Tires, tubes & mudgards recommendation

velomelo

Hi Guys,

I got a flat tire yesterday while my bike was parked on the balcony - not sure why - but the tires look bit worn out anyway and I need wider tires for what I'm going to use this for.

Numbers on the rim are:

ETRTO Rim Size 622x17C inner rim with 17C
ETRTO recommended tire width: 25mm - 52mm

Current tires are:
32-622 (28x 1 1/4 x 7 3/4)

Could you recommend me new tires that are pretty puncture resistant with plenty of grip mainly on the roads. Need to be wider than these because I will have rear seat on for my 2yr old.

I will also need nice set of mudguards (that don't rattle are fairly light and cover plenty of whee).

Thanks

reallyunique

Let's dispense with possible diagnoses of the flat tyre and get on with choosing a replacement.

Nope, can't bring myself to do it. Tyres generally puncture because either,
a) something pierces the tyre and tube. Glass, metal, thorn, hardly matters. A decent tyre with puncture protection will help here.
b) the tyre wasn't inflated to the appropriate pressure (this varies with load and use so it's easy to under-inflate) the tyre gets flattened under the weight and pressure of going over a bump or onto a pavement (we don't really do that, do we?) and the tube gets pinched between the outside world and the rim. A "pinch" flat or "snakebite".
c) improperly closed presta valve gets a bit of dirt stuck in it or gets bent and damaged and leaks air slowly.
d) old and perished rubber in the tube gives up the ghost.
e) improperly seated tube during installation bends the valve or traps the tube twixt tyre and rim.

Now you'll notice that only one of these potential puncture scenarios can be mitigated by a new tyre. Watch the videos on YouTube and take care when putting tyres and tubes on wheels, pump to the correct pressure and you'll have a much happier cycling career.

So, to the tyres...
There are a few tyres that regularly get rave reviews, Schwalbe Marathon Supreme, nearly slick which is fine for roads, the Marathon Mondial, similar but with more tread for gripping on gravel and other non-Tarmac roads, then the Marathon Plus Tour, another aggressive tread with reinforced sidewalls, thicker anti-puncture strip and ... it's all on their website. If the above get punctured then you have angered the cycling gods so just be happy it's only a puncture. Seriously, they all provide top class protection with the Plus Tour being the top dog. Personally, I'd sacrifice some protection for the smoother tread of the Supreme, it's nearly as stick-proof but a nicer ride all the time. If you get a puncture on these you'd probably still get one on the Plus Tour as your talking big nails or glass or something.
Continental do a similar range with, Supersport Plus, Touring Plus and Country Plus filling the same niches as the Schwalbes above. Each brand has it's advocates and detractors but pick either one and you'll have made a fine choice.

In general the more treaded and puncture resistant the tyre the heavier and less comfortable it is to ride. The toughest of those listed weigh nearly a kilogram each but if you're carrying cargo then you'll be huffing and puffing anyway.
The less comfortable ride can be harder to tolerate though. The tougher sidewalls give a more buzzy, bumpy ride and you'll notice it, probably even with the front suspension (though that'll help a lot!). In the end you'll just have to weigh up if it's worth the weight and discomfort of lugging these armoured tyres around against walking the bike home. Fixing a puncture with a two year old in the seat (or worse, toddling around the pavement) is out of scope for most humans.
Other companies, like Michelin and so on do tough tyres too but there are too many to list.

These tyres cost an effing fortune! Seriously, check the prices, you won't believe me if I put them here. They'll last forever so they are reasonable value but wow, a lot of coin for a rubber ring.

Sizing: in general, bigger is better for comfort and speed (once you're not going fast enough for aerodynamic effects to start bleeding energy) though at 32mm you're probably close to what your bike will take and more than enough to cope with you and a small child. 37mm is pretty much maxed out for most touring/cx frames so I'd treat that as a limit unless you're sure they'll fit. Leave room for the mudguards (fenders) too as they take up space above the tyre. You can cut and bend and mess with the guards to get a few more mm but don't bother. Get tyres that fit!
I can get 37mm heavily treaded tyres on my bike but 40s would foul all over the place and my bike has buckets of room compared to most.

Whatever tyres & tubes you get, pump them to a decent pressure or all of this will be in vain!!!

Mudguards: some people like metal ones, some plastic. I think both are fine. I like the way alloy ones bend and can be polished but the plastic ones resist wear nearly as well and are easier to find. SKS are about the most popular brand and I like their "longboard" series. They cover most of the wheel and keep spray away from you, your shoes and your bike better than anything else I've tried. Shorter ones are ok too but I find some of the race blade type to be less good, probably useless with 37mm tyres. Mountain bike ones are best avoided for road use, I find they stop mud but rain can swirl off the top of the front guard and into my eyes. They don't cover much of the wheel either.

Tubes: if you're REALLY on the warpath against punctures you can get "slime" filled tubes. These contain a small amount of 'stuff' which is supposed to fill a puncture and get you home. I've used a few on an old MTB for commuting and whilst they didn't stop the air from getting out they did let me pump up and travel 5 miles home. Then you bin the tube and get a new one. I've heard of people patching them but I didn't manage. Again, they add some weight but they saved me a walk home from Temple Bar (small glass cut).

Sorry this is such a long post but I'm a gobby git in real life so be thankful you don't have to put up with the live version
Hope this helps.

velomelo

reallyunique wrote: »

Let's dispense with possible diagnoses of the flat tyre and get on with choosing a replacement.

Nope, can't bring myself to do it. Tyres generally puncture because either,
a) something pierces the tyre and tube. Glass, metal, thorn, hardly matters. A decent tyre with puncture protection will help here.
b) the tyre wasn't inflated to the appropriate pressure (this varies with load and use so it's easy to under-inflate) the tyre gets flattened under the weight and pressure of going over a bump or onto a pavement (we don't really do that, do we?) and the tube gets pinched between the outside world and the rim. A "pinch" flat or "snakebite".
c) improperly closed presta valve gets a bit of dirt stuck in it or gets bent and damaged and leaks air slowly.
d) old and perished rubber in the tube gives up the ghost.
e) improperly seated tube during installation bends the valve or traps the tube twixt tyre and rim.

Now you'll notice that only one of these potential puncture scenarios can be mitigated by a new tyre. Watch the videos on YouTube and take care when putting tyres and tubes on wheels, pump to the correct pressure and you'll have a much happier cycling career.

Now I wanted to avoid that because I got the bike - seen the tires were in a bit shaky state (kind of aged or smth) but I pumped them real nice and took the bike for a spin maybe around 4-5km. Came back home left the bike on the balcony (can't remember if it was particularly sunny or extremely hot) but yesterday all of a sudden while I was reading newspaper I hear this loud psssssst. I went to check it out and see the rear tyre was a bit flat. Not sure why and won't investigate till I decide what to buy. So there you go a real mystery. However I will double check everything before putting new stuff on.

I was thinking of these but then having read your post I think I might look bit silly....