Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

Not sure what kind of reputation Maxxis stands up to in the road riding standards, I've always found them to be a lower end sort of tyre with BMX. Since converting from that over the past couple of years I've been riding everywhere on Maxxis Deux Categorie 700 x 23. When I picked them up I was a little.. "uggh Maxxis..." - haven't had a single puncture, slip, or any mishap whatsoever with them yet. For around about a year now, I've been riding the same tyres, doing about 25 - 50 km's on and off every week. I thought they might wear out because they're slick, but they're fine, still going well... A lot of glass around here, new broken bottles in the streets every few hours, can't dodge it all. Have had the surface of the tyres slashed, but they're thick things, damned good tyres.

Puncture proof tyres are for wusies. There's nothing like changing an inner tube at -5 degrees C or in the pouring rain to build up the average commuter rider's character. If I don't get at least 1 puncture a week in winter then I feel like I've been tricked into carrying two spare inner tubes, 5 patches, glue, a tyre boot, and a pump for no good reason at all! The way my fellow forum members suggest this puncture proof wonder or that you'd think they didn't' want to support the inner tube economies of our nearest and dearest neighbors.

Matrat
Catrike Speed 2008
(Personal best three punctures in single week!)

matrat wrote:Puncture proof tyres are for wusies. There's nothing like changing an inner tube at -5 degrees C or in the pouring rain to build up the average commuter rider's character. If I don't get at least 1 puncture a week in winter then I feel like I've been tricked into carrying two spare inner tubes, 5 patches, glue, a tyre boot, and a pump for no good reason at all! The way my fellow forum members suggest this puncture proof wonder or that you'd think they didn't' want to support the inner tube economies of our nearest and dearest neighbors.

Matrat
Catrike Speed 2008
(Personal best three punctures in single week!)

Some of us don't want to stop rolling if you catch my drift? I for one can't afford to keep wasting the day patching with the cash from my pocket on the glass some dero smashed on the street. But hey, these good tyres prevent that! Each to their own..

matrat wrote:Puncture proof tyres are for wusies. There's nothing like changing an inner tube at -5 degrees C or in the pouring rain to build up the average commuter rider's character. If I don't get at least 1 puncture a week in winter then I feel like I've been tricked into carrying two spare inner tubes, 5 patches, glue, a tyre boot, and a pump for no good reason at all! The way my fellow forum members suggest this puncture proof wonder or that you'd think they didn't' want to support the inner tube economies of our nearest and dearest neighbors. [sic]

I like your style, but I think I will just be a woose

Andrew

matrat wrote:If I don't get at least 1 puncture a week in winter then I feel like I've been tricked into carrying two spare inner tubes, 5 patches, glue, a tyre boot, and a pump for no good reason at all!

The reason you carry all that stuff is so you don't get punctures. As soon as you leave it at home, your chances of getting a flat increase exponentially.

Matrat wrote:
Puncture proof tyres are for wusies. There's nothing like changing an inner tube at -5 degrees C or in the pouring rain to build up the average commuter rider's character.

Jeez, and I thought I was old school using a hand pump instead of CO2.

Pouring wet commute last night - no punctures. Sport contacts worked. The rear did cop quite a slash from some piece of bastard glass, but hey, they got me home intact. Glass, glass everywhere. I ride a path of broken glass from the footpath outside my back door right to the driveway outside work.

I've put a Serfas Seca on front of my bike. It seems an ok tyre but it's certainly no Conti. I bought it coz it was cheap, and the shop didn't have my preferred tyres in the right size.

I got Bontrager Hard-cases with the Kevlar. did 12 K's on them before I flatted. Say What?

Also, was wondering how to get more resilient tubes? bikeshops dont seem to have a choice in what they supply, what does everyone normally use?

My lbs seems to change occasionally. A few months ago they were stocking Kenda tubes, now it's Topeak. I buy whatever the lbs has. Never shopped for bike stuff online,but it seems some of the folks here will order a pack of ten tubes online, pay bugger all for them. I should do that, because my lbs charges daylight robbery rates for their tubes......and their tyres.....and their everything.

I know nothing about tyres and needed a rear commute tyre for my Jump Bike. The guys at Clarence Street sold me a Bontrager Satelite Elite hard case (it claims to be triple puncture resistant). I have been using it for a year now - I ride approx 150-200km/week - and I have had no punctures.

I can remember at the time being pissed off with the price but after reading about the numbers of punctures guys are getting I feel like I got lucky.

I haven't had an especially bad experience with commuting tyres; the ones I have found that are worthy of comment;

Race-y 700c Tyres: Continental GP 4 Seasons (23c-28c) are great, racey feeling and light, and still do a very good job at preventing punctures. I use them on my go-go fast road bike. They are quite expensive though; for commuting the Vittoria Rubino Pros are a much more economical choice.

Comedy corner: due to a mix-up at Probikekit once, they accidentally sent me Open Corsa Evo CXes instead of Rubino Pros. They lasted about 100km on my usual routes before something ripped a gash in a sidewall. But those tyres were oh-so-fantastic to ride on, the ride quality was amazing..

Touring 700c Tyres: not much experience here, except to say that I've been very happy with Michelin Dynamic 700x32 tyres I'm trying at the moment. They do measure big; closer to a 35 than a 32. They are relatively light too, enough that you can stuff a Mr Tuffy in with them and they are still light and fast rolling. The other big benefit is that they are DIRT CHEAP - $12 from this link is broken!

26" Tyres: I love the Continental Sport Contact tyres. The 1.6" version is much better than the 1.3" in my experience; the latter are very difficult to get on and off rims, needs weirdo ultra-skinny tubes, and not very comfortable compared to the wider one.

In using a selection of these tyres for the last 4 years or so, this is the only "genuine" puncture I've got while commuting, i.e. one that wasn't from me being stupid and trying to use a too-small tube in a big tyre. Tyre is a 1.6" Conti Sport Contact.. the nail went through the tyre, the Mr Tuffy, clean through the tube, and finally the sidewall. There was no stopping it!



When the inevitable happens, I use the Park glueless patches - they seem to be more reliable than the old vulcanising type, and are quicker and less fuss. They take up virtually zero space in the saddle bag too!

gavinr wrote:Thanks for all the advice everyone. I've decided to go with a set of Schwalbe Marathon Plus's. (I liked the sound of the Durano Plus's too, but they're not available in 28 width.) I'll let you know how I get on with them (once I've tracked down the best price deal).

I did end up buying these (from Evans), fantastic ride and no punctures yet after probably 1,500 kms in them.

gavinr wrote:

gavinr wrote:Thanks for all the advice everyone. I've decided to go with a set of Schwalbe Marathon Plus's. (I liked the sound of the Durano Plus's too, but they're not available in 28 width.) I'll let you know how I get on with them (once I've tracked down the best price deal).

I did end up buying these (from Evans), fantastic ride and no punctures yet after probably 1,500 kms in them.

Excellent choice. I am riding on Schwalbe Marathon Plus 700cx32mm for my daily commute. I ride through all sorts of crap on the road, including loads of glass. Have now covered 7000km on them with ZERO punctures. My previous tyres were Bontrager Hardcase Lites. They were also puncture proof to a point. The glass shredded the outer rubber layer, and once that was gone I was getting getting a puncture a day. They lasted 3000km.
I will be sticking with the Marathon Plus - a total steal at $36 from Wiggle! Will probably also get the Durano Plus tyres for my Road Bike Build.

7000K's without a flat sounds like a cyclists wet dream.
Do you oftentimes go out without a pump and patch and worry you'll be caught out?

gavinr wrote:I did end up buying these (from Evans), fantastic ride and no punctures yet after probably 1,500 kms in them.

Of course, I had a puncture on Friday night, just after posting this.

Looked like the tube had gone on the inside (rim facing side), nothing sharp there so I wonder if it was a defect in the tube? Certainly the tyre is still undamaged.

Ozchuck wrote:7000K's without a flat sounds like a cyclists wet dream.
Do you oftentimes go out without a pump and patch and worry you'll be caught out?

I always carry a pump, spare tube and patch kit. I know that the second I leave them behind is the day that I will get a flat!

The last puncture I had through the tyre was a real bugger. Bontrager Hardcase Tyres, punctured a new tube. Then, to top it off the QR skewer on the same wheel decided to snap off (dodgy design). Lucky I was only a few km from home!
The Marathon Plus tyres I have had zero punctures through the tyre itself. I have had one puncture caused by a spoke breaking at the nipple and piercing the rim tape and tube from the other side. I don't count this because I suspect the breaking spoke was almost like a speargun going through the tube due to the sudden release of tension.

gauchoracer wrote:... i got the Armadillo's from my LBS, they are labelled 700x25, with the red sidewall, No Flats, and so far, 900-1000 kms, wear signs are good for a while yet.
The real proof will be in the increased commute on Sydney roads, but so far, i am very happy with them..
I hope this helps in your eternal quest for the perfect tyre...

+1 on Armadillos I have the 700x28s on my flatbar, although for speedos sake I measured them and they are the same circumference as a 700x32 so watch that, must be all the extra kevlar! They have a few slices and chunks in them and I won't say they are perfect, they didn't stop a small thin wire or a tek-screw but that's it over 2500 now and they are still going strong.

On the cheap commuter mtb I just run cheap knobby tyres, which seem to keep me above the majority of glass fragments, and I get a damned good workout from the increased weight and rolling resistance, makes weekend rides seem so easy on a light roadie.

gavinr wrote: Of course, I had a puncture on Friday night, just after posting this.

Looked like the tube had gone on the inside (rim facing side), nothing sharp there so I wonder if it was a defect in the tube? Certainly the tyre is still undamaged.

Check your rim tape - could have been a spoke poking through.

Hi,

I agree with the Armadillo's; I have a set of 700x23C on my bike and I have never had a flat and I have done around 3000km on them. They also only cost $60.00 each. My Avanti also came with All Conditions and I was getting a puncture on a weekly basis and my wife was getting sick of picking me up

Cheers
Jamie.

gauchoracer wrote:Greetings gavinr,
Although I have not been commuting on them long, I would like to offer my suggestion for the Specialised Armadillo's. I also had the 700x28 Specialized All Conditions tyres on my bike from new, and I felt like i was fixing a flat on almost every second ride, (M7 Path mainly). Once these wore out, i got the Armadillo's from my LBS, they are labelled 700x25, with the red sidewall, No Flats, and so far, 900-1000 kms, wear signs are good for a while yet.
The real proof will be in the increased commute on Sydney roads, but so far, i am very happy with them..
I hope this helps in your eternal quest for the perfect tyre...

I've had bontrager racelites on my bike for 1,000K's now, and besides running over something nasty in the first few K's, my record has now been rather nice, with none since that first one.

Whilst talking about punctures, what does everyone carry on their commutes?
I've been thinking about a $30 c02 pump to avoid carrying a big hand pump that doesnt get required pressure.
Will that be fine for everyday commutes?

Skinny barrel pump will give you the needed pressure. CO2 will get you going quicker.

Shaun

I have one, and it doesnt work past like 75-80PSI. I pump and pump, and nothing happens.
If I gotta buy another one, I'd rather just get co2 and deal with the expense of paying for co2 gas. (assuming it does more than 1-2 tyres per canister?)

My arms are puny; those little hand pumps just don't give me any joy on the side of the road. I carry one to use in a worst-case scenario, but prefer CO2 hands-down.

Usually, the way it works with me is this:
1. Replace tube
2. Use puny arms to inflate it somewhat
3. Use CO2 to get it the rest of the way there
4. Realise I haven't seated the )(*$&$*! tube properly and it's squeezing out between the rim and the tyre
5. Release all the CO2 from the tube
6. Fix up the tube
7. Inflate all the way with remaining CO2.

I suppose if I was actually competent at getting the tube in the first time, I'd get two tubes' worth of CO2 out of a 16g canister. As it is, I usually only get one, but either way it's better than being stuck on the side of the road trying to pump a stupid little hand pump.

Max

Ozchuck wrote:I have one, and it doesnt work past like 75-80PSI. I pump and pump, and nothing happens.
If I gotta buy another one, I'd rather just get co2 and deal with the expense of paying for co2 gas. (assuming it does more than 1-2 tyres per canister?)

Just get something like a topeak road/mountain morph. Serfas do a similar one (I have one), can't remember the model name. Mounts on your frame and I would be very surprised if it affects your aero or weight or... ...anything, except being able to pump up your tires to any realistically required pressure without requiring CO2 etc etc, really .

I've been running a 32 Conti Sport Contact on the rear wheel of my flat bar for 3,300km so far - they're a bloody excellent tyre. It's quite squared off now, so might replace it soon. When I bought them I wanted 28mm, but the lbs said conti didn't import them to Oz in that size, so I bought the 32s. They're really great tyres. A couple of months on, I wanted to try 28mm, so I bought a 28mm Serfas Seca and put it on the front. It's rated to 120psi, and is much less responsive than the Conti. I won't buy Serfas again. I"m going to buy some full mudguards tomorrow or friday and am thinking of getting a couple of new tyres at the same time. One lbs sells Schwalbe Blizzards quite cheaply, and I"m thinking of trying them out. Can anybody tell me if Blizzards have puncture resistance?