Continental,
Vittoria Randonneur,
and Schwable Bicycle Touring
Tires for sale: The best long distance 700c and 26 inch tires for bike
tours.
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Cindie inspecting her tire for more razor sharp thorns in northern
Argentina. |
I receive a lot of email concerning tires. This is a hot topic in the bike
touring world. Many readers of DownTheRoad.org want to know what is the perfect high quality
tire that will never go flat on their upcoming bicycle vacation. Others want to tell me
about their favorite tire they believe is "bullet proof" and will
never puncture. What I have learned from years of traveling on a
bicycle
that nothing is "bullet proof" and even new high quality touring specific tires
can get flats. If
something on the road or trail is sharp enough it will cut through anything.
Because there is no perfect touring tire you should expect to fix a flat
during
your travels. My advice is to always carry the necessary repair
equipment and have some practice patching punctures before you leave home.
Bicycle repair is best learned at home not on the road.
It is best to start out with the highest quality tires. I had to
learn this the hard way. Before our year long bike tour in South
America I ordered our tires at the last minute. The store only had three
of my preferred Continental Travel Contact cycling tires in stock (these tires sell fast)
instead of the four I wanted for both of our bikes. I could not wait
for their back order system to send me the fourth tire so I had to
substitute a cheaper Town and Country.
I used the lower quality Town and Country tire on the front of my bike
knowing it would receive less wear but it still performed miserably. I
had numerous flats and punctures with my front tire which turned into a
continuous problem. This tire finally shredded completely, only a few
months into our trip, and at the worst possible time. We were riding
across the worlds largest salt lake, the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia. It
took us four days to cross this barren expanse and there was absolutely no
possibility for help when my tire gave out completely. Fortunately, I
had a small 26 X 1.25 spare folding tire in the bottom of my pannier.
I rode on this spare for several weeks through the remainder of Bolivia and
northern Argentina until I found a suitable replacement. I learned
from this experience to never leave home with substandard equipment.
My cheap Town and Country is rendered useless when the
sidewall ripped apart in Bolivia. |
The worlds largest salt lake and worst place to lose a
tire. This is why we carry a spare. |
I have had excellent experiences with two models of Continental bike tires. The Continental TopTouring
2000 and Continental TravelContact have lasted the longest (most kilometers
or miles) with the least about of flats. These bike touring specific
tires have tread patterns that can meet most cycle touring needs. They
can be purchased two sizes: 26 inch (MT mountain bike) and 700c (road).
A new and rising star in the North American touring bike
tire market is Schwalbe. We started using these tires recently and are
very impressed with the results. The lightweight Kevlar folding spare
will always occupy the bottom of one of my bags. Bad luck usually
strikes when you are the furthest from civilization. My advise is to
start out with the best long distance touring tires and travel equipment and
always be prepared for the worst scenarios.
Our Favorite and Recommended Bicycle Travel and Touring Tires.
Continental
Travel Contact 26 x 1.75
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Continental Travel Contact Tire - 26 x 1.75
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(from Tim) We used Continental Travel Contact bicycle
touring tires (front and rear) in
Asia and Australia. We enjoyed the smooth ride of the slick center section and seldom had flats.
(from Continental) The Continental TravelContact bicycle touring tire is a
favorite choice for all around touring. It is perfect for long paved
road tours but still resourceful enough to handle some rough stuff. It
has a slick center section that rolls silently and efficiently on pavement.
Few bicycle tourists like to be restricted to just paved roads so it is a
little fatter and has side knobby tread. This extra traction easily
handles those occasional dirt road sections. It is a long lasting high
mileage or kilometer tire. We have seen them last 10,000 km (6,600 miles). It will easily
outlast a three month Transcontinental or TransAm tour across the USA or
months rolling down the road during any international bike tour.
Buy
Continental Travel Contact Tire - 26 x 1.75
HERE
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Vittoria Randonneur Pro Touring Folding Tire
700X37
Vittoria Randonneur Pro Touring Folding Tire
Click to purchase.
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"The very best
available in city trekking tires. Foldable bead and a 120 TPI nylon casing
make Randonneur Pro unbeatable in weight and performance. Aqua-Flow tread
pattern, and "Double Shielding" puncture protection give Randonneur Pro
record beating safety and reliability. 700X37 (ISO 622-37) 120tpi, 430g". Buy
Vittoria Randonneur Pro Touring Folding Tire
HERE
700X37 |
Equipment Pages Index
Introduction
How Much to Bring and Weight
Some Advise About Advise
A Note to Perspective Sponsors and Gear Suppliers
START HERE for Touring Bikes and Commuting Bicycles
Bicycle Touring Frames
The Steel Repair Myth.
Steel and Aluminum Derailleur Hanger Repair.
Bicycle Touring Wheels
Phil Wood: The Best Bicycle Hubs
Panniers / Bike Bags
Cargo Trailers Vs Panniers
Tires for Bike Tours..
Bicycle Touring Saddles.
Cindie's Women's Specific Bike Touring Saddles
Brooks Leather Touring Bicycle Saddle Care and Conditioning
Bike Computer
Touring Handlebars, Bar Ends, Adjustable Stems, and Padded Grips.
Sealed Cartridge Headsets
Camping
Buying Camping Equipment
Tent and
Ground Cloth
Sleeping Bag
Sleeping Pad
Camp
Stove
Pots and
Pans
Water Filter
Clothing
Bike Touring Shorts
Health and First Aide
Electrical
Short-wave Radio
Computer
Internet
mp3
Books
Packing list
Pictures of Equipment Failures
Shopping
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