# Best puncture resistant tyres



## Cuchilo (25 Jul 2013)

For a road bike . 
I had my first puncture yesterday so the next purchase are new tyres . I have schwalbe on my mtb and they have not let me down after about 15 punctures before I got them .... Hawthorn hedge !
Are schwabiwable the best or are there better options ?


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## philinmerthyr (25 Jul 2013)

Cuchilo said:


> For a road bike .
> I had my first puncture yesterday so the next purchase are new tyres . I have schwalbe on my mtb and they have not let me down after about 15 punctures before I got them .... Hawthorn hedge !
> Are schwabiwable the best or are there better options ?



Why do you need new tyres? Everyone gets a puncture now and again. Are your tyres worn out? 

I've got conti 4000s they are pretty good.


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## slowmotion (25 Jul 2013)

Everybody has their own individual favorites. I use Continental GP Four Seasons....some people hate them. Duranos are favoured by others.. If you type "puncture proof tyre" into the CC Search box, a whole load of threads and opinions will be thrown up.

Good luck.


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## the_mikey (25 Jul 2013)

There are lots of tyres available, but what constitutes the best depends on what you want from a tyre, how much puncture resistance do you want, where are you prepared to compromise?

Puncture resistance comes at a price, either in terms of money or in terms of weight, rolling resistance, grip etc, 

I find these tyres acceptable in terms of puncture resistance:

Vittoria Rubino Pro
Continental Grand Prix 
Continental Grand Prix GT 
Continental Gatorskin
Continental GP4000s
Michelin Pro4 Endurance
Schwalbe Durano 

However out of those I only rate the grip on the Continental Grand Prix, Grand Prix GT and GP4000s.

If you want extreme puncture resistance then you need to look at Schwalbe Marathon plus, or city riding tyres like Freedom Racine Deluxe.


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## Puddles (25 Jul 2013)

I use slimey tubes


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## Widge (25 Jul 2013)

The puncture fairy can strike anywhere anyhow and anyone IMO!! I've had my fair share and there ain't really any such thing as total immunity. I've just got better (actually no-not better-just more resigned) at fixing them.

HAVING SAID THAT..... it was interesting to read that Rubino Pros had someone's endorsement and that Schwalbe have a good rep for puncture resistance.
I have been running Rubino Pros on my Roadie and Schwalbe tyres on my MTB this year and have been puncture-free so far (touch wood and spit 3 times!)


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## Hill Wimp (25 Jul 2013)

Gatorskins have always served me well .


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## slowmotion (25 Jul 2013)

[QUOTE 2567120, member: 30090"]Marathon plus ime have the best puncture protection.[/quote]
Yes, I think that's pretty much accepted by most people. A possible problem for some people is that they are heavy, and when I last looked, they didn't come skinnier than 25 mm.


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## Cuchilo (26 Jul 2013)

Gatorskins have had the biggest hit while looking online . Is having puncture resistant tyres really that bad on the performance of the bike ?


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## AndyPeace (26 Jul 2013)

Over 3k miles on my gatorskins without a flat so far. I think tire pressure plays a big part, which should be matched to your weight. Even with great puncture protection an under inflated tire is much more likely to puncture. I suspect the tires they replaced (conti - 4 seasons) were more prone as I'd had no track pump at the time and I was probably running too low a pressure. I still have them and used them again at the tail end of winter without problems. On my mtb I have Schwalbe big apple tires and they are about 5 years old now (but probably only around 5/6k miles) they do puncture but it's few and far between. Sometimes nasties get embedded into a tire and slowly work there way through the protection, if your getting a lot of flats I'd check the tire for these. As others have said, no inflated tire is going to stop you getting punctures, just make it less probable.


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## AndyPeace (26 Jul 2013)

Cuchilo said:


> Gatorskins have had the biggest hit while looking online . Is having puncture resistant tyres really that bad on the performance of the bike ?


 
As well as adding weight they detract from the flexibility of a tire. A more subtle tire is better able to shape itself to the road. Instead of all the micro bumps on the road slowing the wheel, they are better absorbed by the tire. Probably only significant if you are racing or time trialing


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## slowmotion (26 Jul 2013)

Cuchilo said:


> Gatorskins have had the biggest hit while looking online . Is having puncture resistant tyres really that bad on the performance of the bike ?


 If you want to go as fast as possible, or race, then yes. If you want to get to work on time on your commute, bomb-proof tyres will be attractive. It's a compromise that each individual will make. I went for reasonably puncture-resistant thin (ish) tyres, mainly out of vanity...


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## PK99 (26 Jul 2013)

Cuchilo said:


> For a road bike .
> I had my first puncture yesterday so the next purchase are new tyres . I have schwalbe on my mtb and they have not let me down after about 15 punctures before I got them .... Hawthorn hedge !
> Are schwabiwable the best or are there better options ?


 

There are punctures. And then there are punctures....

Depends what sort of thing you are protecting against, glass shards etc on city streets or thorns on country lanes. I found the specialized borough tyres that came with my various tricross bikes (don't ask...) to be flint magnets, even the Armadillo version would pick up flints that worked their way through very effectively.


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## themosquitoking (26 Jul 2013)

My armidillos allowed flint to get into the rubber but not through the armoured layer.


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## martint235 (26 Jul 2013)

It's a very subjective thing I feel. Some people above rate the grip of GP4000s, I think it's awful! I have Marathons on my commuter bike and am now getting a little tired (??) of them as I've had two punctures in a month.

On my distance bike, I have Duranos and wouldn't set off on a 200 miler on anything else.

For the price, I don't think you can beat Rubinos but you will get the occasional puncture, everyone does. It just doesn't feel as bad when you've only paid £12 for a fairly light tyre.


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## Alien8 (26 Jul 2013)

Commute bike: Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase (25mm). Last replaced the rear after 6,750 puncture free miles. At £14 a top tyre (http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/bontrager-race-lite-hardcase-tyre-id40573.html).

Weekend bike: Rubinos (cheap version, not the pros) (23mm). Last replaced the rear after 5,770 puncture free miles.

Have them both at ~120psi.

And dig out any embedded bits after _every_ ride.


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## DWiggy (26 Jul 2013)

My Gatorskins have been bomb proof so far (touch wood) and have about 5k on them, the rear is squaring off a bit but rubber is still fine with only a few small cuts and the side wall has just stared to frey a little, definitely recommended for the commuter, I can also manage a reasonable average on them  and on Wiggle they are only around £20 (wired) and £25 (folding) although was contemplating the 4000s the next time as the Gskins are a little heavy?


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## Wobblers (26 Jul 2013)

The last word in puncture resistance is Schwalbe Marathon Plusses (okay, that's three words ). Heavy the certainly are, but I've found the criticisms of a harsh ride unfounded at least in the 32 mm size I run. They're also quite good grip wise - when I was running M+ at the front and Panaracer Paselas at the back, it was the back that stepped out on slippery roundabouts on more than one occasion: just as well it hadn't been the other way round!

Durano plusses also seem to be very good, and come in 23 mm size. I've not tried the Michelin Pro4 Endurance yet, but the tyre they replaced, the Krylion Carbon was very good.


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## Shadow (26 Jul 2013)

It has been said before but I think bears repeating, whatever tyre you end up with, do:

a) check for road shrapnel, regularly, and
b) inflate tyres, regularly.

Do both, regularly, and the propensity for punctures will diminish in inverse proportion.


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## BSRU (26 Jul 2013)

The time lost due to using heavy Marathon plus tyres with their harsh ride and not too great wet weather characteristics is far far greater than time lost due to punctures.
If you are completely puncture averse and/or ride across tonnes of broken glass go for a better tyre for a better ride, ensuring you check for unwanted visitors on their way the inner tube.


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## Davidc (26 Jul 2013)

There are loads of good puncture resistant tyres, see above.

There are no pneumatic tyres that are puncture proof.

I now have marathons (not the plus ones) on all bikes and have had one puncture in 4000 miles riding. Doesn't mean we won't get one next time any of the bikes is used, just that they resist punctures and we've been lucky.

And what Shadow says in post #21.


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## Cuchilo (27 Jul 2013)

Thanks for the replies . I had another puncture today grrrr so called around for some opinions and prices . I'm tempted to go for the schwabiwable ones as I have those on my mtb , they have resisted the hawthorn hedge I ride past for a few years . 
When I questioned how heavy the tires where and likened it to a bottle of water I was told they are no where near that heavy . Getting on the mtb however I now notice how sluggish things are . I don't want that on the road bike as I'm loving the speed !


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## g0kmt (27 Jul 2013)

I had a puncture the other week and it had nothing to do with the tyre - it was the rim tape doubled over, exposing a spoke!


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## DinoT1985 (27 Jul 2013)

I was looking into the Durano Plus. I've used Marathon Plus in the past which were great but quite slow. Does anyone have any experience with the Durano Plus in winter conditions?


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## Cuchilo (28 Jul 2013)

I went for Continental Gatorskins in the end . Mainly because they only had one Marathon plus in stock . Why a shop only has one tyre in stock has me baffled


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## vickster (28 Jul 2013)

Maybe they had two and sold one? Just not had new stock in?


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