Puncture proof bike tyres. Recommendations please.

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somevelvetmorning
Posts: 2
Joined: 17 Oct 2018, 5:44pm

Puncture proof bike tyres. Recommendations please.

Post by somevelvetmorning »

Hello

I recently bought a pair of 27" x 1-1/4 Schwalbe Marathon bike tyres for my secondhand bike, but while they fit the wheel they are far too big for my bike frame and the wheels won't even turn around anymore. Can anyone recommend another type of tyre that are not as chunky as the Schwalbe Marathon, but still (relatively) puncture proof? (I have the Marathons on another bike and quite liked them).

Much appreciated,

Yvonne
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kylecycler
Posts: 1378
Joined: 12 Aug 2013, 4:09pm
Location: Kyle, Ayrshire

Re: Puncture proof bike tyres. Recommendations please.

Post by kylecycler »

Hello Yvonne, welcome to the forum.

You're a wee bit limited for choice - 27" is an old standard and there are relatively few tyres available - but, although they might not be quite as puncture-proof as the Marathons, these might fit:

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tyres/panar ... nch-28630/

And these definitely should:

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tyres-large ... nch-25630/

Or maybe the smaller size of these:

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tyres/27-x- ... -inch-630/

You need to read off the size on the sidewall of your old tyres - might be 27 x 1 1/8 Inch / 28-630 (first option), or 27 x 1.00 Inch / 25-630 (second or third options) - then replace like with like, size-wise (evidently 27 x 1 1/4 is too big, as you've found out). Go for the bigger size if it fits, but it's no use if it doesn't, of course.

Panaracer Pasela tyres are at least as high quality as Schwalbe Marathons* - maybe even more so, in the sense that they might well give you a cushier ride - but they may or may not be just quite as puncture-proof. Continentals are ok too. They're all more expensive than the Marathons, but as most cyclists will tell you, if there's one thing you shouldn't skimp on, it's tyres - never really something you regret.

*There are many different flavours of Schwalbe Marathons. Only Marathon Plus tyres are seriously puncture-proof, but they don't appear to be available in 27"/630mm (at least not at SJS, who have a comprehensive stock of almost all tyre sizes), and while Paselas might not resist punctures quite so well as Marathons (depending on which Marathon we're talking about), they're excellent tyres.

Bear in mind, though, we're getting into hedge cutting season... hawthorn hedges... and until the spring we're all doomed... DOOMED, I TELL YOU!... But maybe you're too young to remember that reference... :)
Brucey
Posts: 44521
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: Puncture proof bike tyres. Recommendations please.

Post by Brucey »

that Schwalbe marathons in 27x 1-1/4" don't fit may be because the bike isn't meant for any 27 x 1-1/4" tyres (and is meant for 27x1" or 27 x 7/8", both of which can fit onto the same diameter of rim), or it may be because that Schwalbe marathon version comes up a bit larger than it should; Marathons currently have a rather thick tread (with a rubber puncture protection layer inside it) and some models of marathon are now built onto smaller carcasses to keep the size of the tyre within reasonable limits; I think they had too many returns from folks who found the marathons didn't fit, much as you have.

So a photo of the available clearance/present tyres might help.

NB if you have 27" wheels you may have 'hook bead' rims or you may not. If the rims are steel they are almost certainly 'not'. So are some aluminium rims, too. If 'not' note that the safe maximum inflation pressure of the tyre ought to be reduced, since the tyre is not retained as well as on 'hook bead' rims. There is usually a cryptic note to this effect in the instructions for the tyre and/or written on it (in very small type)

BITD I had a 'dawes mirage' racing bike; it came with 27x7/8" rims and tyres. That you can still buy anything in this size is a miracle; I had a choice of about three tyres only and that was about forty years ago. I converted that bike to 700C rims and tyres, which requires that you lower the brake blocks 4mm. This gives room for a 4mm wider tyre too, as well as there being a lot more choice of tyres.

cheers
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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NATURAL ANKLING
Posts: 13780
Joined: 24 Oct 2012, 10:43pm
Location: English Riviera

Re: Puncture proof bike tyres. Recommendations please.

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Puncture proof tyres are a waste of space!

Thorns and glass even nails will go straight through.

Tyr to keep out of gutter near to kerb, this is where all the rubbish lurks.

Good luck.
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
landsurfer
Posts: 5327
Joined: 27 Oct 2012, 9:13pm

Re: Puncture proof bike tyres. Recommendations please.

Post by landsurfer »

Vittoria Adventure Tech, don't cost a lot from Decathlon and can often be found cheap through on line sale companies .. 3000 miles this year and no punctures ... :D .... yet...
“Quiet, calm deliberation disentangles every knot.”
Be more Mike.
The road goes on forever.
somevelvetmorning
Posts: 2
Joined: 17 Oct 2018, 5:44pm

Re: Puncture proof bike tyres. Recommendations please.

Post by somevelvetmorning »

Thanks all for helpful advice.

Both my old tyres and the rim, say 32-630 (27 1-1/4), so I think I have the right size, just not the right tyres. The Marathons are very big and I doubted they would even fit the rim when I first got them. I also suspected someone could have fitted the wrong size wheels to the bike at some point, but a search on internet seems to indicate they are the right size.

I shall try my luck with one of the other brands that have been recommended. In the meantime I might just put my old tyres back on, so I can commute to work in my preferred way again.

Thanks,

Yvonne :D
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kylecycler
Posts: 1378
Joined: 12 Aug 2013, 4:09pm
Location: Kyle, Ayrshire

Re: Puncture proof bike tyres. Recommendations please.

Post by kylecycler »

So Brucey was right enough (as usual!) - you got the right size, they just didn't fit. It's frustrating, that.

It can work the other way - I got Continental RIDE Tour tyres from SJS earlier this year, supposedly 42-584, ie 42mm width, and they only measured 38mm on the wheels. Not a good look when the original Kenda tyres were 48mm but measured 50.

Actually, that suggests the 27 x 1 1/4 version of these could work out ok for you, when you get round to trying again - I think Continentals as a rule tend to come out undersize, if anything.

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tyres-large ... nch-32630/

They may or may not be quite as puncture-proof as the Marathons but they're the same price and a fair bit cheaper than the Paselas. I used to run the older version of them, except in 26-inch/559 size. They were ok, nothing special, they served me well enough but they've been revised since then and I think they're better now.

You probably want to persevere with fitting the same size as your old tyres, just hopefully finding ones that actually fit!
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