JPprivate

I've the Schwalbe Marathon Plus, which got a flat the other day running over a screw. Just to say, you can lower your odds, but you will get a flat eventually.

Another way to look at it would be to determine what makes it easy to fix a flat, and for me that would be: Quick-release wheels, single speed or derailleur gears, non-hub brakes, no fenders, no chainguard.

hairnet

anything with a kevlar lining? I like the Gatorskin, it's tough and doesn't seem to add much rolling resistance or harshness to the ride.The Hardcase is also tough and all, but it seems to have a short lifespan. Haven't tried Armadillos, Marathons, or Randonneurs

Kojak

Just so that everyone is aware, a 27" designated tire does not equate to a 700c tire.

A 27" tire would have an ETRTO diameter of 630mm (diameter measured at the bead hook). A 700c tire has an ETRTO diameter of 622mm. I don't want to "eff" with the guy/gal who can stretch a 622 over a 630 rim.

If one truly needs a 27" (630) tire, the options are limited especially compared with 700c (622) tires.

aley

You just file the rim down a bit.

Raiden

I'm another Armadillo fan, but I suggest the Nimbus Armadillos over the All-Condition model. They just seem to hold up better.

Regular tubes. Slime-type stuff might help with small punctures, but causes problems when something slightly more catastrophic happens.

nancyj

Is that statement because of all the references to Marathon Plus? I know I bought at 27 inch Marathon HS 368
That was the only Marathon Model I found and that sucker is heavy but it is exactly what I wanted for my bike.

Oh, dear - you work for Schwalbe - let them know they need to keep producing 27 inch wire bead tires because the offerings are so limited and there are still a lot of 27 inch bikes on the road. I saw the Marathon I bought was 'out' on the Schwalbe website. Hope that is not a bad omen.

Specialized used to have all sorts of tires in that size range befire they diversified and made other stuff. Sigh. Those Specialized Touring tires used to be very nice.

sh00t4par

A popular LBS here in AZ will flat proof your bike for $32 a wheel. This is what they advertise:

A Super Duty Arizona Thorn Tube, a Inner Tube 7 times Thicker Than Stock Tubes!

A Heavy Duty Tire Liner That laughs at "goathead thorns" and other evil little sharp things..

Slime, 4oz per wheel

They then guarantee your tires won't go flat for 1 year. If they do they replace it for free.

IronMac

Yep, I thought that I had the winning combination with the Marathon Plus but on my folding bike did over 1500 km and then ran over a 2-inch straight nail. It went through the tread and burst through the opposite sidewall.

Kojak

I don't believe that there are plans to discontinue the 27" Marathon any time soon. It is a very popular tire, and it sells very well. I actually wish that we had a few alternatives in this size, but for now, the Marathon is our best choice. We have a pretty inexpensive tire in this size (HS159), but it's a very basic tire.

If for some reason our tires are not on your menu, you can check with Harris Cyclery's website, they have a pretty decent list of tires in this size (including the Marathon).

CharlieFree

No flats so far on Panaracer T-serv 25s

JPprivate

Interesting. Strange though they don't add some kevlar tire. But I guess then they wouldn't be able to do it for $32/wheel.

sh00t4par

Yeah I think the price point is good at $32 per wheel. That price also includes the labor. I am sure they would add Kevlar if you wanted for more money. I went ahead with it since a 1 year guarantee is pretty good at that price. You need something done with your tires out here in AZ. Too many pointy sharp things in the desert.

Kojak

The tire liner would do roughly the same thing as a kevlar belt in the tire, although liners generally (not always) change the ride characteristics of the tire more so than if it's built in to the tire. For $32 they can do the job while retaining the customer's tire.

A word to the wise; in this scenario, if you're tire does go flat out on the road the guarantee is not much of a help. Slime will protect a puncture, but not a pinch or a tear. If you get a pinch or a tear, Slime can be a grisly mess to clean up. All in all however, the shop's system probably works for most people, and I'd guess that they don't have too many people take them up on their warranty.

AzTallRider

Flats are the bane of my existence here in Phoenix. Had to change a tube this morning, in fact, as I was headed to work. Nice start to the day! Still healing the road rash from a front tire blowout on a corner a few weeks ago. But in that case, the tire had started losing air, and I tried pumping it up with CO2 to make it home rather than changing the tube there on the street: bad idea!

I'm running 700x25 Gatorskins, pumping them up (each and every morning) to 120psi. I think heavy duty tubes help here, but the long stem I need makes them special order. I think it's time to place an order online, because the little pointy things will always be there, as well as the rocks. It looked like this morning's flat was from a rock: gash in the tire that did -not- penetrate, but still a hole in the tube right under it. Thinking back, pretty sure I know when it happened; I launched a little rock like a bullet about a mile from home.

Kojak

Another tire that you may want to consider:


https://www.schwalbetires.com/durano_plus

Grillparzer

Having ridden both I can say the Armadillos and the Marathoners are both excellent commuting tires. The deciding difference for you may be the type of rims and bike your daughter is riding. The Marathoners are exceptionally wide tires, no matter what size or type you buy. They may not fit on bikes with some types of fenders or with narrow seatstays.

msalgado

I make that same commute everyday (during this month anyway - only two days a week during the fall) since I'm also a UNM student at Santa Fe. Its just a bit over a mile from the station to campus (assuming main campus) and the route is a pretty good grade of uphill the entire way. Luckily we have a dedicated bike line on Martin Luther for half of the route and its a "shared" roadway the rest of the way. The pavement is in pretty decent condition and I've yet to have a flat on it (hoping I never do on the way downhill - flats at top speed scare me). I do run with slime tubes but I'm thinking of trying what others have recommended here to see if I can eek out more speed or a smoother ride.

LeeG

Get her a floor pump THEN get some generic tough tire, Armadillo, etc.

tatfiend 

I find it interesting that Schwalbe lists more tire options for 635mm BSD tires than 27" (630mm BSD). In the US at least the 630mm size is a lot more common. Apparently not true in their other markets. Also surprised that the Marathon Plus is not available in 630mm (27") size.

Cyclist0383

Have used both I'd say go for the GatorSkins over the Schwable Marathon Plus as the MP are extremely heavy and have terrible ride qualities. In my experience (urban commuting over very rough roads, lots of cobblestones and tons of broken glass) the GatorSkin is just a flat resistant as the MP, but with a far better ride quality.

mtnwalker

Thorn resistant tubes are my answer to being flat resistant. I've only had one flat in 3 years of commuting and I use 700x23 tires. These tubes are a bit more expensive than regular tubes since they are thicker and heavier. Usually around $7 a tube compared to $2 regular tubes. But these are a whole lot cheaper compared to $40 - 60 tires like the armadillo's, gatorskins, and marathon plus'.

PaulRivers

Wow, I think everyone said most everything I was going to say.

Like they said, the problem is that they don't make the most flat resistant tires in 27" wheel size. I believe if you buy 700c wheels you can usually put them on a frame that originally took 27" wheels, but you would have to ask a mechanic to know for sure. The regular Schwalbe Marathon is the best tire I know of that comes in a 27" size -
https://www.schwalbetires.com/marathon_368

As everyone else said, the tire with the best reputation for flat-resistance (in 700c) is the Schwalbe Marathon Plus, followed by the Specialized Armadillo's.
https://www.schwalbetires.com/marathon_plus

The drawbacks are that they're heavy, they roll a little slower than less flat-resistant tires, and the ride is harsher. If I remember right (I'm not sure that I do though), they also may be a giant pain in the *** to put on the wheel the first time. But in addition to maximum flat resistance, they also last a really long time.

Other flat-resistant options are of somewhat questionable value.

Tubes
- you can get thorn resistant tubes, but with the amount of protection they put in the most flat resistant tires nowadays, if something is so big it punctures the tire, an extra few mm of rubber in the tube isn't going to make the slightest bit of difference.

Tire Liners
- further degrade the ride quality and speed, and make the tire heavier
- some people who have tried them have reported that the edge of the tire liner itself punctured there tube after a while, so I don't recommend it

Slime
- Can seal small punctures itself
- I've read, though, that the slime stops being effective after 1-2 years
- Also read that it makes the tire heavier and slower
- And can cause issues where it seals off the tire so you can't put more air in it

The nice thing about a flat-resistant tire is that you put it on, and it does it's thing and that's it. The other options are either of dubious benefits (thicker tubes) or you risk causing a flat (tire liner) because of the "solution", or flat-like symptoms (slime) where you can't get air into the tire.

As someone else mentioned, another important thing to do is to buy her a floor pump so she can keep the tires inflated properly - if they get to low, you can get a "pinch flat" which no tire, liner, etc is going to prevent.

P.S. On a completely different topic, why can you get a Marathon Plus in a "28 x 1 1/2" size but not 27"? If it's inches, it can't be European. Living in the US, I've never even heard of that size...?

mtnwalker

I'm not sure how thorn resistant tubes are dubious.

I've had my tires punctured and gashed by debris. I've completely worn out 3 sets of tires all the way to the thread lining. Not once did I get a flat until about 2 months ago when I ran over something that left a 1 inch long wire in my rear tire that penetrated all the way through the tube. Other than that, I've picked out pieces of glass and rocks with no flats at all.

jwbnyc

Marathon Plus. Absolutely a ***** to get on.

I had to use both hands and my chin to get them even started then finished up with a Speed lever and Three tire irons

Can't remember if I needed a Tire Jack: probably.

They are very tough and wear like Iron.

BrooklyntoNYC

Now for my 2 cents. After getting tired of getting flats with my Conti Gaterskins I switched to nashbar prima 2. Those are faster tires and after about 1500+ miles no flats and they still look fresh, and that is on harsh roads in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens. I really ride faster on those tires.