Originally Posted by Leisesturm

The 26" wheel you already own. What is it? Can you get another? If not you may just have to hold your nose and buy one with a wider width than is ideal and be a bit more careful. That is probably a given when riding recumbent. Your ability to throw the bike around like an extension of your body pretty much goes away. Even the manufacturers of highracers consider them to be open road craft that are at their best when free of road clutter like is found on most MUP's and Greenways. My Performer came with 1.4" (35mm) tires and presumably the rims are too wide for 25mm tires but that is exactly what I intend to do this summer. I wouldn't tell you to do anything I wouldn't do myself.

I suggested visiting a co-op and seeing what they had for sale. But ... and I'm just saying, you have appear to have 700C written all over you. That's what you should have thrown money at. And, as long as I'm making you hate me, I may as well tell you now that I don't think it is realistic to expect a satisfying experience riding with the DF gang going forward. You can't draft them, they can't draft you. You will zig when they zag and zag when they zig and yeah, it can work (kind of) because you're buds and are going to try and make it work. How often? Weekly? No. They are going to need to blow off steam and really hammer it more often than that. You too if you get any good at the highracer handling thing. It's like becoming a Vampire or Werewolf. You've got to make new friends that are like you. Welcome to the Dark Side. BTW flats have nothing to do with tire diameter and everything to do with brand and model. Bontrager Hardcase Series tires do not flat. That is my small sample size anecdotal experience. With tires in both the 26" x 2.0" and 700C x 25mm size I have not experienced a flat with the Bonties. I didn't want to have flats each ride like with Kenda Quests or weekly with Big Apples but ... never? I'm beginning to feel survivors guilt complex.