Originally Posted by
Retro Grouch
Nothing's puncture proof.
I had a puncture while running Armadillo's on my tandem but it was from a broken beer bottle shard roughly the size and shape of a sword. I don't think that anything would have stopped that. What I don't like about Armadillos is the sidewalls are so stiff that they ride like an ox cart.
I run 27X1.25 Armadillos. I think the gum sidewalls offer much more protection to the side walls. Years ago I ran K2 tires with thin sidewalls. I found that the ozone and UV caused the sidewalls to break down. Moisture would enter and make its way to the bead which would then rust.
Our team weighs about 400 pounds. We run 125 pounds in our tires, which is within the ratings for the Armadillos. Gaterskins have a much lower max pressure rating.
Originally Posted by
Retro Grouch
I've been using 28mm gatorskins on my tandem for a couple of years. So far I've been satisfied enough that, if I were buying tires today, I'd buy the same thing. I have a 28mm folding tire to take with me as a spare on tours but I don't typically carry it with me on day rides.
I would like to have a folding tire but I can't find one in 27X1.25. The local tandem dealer said that it was much safer to carry a non-folding tire twisted into three loops. I guess folding tires don't stay on as well.
Originally Posted by
Retro Grouch
I don't get a whole lot of flats. I've had one so far this year and none at all that I can remember all last year. Unfortunately, a high percentage of the flats that I get involve cutting down a sidewall or something that ruins the tire. I guess that's just the breaks.