Puncture resistant tyres query
- Thread starter Pete Keeffe
- Start date
Schwalbe Marathon Plus with various tread types and patterns are the best overall. They have a thick pierce-resistant "Smart Guard" inner layer which generally means only very long and slim sharp points puncture them. But of course they are not infallible so it's still possible to get the odd one. That's much less frequent though. In several years of using them I've only once punctured one and that was really my fault for riding over cut blackthorn on a cycle path. This is one of the coarser tread patterns, but you can get them with tour and road treads as well:
Schwalbe Tyre Website (N.B. Only the Plus versions have this protection)
Schwalbe Tyre Website (N.B. Only the Plus versions have this protection)
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Of course they do, but what do you mean by "work". Every precaution that you take against punctures reduces the chance of punctures. There's different levels of puncture resistance in tyres. Schwalbe put a "Kevlarguard" band in City Jets, which isn't very effective, but the "Smart Guard" in Marathon Plus tyres is much thicker and tougher. Continental have "Gator Skin", and other brands have their own systems. It's easy to tell whether they're any good when you have the tyre in your hand (off the wheel). You can feel how tough the band is. Some so-called puncture resistant tyres with Kevlar bands feel very thin and flexible, so I can't believe that they resist much.
Every tyre is different. Some like those small block patterns offer good resistance by creating an overall greater effective rubber thickness, which keeps thorns and glass away from the tube.
Without knowing or handling the actual tyre, I'd stick to the known brands like Schwalbe Smart Guard and Continental Gator Skin, which are fitted to a range of tyres.
Every tyre is different. Some like those small block patterns offer good resistance by creating an overall greater effective rubber thickness, which keeps thorns and glass away from the tube.
Without knowing or handling the actual tyre, I'd stick to the known brands like Schwalbe Smart Guard and Continental Gator Skin, which are fitted to a range of tyres.
I used the Schwalbe Marathon Plus MTB for about a year and a half without any punctures, these were fitted after green gloopy tube stuff totally failed to seal tiny flint hole. Riding on mixture of surfaces, trails on chalk and flint, roads and canal paths with usual canal path sharps! Only criticism was that on wet roads they didn't inspire confidence, quite hard rubber therefore hardwearing, I guess. Strangely, as the tread wore the grip on roads seems to improve.
Marathon Plus MTB are only available up to 2.10, so look quite narrow on an off road bike.
When I got the KTM, the OEM tyres are quite light build so fitted Smart Sam Pluses, 2.25, I confess, with aesthetics in mind, they do look better on the bike, maybe not as bullet proof as the Marathon plus, but no punctures yet on same surfaces as before.
Smart Sam + seems a softer compound, as Jackandy has mentioned as well, wear rate seems a bit quicker, but that seems to be the trade-off for better grip on the road.
In short, very pleased with the Smart Sam + on and off road.
Marathon Plus MTB are only available up to 2.10, so look quite narrow on an off road bike.
When I got the KTM, the OEM tyres are quite light build so fitted Smart Sam Pluses, 2.25, I confess, with aesthetics in mind, they do look better on the bike, maybe not as bullet proof as the Marathon plus, but no punctures yet on same surfaces as before.
Smart Sam + seems a softer compound, as Jackandy has mentioned as well, wear rate seems a bit quicker, but that seems to be the trade-off for better grip on the road.
In short, very pleased with the Smart Sam + on and off road.
On my new bike I run both Big Apples & Smart Sam Plus's.
Apples have done 700 trouble free miles on road & light trails, the Sam's have only done 90ish miles on wooded trails and caught two punctures.
I'm now looking to fit tougher tubes in the Sam's.
I think it's more about where you ride rather than what you ride
Apples have done 700 trouble free miles on road & light trails, the Sam's have only done 90ish miles on wooded trails and caught two punctures.
I'm now looking to fit tougher tubes in the Sam's.
I think it's more about where you ride rather than what you ride
Thanks for the useful replies.
Looks like Schwalbe tyres for mine then
I've only had one bad rear wheel puncture so far on my Ezee Sprint but that entailed taking it to the dealer to get fixed as it needed the wheel taking off and a new tube.
Will have to bone up on how to do that taking the wheels off job myself.
( and putting them back on again successfully)
Just had new inners plus slime when the most excellent cyclezee serviced the bike.
Looks like Schwalbe tyres for mine then
I've only had one bad rear wheel puncture so far on my Ezee Sprint but that entailed taking it to the dealer to get fixed as it needed the wheel taking off and a new tube.
Will have to bone up on how to do that taking the wheels off job myself.
( and putting them back on again successfully)
Just had new inners plus slime when the most excellent cyclezee serviced the bike.
Worth considering a 'snake' tube if wheel removal is difficult.
These GAADI tubes are decent - the butted 'join' deals with friction problems from earlier overlap designs.
I have one as a spare - not used - and another member posted to say he has them in use and has had no problems.
If you go down this route, don't forget to carry a small craft knife because you will need to slice the old tube to remove it.
http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/gaadi-butyl-atb-inner-tube-schrader-valve-40-mm-for-622635-x-37-42--700-x-35-40-c/aid:717380
These GAADI tubes are decent - the butted 'join' deals with friction problems from earlier overlap designs.
I have one as a spare - not used - and another member posted to say he has them in use and has had no problems.
If you go down this route, don't forget to carry a small craft knife because you will need to slice the old tube to remove it.
http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/gaadi-butyl-atb-inner-tube-schrader-valve-40-mm-for-622635-x-37-42--700-x-35-40-c/aid:717380
Had 3 or 4 punctures on average per year until I switched to Raleigh puncture proof innertubes and a separate anti puncture kevlar strip that is inserted between tube and tyre - both bought from Amazon uk.
People say the puncture proof inner tubes and Kevlar strips ruin the ride but I have found that slightly under inflating the inner tube off sets the hardness.
People say the puncture proof inner tubes and Kevlar strips ruin the ride but I have found that slightly under inflating the inner tube off sets the hardness.
My planned conversion has 700c Continental city rides, no problems so far only had the bike a year. Although only thin 1.3/8 x 1.5/8 tyres they seem to put up with the rubbish road surfaces and light loose trails. Agree with Gringo though depends mostly where you go, saying that in and around town there is glass and other items that can cause a cut or punture.