TooMoe

I commute about five miles to my college on my Schwinn Beach Cruiser pretty much everyday, but in a 2-week period my cruiser has gotten three flats, forcing me to walk home and replace the tube afterwards. Not even the self-sealing tubes seemed to have fixed the issues. I need a reliable ride, so I'm planning on getting new tires and lining to guard against flats, but I have absolutely no idea what tires are quality and which ones are not. Are there any strong 26 x 2.125in whitewall tires that I can get that will pretty much at least minimize flats? The flats are getting to be a serious issue...

Bjforrestal

Look at the flat tube. Blow it up and find the hole. If the hole is on the same side as your stem, it's a rim issue and not your tire. You should not be getting that many flats even on a cheap set of balloon tires, they're definitely more flat resistant than that, unless its a goat head issue.

no1mad 

Schwalbe Big Apples come to mind, though it seems the closest to your size and color preference is 26x2.15 and creme...

TooMoe

That was a previous issue that I had to MacGyver, actually. The nipple was pushing so far up from the rim that it was stretching out and puncturing the tires. I ended up cutting an old tube into about a 4-inch strip and layering it on top of the elevated nipples, which essentially solved the problem, as the tubes have no longer been punctured around the rims. I'm afraid its a tire problem, as when I removed the back tire yesterday after walking home for the third time, I found around three holes where the tire-sealant had plugged. The only reason there was a flat was because one of the holes got so big that the sealant couldn't keep the hole sealed at 40 psi, thus rendering the tire useless for travel.

I should probably also mention that my Cruiser is a $179, Clairemont I got from Target, so I'm assuming quality is going to be pretty low. The Big Apples look like a good choice, but I'm wondering if its possible to completely remove the problem of "balloon" tires. Would it be practical or even possible to attach tubed bike tires to my Cruiser? The ones that are thinner, go up to 100 psi, and are usually seen on road bikes? (I'm still an amateur to the whole bike world, so forgive me if I'm spouting the equivalent of stupidity or blasphemy).

MichaelW

Big Apples are excellent commuter tyres, very efficient at cruising speed and not too heavy. They have similar level of protection to Schwalbe Marathon (not as good as Marathon Plus) and that is good enough for me.
Big Apples need inner tubes the same as any other normal tyre. Tubeless tyres such as Stans need a conversion kit which is a bit messy to fit but once in place, apparently trouble-free. Stands are not a normal piece of commuter kit and BAs should be plenty good enough.

tim24k

Yep! Big Apples are the best in my book. I have them on five bikes.

CaptCarrot

Another vote for the Big Apple's from me.

A very comfortable high volume low pressure tyre with relatively low rolling resistance.

AusTexMurf

I have big apple's on my converted mtn bike and couldn't be happier with them.
Best tires to ever go on that bike, and it has gone through many.....

However, if I were looking to save a few bucks, I would try these. I see them as low as $28 each because they are new to market.
And let us know how they work out, if you do try them.

Continental Cruise Contacts
Size does matter!


• Functional, sporty and reliable
• 3/180 tpi nylon casing + SafetySystem breaker
• Excellent comfort from the large air volume design and safe riding even on the worst surfaces
• Available colours: creme, grey, black




Please note! Some sizes and versions are not available in all countries.

TooMoe

Alright, it seems that Big Apple comes with a sparkling recommendation. Most likely I'll get 'em then, but their price is gonna be real hard on the wallet. Before I make the purchase, just one more thing. These tires seem like they eat thorns and other hazards for breakfast, so I doubt I'll need some tire lining for more protection. But a $20 tire lining seems to be a cheaper solution compared to the $34 Big Apple Tires. For my purposes (Commuting to and from college, a five-mile, 30 minute ride), would it be more cost-effective to get a strong lining or go all out and get the tires?

alan s 

BAs in 26x2.35 are awesome. Max pressure, decent rolling resistance. Lower to 35 psi, like riding on, well, ballons.

CaptCarrot

I missed that part earlier.

Fitting tubeless on a beach cruiser - IMO too much hassle, and probably not as flat resistant. Tubeless are generally performance tyres, not endurance tyres (from my limited experience).

You can get hi-pressure tubed tyres if you want. I had a set of Schwalbe Crazy Bob's on my bike before I put the BA's on, they are rated upto 90psi on the sidewall.

Personally I would stick with the comfort of the balloon tyre.

If you are paranoid about the flats, pony up and get the BA Plis with Kevlar strip!!!

https://www.schwalbe.co.uk/balloon-bike/big-apple-plus/

Also, take a look at the Fat Frank - https://www.schwalbe.co.uk/balloon-bike/fat-frank/ - they have a white wall version with kevlar strip! (brown with white wall)


Or the Returner, again with white wall and kevlar - https://store.schwalbe.co.uk/c/balloon-bike_returner -(black with white wall)



Plenty of BA Reviews out there

https://dorkythorpy.blogspot.co.uk/20...-2-review.html
https://wimharwig.com/2009/03/08/new-tyre/
https://www.bicycleslondon.co.uk/schw...g-term-review/

TooMoe

Ok, I really want some Big Apple tires now, especially the Brown ones, but the price is still a decent chunk to consider. Before I make a decision, can I ask one more favor guys? Are these any good? They're continental and they're around the same size, and it says that Police Officers use them on bikes. I want puncture resistance as well as style and affordability, but I want to make an informed decision before I do, and this tire offers both the resistance and affordability. Would it work for my purpose? Or should I seriously splurge on the Big Apples and never get a flat again?

https://www.amazon.com/Continental-Co...wn+and+country

And one more thing. The Big Apples are either 26x2.15 or 26x2.35. Does the .1 make that much of a difference, as my current tires are 26x2.25.

And another thing! Those Fat Franks look AMAZING. But do they still have as much protection as the Big Apple 430s? I don't want to to get an epic pair of tires and find out I got the lesser deal...

GP

You don't need expensive commuting tires. You can get a generic cruiser tire for about $15 that may not last as long as Big Apples but will last 1K miles or more.

You've got one of three problems. 1. There's something wrong with your rim, probably needs new rim strip. 2. You left whatever caused the flats in the tire or 3. You're not looking far enough ahead and you're running over debris that flattening your tire.

TooMoe

1. I Macgyvered a new rim strip from an old tube, as the rim was indeed an issue that was puncturing the tires. The rim is no longer a problem however, and I know how those punctures occur. There are none on the inside of the tube.
2. I check every time I get a flat with my fingers the inside of the tire, and then drag a rag through the tire before checking the exterior twice. I've found a number of thorns in them, with a few in particular puncturing the tires, but they do not remain in the tire.
3. This may be the case, but I cannot avoid a thorn that is incredibly small when I'm rushing to get to my classes on time. I go on the road as much as possible, but the area I live around has a lot of gardening and plant maintenance, so running over mowed grass or leaves is not uncommon. I avoid most but I can't avoid all of them.

Rollfast

You need to measure your fork for clearance before selecting a tire that is over the standard size. Fenders may cause problems and if your wheel goes out of true the problem can be made worse.

I use a 1.95" mouintain bike tread on my Schwinn middleweight but I had to adjust the non-Schwinn fenders I added to get the kinks out. I like the aggressive tread and it makes my bike look more like a motocycle, which I found I really liked. It also seems to help with traction but I can't really explain how.

The whitewalls with the oval knob tread I like (like the original Chinese tires that it came with, Bell makes much the same thing) but you might want the triangle tread styles (kind of like siping in a car tire maybe).

I would go to your LBS and look over his stock first and ask. Fat tires may be cushier but you give up other things sometimes. These days tires are getting expensive, to expensive to just go on the looks and a price.

Tire sealants and tire liners are also a good investment. Solid tubes are generally not, they have more problems with wheel bending than anti-flat properties in my opinion...better suited for wheelbarrows.

fietsbob

the 4" wide ones on Sun's Crusher..

Turtle Speed

If you don't care about white sidewalls, then Kenda Kwests, baby. Awesome tire, roll smooth, very tough.
https://www.niagaracycle.com/categori...95-black-black
Yeah the link says Sunlite, but they're Kendas - great value for the money.
Check the reviews on various merchants like Amazon or places like biketiresdirect.com.

BTW, it sounds like you do most of this already, but I like to double up on the rim strip protection with a layer of Gorilla Tape underneath the rubber rim strip. Then take a piece of sandpaper and wear down any burrs or sharp points in the rim. Wipe a cotton ball over the inside of the tire to make sure you didn't miss any miniscule thorns, glass bits, or tiny wires.



Edit: funny story about those tires. I had a version of those Kendas in 26x2.0 that were marketed and labeled as having K-Shield (the extra layer of puncture protection in the tire). I also have used the "normal" Kwests in the link. After observing no difference other than the missing K-Shield logo on the sidewall, I took them on a scale and found no weight difference that could be detected by my bathroom scale, measuring by 0.1 pound increments. Normally you'd expect armored tires to add a lot of weight.

So either the K-Shield adds an incredibly light amount of weight to the tire, or the K-Shield simply comes standard on all of them and not all of them are marketed with it. I have a feeling it's the latter, and that's why they have a reputation of being so tough.

I've heard of tires and other bike stuff being rebranded like that all the time (e.g. the Sunlite/Kenda thing in the link, or the same factory cranking out the exact same tire with different manufacturer labels, or cranking out the same frames for different manufacturers), so it wouldn't surprise me in the least.

dynaryder

My Safari came with T&C's. After the 5th flat(2fr/3r) I ditched them. Serfas makes a tire called the Drifter that is almost identical,but I've never flatted them.

I've had Kwests on about half a dozen bikes. Excellent economy tires. FYI,the bike share bikes in DC and NYC roll on Kwests.

I would highly suggest upgrading to proper cloth rim tape. Much better protection,and will last the lifetime of the wheel. I've had numerous bikes come through my clinic with rubber/old innertube rim strips that caused issues.

alan s 

I'd steer clear of the Town & Country's. Used them many years ago, and got lots of flats in the inverse tread part, which is pretty thin. As for the BAs, the width of the tire is not the true measure, rather the volume. Big step up going from the 2.15 to 2.35, but I don't have the numbers.

stevel610 

How much would you have paid each time you got the flat to not have to walk? $5-$10? Take $15-$30 off the price of the Big Apples and you'll see they compare favorably.

I just sold a SS Cruiser with BA's on them. They are great. I also used Schwalbe Marathon XR's (You won't get a flat with those) and a pair of Marathon Winters for....well Winter. Now I have to look for another 26" so I can use these great tires!

TooMoe

Ok, so the T&Cs are a no. That means its the Big Apple, of which I have no complaints, since they come so highly recommended. I'm just a little worried, as the Fat Franks look freaking enormous, so I'm thinking of just getting the Big Apples 430. Still, that's a lot better than before, so many thanks everyone! You've been incredibly helpful! I'll post again when I get them and my experience with them