BikePower

I have the stock 27" wheels and possibly the original tires from 1972. They need to be replaced. It would be great if there were flat free tires so I dont have to worry about flat tires while Im out riding in the boonies. I know the old Schwinn wheels have a wierd shape and need a special size that may not even exist anymore. Limited choices but maybe the 27" wheels have more. Please advise. Thanks.

Velo Mule

The rims on your Schwinn Continental are fairly common 27" size BikePower . There are lots of options available. Continental has both the Gatorskin's and the Ride Tour are pretty flat resistant. I have a pair of Gatorskin's without the extra puncture resistance and I like them.

Get the tires with the standard steel bead. Avoid the type that folds.

You may want to check the sticky link above that highlights 27" tires. I will add that many of us love the Panaracer Pasela's because of the supple ride, however, that comes at the expense of puncture resistance. Despite that I have a pair of them as well.

Another common option that you will see is Kenda's K35. The good points on these tires are that they will look great on your Continental with the tan walls and they are inexpensive. The bad is that they are ok on puncture resistance and the ride is also only ok. I have a pair of these on my Continental and they are fine. No flats so far. If you want I can post a picture of my Continental with the K35's .

ClydeClydeson

As above, there are tires available at different quality levels. My favourite are Panarace Pasela, which are available with a flat-protective strip under the tread, and come in 27". Continental also makes some that will fit.
Also buy new tubes and new rim tape. Old rim tape causes as many flats as sharp objects on the road.

In my experience, any new tire, installed correctly with a good tube and new rim tape, will give you lots of trouble free miles, even if the tire is a lower cost one.

base2 

In reading this thread...Wait! You guys mean that there are other 27's that aren't Panaracer Pasela's? When did that happen!?

tyrion

Not flat proof, but one of the more puncture resistant tires available in 27":

https://www.schwalbetires.com/bike_t...s/marathon_420

Only model number 11100151 (ETRTO 32-630) fits 27 inch rims.

Velo Mule

@ClydeClydeson makes an excellent point. Not all flats are from some sharp object on the road coming through the tread. With a Classic or Vintage bike sometimes it is the rim, spoke or spoke hole that causes the problem over time. The other non-intrusion flat to be aware of is called a pinch flat. I call them "snake bites". This is where hitting a pothole, root or some other object cases the tire to get pinched to the point that it squeezes the sidewall and leaves two punctures in the side of the tube. Proper inflation and avoiding objects (if you possibly can) will minimize these type of flats.

Unca_Sam

I wandered in here to see if you were asking about EA 1 / ISO 597 / 26" x 1 3/8" / S-6 tires, but it's not that.

Panaracer is the biggest name in 27" tires. I wouldn't sweat flats too much to specifically get a puncture-resistant tire; it's an oft repeated phrase that more supple tires are the most cost effective upgrade you can give to any bike. Puncture protection belts tend to make the casing stiffer and impair the tires' ability to act as your suspension.

I carry levers, a wrench for axle nuts on bikes that use them, a small patch kit, and a pump or CO2 inflator (strongly prefer the pump). Most roadside flats I've had to fix were due to old rim tape, not road debris, but YMMV. I'd suggest you invest in new rim tape when you have the tires off to replace them, and save yourself a potential hassle later.

ThermionicScott 

Good flat-proof tires? No such animal.

tricky 

For a truly worry-free flat kit, I would include:
-Tire levers. They can be a life saver when you are tired or have a really tight rim/tire combo.
-Hand pump. You only get a couple shots with a CO2 canister, you aren't racing so why do you need to fill a tire in 2 seconds, and they are wasteful.
-Tube. Sometimes a tube will fail in a place like the stem that can't be patched.
-Patch kit. In the rare situation where you get a double or triple flat, you can use the tube in one tire and patches for the rest. My personal preference is for vulcanizing patch kits and not the peel and stick. I find the vulcanizing style to work better and last longer. Patch the punctured tube at home and put it back in your saddle back as your backup tube for the next ride.
-Bonus: a piece of Tyvek or a dollar bill that you can use for if you get a slice in your tire.
-Of course, knowing how to change a tire is important. Practice at home by installing your own tires.

But, to answer the OP's question, I generally agree with Unca Sam on the Panaracer Paselas but I think a puncture resistant belt can be helpful for those that don't care much about ride quality. I know a lot of city commuters here in Seattle that use the Paselas, both the puncture resistant belted and the non-belted tire.

sd5782 

Just as an aside, on a 72 Continental with the steel wheels I had great difficulty getting Kendas to seat properly. I always had a low spot somewhere and fought them big time. Never again for me. One recent purchase came with a newer but cheaper 27” Weinmann rear wheel. That wheel on the Continental worked like a charm. I have disliked steel wheels, but after this, I hate steel wheels.

Classtime 

My dad cared less about a nice riding bike than about an uninterrupted ride. He got heavy duty flat resistant tubes and a puncture proof tire liner. I suggest that you learn how to change a flat, get some Pasela Protites and folding ones if you got hooked rims---huge difference. I couldn't find any yesterday and ordered some Swift Tire Sand Canyons for my Motobecane. They might fit on your Schwinn.

pastorbobnlnh 

Always ride with a can or two of Vittoria Pitstop in your pocket or bike bag.

Vintage Schwinn

MICHELIN PROTEK (32-630) 27 x 1 1/4 is a great tire for durability and flat resistance.

Be forewarned that the MICHELIN PROTEK is an EXTREMELY HEAVY tire, no joke it is close to 700 grams per tire, so IT IS NOT A FAST TIRE!

Having said that, it is good for what it is. (SOMETHING PERHAPS AS CLOSE TO PUNCTURE RESISTANT THAT YOU CAN GET IN JUST A PLAIN TIRE)

A couple of other important considerations that you'd need to know before you consider the MICHELIN PROTEK (32-630) is that it is very "tall" tire as far as 630mm twenty-seven size tires go..............what I mean specifically is that the outer perimeter of the tread...........thicker rubber makes it "taller".
Another consideration is that this MICHELIN PROTEK is an actual 32mm tread width as there is no cheating on this one like some other models/brands which are labeled as 32-630 but typically measure about 28.5mm to 29.5mm Actual tread width.
Because of the enlarged outer perimeter, you may encounter rubbing (clearance issues) if your bike has fenders. I'm just saying that the reduced clearance could be an issue depending on just how much space(clearance) that you currently have.

The MICHELIN PROTEK has a nice reflective narrow band on the sidewall, which would make you more visible to vehicles if you drive during the dark.

If you want a fast, speedy tire, then you DO NOT Want the MICHELIN PROTEK!!

I have them on a 1971 SUBURBAN 5 SPEED. I did have to remove the factory fenders that were on the bike for about 45 years because of clearance issues. Perfhaps if the fenders had no dings etc... It is a great tire for a 5 Speed SUBURBAN, because you're gonna cruise around at about an average 14 mph or so, no matter what tire that you'd select for the old five speed Suburban. Weight isn't gonna matter on a 24" inch frame '71 Suburban 5 speed.
They have the old fashioned wire bead, and are a perfect fit on ancient 1960's and 1970's 27inch(630mm) 27 x 1 1/4 steel wheels.
The basic, general purpose 27 x 1 1/4 (32-630) tires like the KENDA K-35 or K-40, I can't remember which one is the 27" but they, provide a more cushiony ride than the Proteks do. The Proteks are hard and heavy.
The K-35/K40 is at least as fast as the Protek, and rides less firm and faster I think than the Protek does. The Protek's advantage is puncture protection and superior water dissipation and traction on wet streets or while riding in the rain. The Protek will likely outlast most any tire, but my experience with a set of Proteks is only 7 years so far and around 2k miles. I prefer my other Suburban 5 speeds with other tires, but the Protek equipped '71 is the perfect ride if puncture protection is essential.

There aren't any issues with any 630mm (27) tires as long as the tire has the old fashioned wire bead (not foldable) and of the proper replacement size. You do need the same 27 x 1 1/4 or 27 x 1 3/8 (630mm) tire that is applicable and will fit your ancient Schwinn rims.
The ONLY Schwinn wheels that are a bear for novices to mount tires properly are the 597mm (26") 26 x 1 3/8 S5/S6 wheels Collegiate/Breeze/Speedster/etc typically 5 speeds, 3 speeds, and single speed Schwinn lightweights, although in the very early sixties the 8 speed Varsity and the first year of the 10 speed Varsity, I think had the 597mm (26") wheels. Those ancient 597mm (26) S5/S6 wheels do provide a Rolls-Royce like, cushioned ride unlike any other, when the tire is mounted evenly and the wheel is reasonably true even though there is only one tire manufactured today in that 597mm 26 x 1 3/8 S5/S6 Schwinn size..

Andy_K 

A lot depends on where you ride. On rural roads, I rarely get flats with any tire. On my suburban commute along bike lanes, I get a flat about once every 1000 miles even with flat resistant tires like Conti Gatorskins. If you ride in an area with a lot of goat heads, you need really thick tires to avoid flats.

Taking the goat head case as the one that requires a "flat proof tire" I think you can shorten the question to "Is there a good flat proof tire?" and the answer is no. Any tire thick enough to prevent flats entirely is miserable to ride IMO. So, I would cast my vote with those who suggest that you get comfortable fixing a flat. It isn't fun, but it really doesn't happen very often at all and if you have the right equipment with you (a spare tube, a small pump, tire levers, and possibly a wrench to get your wheel off) it isn't very difficult.

ThermionicScott 

Rather than trying to find the most-flat resistant tires, I'd suggest you practice changing tires in your living room or garage, wherever is convenient. It may seem pointless -- perhaps even a little risky -- to dismount a perfectly good tire that is holding air, but once you have taken the tire and tube off and put them back on again a few times, it will be no big deal. Then you won't have to worry about what to do if you do have a flat while on a ride.

gugie 

I'm with the "you can get a good tire (rides fast and comfortably) or you can have a tire that rarely has flats, but you can't get a good tire that rarely has flats.

One thing you can do is to ride the widest tire you can fit on your bike. That increases the contact patch on the road, and allows you to run lower pressure. I've found that high pressure, narrow width tires tend to puncture more than low pressure, wider tires.

gorillagirl

Ahem, tubeless tires would like a word. Rolls so nice, basically never flats.

gugie 

You bet, I've heard good things about them, but haven't gone around to trying them.

You got a 27" setup you can recommend to the OP for his Schwinn Continental?

panzerwagon 

Lots of great options listed here: https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...ce-thread.html

I would prefer a steel-bead tyre for non-hooked rims. I'll echo the recommendation to get the largest tyre width that can fit your frame.

Oldairhead 

I tried tube-less on both a road and MTB many years ago. Fought with them for 2 years before abandoning the effort. I found them to be high maintenance and finicky and experienced problems from failure to seal a sidewall puncture to the sealant drying out inside the tire. When you did get a puncture on the road or trail that would not seal it is a messy nightmare! I went back to tubes and never looked back. Others may have a different experience but tube-less is just two four letter words to me.

icemilkcoffee 

I doubt anyone makes a 27" tubeless tire though.

Unca_Sam

Agree, I can imagine that many 27" rims would be very difficult to get sealed.