Anti-Puncture Tyres At-a-glance

I'm looking at getting some Schwalbe Marathon Pluses for my MTB seeing as I use it in town 99% of the time. Would be much obliged if you would humour my questions:

• are they likely to feel lighter or heavier rolling than my current no-name knobblies? (1.95" rear, 2.1" front)

• Can I put 1.35" tyres on 1" wide rims (safely) or do I have to go with 1.75"? They don't seem to come in 1.5"

• are they really that bad grip-wise in the wet?

• my current inner tubes say 1.5-2.5" on them, but the standard Conti 26" inners are 1.75-2.5. Can these be used in 1.35" tyres or does it lead to pinches?

ta

1. probably a bit heavier
   
2. yes you can
   
3. no, I have then in my polo bike are they are just fine, IMHO
   
4. be careful when fitting the tyre, but it will be fine
   

Putting slightly too wide tubes inside tyres is a bit frustrating. Better to be slightly too narrow.

Thanks rik and BMMF - I'll give the 1.35" a go and try and source some appropriate inners. I have insufficiently sturdy thumbs and nearly always resort to levers to get tyres back on, so too big would lead to probs...

Well thats it. I've finally got a puncture from an external object. The 2 previous punctures were pinch-flats. To me, the Halo Courier Berlin's have certainly proved themselves, as being the most puncture resistant tyres I've ever used.....and by a long chalk.

I'll keep using them, but am now ready to try more tyres, and hope their puncture protection is nearly as good, if not better. Certainly I feel that the tall and unusual shape to the Courier Berlin is fine for puncture protection, and also its hard-wearing abilities, but it means handling is made to suffer somewhat. I miss the predictability of my beloved Continental Grand Prix 4000 tyres.

Next up for me to try will be any of these:

**Continental Supersport Plus **
**Schwalbe Durano Plus **
**Panaracer RibMo **

Who's ridden any of these, and can compare them to other tyres for puncture protection?

I'm tempted to start with the Contis, as Evans are selling them for just under £20.oo...then move onto the others later. I think the most similar in their technological makeup would be the Courier Berlin, Supersport Plus, and the Durano Plus.

I have used RibMos on and off for 2 years and have not punctured. My riding is around 60% off road and they stand up to the stones/flint etc,.
They seem to be made of an odd rubber and give a feeling that they are not rolling as well as they could but that may be in my mind as they are fairly light for their respective size.

They are also very accurate in their sizing and 35c means 35c (or even a bit more heightwise due to the 'pointy' profile). Worth knowing that if comparing weights as my 37c Conti's are actually 32c which is an unacceptable tolerance and would lead to inaccurate comparisons.

I'm riding 25c Panaracer Ribmos at the moment. Haven't punctured (running since Oct) and they seem to be pretty good. Not the fastest rolling but reasonably grippy (way better than gatorskins), had a few surface cuts but nothing major. Seem to wear well (i.e. not much) when skidding too. Will fit some 23c refuses when summer rolls around and compare.

I would only use 700x23 tyres. But I'll soon find out which live up to their claims.

Edit
700x24 in the case of the Berlins.

I've been using an armadillo on the rear for the past couple of months. Definitely prefer the feel of it to the randonneurs, feels more grippy. Have yet to get a puncture so cant comment. I also have a refuse on the front. Been there for two years, still grippy as hell, and I've had one puncture and that was a big chunk of flint which I think no tyre could have stopped.

Thought-provoking post.^^^^^^^^

Maxxis Refuse don't weigh 245g, they weigh 321g, 76g more than their quoted weight.

This is based on a sample of four brand new 700 x 23c tyres, they all weighed exactly the same.

There are also cheaper places to buy them now than CRC, I got my four for £19.99 each from Discount Cycles Direct, free delivery if you buy at least two, arrived next day:
http://www.discountcyclesdirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=10318

The description of the Vredstein Fortezza Tricomp Quattro takes you to the standard Tricomp (the Quattro has extra grip but doesn't roll quite as fast) on Cycling Bargains. Their actual weight is actually 22g lower than quoted, the new one I've just weighed is 218g.

#tyregeek

Shall make the changes later. Cheers for that.

No problem. If any other tyres end up in my kitchen I'll weigh them too!

i got a total of four puncture's on halo courier berlin's due to "external objects" in the space of a month. no pinch flats, rimmed it a few times as well. switched out the tire (rear, rubber gone on 80% of tire) for a hard compound version.

front seems to be wearing at an alarming rate tho.

I'd say that was a defective tyre, or from a defective batch. I've used four tyres and only had one proper puncture in all the time that I've used them. I have feeling mine may be the hard compound version....though that wasn't made clear when I bought them. I've not yet got the Continental Supersports, but I'm really looking forward to making a serious comparison of them against the Courier Berlins. I predict the handling will be far superior, but so will be the wear. We shall see.

Tyres are tyres, they're all the same in the end.

if you want puncture proof tyres, just get any touring tyres that's reasonably thick, job done.

I really don't care about tyres nowadays, I just grab the nearest and cheapest one I can buy and ride that instead.

the hard compound version says "halo courier berlin HC" on the side in red. only recommended for rear.

came ninth in an alleycat on friday, wet, no slipping, good.

Does anyone stock the HC version in London? Ta.

this is my first ever post on here, so be gentle with me. and please dont use too much jargon, I'm no pro cyclist.

ok, so, I need to buy some new tyres (700x23) for my bike. Evans tried to sell me some Armadillos...twice...but I'm pretty sure I dont want them. At the moment I've got some Hutchinson somethings on there. They are pretty worn, warped and frayed, but they seem to look better than whatever these Armadillo things are. So, I'm looking for some tyres that:

are puncture proof
wont slow me down
cost around £20-£30 (although really I have no idea what I should be paying)???
dont look rubbish

Should I be sacking off Evans full stop? I dont like the people in any of their shops but I do have a £50 voucher. Is it worth going to my nice local bike shops to get some better service? Or are these Armadillos the way forward?

please help.

i'd suggest searching

http://www.lfgss.com/thread5985.html

i'd use the voucher online if you can.

Lithions

thanks skive. that is quite helpful. cant use the oucher online, although I can use it for "mail order" - Evans seem to think its 1985 or something.

palstic p's - Lithions? not sure if you read the "no jargon pls" part (sarcasm).

whatever you do remember you can price match with evans to other online retailers either on the phone or in store (with a printout)

your £50 will go a lot further this way.