Tire recommendations for a beginner

[JMM77]

I just bought a new Trek WSD 2.1 a few months ago and I just got my first flat tire this afternoon. The tires are Bontrager Race Lite tires and I've heard mixed reviews on them. I can't say that I'm too impressed either given the fact that I haven't even put on any serious miles on my bike yet. Does anyone out there have a favorite tire that might be in the same or a similar price range but with more durability? Thanks!

[Grog]

Does anyone out there have a favorite tire that might be in the same or a similar price range but with more durability? Thanks!

I'm afraid that, for the most part, flat tires on a road bike (i.e. tires less than 28s) have nothing to do with tire durability. You can have a flat on a brand new tire if you hit a piece of glass the right way...

Some tires are lined with Kevlar. I'm currently riding on a pair of Schwalbe Blizzards (I think) which are about $20 each and they are supposed to be resistant, but I can still very well get a flat tire if I roll on a shard of glass, on a giant staple, or whatnot...

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Kevlar lined tires do get way fewer flats than regular tires. Of course ANY tire will flat if a sharp piece of glass hits it in just the right way.

But yes, a beginner would do well to get Kevlar type flat-resistant tires- they will definitely help you get LESS flats.
If you arre actually racing you wouldn't want Kevlar tires as they are just a bit heavier because of the lining. Not hugely heavier, mind you....nothing that would slow you down much in recreational riding at all.

[KnottedYet]

Flats happen.

I like low-pressure sturdy tires cuz they get flats less often. But they still get flats. (I have thinnish Vittoria Randonneurs on both my road bikes, and juicy wider VR's on my city bike)

[RolliePollie]

My Trek 1000 WSD came with very inexpensive Bontrager tires. I got my share of flats with them, but I'm getting just as many flats on my new more expensive tires. Currently I have a Michelin Krylion Carbon on the front and a Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase on the back (it will be replaced with the matching Michelin in a few hundred more miles). I put Tuffy liners in my rear tire because I hate changing rear flats and (knock on wood) it seems to have helped. Everyone tells me the liners make the tire too heavy, but considering I gained 10 pounds this winter, I doubt a few ounces of tire liner are making a difference!

Surprisingly, my original Bontrager tires lasted 1,800 miles on the rear wheel and 3,000 on the front. I ride on extremely rough, uneven chip-seal pavement. And I'm not exactly a lightweight rider. I have no clue why they lasted so long, but I was pretty impressed considering they were probably about $15 tires.

[alpinerabbit]

Liners? what are they?

Is anyone using the pit stop stuff (http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/reviews/Vittoria-Pit-Stop.shtml) on the road?

[kermit]

I just put some Specialized Armadillo Elites on my bike. I really like them and they are kevlar-like with a reinforcement. They are not light, but for training they are sturdy.

[jesvetmed]

Alpine: I'm also really interested to hear if anyone has tried "Pit Stop" and if it worked out for them? Sounds excellent for shorter races (ie, triathlons) where time really counts a lot for a tube change!? This has been my new obsession / worry!:rolleyes:

[Geonz]

What was the cause of the flat? Glass or a pinch flat? When I was a new rider I had a few of the latter 'cause I didn't realize how important it was to keep those puppies inflated.

I have Bontrager race lite hard cast tires and so far they have been pretty bombproof.

[JMM77]

What was the cause of the flat? Glass or a pinch flat? When I was a new rider I had a few of the latter 'cause I didn't realize how important it was to keep those puppies inflated.

I have Bontrager race lite hard cast tires and so far they have been pretty bombproof.

As far as I can tell, the only thing I could have run over was a small rock...didn't see any glass/nails/etc. on the road. And I wasn't even going at high speeds...just messing around with clipping in/out of my new pedals in a quiet neighborhood. The tire in question was the rear tire and the blowout was on the side of the tire. And, yes, they were properly inflated.

[madscot13]

continental gatorskins, I love them but wish I could find more sizes.

[KatyLady]

I'll add another vote for Continental Gatorskins. Very nice and durable tire.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Pasella Panaracer "Tourguard" tires (with inner Kevlar belt) are very durable, come in many sizes, and are not very expensive. They are very flat resistant, I've used them for a couple of years on incredibly rough gravel roads.

[Aggie_Ama]

The area I ride is mostly paved, but chip seal pavement is all Texas knows, plus gravel at every rural driveway or intersection. I ride Maxxis Detonators (http://www.maxxis.com/products/bicycle/product_detail.asp?id=232). Other than a problem with the first one separating early (Maxxis waranteed them), I have been very pleased. They are a little softer than the old Gator Skins I rode but with a folding bead they are a lot easier to change.

My husband and I both ride them and rarely flat, only when the first pair was getting old (2,500+ miles). Other pluses are the price ($31) and they come in cool colors. :D

[conurejade]

Pasella Panaracer "Tourguard" tires (with inner Kevlar belt) are very durable, come in many sizes, and are not very expensive. They are very flat resistant, I've used them for a couple of years on incredibly rough gravel roads.

+1
I have them on my hybrid commuter and really like them. The roads I commute on are absolutely filled with crap and these tires seem to be very durable. I actually had 2 flats tonight but they were tube failures at the stem, not due to the tires.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I actually had 2 flats tonight but they were tube failures at the stem, not due to the tires.

Be sure you don't over tighten the big nuts on the stem where it comes out of the rim....that can pull the stem up too tightly into the rim hole and cut or pull the rubber where the tube joins the stem. Just finger tighten them only enough to keep them from rattling...or take them off altogether, they are not really necessary.

[indysteel]

I like my Vittoria Rubino Pros. I get them at Probikekit.com for about $22. They cost closer to $45 at the LBS. I've never (knock on wood) flatted with them.

[AnnieBikes]

I wholeheartedly agree with the women who recommended Continental Ultra Gatorskins. I put them (700/23) on my bicycle before my Southern Tier ride last year (3293 miles) and then went on to ride a total of 6000 miles by the end of 2007. I did not have ONE single flat. (ok, I had two from the valve being ripped out of the tube by a defective pump!!) I have not had a single flat from a "thing" on the road, and believe me, there is alot of stuff on the road on a cross country ride. I was careful when riding, but you cannot avoid everything!

I am STILL riding on those tires and now have 1000 more miles on them in 2008, for a total of over 7000. The ONLY reason I am changing them out is that I am getting ready to ride the Underground Railroad and want to start with new tires on this 2000 mile ride. As soon as that ride is over, I am going to put the old tires back on. I cannot speak more highly of them, as they remain in great shape. They are about $35 apiece, but what I have saved in new tubes more than makes up for the higher up-front price. Give them a try. They were tight to get on the first time, but since I did not have to change the tires, it was not an issue for me.

Follow me on the Underground Railroad Route beginning May 10th!!!

http://www.grahamcam.com/annesbicyclejournal