7/29 I have a 70's road bike I ride to work. A few months back I replaced
the rear wheel and tire, then I put a set of old 70's rear baskets
on it. The baskets are great in general, with them I don't have to
wear a backpack and I can carry a lot more. However, they are heavy.
Since I put them on 2 months ago I've had 3 flat tires in back,
compared to 1 in the year previous. I think the extra weight is wearing
out the tire faster and causing more flats. Do I need a tougher
tire or something? What can I do?
\_ For commuting, extra weight shouldn't be a big deal, so use heavy
tires. I've been very happy with Specialized Armadillo tires, but
I'm not sure if they make really thin road bike styles. Mine is
700C size.
\_ Extra weight will cause more flat tires, not because it wears
them out faster, but because there's more force on the tire when
you run over glass and thorns. (That's also why bikes get more
flat tires on the rear than on the front). For commuting with
weight, you probably want to get a fatter tire designed for
commuting. If your wheels are 700c, look for a 700x32 or 700x35
or even 29" slick tire, depending on what will fit in your frame.
My favorite is the Schwalbe Big Apple 28x2.0", but there are a
lot of decent commuter tires.
If you have 27" wheels, as a lot of bikes did in the 70s, your
selection will be a lot more limited, but you can probably still
find something better than what you have. -tom
\_ I have 27" wheels. I think I have a little more clearance for
wider tires, but not a huge amount. Are you saying I could put
wider tires on the same wheel I have now?
My local bike shop also has 27" Aramdillos for $45.
\_ Yes, you can put wider tires on your existing rim, if they'll
fit in your frame. The Armadillos seem pretty good; get the
widest size available (if there's a choice)
Also, make sure you have enough air in the tire; if your
tire is too low, your rim will bottom when you hit potholes,
giving you pinch flats. -tom
\_ Hmm. Googling around I haven't found any 27" tires
wider than the 1 1/4" tires I'm currently sporting.
\_ Like I said, the selection of 27" tires is pretty
limited; these days rims are pretty much not made
in that size. -tom |
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