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-   -   "Flat"-Out Frustrated. (https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/640630-flat-out-frustrated.html)

Herndobler 05-02-10 02:46 PM


Originally Posted by Joe_Mo (Post 10734621)
buy the expensive tires. they're worth it in the long run of tubes and patch kits you'd have to buy.

bought two specalized armaillos and havent had a flat in about two months when i used to have 2-3 per month.

*knock on wood*

Armadillos for me and nothing else for a commuter bike. I've had mine for a year and no flats. A friend of mine got 1500 to 2000 miles on his with 1 or 2 flats and those were near the end of their lifespan.

They may not roll as well as a race tire, but you can almost guarentee no flats with them.

irclean 05-02-10 10:44 PM

Well, so far I've been able to ride with no flats, but that's not saying much considering that I haven't ridden very far and I might just be lucky. I will comment, however, on the comfort and control that the Michelin Pilot City tires provide: The bike feels very sure-footed and I find myself leaning into turns far more aggressively than I would with the OEM tires. I rode them in the wet for the first time today and the grip remained tenacious. Judging by the wet strip that I observed on the front tire the Pilots have a narrow contact patch (I'm also riding them at full recommended pressure of 87 psi... although I don't understand why 87 and not 85 or 90). This probably accounts for the faster feel of the bike - less frictional resistance to overcome. Comfort-wise I do notice that the ride is a bit less plush, but my OEM tires were big 38s where as these seem to be small 35s. Regardless, I am willing to give up a little plushness for increased efficiency.

Summary: so far... very impressed.

nickkoto 05-03-10 01:15 AM

I have a set of Michelin City tires on my Trek 820.

I assume it's not quite the same tire on a 26" mtb wheel, but I have to say that I'm extremely impressed with how they've held up (zero flats in the first 600 or so miles) compared to the off-road Bontrager tires that they replaced. The goat's heads just went through those things like warm butter and I literally couldn't get 10 miles out of them.

dygituljunky 05-04-10 11:12 PM


Originally Posted by CliftonGK1 (Post 10740909)
Check your brake pad alignment. Multiple sidewall rips near the bead, and that even looking trace-line of sidewall cut around the entire bead, is indicative of a poorly adjusted or worn down brake pad cutting into the tire.

I forgot to mention that this bike has disc brakes. I checked for anything else that might cause this including burrs on the rims, cables, pannier parts, pannier rack parts, etc. Nothing comes near the rip except the rim which is free of burrs.


Originally Posted by irclean (Post 10743981)
Sorry about your luck. The Michelin City is a different tire than the Pilot City. The Pilot has puncture protection on the sidwalls as well as under the tread. Also the Pilot's 5mm of "Protek" should hopefully offer more protection than the City's 1mm.

Thanks, I'll see if I can find 'em 'round these parts.


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