Originally Posted by
eric716
I had yet another flat, and this time the tire is actually spent.
I've been riding on Vittoria Zaffiros that came stock on my bike.
I would love to have one white tire and one black but function over form if need be...
I commute 7 miles one way to work daily on roads with gravel and other debris on the shoulders.
It's not full gravel roads though, ha, like I probably just made it sound.
Just your average countryish roads with a few roads with tons of businesses and occasional broken glass.
I ride normally for a few hours after work too.
I don't skid much but I do occasionally.
If you have the clearance I'd recommend Schwalbe Marathon Plus. I've got them on my singlepseed in 700x25mm. Have around 2000 miles on them as I use the bike for a 'fast days' commuter and recreational rides. Not even a hint of a flat/slow leak, etc. They ARE heavier and bigger than any normal 25mm tire because of the extra rubber on the contact surface, but well worth the extra effort for the peace of mind. They're a B***h to mount though, so be forewarned. You may want to invest in a Kool Stop mounting tool (11.00US) from any online store. I happened to get mine from
http://www.biketiresdirect.com. One can overinflate them about 15 psi w/no probs. They're rated @ 115 and I run mine a @ 130. It seems to help counteract the increased rolling resistance from the heavier tire.
My regular commuter is a loaded CX w/rack, bags, etc. w/28mm SMPs. I got 6000 miles before experiencing 1 flat(a 2" self starting screw) and a slow leak that started a couple of weeks ago. I changed out the rear tire and fully expect similar or better performance. The front has almost no wear.
Plenty of extra tread for skidding once in a while, too.
