Originally Posted by
hokiefyd
One tire I'd recommend for you is the Continental Ride Tour, in 54-584 (it'll fit a "27.5 inch" wheel), and it's about 2" wide when fully inflated. It has a very thick rubber tread, completely smooth down the center, and rolls very smoothly and quietly. It has a strong puncture protection belt and the rubber compound itself seems pretty durable. I have hundreds of miles on a pair myself and I can't tell a lick of difference between the front and the rear tire. The little mold sprues on the rear tire haven't worn off yet, even in the center tread channel. And I weigh 240 pounds.
I highly recommend those tires for doing just what you're doing -- commuting on pavement and/or gravel surfaces.
Oh -- they're also e-bike rated...so you know they'll be strong and durable. They're also very reasonably priced: They happen to be out of stock at the moment on Bike Tires Direct, but I bet a local bike shop can get 'em.
This sounds really good. Good price too. One thing we have here in Vegas are Acacia Trees. They have super sharp thorns that range from 1/8 inch to 2 inches long. For a long time I was averaging one flat tire per week. We also have something called goat-head thorns. They are a roundish little ball covered with thorns that blow in from the undeveloped areas. I'm sure a better tire would help with that. You can also pick up a piece of glass. You won't get a flat right away, but if you don't spot it, it can embed itself into the tread and you won't realize it until it's too late.
Thanks for the suggestion.