After recently changing a flat tire for a Wednesday night rider, I commented that her
paper-thin tire would have continuing flat issues on road riding. Next to one’s helmet, the most important
purchase in terms of safety should be tires.
They provide a level of security when coasting down hills, even if not
blasting at 55.6 mph down Ford Branch Rd, and when alone out in the middle of
the boonies. I suggested she rid herself
of the wimpy OEM tires that came with her bike and purchase something more durable
and puncture resistant. She asked, “What
did I recommend?”
Three tires
came to mind: Vredestein, Gatorskin, and Armadillo. They are the most popular
ones used by FOGBEES. Which one was best
probably has as many answers as bicyclists.
I remember asking this same question after I was experiencing about one
flat per ride. Bruce recommended
Armadillo. I thought I would try to answer her question after a little
research. I found the following article,
“Flatproof Bicycle Tires” in Popular
Mechanics (http://www.popularmechanics.com/outdoors/recreation/1276791)
. The article concluded:
The studies . . . compared various Specialized tires
against offerings from other leading manufacturers in an all-too-real
situation: researchers rode five different tires 12 times each through a wooden
trough lined with jagged glass shards. Of the tires tested, only the
Specialized Armadillo survived without a flat.
While no pneumatic tire is 100 percent flatproof, the
Armadillo flat-prevention technology has proven so effective that Specialized
is now offering an unconditional guarantee on all 2000 model year tires. If any
Armadillo tire ever flats in use, the company will replace the tube free.
I also read
scores of biker reviews. For the most part they supported the Popular Mechanic’s result. The only serious negative I found was that
the Armadillo are heavy. While most 700x25mm
wire-bead bike tires advertised as puncture-resistance weigh about 9 ounces,
the Armadillo weighs 14 ounces. The
prices are comparable in the $50 range, about $10-$15 more than cheapies, but
these tires quickly pay for themselves by eliminating the cost of many inner
tubes lost to flats.
A lighter
weight option is to buy a Kevlar bead (aka folding tire), but expect to pay $8
to $10 more for the privilege. The Kevlar bead reduced the weight of the
Armadillo to 11 ounces. A cheaper and
even lighter option is to use 700x23mm tires, but these tires give a harder
ride, are less forgiving, and of course provide less rubber between you and the
road.
1 comment:
Good stuff, MC. Tire selection, like a lot of things, is about tradeoffs: durability, puncture-resistance, weight and performance. Continental's Gatorskins and Armadillos optimize puncture resistance and durability, at the expense of weight and performance. With a heavy, stiff protective ply and a hard tread compound, these tires sacrifice grip in cornering and braking considerably, especially on wet roads. If you like to carry speed through corners or want to minimize the risk of sliding, a more performance-oriented tire may be better for you. I am a BIG fan of Continental Gran Prix 4000 - great performance, light weight, kevlar-like protection and I get about 2500 miles per tire.
I'm glad you mentioned size, MC. Recent studies conlude that wider is better, especially for riders like us FOGBESS: less pinch flats, better handling, smoother ride and less rolling resistance if it's a high quality, performance tire. Wider is less aerodynamic, but, let's face it, at our average speeds aero is not a top concern. So next time you buy a tire, think about the next wider size, if your frame allows, and see how it works for you.
Post a Comment