Personally, I don't think cheapies like Kenda tires are that bad. I've been riding on 700x28 Kenda Kwests (OEM for my bike) and I've only gotten 3 flats in the 7000km I've ridden - and Shanghai streets are certainly not friendly to tires, what with cracks, potholes, and large amounts of debris. I have no plans to change to a more expensive tire, given how well these ones have treated me.