I got a bulge on my front tire, a Specialized 700x26, rated for 100 psi. It only had 200 miles on it. I have to admit that I slightly over-inflated it to 110 psi. Weather has been very hot, which may be a factor. I also weigh 280 pounds, which didn't help the tire any.
I might have run over one of those cast-iron water main valve covers, and I also rode over cobblestones.
The bulge was kind of "S" shaped, a little bit on one side, then on the other side an inch away. Examination after removing the tire from the rim shows the threads of the tire casing were pulled apart in the center of the tire , not on either side. Damage was about the size of a thumb-print.

Resolution of this dilemma:
I went back to the LBS and bought a new tire. The new tire is the same brand, Specialized, but it's the "Expedition" model, 700x32, rated for only 75 psi.

I haven't ever had much luck with "skinny tires", I went back to them very recently, after using other bikes with tire widths in the 1.90 to 2.215 range. I had frequently run my Mountain Bike over-inflated to 90 psi. My BMX based lowrider has 20x1.90 "Hook Worm" tires that take 110 psi with no problem.

Are there any 700x26 tires out there that can take more pressure-say 120 psi or more?
Please let me know.

Odds are the bulge wasn't cause by over-inflation because there's a margin for error built in.

Your problem is that you're using too narrow a tire for your weight. By analogy let's like at the automotive world where tire section is proportioned to axle weight. You wouldn't try to drive a ford expedition on tires made for a Mazda would you?

The answer isn't more pressure, but greater tire section and at your weight I'd look for the largest section 95psi tire that cleared your forks. In a pinch if the fork limited your options too much, consider a wider section tire for the rear than the front, which might allow you more room.

Here's a link to an article on optimizing tire section and pressure for various axle weights.

I would check the seating of the tire on the rim , it maybe moving on you .

Where's the link?

Cont. Gatorskins, Specialized Armadillo, Schwabe Durangos. All tough tires

What FBiNY said. 26 is just too narrow to hold up that much weight. I'd take his advice of larger tires, my slightly-educated guess is that 32's or 35's would do fine.

Oops, I forgot to attach the link in my earlier post. I've fixed it now.

Yea, As I said , I replaced the tire with a 700 x 32. I now have a 32 on the front and a 26 on the rear. The bike is a cross bike , and it came with 35's. Maybe too the rims are too narrow for 26's?

Anyway, just imagine me, at 280 pounds, going over a two inch high parking lot apron, or a water main cover. Remember, we had near ninety degrees temperatures, and I slightly over-inflated the tires to 110.


I will look into curbtender's advice:"Cont. Gatorskins, Specialized Armadillo, Schwabe Durangos. All tough tires".

These Specialized's are gumwall tires, not skinwall, so I suspect they are not top quality.

"Schwalbe", with an "L"- Get better Google results if you spell the name right.

If you do your own work, switch the tires around using the narrow one up front and the wider one in the back. Since the bike came with 35mm tires there's no issue of rim width of fork clearance, so I suggest going to that as you replace tires.

BTW- the rims cant be too narrow for 26mm tires if they're OK for wider tires. If anything it's the other way around, but it's fairly safe to assume that the original rim/tire sections were properly matched, and at your weight wider is better.

SAidewall pressure is the amount 1/2 the amount that will blow the tire off of the rim. Tire pressure depends on the tire width and vehicle weight. https://www.adventurecycling.org/res...SIRX_Heine.pdf

Actually, after riding it a few miles, I kind of like the handling with the wider tire in front. I think I will keep the 26 on the rear until it gets ruined. I have been looking at tires online, and there is a much better variety online than at any LBS. I also am reading the reviews, doing "shopping" searches. My internet connection went down just after 1:00 PM, but it's up again (had to call the IP on a cell phone, since the phone went down with it.)

I caught my error, I meant to ask "Maybe the rims are too WIDE for 26mm tires?". I said narrow, I meant wide.