Originally Posted by
oaxaca
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...
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.
Originally Posted by
jawnn
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.
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.