Which Tyres?

The Pasela on my rear wheel is starting to let me down, and is full of holes. What's a good commuting tyre that I can replace it with? I'd like it to be capable of light off road (paths not mud) too, but that is a secondary consideration.

I've had gatorskins and have mixed views of them as they had no grip. Don't really want to spend a bomb either as it's just for the Pompino...

I might just replace it with another Pasela but I have had quite a few punctures with them so would like any other opinions for a puncture /cut resistant tyre that is reasonably fast rolling and grippy...

Thanks!

The Durano gets my vote. There are lots other ideas in the thread though - your requirements are normal enough.

cool - the Raceguard ones? I'm wondering about giving Gravel Kings a go, was thinking about using them on the roadie for shite weather.

Regular, Plus if you really want bulletproof puncture strips.

I don't really get the whole "gatorskin = no grip" thing? Have you considered cycle training?

I rode with gators for years, then changed to pasela and just felt far more anchored to the road. Maybe it's subjective, but it just feels better. Never had an off on gators, just seemed a bit skittery.

Only if everyone stopped crashing their cars, dropping their glasses and otherwise smashing shards of sharp shit on the roads..

Only three punctures in 2000 miles on mine, all in one week and that was when I eventually binned them. But yes, I take your point. There are definitely more puncture proof options.

Anybody used Randonneur pros 37mm?
Have read they come up a little narrower than stated, which would do me fine, if they are more like a 35mm. Other options are marathon supreme or paselas (why no black wall in wider sizes?).

ChitChat about open tubulars & wide rims weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=130943&start=15

So. Latex tubes. I started using them the other day but I've all ready had two punctures. Am I being stupid or something? I've kept my rear tyre at 90psi, which should be okay, I believe, for a 25c on a 23mm rim. Though it is the rear that has punctured twice. There is no visible evidence of a snake bite, or a cut or any other kind of hole on the tube yet they're not holding air.

I think I will go back to butyl for now...

Latex is porous. You need to pump them up before each ride.

I whacked some Stan's in my Michelin latex inners for commuting and that slows the air loss massively. I think my front inner is two years old now and has maybe one patch? The only thing that kills them is the valve stem join failing on me.

Interesting. I'll give that a go. Thanks.

Thanks Miro, I've been dong that - sorry that's what I meant by I've kept my rear tyre at 90psi. I've been inflating it every day. But it feels like it rapidly loses pressure as I ride. So much so that I'm super careful about riding over bumpy sections of road and trying not to put weight on the back of the bike - less than ideal.

What tyres @JB

Have they actually punctured? There was a hole that needed a repair? It's not clear from what you've written.

Not the fault of the tube: latex is more puncture resistant than butyl.

If not, as miro_o says, it is just that latex is more gas permeable than butyl and the higher the pressure the greater the rate of loss.

As for the pressure, it's not simply dependent on the size of your rims and tyres (they're not 25c BTW): are you fat?

But it feels like it rapidly loses pressure as I ride.

Do they actually lose pressure? Or are you freaking out because they feel different to butyl?

It's easy to test.

If they're losing more than ~10psi* a day then perhaps you've got a dodgy/leaky valve (or two) which is unlucky but not unheard of. It happens with butyl tubes too.

*maybe 20psi a day if you're heavy/loaded/doing-mega-miles on small tyres.

@Pifko Open Pave's. Had three punctures with butyl tubes in 2k miles, all in the same week. I then binned the tyres and got a new pair. At the same time I installed latex tubes - have had two punctures in a week.

@Scilly.Suffolk I can hear a leak of air, but I can't find the source. I can pump the tubes back up and they hold air, but not enough to use them.

@miro_o They're actually losing pressure. They feel just like butyl tubes when I first set off. Two hours later, they feel like they've lost 30psi.

It's all good though - I'll keep using them for now. For what it's worth - I'm using these as I get 'em cheap. http://www.sigmasport.co.uk/item/Bontrager/Race-X-Lite-Inner-Tube-700-x-18-25-Presta-60mm/E5Q

Those are butyl.

xxx-lites are latex. I've never used them personally.

I can hear a leak of air, but I can't find the source.

Under water? Little bubbles from around the valve?

I think I'd move over to Michelin, Vittoria or (if you're mostly commuting) butyl.

Ha. Ha. Ha. God damn. The guy in Sigma told me that they were latex. I've not had time to check under water yet.

My commute is only two miles each way (when I actually ride, rather than walk) so I'm not doing a lot of commuting on them - mainly riding, but a lot of that is either in London, or to get out of London. Ta for the advice though Joe.

:0

fwiw I've had more leaks and general ball-ache with superlight-butyl type tubes than any other.

Well then, that's that! Will ditch 'em.

Making butyl tubes thinner, to try and compete with latex on the scales, give you the worst of both worlds and for the life of me can't understand why they're made.

Butyl is not as flexible as latex, so more likely to be pierced by a foreign object, when latex will stretch around it: making butyl thinner makes it even more likely to burst.

The only drawback of latex is that it will lose pressure faster than butyl, so for your daily ride butyl is the hassle-free choice.

Buy Vittoria latex

The only drawback of latex is that it will lose pressure faster than butyl, so for your daily ride butyl is the hassle-free choice.

Unless you went for the 42mm tyres option that is.