Commuting Gear: Tires

[Emett]

If you're going to be commuting to work then this is key. Reliable tires are so important, and the most important thing is definitely flat protection. No matter how fast you are at changing a tire and or repairing a tube (if you're silly and are not packing a spare...) it sucks to try to do it on the way to work, and some of the new internally geared hubs, electric, belt drive or shaft drive might pose extra challenges or need extra tools. It sucks more to try to do it in the dark and/or cold, and it's ridiculous in the rain. In the rain you end up filthy, even if it has stopped raining the and it's just that the tires are wet. I keep a few rags or old paper towels in my bag with my tire change stuff for just that reason.

Mountain bike tires protect from many flats due the nobbies lifting the pressurized surface of the tire up off the road. With that you'll be safe from small glass and sharp rocks. Also the lower tire pressure allow more flexing over debris, lowering the chance of a puncture. But lower pressure does mean a slower ride and an increase in the danger of a pinch flat. That can occur when you hit a pothole, curb, or a large rock in the road. Watch for the those! my worse accident in years, 2 years back, was due to multiple large rocking the road, I dodged one, but nailed another and went for a short flight, landing in a bit of a tangle with my bike... I took a picture of one of my bruises because it looked a bit like a comet, I'll update this post when I find that pic. Needless to say I now stop and remove large rocks from my route when I see any. So, to avoid pinch flats, which often leave your tube irreparable due to the double snake-bite holes that the rim leaves, ride at the max tire pressure allowed by your tires.

But all of my experience is with hybrid and road tires. First off, if, when you're biking along, you start to hear your tire start to make a "tack-tack-tack" sound that is you hammering a piece of glass, small rock or other debris into your tire! You should stop as quickly as possible. Enough hammer strikes, and it will be a puncture. And I do mean hamming, because you should be riding with near rock hard pressure on these types of tires. It's faster, yes, and it's the only way to avoid pinch flats from medium rocks and small potholes or ledges (like 3/4 inch driveway ramps). That smaller If you're unlucky enough for it be a large piece of debris, like a bent nail, screw, key, broken-off allen wrench or sheet metal chip, then you probably got and instant flat, but you should still stop as quickly as possible, because that sucker will make more holes in you tube or, worse, tire, on the opposite side of the tube and tire from the entrance wound. That will turn your whole setup into trash. I've tried patching damaged tires from the inside, or using a tire liner to cover the hole, but that can ruin your smooth ride and/or induce a bump or wobble that might rip your valve off the tube. Another irreparable. (Make sure to note the best part of your tire when doing a tube change, and place that side closest to the valve.)

You you want to get the strongest tires. A higher cost is definitely worth it for armored tires. Higher cost for tires made with lighter, more supple materials is not probably worth it for commuter use. If you get regular, non-armored, tires, then I might suggest tire liners, like Mr Tuffies, but they can cause more trouble than they're worth, like the fact that the ends may not be smooth, which can cause a flat! Arrggg on that one! And added weight in tires really sucks due to the increased rotational inertia. Using tire liners with an armored tire is pretty pointless, because if something makes it past the armor, then it is probably so big and sharp that it will get past the liner on one side or the other and flat the tube anyway.

I've had good performance with Specialized Armodillo tires, and just recommend that you get the most rubber possible for your rim size and frame clearance. And that goes for the tubes too, push the limit on the upper side when picking out new tubes. Ask a pro at the shop what the largest size your rims and bike can safely fit, unless you're very light and don't plan on biking super fast, because then you may not need or want the extra weight and strength, and conversely, think about sticking with larger rims and tires if you're over, say, 210 pounds. For expample a 22c up to a 25c road tire may not last long for a person of that weight

If they've got a 700x25c size of tire I like to try this one out: (review from UrbanVelo.org, Published by Erokon March 24, 2009 in Product Reviews. )

Prior to inflation, I knew that it would take a serious pothole to give the Vittoria Randonneur a pinch flat. They appeared, and even felt pumped up before any air went in, thanks to the nail-proof hard casing. Even though they are built with a steel bead, I struggled getting them onto the rim, having to resort to the dreaded tire levers. That was in part due to trying to stuff a 28-32c tube into the double shielded, 28c casing that provides much less room than normal tires of the same width.

I was a bit worried that the low 85 psi rating, 500g weight, and the thick casing would make them feel sluggish, but they seem to compliment each other providing a reasonably low rolling resistance. I was especially glad to find out that the extra-hard tread didn’t compromise the friction or stickiness of the ride. Even in the slushy conditions that tend to happen in this part of the country, the tread gripped the road and ice confidently.

My daily commute involves crossing the huge Birmingham Bridge. On the weekends, the bridge turns into a half-mile, lawless stretch of road that becomes a portal to a neighborhood where the locals say has most bars per square mile than anywhere east of the Mississippi. Needless to say, this bridge regularly gets pummeled with empty bottles after college kids chug one more beer on the drive home. Pretty much every crossing leaves me wondering if I’ll make it to the other side without a flat, but I can now rest assured that I can cross without my number being pulled.

Overall, these now top my list of commuter tires, and the reflective sidewall added a nice touch to seal the deal. If you manage to get them on without puncturing the tube with a tire lever, there’s a good chance that the only time you’ll need to remove these tires is when they’re threadbare or you have a valve malfunction. For those that will be carrying heavier loads, say for touring, wider sizes (32c, 35c, 40c, and 48c) are available, and recommended due to the lower 85psi rating. The steal bead would make it difficult to carry a spare on a long tour, but with this kind of protection, you may not need one anyway. Available for about $30 each, with similar tires available at price points both above and below depending on their bead and flat protection. (End post from UrbanVelo.org)

I think I'll have to cover flats and tire changes and tubes next in future forums!!! And I'll be back to this one with more comments on my tire disasters and experiences in the past... Please add your own comments and recommendations below, too...

[Joseph Fortino]

Great points :) also, sometimes it helps if you carry a " boot " if the tire gets cut so bad it damages the tire meaning the
tube pops out at the tread, the boot fills the gap. Simple get an old tire and cut a piece of it to fit in your pump bag, hitting
rocks dead on or car glass just claims the life of a good tire.