New Tyres

[markyboy22]

Hi, just after some advice about tyres for my bike if possible.

I've been riding for a while but I'm still fairly clueless when it comes to this sort of thing. At the moment I've got some 'slick' tyres on my mountain bike as most of my riding is commuting on roads/paths rather than offroad. I've suffered a fair bit from pinch flats and it's also not the most comfortable ride, mostly because I'm a big lad so almost feels like i'm running on semi-flat tyres as soon as I set off.

Are there any tyres that are built for bigger loads? The measurement on my current ones are 26 x 2.1. I previously had problems with the rims but have since got new hand built rims that appear to be much stronger and have prevented the problems I had with spokes pinging off, so I'm just trying to sort the tyres out now.

Cheers for any help.

 

[helston90]

What pressure are you running?

If you're feeling half inflated when you set off there's no surprise you're getting pinch flats.

 

[mjr]

Pinch flats are usually caused by insufficient tyre pressure. What pressures are you running at and what weight (you+bike+luggage, so not only you) are you carrying and what tyres are you currently using? (Some tyres have strange low or high pressure limits.)

In general, I'd be looking at the various Schwalbe Cruiser tyres (maybe Road Cruiser) for your situation if they're available in a suitable size.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Your solution doesn't lie in new tyres but in more tyre pressure, as others have also pointed out.

 

[markyboy22]

What pressure are you running?

If you're feeling half inflated when you set off there's no surprise you're getting pinch flats.

Pinch flats are usually caused by insufficient tyre pressure. What pressures are you running at and what weight (you+bike+luggage, so not only you) are you carrying and what tyres are you currently using? (Some tyres have strange low or high pressure limits.)

In general, I'd be looking at the various Schwalbe Cruiser tyres (maybe Road Cruiser) for your situation if they're available in a suitable size.

Cheers guys, this may be daft but I have no idea what pressure is in them, I've just pumped them up until they feel fit to burst in the hope that helps. I'll have to get the proper pump out with the gauge on it and do it properly. The bike is carrying 20+ stone of weight when I'm on it with a full rucksack (I've tried to pass off some of that weight as the rucksack there but it's pretty much all me).

It's got some Schwalbe tyres on it at the moment, again not sure what make but they've got the blue kevlar strip in them? Sorry for being a bit vague.

 

[markyboy22]

Your solution doesn't lie in new tyres but in more tyre pressure, as others have also pointed out.

If that's the case then it'll save me a few quid at least, based on the weight mentioned above what sort of psi should I be running? I think I'm just cautious of overdoing it but maybe as a consequence I've created a fairly easy to fix problem

 

[montroseloon]

get a good track pump, makes life so much easier trying to get the right pressures

 

[mjr]

The bike is carrying 20+ stone of weight when I'm on it with a full rucksack

I got http://mtb.ubiqyou.com/ to suggest 44psi front and 47 rear... but if you want to be conservative, put the back one up near to the max pressure written on the tyre, but keep an eye on it trying to pop off the rim (you may see some safety pattern appear next to it) - I think it's less likely to happen if you lie the bike down while pumping, but put it on something soft

I used to use the thumb test on my tyres (pump up until it feels hard when pressed). They were between 50 and 80% of the pressure I use now. My thumbs are puny!

 

[markyboy22]

I got http://mtb.ubiqyou.com/ to suggest 44psi front and 47 rear... but if you want to be conservative, put the back one up near to the max pressure written on the tyre, but keep an eye on it trying to pop off the rim (you may see some safety pattern appear next to it) - I think it's less likely to happen if you lie the bike down while pumping, but put it on something soft

I used to use the thumb test on my tyres (pump up until it feels hard when pressed). They were between 50 and 80% of the pressure I use now. My thumbs are puny!

Haha yeah that's been pretty much my method and it would seem as though something as simple as that might be my problem, I shall give it a go and report back in a couple of days, either that or I'll have over inflated it and be in A&E when a blown tyre has taken half my backside off.

 

[mjr]

either that or I'll have over inflated it and be in A&E when a blown tyre has taken half my backside off.

In a few decades of cycling, the worst I've known was someone's just-inflated-correctly tyre now pushing harder on an undiscovered-before sharp edge inside the rim and the inner tube exploding as the pump was detached. Not heard of one exploding the tyre... if it does manage to blow the tyre off, the worst should be it locking the back wheel and you skidding to a stop.

Best keep an eye on the min and max on the side of the tyre, though.

 

[markyboy22]

In a few decades of cycling, the worst I've known was someone's just-inflated-correctly tyre now pushing harder on an undiscovered-before sharp edge inside the rim and the inner tube exploding as the pump was detached. Not heard of one exploding the tyre... if it does manage to blow the tyre off, the worst should be it locking the back wheel and you skidding to a stop.

Best keep an eye on the min and max on the side of the tyre, though.

I'll check the max. before pumping them up any further, I have a vague recollection of seeing 55 on the side next to the tyre size but no idea if that sounds right so i'll double check.

 

[dim]

best wide tyres that I have used are Schwalbe Marathon Supreme (I have used the 2 inch wide ones and they are really pleasant to ride with) .... not for offroad though

 

[Grant Fondo]

if tyres are damaged get some new ones, I had Schwalbe Kojaks (2 inch) on my Cannondale MTB for a while, no probs with my 16.5 stone but only used on road... then I had the bright idea of getting a road bike, hey presto. Try Racekings which will probably take more punishment but roll ok on roads/tracks.

 

[si_c]

Get a track pump, it'll be the best accessory you ever buy. It'll tell you what pressure is in the tyres (more or less, it's not 100% accurate), as well as make it incredibly easy to keep the tires pumped up. I got mine for £12 from halfords, although you can get more expensive ones than that.

 

[Grant Fondo]

this one is $450, not sure what exchange rate is but that's stupid!
http://www.mensjournal.com/gear/spo...-expensive-bicycle-pump-ever-created-20150507