Thread: Tire Advice
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Old 11-29-16 | 11:37 AM
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michaelish
Globe Daily 1 Commuter
 
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 5
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From: Philadelphia

Bikes: Specialized Globe Daily 1

Tire Advice

Hey guys - long time lurker, first time poster! I'm on the market for some new tires and just when I thought I made my selection, everything got called into question.

About me:

Bike: Specialized Globe Daily 1 commuter. Sample pic here, but I took off the basket. It does have fenders.

Use: Daily commute 365 days/year except in heavy rain and snow. Mostly in heavy Philly city traffic.

Current tires: Specialized Nimbus 700x28c. Not sure exact model, but the tread looks like this, which is labeled as Armadillo, but I can't find any other reliable listing for this tread as an Armadillo. They've held up okay for 4 years, and while there's still tread, they're starting to look like swiss cheese from all the punctures over the years and I'm getting flats every few weeks.

Where I need advice:

Model: Have honed in on the following, but still not sure.
  • Schwalbe Marathon Plus: originally my top choice, but a friend tells me they ride heavy and are really tough to get on.
  • Vittoria Randonneur Pro: reco'd by LBS, but they had very limited options. Heard these have pretty weak sidewalls.
  • Schwalbe Marathon Supreme: might be my new favorite given the smoother, but existent, tread. Also heard they may be difficult to put on.
  • Specialized Nimbus: mostly in consideration since I've been riding with them and am relatively happy, but not sure if I'm missing out since it's all I've ridden. Also not sure the exact model since I can't seem to find my exact model online.

Size: Planned to get 700x28c's but was advised to go bigger if possible to help reduce rolling resistance. My fenders have a tiny bit of wiggle room, but not sure how much bigger I can go based on that and the rim size -- Zx1000 622x20's (came stock with bike, can't find any info on them online).

Features I'm looking for:
  • Moderate tread for general grip and when riding in light rain/snow
  • Somewhat lower rolling resistance - don't want to feel like I'm riding on hockey pucks
  • Great puncture resistance
  • Easy to put on/off - don't want to wrestle with levers for an hour
  • Durability/quality - would like something that will last a few years and price isn't too important
  • Bonus - reflective sidewalls (totally optional)

Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer!
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