FatherKino

I will soon be riding regular weekend centuries, and would like to know what tires I should buy. I live in Southern Arizona, so my tires will have to withstand some thorns and poorly paved roads.

What tires do you guys use? How often do you have to replace you tires? Is there any big difference in Inner Tubes?

I looking to ride from 200 to 800 miles a month. Replacing tires often wouldn't be a big deal, I would just like some quality tires and inner tubes that I can trust with out having to repair 80 miles into a century.

Thanks

Bacciagalupe

FWIW I've done pretty well with Conti Grand Prix 4 Season in 700x28c.

If you're doing rougher roads you might want something like a 32c Conti Gatorskin. They're a touch slower but very robust.

IIRC most tires will last fine for 2000-3000 miles.

By the way, you and everyone else want to avoid flats during a century. But no matter how good your tires are, I'd bring along a patch kit (obviously) and, if you have room, at least 1 spare tube when doing the actual century ride.

Don't forget to worry about spokes. What rim/wheel are you using? Is it hand-built or machine-made? Have you gotten the wheel trued any time recently?

Standalone 

I ran a century with Schwalbe blizzard 23's this summer. My experience with them has led me to think that tough thin tires that are not designed for high pressure can be advantageous on LD rides-- my thinking is that you save weight while still getting good comfort due to the 85 psi inflation. They have kevlar flat protection. Just jumped a few curbs last night on my way home from the brewery with no problem. I weigh 178-185, depending on training status.

Carbonfiberboy 

Maxxis Re-Fuse tires have a good reputation for holding up in AZ. I don't think the type or weight of ordinary road tubes has much to do with flat resistance. Once the thing is through the tire, it's coming through the tube, too. I'm running a Schwalbe Durano right now that seems very resistant to road damage. Conti 4000 are good too, faster, maybe not quite as resistant.

Barrettscv 

700 x 25 Conti Gatorskin

markmontana

I have to agree on the Maxxis Re-Fuse tires. Had them for over 500 miles, mostly desert- and have had real good luck with them. Much better (luckier) than some other tires on the sames roads. I even put a set on some Zipp 404's for a TT. My idea was a heavier tire might slow me down a bit, but a flat would be much worse. And I just did a 165 mile ride (it was HOT) on them and zero issues. I do this ride every year and this is first year without multiple flats.

CliftonGK1

Pasela TG's are my recent favourites. Before those, it was the Conti Gatorskin.

colinmcnamara

Conti Gatorskins for me, I get about 3000 miles on the rear tyre (rotate the front to the rear after it wears through).

canopus 

Panaracer folding RibMo's here.

Homeyba

As you can see everyone has a different idea what a good long distance tire is! I would suggest that any good quality tire in the size you prefer will work just fine for what you are doing. If you want $5 quality, buy a $5 tire.

In case it matters, I run 23mm and 25mm Continental GP4000's and Michelin Pro Race tires on my single and tandem. I've had three flats this year in somewhere around 7k-8k miles riding all over the US in all sorts of conditions.

ks1g

I get very good results with Continental Gatorskins, but ask around what local riders like - we don't have desert thorns in Northern VA (just lots of itty bitty wires worn from tires, crumbled glass, etc.). Go with normal weight tubes vs ultra-light/race weight seems to help, too. I see more people losing many minutes of time changing a flatted race-weight tube for the few seconds the light tube might gain them on hills.

Watch for sales and you should be able to find them for well under $30/tire. I use them on my year-round (except when I put on studded tires for snow) commuter.

I have Vittoria Open Corsa Evo CX-somethings on my road bike. They are very supple and fast running, not as rugged as the Gatorskins and much more $$. Again, watch for sales. I have a track record with these of getting a staple or nail in them the 1st time I mount a new set, then virtually flawless performance for months.

Sapling

Not safe to rotate - a blowout on the front is disastrous.

sch

Suspect he means rotate used fr tire to rear, new tire on fr, then with a bit
more wear discard rear (old front) and put new tire on rear, optimizes mileage
but requires some attention to wear (mileage) and cuts. IME about 25-35% of tires are
discarded early because of carcass cuts rather than wear. Once the tread
thins out, a 100mi ride can result in a tire with 5-10" of carcass showing through
the tread at the end of the ride. We really liked the way Pro2s handled on our
tandem but gave them up after averaging only 1300mi/tire.

Carbonfiberboy 

On our tandem, in 1000 miles we've put a small flat in the center of the Conti 4000 with have on the rear. In about the same mileage, a friend went through to the cord on a Schwalbe Ultremo. So there is a lot of difference in tires.

colinmcnamara

Thanks @sch you nailed it.
@sapling - Any time my rear tire wears out I rotate the current front tire to the back, and put a fresh one on the front. You are absolutely correct that a front tire failure on a downhill can be disastrous.
I haven't put a micrometer on the front tire after 3000 miles, but they barely wear down at all, and I still get 3000 miles on the rear with significant climbing (about 35k feet a month).

One other thing I like about the gatorskins is that if you are good about your pre-ride checks you get about a 300 mile warning that the tire is about wear through the casing because you can start to see the cross hatch pattern.

One other thing, if you are riding enough miles that you are starting to get concerned with tire life you should spend 12 bucks on a chain gauge. It is amazing how fast a chain can go from in tolerance to in danger of breaking.

Sapling

You hit that nail on the head! Had that experience this spring, even though I was watching the chain wear. A little too much cross-chaining was most likely the cause.

RFC

Goatheads in AZ? I know of what I speak. Goatheads will take out most tires, including Gatorskins. For me, the question is whether I want to ride or change tubes. The answer to what tires is most anything with liners or puncture resistant tubes. Any loss of speed is negligible, if even observable.

Thorn

I took a latched on goathead to my Panaracer Duros and didn't flat -- had to stop and pull it off.

The Duros are amazingly tough. I've never flatted them although they only lasted about 2000 miles. At 2000 miles I had patches to the "threads", but no flats. Before I trashed the tire I took a thumbtack and could easly push it into the side wall, but not through the tread area. An old Gatorskin gave way to the tack much easier. Given the short life they make for an expensive tire, but I like not changing flats...trade offs.

kdgrills

Hmm, opposite here.
Didn't like the fragile sidewall on the TG's, lost the 1st one at ~800 miles.
The Gatorskins have much better construction IMHO, ~2800 miles / 5 months on my 700/25's.
Hopefully I haven't angered the tire Gods.

Cheers,

Kelly

CHAS

Grand Bois for randonee?

OneIsAllYouNeed

I don't ride over goatheads, but my tires see a lot of glass. I'm a fan of 25 and 28mm Gatorskins, 28mm Paselas, and 28mm Pasela TGs. I usually get 6,000-8,000 miles out of Gatorskins before the tread gets too thin. Whatever tires you choose, run them at the right pressure so you don't wear the center of the tread only. Refer to Berto's tire pressure chart in <https://www.vintagebicyclepress.com/images/TireDrop.pdf>.