mech.bollla

dear friends,
I used to ride a mtb with tought tires of 26*2.5 and i was annoyed when driving on the road, for both heaviness and knobs sound on the road.

I sold the bike and i bought a trek 7.1 FX hybrid bike with narrower & larger tire of 700*35 , its much more comfortable & lighter on the road rather than the mtb but i have one question about the tire puncture resistance & durability, will it resist road imperfections & sharpness the same the mtb tires or not?

bearing in mind that i am fat guy of 240 lbs and willing to lose lots of pounds using my bike

thank u all

Burton

It depends on the tire. There are lots of tires available in both 26" and 700c sizes (Schwalbe Marathon for example) that have flat protection built in. Not every tire is the same.

mstateglfr 

a 35 wide tire is much more narrow than your previous tires, but it is still plenty wide enough to be strong.
If you were to hop on a 23 wide tire, regardless of brand and model, you would probably see more flats due to pinching.

as a bigger guy, 6'5 220, I completely understand the concern you have with flats when it comes to tire size.

look for some stronger tires online- amazon reviews are very helpful actually- and just know that typically rolling resistance is worse on tires that are better protected from flats.

Burton

Any tire designed for city or urban use will have LESS rolling resistance than any mtb bike tire - which is where the OP is coming from.

Schwalbe Marathon Supremes, Marathon Pluses and Conti Ultra Gatorskins are some of the best commuting and touring tires out there. You were thinking of what tires yourself?

Reynolds 

MTB tires are more forgiving, but 700x35s should be OK for you if you keep them well inflated (at least 70-80 psi) and avoid large potholes.

mstateglfr 

I have a set of Marathon GG(greenguard) 32s.
They are excellent. They are also heavy and don't roll as well as other tires I have of the same width.

I wasn't knocking your suggestion, I was simply explaining that there is a trade-off when it comes to flat protection. Flat protection tires typically dont roll as easily. This is from my experience and from reading the experiences of others.

I fully agree that anything he has or gets now will roll better than his old mtb.

mech.bollla

I really want to thank all of u guys, ur opinions were all useful for me.

Wanderer

Schwalbe Marathon Supremes are extremely light weight, roll extremely well with very little resistance, and have extremely good puncture protection. Along with that, traction and cornering wet or dry are amazing, and they are very durable at rolling up lots of miles. Expensive, but worth every penny, IMHO. I ride them in 35 and 40 widths, and will soon also be riding them in 32 width on my Sirrus, (Probably with a 35 on the back for capacity and comfort.)

Their only downside is that they don't like ice and snow.

Almost forgot - I'm at 210 right now.

mech.bollla

What if o want to use use wider tires on the same rims ? What would be my options ?

rumrunn6

you'll be fine, ride like the wind! :-)

don't go wider, if anything go narrower! I'm over 200 lbs & ride 23s

Bill Kapaun

A MB tire with thick knobs will tend to be more flat resistant simply because of the thickness of the knobs.
An object has to penetrate further to pierce the casing. Some objects are too short. Catch a nail the wrong way and it's a moot point on about any tire.

Downside of flat resistant tires is they tend to be heavier AND stiffer.
You pick your poison, depending on your riding conditions and what you are willing to risk in trading flat resistance vs easier rolling.

Wanderer

Look on your rims for the internal width. You will find a label that looks like 622X0018, or 622X18, or similar. We need that to determine how wide the rim would cover. Next, would be space to seat stays, chain stays, bridges, forks, top of fork, etc, to determine. You will probably be OK up to 32 or 35, mayb e wider...... need measurements or others experience. What is the year of your bike, too.

mech.bollla

Regarding the frame clearnace which seems to be the most critical parameter, there is only 5mm clearance from each side of the rear tire, i am really confused, i enjoy the ride with the 35mm stock bontrager tire, but im worried from my weight and puncture !!

mech.bollla

Im really optimistic with ur reply, but plz tell me more about ur riding conditions, surfaces and things u have to avoid and things u can go through with no worries.
my problem with my previous mtb was that i used to ride like blind .. Lol .. Go for every thing with no worries at all as if i was driving buldozer

fietsbob

USA, the Hybrid is typically a relatively wide 700c wheel, the 29er is a Very wide 700c tire similar bead seat diameter ..


now a 26 by 1.5" tire can be light and easy rolling . on an MTB .. though people like the comfy air Cushion of the wider comfort quality smooth tread tires
from companies like Schwalbe ..

Their Marathon Plus Casing adds a thorn absorbing BARRIER LAYER under the tread. MARATHON PLUS | Schwalbe North America

rumrunn6

this clip shows my roads. I try to stay on the smooth parts ... :-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RphXhSSwuQ

Wanderer

With only 5mm of clearance, I would be sticking with the 35s................. MHO

Darth Lefty 

Flat resistance has less to do with size and more to do with features in the tire (like a thick carcass and a liner made of kevlar or hard plastic) and features in the tube (puncture resistant are thick, thornproof are really thick, and you can get tubes with Slime already injected).

Just as an example among tires already mentioned, Supremes (first pic) are softer and feel better but are less flat resistant than Marathon Plus.

But really don't worry about it unless and until you have a problem with flats with your current tire, or you wear them out and need to shop for the next one.

Woochifer

The Bontrager H2 hybrid/urban tires that come with the FX 7.1 don't make note of any puncture resistance. The H2 tires are available in three different levels of puncture resistance, and moving up to the FX 7.2 will also move up to puncture resistant tires, while the FX 7.3 model and higher will come with narrower puncture resistant road tires. The mountain bike tires are definitely cushier and less susceptible to road imperfections, but they also ride slower and a lot more noisily.

I bought a bike with hybrid/urban tires as well, because I also didn't like my test rides with mountain bike tires. The tires seem to do well on pavement and dirt trails, but I'll also be weighing different options when the OEM tires wear down a bit more. Not sure if I want to stay with a hybrid/urban tire, or go with something knobbier or closer to a dedicated road tire.

mech.bollla

so, will shwalbe marathon supremes with the same size 700*35C make a huge difference regarding puncturing resistance? is it the best brand i can buy ?
or i will lose my money
i am thinking as a future plan after my current tires worn out

Bill Kapaun

IF flat resistance is your only concern, get some of the Schwalbes recommended.

You don't state what your riding conditions are like.
IF nice smooth, clean pavement you don't need flat protection to the same degree and can use a more supple, easier rolling tire.
I weigh 250 and use 25mm tires on my hybrid. Much quicker accelerating and much more fun to ride.
It seems like I get 2 flats/year within 3 days of each other and then I'm good until next year.

mech.bollla

I always ride on paved roads and street, but the surfaces are not smooth all the time, specially when it comes to cats eyes and roads imperfictions.

Wanderer

I used to get 2.5 flats per week, on roads and paved MUPs. About 1 flat per every 100 miles.

I switched to Schwalbe Marathon Supremes, and have not had one since! It has been years!

Yes, you have to look at tires, and remove the hitch hikers when you see them; But I did with the OEM tires too. The main problem before the Supremes, was that they got thru the tire before I was done with my ride. That has not been the problem with the Supremes. I get to remove them before they get thru that protective layer.

Farmer Dave

My commuter hybrid has 700x35 c. I have but at between 2-and 3k miles on the bike, and just got my first flat. Granted I'm a very light rider, (152lbs) but honestly for all the people that btch about "rolling resistance, and that the tires are heavier and blah blah blah, on the real man, getting to work on time, without having to change flats is soooo worth it. So I get to work 5 minutes later than if i had skinnier tires. In my opinion it's worth it to not stress and have to change a flat every other time you hop on the bike. Just my $0.02

Ten Mile

I have a similar bike, the Trek 7.5FX. It originally came with puncture resistant Hard Case Lites, and I had good luck with them. When it was time to replace them, I swapped them out for Specialized Armadillo 700x 25 All Condition tires. I am flat-phobic, so I also had a Mr. Tuffy Liner installed, as well as thorn resistant tubes (extra thick tubes). I've never had a flat when commuting with this setup, over thousands of miles. The extra weight is only slightly noticeable, but the peace of mind is priceless. I know it's overkill, it works so well that I've stopped packing my flat kit altogether. It just doesn't happen. If I ever get a flat, I'll just lock my bike to something and call a cab or a coworker for a ride. I don't see it happening any time soon.