WTB Slickasaurus Tires
 

My new LHT complete came equipped with WTB Slickasaurus tires, and I wonder how they might stand up on a 1,200 mi tour. Are the Slickasaurus reasonably flat resistant, or would you suggest replacing them with a set of Schwalbe Marathon Plus (or other) tires?
TIA

Recycle - I left my slickasaurus tires on for a bit over 1000 miles. When I took them off they still had several hundred miles of tread left, but the rubber was getting thin resulting in frequent punctures. Even with heavy duty tire liners, the goat head stickers were penetrating the tubes through the slickasaurus. I took them off and replaced them with plain ol' Schwalbe Marathons. That was a over a year ago and I've only one flat. That was a nail I picked up in a patch of gravel.


I'd carry at least one extra tube and a patch kit with the slickasauras.

I put 1200 miles on my LHT w/slickasaurus and they still look new. However. if I was heading out, I'd opt for new tires rather then worry about it during the tour.

Brian

I'm in the same boat. I am planning to do a Vancouver -> San Francisco on the WTBs and have a spare tire with me for when they burn out or get destroyed. I noticed that they are 26x1.5 - I'd have to get a new rim if I wanted to Marathons on them, no?

I bought two sets of these:

http://www.jensonusa.com/store/produ...thon+Tire.aspx

Can't remember exactly where I bought them - but I'm sure they were this model of tire. I had trouble getting them to seat on my 700mm rims. I had to take a piece of fine abrasive and take some of the shine off the tire bead to get them to seat. The tire kept popping off the rim - thus blowing out my tube. The tire bead felt waxy and slick thats why I very lightly buffed the sheen off it with either a "green kitchen scrubby pad" or maybe 0000 steel wool, I just remember the buffing. Now the tires have been on for over a year. I don't remember having that problem with the 26" tires. Seems like they fit very tight. I beleive there's some kind of tire compound you can use to seat the tire on the rims - I don't know what it is though. Be careful when you air them up - have a couple extra tubes on hand. Hope it helps.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'll get Schwalbe Marathon Plus for the trip.

Be advised that Schwalbe does not consider the Marathon Plus to be a touring tire. They suggest the Marathon XR for touring.

Also be aware that they are very heavy and have a dead feel to them. They literally each weigh as much as two tires weigh with most other choices. I bought a pair of the Pluses and hate them for anything but commuting on bad glass strewn roads. Different strokes, but I'd rather have a flat once in a while than strap those anchors to my touring bike.

After reading a *lot* of threads on Marathon Plus being heavy and hard to mount, I'm looking at other options. I ride 80% roads 20% crushed limestone or gravel roads. How are Continental Travel Contacts?

7 flats in the first month with the WTB Slickasaurus tires- then put Marathon Supremes on and not a flat since :-)