# Need Fatter Tires For Potholes--How Fat? Front Shock? Which Bike of These Two?



## TomBrooklyn (Mar 15, 2008)

I currently ride an old Peugeot w/ 27" x 1 1/4" tires around the City and I've gotten fed up with the jarring I take on the numerous potholes, mainly on my hands. I wear padded gloves and use cork wraps.

I'm going to get a new bike and have the choice of getting the Sport Tour which has 700 x 32 with no front shock http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/st...langId=-1&categoryId=54952&sc1=Search&feat=sr

or 

the K2 Alturas 2.0 Fitness Bike with 700 x 35w tires and a front shock. http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/st...langId=-1&categoryId=54957&sc1=Search&feat=sr
or 
http://www.k2bikes.com/index.php?br...NE&model=Alturas 2.0&2007=false&show=Expanded

Both have a shock seatpost.
Both have cushioned grips.
The Alturas has a coil spring seat.
Sport Tour might have better components...not sure.

I want to give up as little performance as possible while making rides over the bone rattling potholes tolerable. Do you think the 700 x 32 tires on the Sport Tour will handle the pot holes significantly better than the 27 x 1 1/4", or would the difference be small and therefore ought I go with the 700 x 35 tires and front shocked Alturas?

Other differences (which are not mentioned on website):
Sport Tour 27lbs, Alturas 29lbs. (I weigh 270 and could stand to drop 70.)
Sport Tour 7000 series aluminum forks.

My current Peugeot has a steel frame. Is it true that steel absorb shocks better than aluminum? Therefore, would I be getting a harsher ride from the frame and taking a step backwards in that area. If so, would the benefit of a slightly wider tire be offset, neccesitating the much wider tire and shock/spring seat?


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

When I saw the thread title I was going to say something snide about watching the road instead of getting fatter tires.

But, actually, that is my recommendation.

To my knowledge, all these things you're talking about are designed to diminish road vibrations, not insulate you from potholes. I think you're just going to have to watch the road more and avoid them.

Another thing to think about: The more springy your ride is becuase of seatpost shocks and front shocks, etc., the more energy you'll be wasting when you ride. And the more tired you get. And that's when the bumps and potholes feel the worst.


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## JoeDaddio (Sep 3, 2005)

What kind of potholes are you hitting, man? Commuting should not require shocks... and if you're getting rocked with 1.25 I don't imagine anything will help. I commute daily on 25's and a nice set of gloves solved my hand problem, and I'm forced to ride through some pretty gnarly stuff every day: lots of RR tracks and one road in particular that I swear was carpet bombed during WWII.

A front shock, springy saddle/seatpost and big fat tires, like Roebuck said, make the bike less efficient. There's a point where efficiency, practicality and your personal wants meet and that's going to be different for each person. If that for you requires fat tires and a shock I would be surprised, personally. But if it's what you want and if it gets you on the bike then that's what you should get. The important thing is that you're riding and that you're happy while doing it.

That said though, if you're new to cycling I would give these things some time before you purchase a new bike and try them out before you give it a shot if you have the chance.

My $0.02


joe


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## Henry Chinaski (Feb 3, 2004)

Do you need gears? I'd maybe go with something like this with Schwalbe Big Apple tires...

http://www.redlinebicycles.com/adultbikes/monocog.html


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## TomBrooklyn (Mar 15, 2008)

DrRoebuck said:


> all these things you're talking about are designed to diminish road vibrations,


 Right. Thats what I want to do.


DrRoebuck said:


> you're just going to have to watch the road more and avoid them.


 That is not an option. In Brooklyn, NY, the potholes extend accross the entire riding area in numerous areas. Many cannot be avoided. They are pervasive, numerous, and everywhere. 





DrRoebuck said:


> The more springy your ride is becuase of seatpost shocks and front shocks, etc., the more energy you'll be wasting when you ride. And the more tired you get. And that's when the bumps and potholes feel the worst.


 A paradox. So I wonder what the best compromise would be?


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## TomBrooklyn (Mar 15, 2008)

JoeDaddio said:


> if you're new to cycling I would give these things some time before you purchase a new bike


 Hi Joe, I was new to cycling a few months ago and it bothered me from the getgo. I have waited to make sure of what I have to do--and I have do something about the torture. An occassional railroad track is nothing compared to what I have to go through around here on some streets. 

There is one thing I haven't tried yet which I could try before I get a new bike--that's to get a Technomic Stem and raise my bars. That will take a lot of the weight off my hands.


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## samh (May 5, 2004)

*shock absorbing gloves*



JoeDaddio said:


> What kind of potholes are you hitting, man? Commuting should not require shocks... and if you're getting rocked with 1.25 I don't imagine anything will help. I commute daily on 25's and a nice set of gloves solved my hand problem,
> My $0.02
> joe


What kind of gloves are most shock absorbing?


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## SCBianchista (May 27, 2008)

My 2 cents worth--what pressure are you using in your tires? If you're high--like 110-120--(road bikes) every little bump in the road is going to feel like a crater. Try lowering your tube pressure to 100 or even less. Also, be aware of your elbow positions--when I first started riding, I would unconsciously lock my elbows which in turn caused major hurt when I would hit a pothole while careening downhill and didn't see it coming .....raise up your bars until you are really comfortable and get your weight onto you legs--get a good bike fit at a trusted shop and don't let them put you in racing position if you are commuting. You can always get more aggressive as you get more comfortable. That's it for me....good luck!


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## phil. (Aug 3, 2004)

A Surly Pugsley with 4" tires probably would handle pot holes okay, but it'd be a bear to spin up to speed.

http://www.surlybikes.com/pugsley.html


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## JoeDaddio (Sep 3, 2005)

samh said:


> What kind of gloves are most shock absorbing?



I got the Castelli Pro gloves and they work well for me. I've never really worn gloves, but I was getting problems with my a nerve in my palm and the gloves seemed to help out a ton.


joe


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## samh (May 5, 2004)

the 32c tires will probably require 85psi which should be fine, 
or get a mountain bike (2 inch wide tires)


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

Yeah, a mountain bike might be just the ticket. Have you considered one? Hard tail frame with a suspension fork and tires in the neighborhood of 1.75 to 1.9 will make a big difference in how nasty the potholes feel and still not too awfully inefficient for short rides.


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## skyphix (Jul 26, 2007)

rodar y rodar said:


> Yeah, a mountain bike might be just the ticket. Have you considered one? Hard tail frame with a suspension fork and tires in the neighborhood of 1.75 to 1.9 will make a big difference in how nasty the potholes feel and still not too awfully inefficient for short rides.



This was going to be my recommendation. I ride my converted (rigid, aluminum frame, steel fork) MTB with 1.5" tires through some pretty nasty back woods dirt roads (frost heave, washouts, washboards from the tractor traffic, series of 4-6" deep potholes, etc) plus some trails and it's not unbearable. I've never hit anything on the paved road that was any worse, and I've hit washed out railroad tracks and the like.

Get an older steel MTB with 26" semi-slick tires and maybe a suspension fork and you'll be golden. Go with thicker tubes and run lower pressure in them to help absorb. It wont be as easy to ride, but you'll adjust and probably be a lot more comfortable. They'll probably ride better than the super soft sprung hybrids and handle better to boot.


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## MikeBiker (Mar 9, 2003)

I recommend moving to an area that has decent roads.


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## SilasCL (Jun 14, 2004)

TomBrooklyn said:


> Hi Joe, I was new to cycling a few months ago and it bothered me from the getgo. I have waited to make sure of what I have to do--and I have do something about the torture. An occassional railroad track is nothing compared to what I have to go through around here on some streets.
> 
> There is one thing I haven't tried yet which I could try before I get a new bike--that's to get a Technomic Stem and raise my bars. That will take a lot of the weight off my hands.


Keep the weight off your hands and keep your arms and elbows loose. Your hands shouldn't be absorbing all the shock. Fit may be an issue here, as you're thinking.


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## poretexman (Jun 4, 2002)

Such areas seem to be fast disappearing.


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## slowrider (Mar 12, 2004)

If you are looking for a bigger tire. Western Bike Works sell a 27x1 3/8 tire. It's made by Kenda. It's not a kevlar tire. 15 dollars a tire. It's suppose to be a cross tire for 27 inch bikes.


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## TomBrooklyn (Mar 15, 2008)

SCBianchista said:


> what pressure are you using in your tires? If you're high--like 110-120--(road bikes) every little bump in the road is going to feel like a crater. Try lowering your tube pressure to 100 or even less.


 Hi. My rim and tires are rated for 90psi so that's what I put them at. And between pump ups the pressures slips lower as I don't bother to pump the tires up every day. 



SCBianchista said:


> ....raise up your bars until you are really comfortable and get your weight onto you legs


I just took delivery of a Technomic stem to raise the bars up, so I'll see how that goes. I thought it would help too. 



SCBianchista said:


> get a good bike fit at a trusted shop and don't let them put you in racing position if you are commuting.


 How much is that likely to cost?



SCBianchista said:


> You can always get more aggressive as you get more comfortable.


 That makes sense.

Thanks. Cheers.


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## TomBrooklyn (Mar 15, 2008)

skyphix said:


> Get an older steel MTB with 26" semi-slick tires and maybe a suspension fork and you'll be golden. Go with thicker tubes and run lower pressure in them to help absorb. It wont be as easy to ride, but you'll adjust and probably be a lot more comfortable. They'll probably ride better than the super soft sprung hybrids and handle better to boot.


I was thinking of getting a different bike, but I thought a hybrid would be better suited to city riding. i.e. would ride faster and more efficiently than a mountain bike, although I'd be giving up some efficiency from a road bike. That's the whole concept of a hybrid, isn't it? I'm surprised about your comment that a mountain bike would ride better than a hybrid in the city. 

I'm still going to try a higher stem/handlebars and see how that goes before getting another bike, but it's fodder for future thought, if neccessary.


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## TomBrooklyn (Mar 15, 2008)

slowrider said:


> If you are looking for a bigger tire. Western Bike Works sell a 27x1 3/8 tire. It's made by Kenda. It's not a kevlar tire. 15 dollars a tire. It's suppose to be a cross tire for 27 inch bikes.


 I think a slightly bigger tire would work wonders. Just enough to take some of the edge off the potholes and rough spots without losing a lot of efficiency. 

Would that tire work on my rim OK? I called Western and someone I spoke to there told me it probably would as long as the frame will allow it. I have plenty of clearance on the frame. I just have to check now if I can open the brakes up adequately.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

skyphix said:


> This was going to be my recommendation. I ride my converted (rigid, aluminum frame, steel fork) MTB with 1.5" tires through some pretty nasty back woods dirt roads (frost heave, washouts, washboards from the tractor traffic, series of 4-6" deep potholes, etc) plus some trails and it's not unbearable. I've never hit anything on the paved road that was any worse, and I've hit washed out railroad tracks and the like.
> 
> Get an older steel MTB with 26" semi-slick tires and maybe a suspension fork and you'll be golden. Go with thicker tubes and run lower pressure in them to help absorb. It wont be as easy to ride, but you'll adjust and probably be a lot more comfortable. They'll probably ride better than the super soft sprung hybrids and handle better to boot.




yeah, 26" wheels, but not nec suspension (esp if sprung seat and/or seatpost). maybe something like these:
http://www.rei.com/product/760872
http://www.rei.com/product/762222


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## ispoke (Feb 28, 2005)

Sorry if I'm redundant but I didn't bother reading everyone's reply. Your claimed road conditions are incompatible with maintaining "performance". And last time I checked my ruler, 1-1/4" was about 31mm. Why not ride something that takes Schwalbe "Big Apple" tires, which are some of the springy'est around? Of course they weight a lot, but read the reviews. People love them.

Fatter tires, lower pressure, and ride a rigid frame, rigid fork, no springs in the seat. You'll pedal smoother.

Then when you get back on your "performance" bike for "performance" rides, you'll really appreciate the performance...


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