Scorchers or not!

[Profpinz]

Some time ago I posted on this forum re a "grippier" rear tyre on my GT3 and I've been very happy with my decision (based on forum feedback) to purchase a Schwalbe Marathon Plus.....now I think it might to time to replace the two front Scorchers.
In the past 8 weeks I have had 4 flats and 3 happened on the bitumised sections of the Eastern Freeway bike paths (strangely all happened when the tracks were damp/wet).

The Schwalbe seems fine, so I was thinking of something like the heavier Schwalbe Kojak but it's slightly narrower.
Would a slightly narrower tyre make much difference? .... Or are there any other options that would be better?

Any advice appreciated!

[william]

I think Scorchers are a rebadged Kojak made for Greenspeed. There may be a slight manufacturing difference but only Greenspeed and Schwalbe will know that.
I have had a marathon Plus on my general purpose MTB for the last 4 years having about 6,000 K's in that time doing grocery shopping, towing young kids on a Tag-a-Long including towing that with child on a Great Vic Bike ride. Very little sign of wear and NOT ONE PUNCTURE. They do roll noticeably heavier and grip is good for the purpose to which they were designed.
I've also liked Kojaks for a little more speed with only one puncture in a year and they are grippy enough.
Durano's are a little tougher, grip ok but speed is comparable to the Kojaks which are more comfortable.
I've recently fitted a 20 inch Conti Grand Prix to my recumbent and that is the fastest of the small tires I've used but construction is like a race tire and I suspect punctures would be like race tires too although none yet.... yet!

Food for thought

william.

[darryl]

I have kojaks on my easy racer recumbent, they are fast. I also tried the durano aswell. But they are hard to fit with wire bead. The problem is trying to get the tubes to fit the skinny tyres. The kojoks i use are 1.35 as opposed to the 1.5. I got the tubes from chain reaction cycles in england ( continental 406/451) presta valves. They dont bring these in to australia.Greenspeed might have the cst tubes to fit he skinny tyers. Good luck. Darryl.

[John Lewis]

I've not seen a Scorcher so I could easily be wrong. My understanding was that the tyres were squared off instead of rounded. Somewhat like a car tyre and were designed for use on the trikes that don't lean like a bike.

John

[william]

Hi John,
You may be right as I think there was some differences but not sure what.
I was recently riding with a Greenspeed rider called Mike along beach road. We were riding along at close to 40 kph while he was telling me he needs new tyres and what would I recommend, from looking at his tyres and my speedo I wouldn't recommend any change at all.
From memory I couldn't see any physical change other than the white chequered pattern on the sidewall. Good tyres though.


william