General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Puncture resistant tire recommendation Rss Feed  
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2014-07-21 9:26 AM

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Scottsdale, AZ
Subject: Puncture resistant tire recommendation
Sorry if this was covered in another thread.

Been doing a lot of reading on recommendations regarding puncture resistant tires and curious to what everyone on the forum uses.

I've been using Continental GP4000's for a while and am DONE! I know some people love them and I did too, but after the 3rd tire blow out (not just a flat tube), I want something sturdier. My last blowout was a front tire side wall blow out, going at a decent speed downhill which caused me to crash and been doing shoulder rehab ever since. The tires weren't worn out. I've heard Conti's are more susceptible to side wall blow outs, which I experienced first hand.

The three I'm looking at are:

Conti Gatorshin hardshell
Specialized Armadillos (which I heard are great for flat resistance, but ride awful)
Bontranger Hardcases

The replacement tire I got on my bike is a Serfas Seca. I was on a charity ride and didn't have access to any other options. I've read that these are pretty good though, and reasonable $$.

Any suggestions? These would be for my road bike but I'd like to get some better tires for my Cervelo TT bike as well. Only problem is my tires on the TT are 650's and many local bike shops don't carry that size, at least where I've checked.

Love to hear input, your experience, any flats/lack of flats from a specific tire, ride 'feel' etc. I'm willing to sacrifice some speed and weight to avoid another crash. Also, if you ride any of these tires, do you change out before a race?

Thanks!!


2014-07-21 9:37 AM
in reply to: runspingirl

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Expert
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Oklahoma
Subject: RE: Puncture resistant tire recommendation
The Gatorskins are great training tires! Although I would never race on them. I would switch back to the GP4000S for racing.
2014-07-21 9:45 AM
in reply to: runspingirl

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Veteran
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Springfield/Branson
Subject: RE: Puncture resistant tire recommendation
For training or racing?
For training I use Michelin Lithion 2. I've taken them thousands of miles through some pretty rough roads on my training rides with very few flats (2 I can think of), no blow outs.
For racing I use Vredestein Fortezza TriComps. I absolutely love these tires. Bullet proof, (no flats ever, knock on wood) during racing, good all weather tire too. Problem is the fit very snug on my rims. I don't know if it's specific to my rims (Mavic Cosmic Carbones), but it's so tight, that if I do ever flat during a race less than a 70.3, I would probably DNF. That may be why they have a max psi of 145, however I never inflate them that high.
2014-07-21 10:56 AM
in reply to: runspingirl


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Subject: RE: Puncture resistant tire recommendation
I've been using the Michelin Pro 4 Service Course (not the Service Comp) tire this year, both training and racing. Haven't had any issues, only one flat. You gain too much rolling resistance running a Gatorskin IMO.
2014-07-21 11:25 AM
in reply to: ziggie204

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Subject: RE: Puncture resistant tire recommendation
I have gotten more than a year out of Gatorskins without flatting. As a warning, though, by the time I did, my spare tube had been sitting in my saddlebag for so long that a hole had worn in it. I had Armadillos on my bike for less than 100 miles. I hated the way they handled. They have a hard edge that catches when you corner and feels like the bike is going to crash. LBS was out of Gatorskins when I went to replace them last week, so I bought the Conti 4000s. I'll just have to see how they hold up.
2014-07-21 4:10 PM
in reply to: ziggie204

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Pro
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Broomfield, Colorado
Subject: RE: Puncture resistant tire recommendation
I like the Michelin Pro also


2014-07-21 4:14 PM
in reply to: runspingirl

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Montague Gold Mines, Nova Scotia
Subject: RE: Puncture resistant tire recommendation
Did the sidewall blow off the rim, did the sidewall puncture or did the tire fail?

Shane
2014-07-21 4:22 PM
in reply to: runspingirl

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Subject: RE: Puncture resistant tire recommendation

Just throwing out a random PSA that you should be very careful how you handle your bike in relation to the sidewalls of the tires.  I see so many people loading their bike/wheels in and out of their car trunks by just dragging the side of the tire against the floor of the trunk.  Or when they lean the bike up against something, they do so in a way where the side of the tire rubs up against something...especially when they pull their bike away from whatever it's leaning on.  That's how most sidewall cuts occur.  The sidewall (especially on fast tires) is designed to be extremely weak because it's the part of the tire that should never come into contact with anything during normal riding or normal handling of the bike.

I'm not saying that's what happened to the OP...just a comment in general.

2014-07-21 4:28 PM
in reply to: Jason N

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Montague Gold Mines, Nova Scotia
Subject: RE: Puncture resistant tire recommendation
There was a great thread over on ST many moons ago where they were trying to convince Tom Demerley to use clinchers instead of tubulars. He tried them, hit a huge rock, ripped the sidewall out of the tire and decided it never would have happened with a tubular. Great thread

I used to ride with lots of juniors and they were often surprised at the frequency of their flats and that I would rarely flat. I would explain, again, that if they stopped riding over every bit of debris on the road and hammering through potholes, they would likely have less flats too.

Shane
2014-07-21 9:40 PM
in reply to: gsmacleod

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Scottsdale, AZ
Subject: RE: Puncture resistant tire recommendation
Originally posted by gsmacleod

Did the sidewall blow off the rim, did the sidewall puncture or did the tire fail?

Shane


You know, good question. I'm by no means a tire expert, but if I remember correctly, it was at the part right where the rim and tire bead meet, not in the middle of the sidewall or close to the tread.

Everything was pumped up at normal pressure and I inspected everything before we took off.

I will say...with this Charity ride (MS150), I was doing the 70 mile route, which was the 50 mile route with a few side loops. One of the side loops took us through a mile stretch of gravel , rocky road - it was awful. I was pissed (along with everyone else) that we had to take our bikes on that. Mine is a beat up Trek Madone, but I saw some very pretty TT bikes heading along it and their riders were saying some not so kind words!
Maybe something happened there to weaken the tire?
There were a few VERY steep sections that we decended, and me being a wuss on the downhills, was braking quite frequently. I made sure to feather the breaks to not generate too much heat.

So there were factors other than just the tires, but again, this was my 3rd tire blowout on the GP4000's (the other two on the back tire). So I'm looking for something sturdier for training.
And I'm pretty careful with my bike, not dragging the tires along anything and have a big enough car so I usually roll it right in or use a car rack.
2014-07-22 5:18 AM
in reply to: runspingirl

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Montague Gold Mines, Nova Scotia
Subject: RE: Puncture resistant tire recommendation
My guess would be, if you've had three blowouts as opposed to just flat tires, is that there is likely an issue with tire installation. If you hear a bang then the tube is outside the tire (either a cut in the tire or because the bead became unseated).

Obviously if the tire is cut or failed, that is easy to determine. However if you hear the bang and there's no obvious damage to the tire, then it is very likely that the tire popped of the rim. This can be do to the rim (faulty and/or too much pressure for the rim), the tire (faulty bead and/or too much pressure for the tire) or improper installation.

Shane


2014-07-22 7:19 AM
in reply to: gsmacleod

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Cypress, TX
Subject: RE: Puncture resistant tire recommendation

To echo Shane's comments...

Flats are almost entirely due to user error.  Very few flats are the "I ran over something and it ripped a hole in my tire and tube" kind of flat.  I've ridden thousands and thousands of miles over the last six years.  I've had two flats and both were due to something ripping a hole in my tire and tube.  I pay very close attention to installing the tubes and tires to avoid the user error issues.

90% of flats will be pinch flats (user error), another 5% will be some kind of debris between the tire and tube which constantly causes tubes to pop (mostly user error especially after the first flat), the other 5% is bad luck (running over something).  Purely unscientific study of course. :-)

2014-07-22 8:49 AM
in reply to: runspingirl

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Subject: RE: Puncture resistant tire recommendation

I had a pair of Bontranger Hardcases on an old road bike (back in 2006).  I don't recall too much about them other than I wanted something to resist debris more than I wanted low rolling resistance or low weight.  

I've got Conti Gatorskins (650x23C) on my tri bike with about 1500 miles on them (some trainer miles).  I rode them for Vineman. 

I've got Conti GP4000's on my road bike with about 5000 miles on them.  This includes some commuting I did in 2012 with stretches of gravel roads.  I've got a set of Gatorskins to replace them.  I ride this bike most of the time and again, want to spend my time riding, not fixing flat tires.  I debated getting the Gatorskins versus another pair of GP4000's.  In another 5000 miles, maybe I'll switch back...

I also put about 3000 miles on a pair of Kenda Koncept's (650x23C) including 800-1000 miles on the trainer.  No problems and these were $15 tires.  

 I wouldn't call myself very discriminating about bike handling differences attributable to tires.  I tend to be a chicken (I'm mortal...I know I can die...) so I'm not taking corners aggressively.  

2014-07-25 7:21 PM
in reply to: McFuzz

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Subject: RE: Puncture resistant tire recommendation
i'm using Maxxis Re-Fuse tires for training
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