Every time I go to the room where I keep my bike, it has a flat tire, which appears to be from some sort of small thorn that drops around here.
Currently on Panaracer Gravel Kings, which I really rate as a tire, however the puncturing is starting to piss me off.
I have a set of Marathon Plus 38c, but every time I fit them, I remember why I don't like them, they feel like I am riding through glue when using them.
I want something that is as puncture proof as the Marathon Plus, as fast rolling as the Gravel Kings 28c, which aren't going to scare me in the monsoon rains in a few weeks.
Any recommendations? I know the sensible answer is man up and ride the marathons, but I hate them. Every time I do go out with them on I end up turning back pissed off that some unseen force is making me ride even slower than usual.
Tubeless?
You won't get anything to match Marathon Plus puncture resistance that rides anything like your gravel kings. I used 700c tyres off road for around 5 years and the closest I could get to Marathon Plus for puncture resistance were Halo Courier Berlin.
They only go up to 29c but they are considerably lighter than Marathon plus (3-400g for same size) and feel better to ride on but are still no match for a fast rolling road type tyre as they have a bit of treaded on them.
Where I ride it is all gravel/stones and I get a lot of punctures from sharp flint pieces. The thing that has helped on my MTB is going tubeless with just one puncture in 18 months where previously I could expect a couple a month on a variety of tyres I was trying. Not sure if road tubeless gives same results?
^^ I was considering pouring some sealant in and seeing if that worked, but at 100PSI I think it might find its way out and squirt in my eye.
^ I am hopefully going to find the perfect tires. I assume the thorns are from our estate, as for two years I have ridden up and down the main road here never once picking up a thorn puncture.
Continental Sport Contacts are my go-to commuting tyre. Even pretty flipping cheap from Rose in Germany. [url= https://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/continental-sportcontact-2-reflex-tyre/aid:752163?channable=e8467.NzUyMTYz&gclid=CjwKEAjwm8-6BRDgnb-Dk96UmRASJADbMycYyapYsYAD3vAzq4eDHZxXPgPA_y3InRZISe7rZFrnThoCI0Tw_wcB ]here[/url]
I will admit they've changed a bit recently, different tread pattern, don't know about the carcass, but I've been running 32c versions for years, not one puncture in 3000 miles commuting this year gone. I ride past plenty of hedges that get cut too.
The sensible answer is to go tubeless.
Tubeless (with good amount of sealant).
I get loads of holes from thorns but just never notice until I take the tyre off. Just be careful if there's a puncture that won't seal and you stick a tube in. Make sure you remove any thorns still stuck in there! 😀
