tires
 

im using conti ultra gatorskins 700cc 23 at teh mo what would you guys consider a good tire for a 50km daily commute melbourne has its moments with tram tracks and glass ould you recommend a bigger tire or stickk with what i got

I'd recommend a remedial English class.

coming from anyone other than american i would take it on board but an american i dont think so

- don't worry... less than one in five americans ever finish college, and judging by the atrocious spelling and grammar here on BF, few have stayed awake during English classes...

:-)

- more on topic: there have been many informative discussions here regarding good commute tires... you'll have to find a balance of size, weight, durability, and price to fit your needs... btw, a 33-mile commute every day is a major accomplishment, so my hat is off to you!

- what i have gathered from the experts here is that most folks don't care for tube additives, such as Slime... many seem quite fond of Specialized Armadillos... but Schwalbe makes some rugged commute tires, while others rely on liners and 'thorn-resistant' tubes in lieu of tire loyalties...

- i have Conti Top Touring 2000s (folders) in 700x28 and like them... i don't use liners or heavy duty tubes - but i would if i had to commute over glass and debris every day...

I agree with linux_author's conclusion that the BF consensus is "anti-Slime." I, personally, have tried Slime tires and found that they were not only ineffective at preventing flats but also that they created monumental messes when I needed to deflate a tire for any reason. No Slime for me, thanks.

As to the OP's question on tires - use what works. For me, being an uberclyde and having to ride on "craters of the moon" landscapes, 2.5" wide knobbies work well. Since the OP has successfully used what I would consider "racing tires" for commuting with success, I'd say the field was wide open as to choices.

thanks have you any experience of schwalbe i hear there marathans are awesome

Schwalbe has an excellent reputation. I've used their tires on recumbents before, and the tires were fine. I've also had good experiences with WTB and Michelin. You can't go wrong with any of those three brands, IMHO.

I've used the marathons and hated them - slow and heavy with no noticeable increase in puncture resistance, milage, or grip. I'm in Sydney but have ridden in and around melbourne. I used to commute 100km a day, now I only do about 65km a day. My favorite tyres are Conti ultra gatorskins in 700c X 28 with Mr Tuffy liners, that's the real secret to puncture resistance.

Once every 2 weeks I take both tyres off and clear out all the stuff that went through the tyres but was stopped by the Mr Tuffy liners. I usually pull from 3 to 10 individual bits from the rear, and occasionally 1 or 2 from the front.90% of it is glass.

Specialized nimbus armadillo 700x28. Even a 700x25 is too narrow for a commuting tire in my book.

My favorite commuter tire is the Marathon Slick and I perfer as wide as I can fit. However my commute is only 8.5miles (~13.5k) on urban streets. For your distance a 28mm Gatorskin is probably a better choice. I don't like running narrower as I find it uncomfortable and prone to rim damage. Ofcourse my roads are rough and I weigh about 220 pounds (100kg).
Craig

I put some Schwalbe Marathons (26x1.5) on my Cannondale F900 for my commute about 1 and a half years ago. And not one flat. So I am happy. But, it could be that the roads here are in good condition and regularly sweeped. I didn't have much of a flat problem with other tires, but did have flats.

They are heavy, and a bugger to get on the rims though. Speed is so so... I am looking at the Marathon Racers for my next set. I hear that they are a little lighter.

Haha! I'd be one of those that didn't finish college. Then again, I knew what I wanted to do when I was a sophomore in high school and geared my education to achieve that. English, however, was always one of my favorite and strongest classes.

Going back on topic, I would recommend the Specilized Nimbus. I have many spots on my commute where I would like a wider, knobby tire, and the Nimbus just carries me through. It's rolling resistance is low, but not as low as a racing tire. I've pulled some major sprints and raced roadies for short distances (before I've had to make a turn) and given them a run for their money on these tires.

The stability of the Nimbus is more than sufficient for most anything you'll encounter on your commute. The only times I've wished I had more width is when I hit the occasional patch of deep, soft, silty sand. Even with the pucker moments those provide, I've never fallen over.

I don't work for Specialized, I'm just impressed by their Nimbus tire.

Oh yeah, no flats, despite my use of the non-reinforced ones and the fact I use thin tubes.

A larger tire like a 25 would give you tad bit more air volumn which will give you a slightly better ride, but more importantly you would be safer due the larger tires not wanting to follow groves and cracks as much, you can stop in shorter distance and handle better, and the tires will last longer. A 25 is probably the largest size your going to be able to put on those rims and still fit the frame; you might be able to get 28 on but that could tight.

i ride a giant crx 2 2007 they came with 28's on i reckon i could goto a 32

so looks like i should go for bigger tyres will these slow me down though

The Schwalbe Marathon tires have been great on our folding bikes.

My son had great luck with Continental Gatorskins.....2000+ miles before a flat....(700x23)
I only got about 600 miles before mine were history (700x28)....within two weeks both tires picked up large industrial staples....staples failed to penetrate the Kevlar, but ripped the sidewalls open....
have over 1,000 miles on Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires now....driving the same route....same level of construction debris falling out of pickup trucks daily..

I read once about cities that have and use street cleaning machines.....decided that either it was while I must have been in an alcohol induced daze, or perhaps during a period when I was into reading science fiction.....

I agree 100% on that. I've had three flats with Slime tubes, the slime did absolutely nothing but make a huge mess that I had to clean up before fixing. The first one was when the bike and tires were only about 2 months old, and it was just a common T50 staple, two little teeny 1/16" pinholes, and the tire leaked totally out. I pumped it up to give it another chance, and it leaked out again.

I patched that one and kept using it, but I threw them away when they got flatted again because I got sick of cleaning the green crap up before patching/replacing.

There's hardly anything to flat on around here; I ran basically bald crappo $5 Kendas with up to 3000 miles on them until they wore through, for 2 years, and I only punctured twice, so I'm no help there. I'm running Bontrager race lites, and they get decent ratings around here FWIW. They're not bulletproof though.

I use the Schwalbe Marathons - they are sturdy, seem to wear well, I like the reflective sidewall - but they are a BYTSH to mount on the rim. (I am an american, and therefore am incapable of spelling properly).

My commute is 30 miles RT, mix of urban/rural riding - no tram tracks, but several sets of railway tracks to cross.

Yes, 10,000 miles/16,000 km on Marathon Plus in four years. No flats. Used to get a flat a month.

Paul

Bontrager Race Lite foldable 700X28, with Mr Tuffy liners. They are light and roll easily. I measured them with calipers and they are 26.5 mm wide.

Mr Tuffys are not so tough. I've had goatheads penetrate them! Plus they do nothing for protecting the sidewalls. Racing tires will leave you very vulnerable to sidewall flats and total damage...if that is a concern. If your Gatorskins have survived sidewall damage then your probably ok. But if your looking for a very flat resistent tire in the tread and sidewall then Specialized Aramadillos are the best.