I have never seen so many cuts in a tyre, it was amazing I didn't more flats than I did. Which was about 4 in 3500k. Yet to try the GP4000s but if they are as good or better than their predecessor I won't be dissapointed.

I put about 3000 km on the Armadillos this winter with no flats. That's riding through ample glass and road shrapnel. I agree they feel pretty crappy--cornering feels like they're made out of solid rubber. The beauty part, though, after a winter on them is hopping on a nice new set of Michelin Pro2 Races and feeling like you're on riding a rocket ship.

I love the carbon Krylions and they are certainly tough. But they don't hold a candle to the Armadillo - in terms of puncture resistance.

I use the Armadillo to commute, the Krylion to ride.

'dilloes for the puncture resistance win, but they ride like Fred Flinstone's tires. Given how many flats I've had over the past 3 years, I can live with the Fred Mobile ride.

I done lots of research on this before choosing Krylion. However, Conti Gatorskin are a lot more puncture resistant and if that's your priority (it is) then get the Conti. I dont think you'll need more p/resistance than that, but in case you do, go for Armadilo.