[Grenouille]

Any downsides to these, apart from higher price and a little extra weight?

(I held some at my LBS last weekend, the difference in tire weight is less than the difference in my weight before vs. after thanksgiving turkey tomorrow).

[newleaf150]

Originally Posted by Grenouille

Any downsides to these, apart from higher price and a little extra weight?

(I held some at my LBS last weekend, the difference in tire weight is less than the difference in my weight before vs. after thanksgiving turkey tomorrow).

Do you have specific brands in mind? Most tires have some level of flat protection, some obviously much more than others.

My Continental Touring Plus tires in 700cx42 are advertised to include enhanced puncture resistance. They're definitely much heavier-duty and just plain heavier than the stockers - I think they were Conti CityRide make, but not certain.

I add to the tires' protection by running Slime in my tubes. Between the two, I don't flat much, but still carry 2x spare un-slimed tubes + patch kit 'cause Slimed tubes cannot be patched.

The extra weight is far less important to me than is my ability to go out for a ride without having to worry about flatting along the way. Even though I mostly ride pavement, the local stickers (goat heads) are absolutely brutal on tires/tubes, even those which clame puncture-resistance.

That said, adding any mass to your wheels is a special case due to the wheels' rotation, which ends up magnifying the effect of the extra weight. It can be significant.

For my part, I find flats otherwise slow me down much more than heavier tires and a bit of Slime can. Others are horrified at the idea of even an extra ounce of rotating mass. Who's right? Who's bike is it, and who is the cyclist? The question is one which has no 'one size fits all' answer.

[Grenouille]

No specific brands in mind.

But now that you mention it, the LBS guy first showed me several with no treads--completely slick. Made me worry a bit about traction. What's up with that?

[Hazy]

Ever seen racing tires? On a dry surface "slicks" give a better grip as there is more surface area grabbing the road.

[Industry_Hack]

Specialized Nimbus get high marks, except for when they come apart. Armadillos are highly rated as well. And the Maxxis Fuse got a great review by one of our members.

[DirtyBobbysBikes]

I've been on the SBC armadillo bandwagon for years. They're hefty but pretty darn strong. I get a fair amount of freebie tires but the next set I actually buy will likely be ultra gatorskins as i've heard tons of good things about them. They're said to be just as strong as a dillo only lighter and more supple. The dillos are a heavy stiff tire. I recently cut one pretty good which i'll be replacing with a vittoria rando on the rear and perhaps a throw down dillo elite on the front. Schwable is said to make some pretty durable tires as well.

[kneedrachen]

I've run cheaper tires, namely the Vittoria Zaffiro Pro slicks for over 3k miles with no trouble at all, I have a set of Pro 3s I bought on the cheap as spares and my new bike has Giant P-R3 slicks that may be trump the Zaffiro Pros.

I like to get a set of Schwalbe road tires for hte reflective strips they have.

On the hybrid I run Kenda KwickTrack and they've easily bested my wife's Specialized tires; 2 punctures for her, 0 for me.


I think you assessment of weight difference being negligible is spot for for "real world" riding. The weight weenies may cringe at this, but take a good dump before or after a ride and you'll have lost more doing that than putting light tires on your bike.

[superj]

I will take aired up tires over light weight tires any day of the week. I can ride aired up tires. When you are pushing light weight flat tires. They weigh way more then aired up heavy ones

[John_V]

My Gatorskins are 700x25 beaded tires which weigh more than the foldable tires. I would rather have the protection and a more comfortable ride than lighter, slightly faster tires.

[Industry_Hack]

Originally Posted by kneedrachen

I think you assessment of weight difference being negligible is spot for for "real world" riding. The weight weenies may cringe at this, but take a good dump before or after a ride and you'll have lost more doing that than putting light tires on your bike.

Rotating weight is different than bowel weight.