# 270 lb. rider looking for the most puncture-resistant tire



## adamant (Nov 11, 2008)

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i will start to commute to work and i know flats cannot be totally eliminated i need to try my best to avoid flats. my ride is on back roads that are heavy littered . tire size is 700x23/25c
what do you guys recommend?


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## Reynolds531 (Nov 8, 2002)

a 32 mm or wider tire, maybe even up to a 37 mm. a 25 mm isn't the best choice for a 270 lb commuter. I realize that a 32 mm tire probably won't fit on your bike.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*Conti*

GatorSkins 25 or 28s if they will fit


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## Bridgey (Mar 26, 2003)

I'll 2nd that. Gatorskinks for sure. 23 or 25 will be fine. I use to be your weight, no problems with them. Still a fast tyre.


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## dustyrider (Aug 10, 2007)

Are you concerned about pinch flats? Or Punctures? Or both?

I don't know much about road tires but I do know about tubes!

In regards to preventing flat tubes:
I run a thicker tube with "slime" and I have a hardened plastic liner between the tube and the tire. This is to prevent "goat heads" from puncturing the tube. If one does the slime seals the hole up. 
The drawback to this setup is the added rotational weight. 
Running this setup I have yet to change a flat from a puncture. 

Thicker tubes alone allegedly make getting pinch flats less likely. 
In years of mountain biking I have yet to find any difference in that regard. 
To prevent pinch flats you need voo-doo magic!


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## m_s (Nov 20, 2007)

Armadillos. They ride like jackhammers though.


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## Scott B (Dec 1, 2004)

The bigger the better. Seriously, a 28, 32 or even 35 will give a better ride with fewer flats. I'm a little dude, but all of my bigger friends swear by large tires. Conti Gatorskin 28's are a good tire though, I love mine and never ride anything smaller. Those are on the roadie commuter. Schwalbe Marathons or Panaracer T-serves are on the touring/commuter rig and work well.


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## Clyde250 (Feb 24, 2007)

tire liners and some cheap tires.
I am 270 and I burn through rear tires in 1000 miles.


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## sokudo (Dec 22, 2007)

Bridgey said:


> I'll 2nd that. Gatorskinks for sure. 23 or 25 will be fine. I use to be your weight, no problems with them. Still a fast tyre.


Both Panaracer Pasela TG and Vittoria Zaffiro Pro have a better puncture protection in my experience than Ultra Gatorskins. However, since 2010 Conti makes Gatorskin Hardshell which they claim is better at puncture protection than the previous model.


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## kmac76 (Jan 22, 2004)

airfreetires.com - interesting idea - if anyone has any experience with these or similar products, please share. I am also a clydesdale (6'4" 285) and am always looking for ways to keep tires going longer......i don't work for and have never used any products from this website, but i thought it might be a cool site to toss out there...
ride safe


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## My Own Private Idaho (Aug 14, 2007)

I'm heavier than you, and I ride with a loaded bike, and a BOB trailer. Try the Gatorskins, and get them 28mm if they will fit your frame. I love them, and I get 5000 miles out of a back tire. Nothing else lasts over 1000 miles for me.


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*hardshells*



sokudo said:


> Both Panaracer Pasela TG and Vittoria Zaffiro Pro have a better puncture protection in my experience than Ultra Gatorskins. However, since 2010 Conti makes Gatorskin Hardshell which they claim is better at puncture protection than the previous model.


I just ordered a pair of 23mm kevlar bead Gator Hardshells -- I'll let you all know how they work. I've been using Gatorskins in just about every iteration for 10 years, and like them, but even more puncture resistance would be nice. Even with Gatorskins, last year in a double I got two flats, which are a pain in the butt to fix on the rear of a fixed gear -- so this time I'm going to run brand new Hardshells and see what happens. I figure even a little more weight and rolling resistance (assuming there will be) will easily offset 10 minutes or more of sitting on the side of the road changing tubes.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/first-look-continental-gator-hardshell-and-grand-prix-24mm-tires

I run 28 mm wire bead Gatorskins on a fixed gear commuter, and they ride very nice.


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## mbaha (Jul 2, 2007)

Maybe it is just me but I have had a ton of sidewall bulging issues with gator skins. I wouldn't recommend them for a heavy rider.


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## YuriB (Mar 24, 2005)

I've been more successful with the Michelin City series than I ever was with the Conti Gatorskins. Another tip from someone who rides over glass and thorns on a regular basis on my commute is to put Stans or Calfeelatex sealant in your tubes.


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*yup*



m_s said:


> Armadillos. They ride like jackhammers though.


I ran a set of those on a commuter for about a year. Only got 2 flats, but you're right, they ride like they are made of solid rubber. They are hard to install and remove, too. Pulled them off after a nasty sidewall cut destroyed one.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Ride quality*



kmac76 said:


> airfreetires.com - interesting idea - if anyone has any experience with these or similar products, please share. I am also a clydesdale (6'4" 285) and am always looking for ways to keep tires going longer.


Of course solid or foam tires are more puncture resistant, but whether they last longer will be down to construction details and rubber quality. However, every single one ever produced (going back to at least the 1960s and probably the 1890s) rides like a wooden wagon wheel. They never catch on in the market because they ride like crap.


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## JohnnyTooBad (Apr 5, 2004)

I wouldn't focus on the tires as much as just getting some slime tubes (or generic equivalent).  I'm only about 200# and commute on a somewhat loaded bike with 28c tires, and have not had a flat since I put on the slime tubes two years ago. But I have worn tires down to the threads in that time.


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## thumbprinter (Jun 8, 2009)

i get flats w/the gatorskins. for the last year or so i've been running the panaracer urban max 32s - not a single flat and the ride is very comfy. haven't noticed a whole lot of difference in performance from the 25s i was running previously. or i've just gotten more fit and don't notice anymore. i can still ride plenty fast with the added bonus of more confidence on dirt and gravel due to the wider tires w/treat - off-road is more fun!!


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## Sledgehammer03 (Mar 7, 2006)

I use the Schlawbe Marathon Plus (28's). Yesterday I picked up a roofing nail in the front tire, stopped, pulled it out and away I went. Tire was still up today. They rear lasts me about 5000 miles (240 lb)


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## Geet (Sep 17, 2004)

Another vote for the Gatorskins. I am around your size and have been running Gatorskins for years in the 28 size. No problems for me.


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## MTT (Oct 14, 2005)

adamant said:


> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> i will start to commute to work and i know flats cannot be totally eliminated i need to try my best to avoid flats. my ride is on back roads that are heavy littered . tire size is 700x23/25c
> what do you guys recommend?


If you are not riding on rainy days Specialized Armadillo, but do not ride this in the rain as it is very slick and sketchy. I have tried many tires and I am currently rolling the Schwalbe Marathon Plus. It is heavy, but it does have reflector strips and you will not flat......MTT


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## DrD (Feb 5, 2000)

Where I ride, thorns/goatheads are a big problem - I have had really good luck running tire liners and thorn resistant tubes (they are very thick on the outside diameter) - doesn't really matter what tires you run with them to a degree, but better tires are more resistant to cuts, too. I've found that almost any tire will pick up goatheads to almost the same degree, though, so the liners+tubes are the way to go. (tried slime lite tubes, but with the high pressure, all they did was make a mess)


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

The feedback I've gotten over time is for the Panaracer Pasela TG's. Available in a lot of sizes and with both steel and kevlar beads. Reasonably priced (especially the steel bead models) too.


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## adamant (Nov 11, 2008)

i got a set of Specialized Armadillo ultra today $110 . thank you for your replys.
ant


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*report*



Fixed said:


> I just ordered a pair of 23mm kevlar bead Gator Hardshells -- I'll let you all know how they work. I've been using Gatorskins in just about every iteration for 10 years, and like them, but even more puncture resistance would be nice. Even with Gatorskins, last year in a double I got two flats, which are a pain in the butt to fix on the rear of a fixed gear -- so this time I'm going to run brand new Hardshells and see what happens. I figure even a little more weight and rolling resistance (assuming there will be) will easily offset 10 minutes or more of sitting on the side of the road changing tubes.
> 
> http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/first-look-continental-gator-hardshell-and-grand-prix-24mm-tires
> 
> I run 28 mm wire bead Gatorskins on a fixed gear commuter, and they ride very nice.


I ran a new set of 23 mm kevlar bead Hardshells yesterday on a long ride on the fixed gear. They look and feel exactly like the regular Gatorskins. Did not flat, but that's a pretty small data sample.


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## CopperMtBiker (May 8, 2010)

I live in the mountains with hazards like dead lodgepole branches and snowplow blade ribbons on my roads and pathways. After 5 flats in 1,000 miles on Bontrager Race Lite tires, I bought the Schwalbe Marathon Plus for the rear and Continental Gator for the front. No flats during the second 1,000 miles on my Trek 1500. I am 6'2", 194 pounds.


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## hipcatticus (Aug 30, 2010)

*Specialized Armadillos*

I am a not thin woman - varing between 165 to 185 lbs. riding a Specialized Sequoia on 700x23 tires. I average anywhere from 50 miles to 150 miles a week depending on time of year. Living in south Florida, I'll be damned if i'm gonna bake outdoors in July. I also work in a metal shop. Armadillos are the way to go... i get about 3 to 5 years out of a tire.


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## strathconaman (Jul 3, 2003)

Schwalbe Marathon Plus is about as indestructable as a tire gets. 

The Continentals are nice, for about 1000km and then the rear is totally squared off.


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## MTT (Oct 14, 2005)

hipcatticus said:


> I am a not thin woman - varing between 165 to 185 lbs. riding a Specialized Sequoia on 700x23 tires. I average anywhere from 50 miles to 150 miles a week depending on time of year. Living in south Florida, I'll be damned if i'm gonna bake outdoors in July. I also work in a metal shop. Armadillos are the way to go... i get about 3 to 5 years out of a tire.


Yes you are absolutely right the Armadillo is bullet proof, and I have tried it, but for up here in the cold PNW in the winter they are hard and dangerous in the rain. I bet they would work great down in Florida, but up here I found the Schwalbe Marathon Plus both grips and is bullet- proof. I would say the most popular tire up here is the Gatorskin, and that is also a good tire, but not as glass proof as the Plus. Having written that, both the Marathon Supreme and the Gatorskins corner better than the Plus. Well my 2 cents..........MTT :thumbsup:


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## Will Be Was (Jun 10, 2010)

Watch this Schwalbe video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9RzJAWvOMQ


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## MTT (Oct 14, 2005)

That video was cool; I have never seen a tire factory before. They don't have to sell me on Schwalbe, for my money, they are the best commuting tires. I have not tried them for the racing bike, but I might at some point...............MTT :thumbsup:


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