ciclista_pazza

I just bought a 1979 Schwinn Le Tour that the bike shop (where I bought it) put on the standard 27x1-1/4" tires and they said this is the only size it will take. I wanted to have puncture resistant tires put on as those are the only kind of tires I've used for years and I rarely *knock wood* have issues with flats so that would be my preference. The bike shop said they haven't been able to get that size tire in the puncture resistant version for awhile due to a national shortage. They put Rhinodillo liners inside the tires, and they also added puncture resistant tubes per my request. They assure me this will be sufficient.

However, I was in another bike shop they other day and they do have the puncture resistant tires (Continental Gatorskin as well as Specialized Armadillo). So do you guys think it would be worth it to get the puncture resistant tires put on? For me, the cost is not an issue because it's always worth it to me to avoid flats. I'm not mechanically inclined and suck at changing tires despite watching hours of videos on it, so for me, getting bomb proof tires is worth it.

I've read on this site that people don't recommend the liners but I'm curious what people would think about the liners in addition to the puncture resistant tubes. Also, do people here recommend the Gatorskins vs the Armadillos? I'll need to get some pedals put on soon so it wouldn't be out of my way to get the puncture resistant tires put on at the same time if people here think that would be wise to do.

rsbob 

Get the Gatorskins and have them put in the liners as well as your armored tubes and you should be good to go.

I used to commute 30 miles a day and used Gatorskins with tire liners and very rarely had a flat. I didn’t care about weight or rolling resistance, just getting to work on time.

Flip Flop Rider

could probably run Gatorskins without liners

grizzly59

I'm a fan of any good tire + good tire liners.

The Chemist

Armadillos are good. I had them on my bike for several years and I only got one flat right at the end of their useful life.

Schwalbe Marathons are excellent too. I've had a set on my bike since March and have ridden 4000+ km on them without a single flat (no liners).

CrimsonEclipse

Big fan of Marathons, but not sure they are available in the old 27"

mstateglfr 

https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...inch-road-tire

I get a flat once every couple years so riding on frozen garden hoses isnt what I call fun, but these certainly are recommended by many others who seem to enjoy the experience.
I would think that Gatorskins plus tire liners plus puncture resistant tubes would be enough for all roads short of bombed out Mogadishu.
If you switch to 700c wheels, you can buy Tannus tires which are foam and there is no inflation. Cant flat if you dont have air.

Retro Grouch 

There is no puncture proof. There is only puncture resistant. There are basically two kinds of puncture resistant materials that are commonly used in bicycle tires.

The first is a woven fabric layer that is made of some cut resistant fiber. It can be either embedded into the tire casing or it can be added later. The good news is that it bends and flexes better with the rest of the tire so it tends to ride better. The bad news is that fabric weaves tend to have gaps so it's possible for small sharp foreign bodies to find their way through the fabric. Steel belted radial tire wires are particularly nasty in that regard.

The second is some kind of extruded plastic layer. The good news is that they eliminate the gaps found in woven fabrics, Bad news is they tend to ride less well. Another problem with at least some extruded plastic tire liners is that they can abrade your inner tube where the tire liner overlaps and actually become the cause for a flat tires.

Some bicycle tire makers, like Schwalbe, offer similar tire models with a variety of puncture resistance rateings. My philosophy is, if you never have a puncture, you are probably missing out on ride quality because your tires are stiffer than is necessary for where and how you ride. If you puncture too frequently, you would probably benefit from a tire that has more puncture resistance. I'm not a fan of add-on tire liners because I think that if you are paying for a quality product you shouldn't have to also buy an accessory to make it work. If I can personally average 1,000 miles or so between punctures, I'm happy.

ciclista_pazza

Thanks for the replies! So I get the sense that the Rhinodillo liners are not highly regarded in this forum. I was leaning towards the puncture resistant tires anyway, so will go ahead and get those. I appreciate the feedback!

mschwett 

everyone* talks smack about gatorskins, but to my hands and butt they didn't seem that bad. put 3,500 road miles including nasty city streets and a bunch of rocks and gravel i had no business riding on on mine (gatorskin hardshell black foldable 700x32) , zero flats, zero anything, they still look totally usable. switched to faster lighter better tires and while it's different, i don't think it's the same kind of massive difference more experienced riders cite. they were a good choice for someone flat-averse riding on mixed quality surfaces who wanted to put down a lot of miles and get places.


(*everyone here on BF who mentions them)

The Chemist

I'm extremely happy with the ride quality of my Schwalbe Marathons despite never having had a flat with them. They ride smoothly and quickly despite their excellent puncture protection.

N2deep

Our roads are tough on tires due to the amount of rubbish, glass, wires, in the bike lane and gutters. I hate gatorskins on several levels including the lack of durability and poor riding characteristics. I do have a couple of suggestions like buy good performance tires like the specialized turbos or the GP5000s, don't ride in the gutters/trash line, check your tires frequently and consider tubeless. Best wishes

ciclista_pazza

One issue is that most of the suggestions for tires other than Armadillos or Gatorskins don't exist (or at least aren't available right now) in the 27 x 1-1/4 size that my Schwinn Le Tour apparently requires. I love Marathon Plus and Vittoria tires myself but am unable to find those in this size. Considering this, what options might be suggested? My local bike shop only has puncture resistant tire options of the Armadillos and Gatorskins. I did an online search but am not seeing many other options. If I had to go with the Armadillos or Gatorskins, is one better than the other?

And like I mentioned, the bike shop I bought the Le Tour from put Rhinodillo liners and puncture resistant tubes in the tires it has, (the tires are some brand that has the "gum" siding that a lot of the vintage Schwinns have). With all that, am I probably ok until better options become available?

mstateglfr 

I pasted a link of them in stock.

Maelochs

I have tried Mr Tuffy and have had minor success, and Panaracer's aramid liner .... which it turns out (and as mentioned above) is very puncturable. (I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, as one can supposedly stab a knife through a bulletproof vest.)

I like to use light, supple tires, with a lot of threads, and tire liners. I lose some lightness, I gain some flat protection, but hopefully and apparently the tires don't lose much suppleness or grip---trying to get the best of all worlds.

ciclista_pazza

Thanks! But those are size 700 - do 700s work on a schwinn that the bike shop told me would only handle 27 x1-1/4 size tires?

Trakhak

Description from the linked page:

Continental Gatorskin 27 Inch Road Tire

mstateglfr 

Those are listed as 27" on the main page. The description states they are 27". In the specs, they are listed as ISO630 which is a 27" tire. Then in the dropdown menu for selecting them, they are listed as 27".


I guess the retailer could have mislabeled the whole page?...though they are a reputable retailer so if they do make a mistake they fix it.

ciclista_pazza

Sorry! I meant to say, do 27" tires work for the 27x1-1/4" tires that I've been told I have to use for my bike (please disregard the 700 I said by mistake).

mstateglfr 

The 27 for those tires is the same 27 that you need. And the 1 and 1/4 on those tires is the same as the 1 and 1/4 that the shop says you need.

ciclista_pazza

So do all 27 tires work for bikes that "require" 27x1-1/4 tires?

Maelochs

They will work for your bike. That is enough.

ThermionicScott 

27" is the wheel size (rim specification), 1-1/4" is the width of the tire. I don't think you could currently buy a 27" tire that would NOT work on your wheels.

mstateglfr 

I believe that yes 27" is it is a universal measurement so if a tire says 27" then it will fit. But to be safe you can reference the ISO and in this case it is ISO 630 and that aligns with what a 27 by 1 and 1/4 tire requires.
Where tires get really tricky is in 650 sizing because for 650 there is 650 a, 650B, and 650C. Those are all different wheel diameter measurements. Also, 24" tires come in a few different sizes.

ciclista_pazza

Thanks! This opens up my options considerably.