Tires!
 

It seems my front tire has a leak and my back tire is pretty worn down. I'm looking to buy a good set of tires for my bike, they would be 700c. Other than the size, I know nothing about tires :lol: Could anyone recommend me some good tires for my bike? The ones I have are the stock tires that come with a motobecane track 2010. I just want something to improve the ride quality and not pop so quick. :)

Tires dont pop, tubes do. Also there really isnt going to be a tire out there that will improve your ride quality just maybe offer a little less resistance and grip.

Ive had my Langster for 2 years now, still have the original tubes in it. Im a big believer in making sure your PSI is right before you ride because to me, low PSI causes more flats than people think.

You sure about that?

Hmm, I always understood that tires played a major role in the quality of the ride.

Ya. I am. Thanks for checking me like that in a totally necessary way without providing any evidence to the contrary.

EDIT: I dont care what tires you have, the bump you feel in the road has to travel all the way up through the frame, fork, and everything in between to get to you. For some reason, I really doubt (except for in a race scenario) that changing tires will have any effect upon the "ride quality"

this is one of those questions where most of the answers will have probably have more to do with preference than "quality"...

Indeed they do, and the stock Kendas that came with your bike are not very good in that regard. There's just too many choices out there for me to give you specific advice as to particular brands and models of tires. What I would suggest, however, is that you go larger on the tire size, at least 700x 25c or bigger. You need to look for a tire that has a max inflation pressure rating of at least 100 psi and good puncture protection such as a Kevlar belt under the tread.

if you ride in areas with roadside debris (glass, nails, etc) you *might* want to look at more puncture-resistant options. assuming that your tires DO have something to do with your flats (i share the skepticism of a previous poster)

Yeah I was looking up some tires and I read kevlar is a pretty good option. Would a larger tire size make the tire last longer or would it just effect the riding? (speed, feel) Thanks!


Edit:

Yeah I ride in an area that is constantly under construction. There is tons of glass on the road. It sucks!

Tire size, per se, will not affect durability. It's more a matter of tire pressure and the type of tread material used, particularly in the middle of the tread. Some tires have a dual compound, with a harder tread material in the middle for durability and a softer compound on the sides to provide better traction when cornering.

Rolling resistance and grip are factors of ride quality, so I'm pretty sure you just contradicted yourself.

for city FG riding the following are pretty popular: maxxis refuse, bontrager hardcase, continental gatorskins. i would look into those but again, a lot of it is personal preference/riding environment.

I sport Panaracer Pasela Tourguards, 700c x 25. Puncture resistance is important for me and i've had no problems with these tires so far. Continental Gatorskins seem to be popular on this forum.

They are expensive, but 27 rivendell roly polys rock. They are great for city riding, and -do- have a positive effect on my personal ride quality. :)

For the record my roadie tires are Vredestein Fortezza road 25's.

I use Continental Grand Prix 4 Season tires. they claim to offer the protection of the gatorskin combined with the performance of a race tire. I'm sure there are several other tires that will be recommended to you, have fun picking which is best for you.

nothing is puncture proof. I have had a few punctures and pinch flats with these, but I used to get flats quite frequently on my Kendas.

I have the Pasela TGs in the folding version (aramid bead) on 2 different bikes in 700x35c and 27x1-1/8" and have also had great luck with them. They are light weight, roll easy, and no flats to date. I also have the Panaracer RiBMo in 700x32c rear and 700x28c front on another bike for better puncture resistance when ridden on bad city streets with a lot of debris.

Boosh.

thank you guys!

The motobecane track can hold up to a 32cc tire i think... i think..

Because, someone at the lbs has the same fork off of the MT and he has a 30cc tire, a 32 will only be 1mm more. The rear, I really dont know.

My rear on the windsor the hour can only fit 30, i was pushing it with the thickslicks witch say 25cc but they are so much wider then that...

Continental grand prix 4000s are really nice tires in 23. I found they really improved my cornering, and web the quality of the ride ;) get this and you will not be disappointed. Great grip, great puncture resistance, and they role like a dream. Lots of good ones outhere, but Hess are excellent!

I am a huge fan of my Michelin Krylion Carbon.

Schwalbe Ultremo: expensive ($65); ultra-light; surgically precise handling; extremely low rolling resistance; reasonable flat protection; cut easily.

Continental 4 Seasons: expensive ($68); good handling; low rolling resistance; excellent flat and cut resistance; very grippy.

Continental Top Contact 28mm: less expensive ($50 with wire bead); excellent handling; very low rolling resistance; the best flat and cut resistance short of an industrial tire (one year no-flat guarantee); very grippy; easy to mount and unmount; tread design does not throw up rooster tail in rain (no fender required below 20 mph); my current tire.

I forgot one.

I haven't ridden Panaracer T-Serv's for several years, but my son rides them in 32mm in Portland, OR, and likes them for their combination of qualities and reasonable price ($37).

This thread appreciates your input on tires and which ones to
choose. Good job!

considering we all seem to have different opinions on what "ride quality" is I think this thread could benefit if the op would clarify as to what specific properties he is looking for in a tire.

You didn't specify any particular tires either. All you did was provide information contrary to what most cyclists believe. Most people believe that tires affect ride quality.

Kendas are crappy, by my 25c Kwests have treated me well in the durability department. While they've lasted awhile (with skidding), I've had two cut flats in the 9 months I've been riding them. I am currently running one Kenda and one Hutchinson Fusion 3. The Hutchinson was cheap and is light, but I can't comment on durability yet. I also have a Hutchinson Atom Comp lying around, but have yet to mount it.

Vittoria Zaffiro for $16 each

unless you ride in a city w/ glass, garbage debris all over the roads.
not sure how they hold up to tons of skids yet.
i've had a set since august, and after 30mi+ a week, they still seem new and haven't had a flat yet.

make sure you always have good pressure as everyone has mentioned.

Thanks for the info. :9: I just read about 50 reviews on this tire and it sounds like the right one for me. I'm pretty pumped cause it will be my first "non stock" tire. Thanks again for the suggestion.

Agreed. Ride quality can encompass quite a few factors. But friend, I must disagree with you on the issue of tires affecting ride quality. Like you said, ride quality is determined by several factors such as frame build, geometry, frame material, fork material and guess what...TIRES TOO.

"Bumps are transmitted from the rear tire patch, through the tire, the wheel, the seatstays, the seatpost, the saddle frame, and the saddle top. All these parts deflect to a greater or lesser extent when you hit a bump, but not to an equal extent." - Sheldon Brown.

My interpretation of that statement would be, tires have a role in the process of going over a bump.
Perhaps a specific tire might not necessarily improve ride quality, but a factor such as the size of the tire might.

But before we go on and on arguing. We do need the OP to clarify his needs.

For me, I just switched to 35s on my Iro Mark V. And the "ride quality" compared to my Conti Ultra 23s is definitely improved. A lot less road vibration and better performance in the snow that apparently does not want to stop falling but hey, im loving it. My mark V is winterized xD

ohh... two great tires.

vittoria randonneurs and if you can afford it the Conti 400grandprixs :D

go for it. you might be able to find a deal. They were selling for about $60 a pair a while back if i remember correctly

If you are having flats, check out your rim strips and make certain that they are performing and if not, replace with Velox or similar. You might be having issues with the backside of the nipples contacting the tubes and puncturing them.

Also, lower than recommended pressure can lead to pinch flats, so check for that as well.

Tubes and tires should last a lot longer than yours seem to. I have purchased several vintage bikes that had original tires on them that were 30 years old and still functional. I said functional, nothing I would want to go 40 mph downhill on, but wouldn't hesitate to ride all day long on typical roads. Some had tubes that I'll bet were original also, or close to it. Some of that probably has to do with the fact that the older tubes and tires might not have been pressurized past around 60 p.s.i.

Anyways, check the rim strips and see what they look like. That's a start.