m_yates

I wish I could buy a tire with a 70,000 mile warranty like I can on my car. My first set of tires (Kendra brand I think - whatever came with my bike) lasted 1200 miles. I then bought Schwalbe Marathons. Theses lasted 1300 miles with 1 flat. However, my rear tire got a gash in it last week that trashed the rear tire. I patched it, but the fibers protruding from the gash in the tire gradually wore a new hole in the tube. The rear tread was worn down somewhat anyway, so here I am buying a new tire after 1300 miles.

Does anyone have any experience getting high mileage out of tires? I guess I should just plan on buying a new tire every 1200 miles, but with the miles I am putting on my bike commuting, that is a new tire every 3-4 months. Tires I am looking at: Continental Touring Plus, Vittoria Randonnear, Panaracer Paseala Tourguard. Any suggestions? The size I like is 700cx32, but I could go a little wider or narrower.

10 Wheels

Panaracer Paseala are good.
I ride with two guys that get up to 11,000 miles on a tire.

CastIron

Tires are all about compromise and choices. No way in hell I'd put a cheapo 70k tire on my car. Having said that I'll throw this out:

Gatorskins seem to not wear out, and I'm really hard on tires.
Same for the Specialized Armadillo.

But I don't much like them for other reasons (therein the compromise and choices).

The Vittoria Randonneur Pro is my new favorite but mileage is yet to be seen.
The Panaracer model is widely regarded as a star of the cheap long haul set.

goldfishin

schwalbe... i'll run nothing else.

ItsJustMe

I'm trying Marathons right now, because others have reported getting 7000+ miles on back and 13000+ on the front. I've got < 1000 on mine right now but they seem barely past new.

I put a pair of Bontrager Race Lites on a couple of years ago, and the rear lasted between 4000 and 5000 miles, the front has that plus another 300 miles or so on it (those with it on the rear) and it's still fine.

It probably depends a lot on your riding style and environment though. The cheapo Kendas that my bike came with lasted me about 2100 miles, and when they wore out, they had a dead flat wear profile across the width of the tire, and the center finally wore down to the cords and let a bit of tube poke out. Just goes to show, I ride pretty much dead straight all the time, hardly ever turning.

I also don't have to worry about road hazards that might slash the tire. I haven't gotten a puncture from a road hazard in over 2 years (just snake bites and bad rim strips) and I've never had a tire slashed by something.

AngryScientist 

gatorskins - they last forever.

CliftonGK1

Marathon Plus will last forever, but they're on the heavy side. I had 3500 miles on a pair before giving the bike to a friend. He's put another 1000 on them and they still look new.

Gatorskins are another long-wear (I get 3200 - 3500 miles on a rear tire, and I weigh 250 pounds). Not as flat-free as the Marathon Plus, but they're lighter by a long shot. If you do flat, they're easier to remove/remount for a patch job.

I've only been rolling my Vittoria Rando-Cross tires for 3 days on my singlespeed, but they're proving to be admirable tires. A majour pain in the hackysack to mount (although one of the shop guys said it's probably my old Wolber rims' fault, not the tire,) but they're a reasonably low rolling resistance tire for only holding 85psi, and they've shown to be very tough already as I've been putting them through the paces: Intentionally whacking a couple large bits of construction driveway gravel, a few sunken utility caps and manhole covers, even jumping off some curbs and using the speedbumps in my parking lot like jump ramps. These tires have passed the CGK1 Torture Test with flying colours (as long as the only colour you want is black with black sidewalls).
I can't speak to the mileage, but MASH SF claims they're the longest wearing tires out there (and they're fixie kids who buy tires based on how many skids they can get from one).

modernjess

I think all the tires that have been mentioned are great, and are likely to reduce the number of flats you'll get. BUT my dozen or so years of commuting have led me to believe that beyoind that it's mostly about luck.

For example. My last set of Ultra Gatorskins had 4000+m with no flats and just wore through to the threads. Bought a new set, within a month got a gash in the sidewall that ruined an essentially brand new tire. Had to replace it, what are you gonna do? Sometimes luck is with you other times it's not. Tires are consumables, you do have to budget for them.

sonatageek

I have about 2600 miles on a set of Marathons, no flats and plenty of tread left.

lambo_vt

I thought the Marathons were supposed to be great... if you replaced them because they got gashed, that's not really the tire's fault. They almost certainly would last longer than 1200 miles with normal wear.

nashcommguy

Schwalbe Marathon Plus. They come in 700x32mm. I run 700x28mm on my #1 commuter and 700x25mm on my 2 conversions. Have over 8000 commuting miles on all 3 sets. 1 flat and 1 slow leak, recently on the rear tire of the #1 commuter. Have at least 6000 loaded commuting miles on the tire. Replaced it last week and expect similar performance. I've no doubt I'll run for another year on these tires. Don't use the conversion commuters as much, so the tires will last indefinately.

As mentioned previously they ARE a little heavy. It's not as much of a factor under load, though.

noteon 

I have Schwalbe Marathon Plus (20x1.75) on my commuting bike, and Bontrager Race Lites (700x23) on my road bike. They've both been terrific, with 0 flats on the Marathons in maybe 1200 NYC miles, and I think 1 or 2 flats on the Race Lites during about the same distance in weekend century/brevet rides.

jeffpoulin

Another vote for the Schwalbe Marathon Plus. Jeff Kruys who posts on crazyguyonabike.com is about to start his 4th year touring in south america and rides the pluses. 35000 miles and counting. He gets about 5000 miles on the rear and 10000 on the front, and that's fully loaded along some very rough (unpaved) roads.

CCrew

A vote for the Continental Touring Plus. I have 1k on mine so far and they still look new. No flats, no issues at all.

1fluffhead

The most miles I have gotten out of a set of tires have been with Panaracers. Currently running gatorskins and they seem to be holding up well too.

daaxix

The bontrager inverted hardcase is my vote. I have a 1.5" on my commuter MTB and it has over 7000 miles on it, and it still has tread left to spare. I am fairly sure that they make it in a 700c size.

Here is a link :

https://bontrager.com/model/02488/en

vaticdart

The Vittoria Randonneurs are cheaper than the Marathons and my pair have lasted about 4K miles with zero flats. The rear is starting to look a little worn, but the front one looks brand new.

I'm using the 28 mm version, weigh 160 lbs and generally carry 15 - 30 lbs on my back.

m_yates

I guess that is true. I just had bad luck with the slash in the tire. I just replaced the gashed rear today with the front tire. I put a new Marathon on the front (just to keep matching tires on the bike). I'll see how long they last. Hopefully I'll get 5000 miles out of them as others claim. I will say that the front looked brand new even after 1300 miles. The old gashed rear had worn tread in the center, but was nowhere near wearing down completely. I probably could have ridden it a lot longer if it wasn't slashed. I probably could also have kept it going with a tire liner, but I just threw it out. I'll just try to avoid broken beer bottles from now on!

nahh

Conti Gatorskins, They're on all my bikes now. Can't say enough good about them, they're great all-around. I've even run on them for about a mile when I got a flat, when I was in a huge hurry. The sidewalls are stiff enough they even hold up to that abuse. Only bad part is putting them on the rims, that is a bit**.

bkrownd

In the simplest analysis it seems like you'd usually be giving up grip to gain wear longevity, and grip is one of the primary things I want to maximize. The continental GP 4-seasons I use wear down pretty quickly, but are good for 2-3 years since I probably only do 750 miles a year.

Grim

I have 1100 miles on a Commuter MTB. Running Specialized Hemisphere on the front and Specialized Cross road on the rear. Hardly look worn at all. No puncture flats.

On my touring bike I am running a set of Forte Gothams that I caught on sale for $10.99 at Performance bike. These are re-badged Pannaracer Crosstowns. The center of the rear shows some wear in they have a texture to them when new but plenty of miles left on them. I'm 210-215 and that bike regularaly rolls out the door in the morning well over 50lb. I think I'll get 3,000 miles out of them without trouble.

sauerwald

Another vote for Schwalbe Marathon Plus. I have over 6000 miles on the set which is on my commute bike now (700x28), the rear is worn, but still going strong, the front looks like it is almost new. I have bought a new SMP and when the rear tire finally wears out, I will move the front to the rear, and put the new tire on the front.

AusTexMurf

Most known mileage out of a tire for me is 9000+ miles on a 2006-07 Continental Contact Safety (early kevlar, I believe) 26X1.75.
Rolled it on two different commuter bikes both w/ computers to approx. 8900 miles. Mostly on the front.
This tire then went on one of my wife's bikes for at least 500-1000 miles until I replaced both of hers at same time.
A friend stopped by with a split tire on his bike and I gave him my spare Conti for his commuter bike.
He rolled it for at least another year that I am aware of...

I have gotten very good wear and durability from many different quality tires.
Approx 4500 miles on Schwalbe Big Apples. Loved them on my loaded commuting/kid hauling/grocery getting rig until they were paper thin and started flatting regularly.
Lots and lots of miles on Schwalbe Marathon Greenguards.
Lots of smooth miles on Panaracer Urban Max ,TServs, and Paselas.
Lots and lots of smooth versatile miles (4000+ inclduing loaded touring) on Continental Travel Contacts in both 700c and 26inch flavors. Great tires when you ride past end of pavement.
Wife rode Continental City Ride Ride II 26 inch tires forever and loved them.
Continental Tour Rides roll a long time as well. Good value. Currently have the Conti Tour Rides on an old Bianchi cyclocross 27 X 1 1/4 and one of wife's touring bikes in 26 X 1.75.
Love my Vittoria Randonneur and Voyager Hypers 700c, too. Light, fast, smooth rolling, enough durability and flat protection for me. I have a new set of the Hypers to put on my Volpe. I plan to keep reasonable track of the miles ridden on this set so I know. And, they are no longer in production and no real equivalent offering from Vittoria. Thinking Schwalbe Marathon Supreme is similar but pricier.

Friends swear by Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tour tires on their pedicabs (industrial type use) but they are too heavy and stiff for me to enjoy the ride on a regular bike. High mileage and flat resistant, no doubt.
L

SylvainG

The tool I posted in that thread would make your life easier then...

fietsbob

Hard rubber Nokian A9 a utility tire which was offered with or without studs

made in Finland.. showed no wear after a 9 month bike tour of the British Isles..

The studded version, (ice not a season but an occasion, here) 30 years later they still work..

but it reads like you want all want a softer Medium compound ..
so as usual 'best' is a compromise..

go with popularity..






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