My first puncture!

[Critical Mass]

I've just had a puncture on my Agattu Wave! Fortunately it happened in Stafford town so I pushed it to a small bike shop nearby to have it repaired . (I'm afraid I haven't been carrying a repair kit or any tools at all.) The chap in the shop wasn't phased by the fact that it was electric - but I've had to leave it with him because the mechanic isn't in till tomorrow. And when I asked about fitting Marathon Plus tyres he'd never heard of them. That shocked me. It was as if he never read this forum at all!

As soon as I got home I googled 'Marathon Plus' with the intention of ordering some. But I quickly realised that I don't know what size to buy! Should they be 700C (the ones on at the moment said 28" - that's roughly 700mm but not quite. And what width should I get? They come in 700x25, 28, 32, 35 or 40? Could any one advise on the appropriate size(s)?

Thanks

Des

 

[tgame]

Puncture

Bad luck about the flat. I hope you will let us have the details when you get them. Not that anyone else intends to get a puncture mind you!

 

[coops]

Sorry to hear of your first flat Des, though could have happened in a worse spot as you say . It would be interesting to know what caused it, given the standard puncture resistant tyres on those bikes.

As for m+ sizes, I'd suggest a similar size to the original tyres if they worked well for you, which I think are 700C as you say but I don't recall the width - maybe its given somewhere on the forum, flecc's review or on the 50cycles or kalkhoff site?

The m+ are quite true to size which makes it easier to select the correct size: the recommended 700x38C for Torqs for instance are close to 38mm wide at their widest.

Stuart.

 

[Joe]

bad luck on the puncture.

the continental website does confirm that the agattu tyres have puncture protection but not apparently the full so called safety system. tyres with this system have a one year gurantee against puncture. in the event of, taking your gurantee card (should come with the bike, but then so should pumps if advertised!) and now defective tyres/inner tube to your local stockist will result in an exchange.

the more expensive pro connect has tyres covered under this gurantee.

 

[Cyclezee]

Hi Des, bad luck I got a pair of new unused Marathon +'s a couple of weeks ago from a private seller on eBay for £30, which was a good deal.
They are 700 x 35c and I am keeping them in reserve for when the inevitable happens.
However, if buying retail, I would probably go for tyres from the Continental range with a 1 year guarantee and free inner tube, but not the City Ride ones fitted as standard. Continental Cycle Tyres UK

John

 

[flecc]

The original Continental tyres are a big factor in the bike's performance as I mentioned in my review. MPs are good, and I've long been a fan, having them on all four of my current wheels, but the roll resistance isn't as low as those Continentals.

After almost five years of using Marathon Plus, I had my first puncture on one last Friday, a two mile cyclepath alongside a freshly flailed thorn hedge being the culprit, smothered with cuttings.
.

 

[Critical Mass]

Thanks for all your responses.

I've deduced from the information on the Continental site (thanks John) that the existing tyres must be City Ride 700x42 because I recall that maximum inflation pressure was 65 psi - and only the 700x42 has that maximum!

I think the existing tyres are fine. What is confusing me is that whereas I would have thought that the tyre width would be determined (absolutely) by the width of the rim, it appears from posts on this site that there is some degree of flexibility for any given width of wheel.

My thinking at the moment is that I will go for the 700x35 (like yours John). My rational being... the Marathon Plus won't be as slick as the City Rides so they won't role quite as well. But using a slightly smaller M+ will compensate for that. And whats more, a slimmer tyre presents a smaller target for all the pointy things that are waiting out there!

Des

 

[flecc]

There are ideal relationships between tyre and rim width, but designers are increasingly ignoring them, especially on e-bikes. The old Torq 1 was a bad case, wide fat tyres and very narrow 700c rims. Doesn't make for inherent cornering stability, especially if some pressure is lost by a slow puncture.
.

 

[Cyclezee]

That's a good point Des, smaller target for the pointy things, hadn't thought of that one.

John

 

[Ian]

There are ideal relationships between tyre and rim width, but designers are increasingly ignoring them, especially on e-bikes. The old Torq 1 was a bad case, wide fat tyres and very narrow 700c rims. Doesn't make for inherent cornering stability, especially if some pressure is lost by a slow puncture.
.

Not just on e-bikes, I was casually looking at MTBs in Halfords and noticed that many have fatter tyres than some motorcycles I have owned, but on a 22mm wide rim. The thought of pedaling with those tyres made my legs ache, but that wasn't as bad as the thought of cornering at speed on tarmac.