CliffordK

Looking at your tires, it looks like you have a combination of over-worn tires and cheap construction of the tires.

I suppose road bike tires are a different class than MTB and BMX tires, but one can get maybe 5000 miles or so on a road bike tire starting with pretty thin tread.

I'm of the opinion that the bigger the tire with the deeper the tread, the bigger the holes

My 25mm Marathon tire that I've set aside picked up a deep gash the first couple of days of use I booted it and it survived another 1000 miles, but my boots gave me problems

On the other hand, my 25mm Origin8 Elimin8er tires are wearing mighty thin, and still going and going and going. I wore into the sub-tread about 2000 miles ago. And, what is very thin rubber left seems to be better at rejecting glass

I've got moped tires on my heavy cargo trailer, and couldn't be happier with them. But, I don't pull it a lot since it is rather heavy

16 x 3 0 Tire Inner Tube Straight Valve Electric Scooter Electric Bicycle | eBay

They are 16"x3 bicycle size for Schwinn 16x3 rims (12" inner diameter).

Ok, my Schwinn 16x3 OEM tires are rated at 35 PSI. My Moped 16x3 (12" rim) tires are rated at 40 PSI. There is just no comparison between the two. Even the tubes are heavier duty. I think I've had either 50 or 60 psi in the moped tires, and wouldn't worry about moderate over-inflation with a bicycle application. At least mine are STURDY TIRES.

LesterOfPuppets

The weight isn't really that big of a deal. I've seen 400lb GVW tandems running road tires. My girlfriend and I are approx 330 lbs GVW on our tandem. We have a wheelset with 26x2.2" tires and one with 700x28mm tires. The fat tires have more latitude as far as pressures are concerned. It is really important to have any tire aired up into the good pressure range whenever you're carrying that much weight.

No way I'd run Alphabite clones like that one pic in the OP on the tandem. Rear tire would probably only be good for 1000mi or so. Decent 2.2" tires last us about twice that. I haven't had the road tires on long enough to need a swap, but I'm guessing we'll get about 1500 miles on the rear 700x28 Clement LGG 120tpi.

riva

Try the 16" motorcycle/moped tires on 20" rims. Its been done, it works. It sounds like its exactly what you want. Yes 'the bicycle industry' will ignore you... you already know it, and you know why. It owes you nothing. Why complain.

jawnn

If no one complains, nothing changes.....


I got the Shinko 2.25 inch moped tire! The side wall is more dense than any bicycle tread that I have see. I could not cut he sidewall off unless I had a band saw.

In-fact the side wall is going to hold most of the 240lb weight, no wonder they use only 33 psi, it is just to hold the tire onto the rim.

The tire alone weighs 3.75lbs and the tube must weight another quarter pound. I will not need any tire liners with this beast.

gregjones

Just how any people do you think actually ride with this load? It's obvious that in the USA there's not a lot.

What is the industry supposed to do? Engineer and develop a tire for you. Call around, if you want to foot the bill a manufacture might exist that will build a tire just for your fancy.

So many times the individual pisses and moans about major industries not meeting their "one of a kind" specific needs, but want it done for a single dime. Perhaps the individual should quit whining and adapt to what is available in the market for their use.

Or, become a billionaire and make that set of tires themselves.

The world goes 'round the way it does. Too bad if you think it's going to coddle your special ass.

oaxaca

The bicycle industry is ignoring him because bicycles are not meant to hold 400 pounds. BUT, there are many, many, mopeds that weigh 400 pounds with rider and cargo. Luckily, they also require tires. Problemo solved-o! 'tis a miracle.

CliffordK

Lightweights.



That is 407 lbs + ME + Trailer + Cargo bike... PLUS 2 hills

Ok, so not the same as having it all on the cargo bike.

I have, however, had the bike loaded with over 100 lbs cargo... add in the bike and passenger, so I'm probably approaching 350 lbs.

Anyway, I hope the moped tire works out for Jawnn. As I mentioned, I'm very happy with the moped tires on my trailer.

I was working on a longnose cargo hauler earlier. I still have some work to do on it. I think I'm going with the Kiniption tires for now, but will keep the moped tires in the back of my mind.

Part of the issue, no doubt, is determining how long a tire should last. A few months? A few years? Trouble Free?

Then , there is a divergence of needs. Obviously a trade-off between traction, durability, price, and performance.

Sometimes I'm amazed to think how little rubber is on a road tire, and it can last for thousands of miles. Shouldn't a MTB tire last forever?

oaxaca

I can't tell if you're joking or not. But I feel like you still don't understand that psi is directly related to surface area. Its rated for only 33 psi because its a 2.25 inch tire, probably made for 40-45mm rim. It has absolutely nothing to do with how stiff the sidewall is...

oaxaca

Then theres the fact that the moped tires are rated to 90 mph. You know. Just in case...

CliffordK

Really?

Most of the micro-mopeds are rated for 20 MPH.

CliffordK

True, if the sidewall could support all the weight, there would be no need to air up the tire. But those moped tires appear TOUGH. I'm a bit surprised the pressure ratings are so similar to much thinner bike tires. Of course, it is the casing that holds the pressure. Rubber isn't particularly strucural.

So, PSI is really rated to the contact patch.

40 psi.
x 5 square inches
----------------------
support 200 lbs (on 1 tire)

100 psi
x 2 square inches
----------------------
support 200 lbs (on 1 tire).

oaxaca

Moped Tires | Shinko Tire USA

The tires are a lot faster than the mopeds... hahhhhh

they come in 75 mph or 94 mph rating. I'd s**t my pants if i ever went that fast on a moped, but at least i'd know the tires wouldnt fail...

oaxaca

And ya. exactly. Has nothing to do with the thickness of the rubber either. Thickness is pretty much just for durability... and sometimes for handling. Heavier tires help keep you upright, as long as you keep them rolling.

riva

16" tires fit on the big 150cc and up scooters that can do those speeds. The 30mph speed restricted stuff usually uses either skinny 17's or 10's.

jawnn

I rode to town and back on only 7.5 psi because I had a slow leak. but I was able to carry a full load back, because the side walls are so heavy duty. Unfortunately there was a lot of rolling resistance. but at 33psi it works fine.

The world will never change without some one complaining. “Why try to change the world?” Well that reminds me of one of the Republican dupes raving about how “Obama is trying to change the world”!

People who maintain the status qua by complacency are responsible for the world's dysfunctionality. I have been researching how to live car free for longer than most people have been in denial of so called “climate change”.

I would not have needed to go through this rigmarole if the bicycle industry would make a really strong glass resistant cycle-truck tire, in a 20 x 2.1 inch size. The strongest small tire I could find was a Duro made for BMX jumping, not road use.

Next bike I build will definitely be able to use moped tires on both wheels. The biggest tire I found for the rear is a Maxxis 2.3 x 24” not sure it will fit. And it is probably not any more glass resistant than any other mtb tire.

I did ask the Suomi tyre people, but they said I would have to order a thousand tires to get them to make any with stronger double casing. And I can just forget about sintered rubber.

I definitely recommend using a steel rim; my aluminum rim took a beating. And I had some problem with the stem getting in the way of the bead seating right, so I had to push the stem in and pull on the other side of the tire.

I believe these will become popular when people realize that with a motored cycle-truck the extra weight makes no difference!

CliffordK

It looks like a tight fit for your fenders. I hope it all works out well for you.

I think you've hit it. A big company like Schwinn can order special purpose tires for a new line of bikes they're building, but small companies, and individuals deal with what is available.

I remember my 16x3 (12" rim) moped tires were a bit of a pain to mount, but my Schwinn rims are quite wide, so I got them on ok. Something was also funky with the valve. Maybe I located it after mounting too.

I think it has taken at least a half century of people being dissatisfied with flat tires on 700c 23/25mm tires for the industry to finally take note, and now everyone is making a flat resistant tire.

The cargo bike industry is rapidly growing, so perhaps people will take notice. It may already be diverging into lightweght cargo bikes, heavyweight cargo bikes, and long distance (high efficiency) and short distance (low efficiency) bikes, each with different needs. The electric cargo bikes will also change the perspective of the industry.

I do like aluminum rims. Recently I snagged a couple of SunRims DoubleWide rims that will go into a future cargo build (I hope). They appear to be a very sturdy rim.

Anyway, I hope all works out for you.

oaxaca

Not trying to be a wise guy. Just trying to help you make informed decisions while tire shopping. All I meant to say was that recommended tire pressure isn't an indicator of carrying capabilites...

the reason you cant find the tires you want is because you are in an extreme minority of the worlds population that has found a reason to have a 20 inch bicycle wheel carry so much weight (and for so many miles, so often). Most people who need to transport that much weight would rather have a trailer or a trike (becuase nobody wants to tip over with 200 pounds of whatever it is that they might be biking around with). and most people would rather let a motor pull/push it. Mopeds are cheap and a hell of a lot more powerful than human legs. Trikes/trailers can spread the load, and don't fall over...

But regardless apparently all you have to do is find 999 other people who want the tire you want and you're good to go. Not a bad offer after nothing more than a phone call. Start a facebook group or something if you're this concerned about it and so convinced that the people of the world want this to happen but are being ignored.

CliffordK

I'm not sure it is the minority of the worlds population. Just the minority of the US population.

Looking at photos of countries like India, they'll carry just about anything on bikes.

I've heard that one doesn't want to tip over a 500 pound motorcycle either.

I didn't like my cargo bike with 100 lbs on the back end. However, it ends up with a relatively high center of gravity. The long nose bikes (which often have the small wheels) may well be more stable with the heavy loads, assuming the frames are made to carry the weight.

Thinking about your bike some. I'd encourage you to replace the tires before they get as bad as your old tires.

However, fixing a flat on the roadside will undoubtedly be a pain. It may be that the moped tubes, well matched to your tire size will not develop fast leaks. I believe that fast leaks may be related to overstretched tubes.

You might consider a tire sealant... in 6 months?
My understanding is that there are basically 2 types of sealants.
The runny latex sealants are drying, and are supposed to essentially permanently patch leaks.
Slime (and similar) non-drying sealants may last longer in the tire, but they kind of plug up the holes, but don't really seal them.

Nonetheless, I imagine you will try to over-extend the life of your tires, and will hate patching them. So, the sealants might be an alternative to try.

oaxaca

Even in India people realize that it makes more sense to put that heavy of a load over an axle, between two wheels. A long frame bike makes more sense due to the low center of gravity and it spreads the load a little bit so its not directly over the front wheel, but then you also have to worry about the frame,forks, and every other piece of load bearing structure on the bike if you're trying to carry 200 pounds of cargo...

You don't want to tip over a 500 pound motorcycle but you don't have to worry about it either because the wheels probably weigh 30 pounds a piece and once you start moving the angular momentum of the wheel holds you upright and motorcycles arent designed to go 5-10 mph everywhere.

mel2012

I'm late to the thread, but I've been extremely pleased with my Schwalbe Marathon Supreme 20 x 1.6 tires on my Bike Friday Haul-a-Day in the three months I've had it. Sadly it looks like they are being discontinued in that size, but they're still available from some web-sites: 20 x 1.6 Marathon Supreme (Folding)

I was initially worried that they were too narrow; but my bike, plus kids, plus me is over 300 lbs and these tires provide a stable, smooth and fast ride. While I haven't had an opportunity to test their durability, I have no worries about their longevity after my positive experience with the Schwalbe Fat Franks on my Fr8 cargo bike (after 7 years and a lot of miles and abuse, the tread finally wore out on one tire).

Also, I know lots of people with Xtracycles Edgerunners and Haul-a-Days who regularly carry loads upwards of 300 lbs and I've never heard anyone complain that their tires, stock or otherwise, have worn down or blown out so I don't think your experience is common.

jawnn

wake up! I found the tire I need! moped tires are the best thing for a cycle truck.

Gareth

So, have you built up the wheels to fit the tyres to then?

CliffordK

I think the OP put a 16" Moped tire onto a 20" (406) bicycle rim. Tight mount, but good fit.

jawnn

I have also located a 19 in moped tyre that should fit a 1.25" x 24" rim for the rear. it will be a tight fit, and I will have to order it form England, and the shipping double the price.