• =?UTF-8?B?VHdvIEZsYXQgRGF5?=

    From =?UTF-8?B?Y3ljbGludG9t?=@cyclintom@yahoo.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Sun Jun 7 20:17:35 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    It's always a bad day when you get two flats and you only have one spare innertube,
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  • From Roger Merriman@roger@sarlet.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Sun Jun 7 22:20:48 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    cyclintom <cyclintom@yahoo.com> wrote:
    It's always a bad day when you get two flats and you only have one spare innertube,


    ThatrCOs kinda spectacular unlucky on the road at least! I used to average maybe 2 per year, and IrCOd ride in wet dirty lanes, the flint is quite good
    at cutting tyres as yourCOd expect!

    I did find tubes on a gravel bike was kinda asking for trouble, and
    certainly had rides with multiple separate punctures from thorns etc, which tubless has solved in that regard.

    I am experimenting with TPU tubes as they did offer a near tubless ride
    feel on the gravel bike, with the MTB as it has a flat, be interesting if
    the much more substantial MTB tyres any ride feel can be found.

    Roger Merriman

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  • From Wolfgang Strobl@news51@mystrobl.de to rec.bicycles.tech on Mon Jun 8 10:33:24 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    Am 7 Jun 2026 22:20:48 GMT schrieb Roger Merriman
    <roger@sarlet.com>:

    cyclintom <cyclintom@yahoo.com> wrote:
    It's always a bad day when you get two flats and you only have one spare innertube,


    ThatrCOs kinda spectacular unlucky on the road at least! I used to average >maybe 2 per year, and IrCOd ride in wet dirty lanes, the flint is quite good >at cutting tyres as yourCOd expect!

    I don't ride on wet dirty lanes and I hadn't a single flat over
    ~8000 km that I did on the road bike that I built in 2023.
    Perhaps I'm lucky. However, tubeless tyres with sealant could
    also play a role.

    I've got quite some flats in the years before. During that time,
    I often didn't carry a spare tube, but a repair kit only.
    Generally, I prefered those from Rema

    <https://rema-tiptop.de/en/products-services/rema-motion/products/tire-repair-material/bicycle/>,
    especially this kit: <https://www.bike-discount.de/en/rema-tip-top-repair-kit-tt-04>

    Nowadays, I carry a spare ultralight TPU tube and a tubeless
    repair kit in my saddle bag, just in case. <https://www.bike-discount.de/en/maxalami-road-tube-tubeless-repair-kit>
    I haven't had to use it yet.
    --
    Thank you for observing all safety precautions
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  • From Roger Merriman@roger@sarlet.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Mon Jun 8 19:11:49 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    Wolfgang Strobl <news51@mystrobl.de> wrote:
    Am 7 Jun 2026 22:20:48 GMT schrieb Roger Merriman
    <roger@sarlet.com>:

    cyclintom <cyclintom@yahoo.com> wrote:
    It's always a bad day when you get two flats and you only have one spare innertube,


    ThatrCOs kinda spectacular unlucky on the road at least! I used to average >> maybe 2 per year, and IrCOd ride in wet dirty lanes, the flint is quite good >> at cutting tyres as yourCOd expect!

    I don't ride on wet dirty lanes and I hadn't a single flat over
    ~8000 km that I did on the road bike that I built in 2023.
    Perhaps I'm lucky. However, tubeless tyres with sealant could
    also play a role.

    ItrCOs years ago for myself, since I used a full road bike, I have a roadie commuter but that has Marathon Plus Tyres so are functionally immune from flinty dirty lanes. Though tubeless would also work well, IrCOm sure though I have no experience of road tyre pressures certainly at 30/40psi it seals up thorns and other pointy things.

    I've got quite some flats in the years before. During that time,
    I often didn't carry a spare tube, but a repair kit only.
    Generally, I prefered those from Rema

    <https://rema-tiptop.de/en/products-services/rema-motion/products/tire-repair-material/bicycle/>,
    especially this kit: <https://www.bike-discount.de/en/rema-tip-top-repair-kit-tt-04>

    Nowadays, I carry a spare ultralight TPU tube and a tubeless
    repair kit in my saddle bag, just in case. <https://www.bike-discount.de/en/maxalami-road-tube-tubeless-repair-kit>
    I haven't had to use it yet.



    Tubeless Ive generally been able to just pump it back up, sometimes a few
    times before it seals, I have plugged a club mates tyre which worked
    remarkably well considering herCOd not noticed at the cafe so had lost most
    of the pressure.

    Roger Merriman


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  • From NFN Smith@worldoff9908@gmail.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Mon Jun 8 14:04:53 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    cyclintom wrote:
    It's always a bad day when you get two flats and you only have one spare innertube,


    I'll see your two flats and raise you one. I got 3 today, and didn't
    have a spare. I fixed the first two flats, but when I got to the third,
    I called to get a ride home.

    I'm due for a new set of tires anyway, and with the frequency of thorns,
    I'm inclined to add kevlar inserts.

    Smith
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  • From Roger Merriman@roger@sarlet.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Tue Jun 9 07:42:51 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    NFN Smith <worldoff9908@gmail.com> wrote:
    cyclintom wrote:
    It's always a bad day when you get two flats and you only have one spare innertube,


    I'll see your two flats and raise you one. I got 3 today, and didn't
    have a spare. I fixed the first two flats, but when I got to the third,
    I called to get a ride home.

    I'm due for a new set of tires anyway, and with the frequency of thorns,
    I'm inclined to add kevlar inserts.

    Smith


    I had that with the gravel bike, years ago, which prompted the getting
    tubless which yes has its own problems occasionally but is much easier to
    live with than tubes for that useage.

    Roger Merriman

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  • From NFN Smith@worldoff9908@gmail.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Tue Jun 9 08:29:30 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    Roger Merriman wrote:
    NFN Smith <worldoff9908@gmail.com> wrote:
    cyclintom wrote:
    .

    I'm due for a new set of tires anyway, and with the frequency of thorns,
    I'm inclined to add kevlar inserts.

    Smith


    I had that with the gravel bike, years ago, which prompted the getting tubless which yes has its own problems occasionally but is much easier to live with than tubes for that useage.

    I stopped at the LBS and got a set of Bontrager tires that are hardened,
    but they're very difficult to mount. I got one on the rear wheel with a
    lot of effort, but I'm not yet sure that I don't have the tube pinched
    under the bead, and I can't get it to inflate.

    I don't think this is the right tire for my Mavic Kysrium rims, and I'm
    going to go back to the shop and return the tires. I don't know if the
    lighter Bontrager model would be better, but I think I can do better
    with something like Continental Gatorskins.

    I've never been excited about Trek and tires. Many years ago, the bike I
    was riding had Araya rims, and the nearest shop to me was a Trek shop
    that mostly sold Trek's Matrix tires. For some reason, the combination
    of Araya and Matrix was not good, and I had a lot of problems with
    blow-offs when mounting those tires. The blow-offs problem went away
    when I moved to some Continental line that was skinwalls, and then
    further when I moved to wheels with Mavic rims.

    Knowing that Bontrager was a mountain bike brand before Trek acquired
    them, I've never been excited about their road stuff. I know that Trek
    has had around 30 years of producing stuff, and for what they're doing, "Bontrager" is merely a brand name, which is why I was willing to give
    them another try. I have no idea of what Trek might be producing in the
    way of high-end performance tires, but for what I need, I think I'm
    convinced that I can do better with other tire producers.

    Smith

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  • From Mark J cleary@mcleary08@comcast.net to rec.bicycles.tech on Tue Jun 9 10:57:28 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On 6/9/2026 10:29 AM, NFN Smith wrote:
    Roger Merriman wrote:
    NFN Smith <worldoff9908@gmail.com> wrote:
    cyclintom wrote:
    .

    I'm due for a new set of tires anyway, and with the frequency of thorns, >>> I'm inclined to add kevlar inserts.

    Smith


    I had that with the gravel bike, years ago, which prompted the getting
    tubless which yes has its own problems occasionally but is much easier to
    live with than tubes for that useage.

    I stopped at the LBS and got a set of Bontrager tires that are hardened,
    but they're very difficult to mount.-a I got one on the rear wheel with a lot of effort, but I'm not yet sure that I don't have the tube pinched
    under the bead, and I can't get it to inflate.

    I don't think this is the right tire for my Mavic Kysrium rims, and I'm going to go back to the shop and return the tires. I don't know if the lighter Bontrager model would be better, but I think I can do better
    with something like Continental Gatorskins.

    I've never been excited about Trek and tires. Many years ago, the bike I
    was riding had Araya rims, and the nearest shop to me was a Trek shop
    that mostly sold Trek's Matrix tires. For some reason, the combination
    of Araya and Matrix was not good, and I had a lot of problems with blow- offs when mounting those tires. The blow-offs problem went away when I
    moved to some Continental line that was skinwalls, and then further when
    I moved to wheels with Mavic rims.

    Knowing that Bontrager was a mountain bike brand before Trek acquired
    them, I've never been excited about their road stuff. I know that Trek
    has had around 30 years of producing stuff, and for what they're doing, "Bontrager" is merely a brand name, which is why I was willing to give
    them another try. I have no idea of what Trek might be producing in the
    way of high-end performance tires, but for what I need, I think I'm convinced that I can do better with other tire producers.

    Smith

    Normally Bontranger anything is crap and there tires are the worst.
    Never buy Bontranger stuff and stick to Conti PG 5000 you be a happy
    cyclist.
    --
    Deacon Mark
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  • From AMuzi@am@yellowjersey.org to rec.bicycles.tech on Tue Jun 9 11:23:02 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On 6/9/2026 10:57 AM, Mark J cleary wrote:
    On 6/9/2026 10:29 AM, NFN Smith wrote:
    Roger Merriman wrote:
    NFN Smith <worldoff9908@gmail.com> wrote:
    cyclintom wrote:
    .

    I'm due for a new set of tires anyway, and with the
    frequency of thorns,
    I'm inclined to add kevlar inserts.

    Smith


    I had that with the gravel bike, years ago, which
    prompted the getting
    tubless which yes has its own problems occasionally but
    is much easier to
    live with than tubes for that useage.

    I stopped at the LBS and got a set of Bontrager tires that
    are hardened, but they're very difficult to mount.-a I got
    one on the rear wheel with a lot of effort, but I'm not
    yet sure that I don't have the tube pinched under the
    bead, and I can't get it to inflate.

    I don't think this is the right tire for my Mavic Kysrium
    rims, and I'm going to go back to the shop and return the
    tires. I don't know if the lighter Bontrager model would
    be better, but I think I can do better with something like
    Continental Gatorskins.

    I've never been excited about Trek and tires. Many years
    ago, the bike I was riding had Araya rims, and the nearest
    shop to me was a Trek shop that mostly sold Trek's Matrix
    tires. For some reason, the combination of Araya and
    Matrix was not good, and I had a lot of problems with
    blow- offs when mounting those tires. The blow-offs
    problem went away when I moved to some Continental line
    that was skinwalls, and then further when I moved to
    wheels with Mavic rims.

    Knowing that Bontrager was a mountain bike brand before
    Trek acquired them, I've never been excited about their
    road stuff. I know that Trek has had around 30 years of
    producing stuff, and for what they're doing, "Bontrager"
    is merely a brand name, which is why I was willing to give
    them another try. I have no idea of what Trek might be
    producing in the way of high-end performance tires, but
    for what I need, I think I'm convinced that I can do
    better with other tire producers.

    Smith

    Normally Bontranger anything is crap and there tires are the
    worst. Never buy Bontranger stuff and stick to Conti PG 5000
    you be a happy cyclist.


    Thank you.
    I was wondering how to say that nicely but there's nothing
    nice to say.
    --
    Andrew Muzi
    am@yellowjersey.org
    Open every day since 1 April, 1971
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  • From Roger Merriman@roger@sarlet.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Tue Jun 9 17:02:08 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    NFN Smith <worldoff9908@gmail.com> wrote:
    Roger Merriman wrote:
    NFN Smith <worldoff9908@gmail.com> wrote:
    cyclintom wrote:
    .

    I'm due for a new set of tires anyway, and with the frequency of thorns, >>> I'm inclined to add kevlar inserts.

    Smith


    I had that with the gravel bike, years ago, which prompted the getting
    tubless which yes has its own problems occasionally but is much easier to
    live with than tubes for that useage.

    I stopped at the LBS and got a set of Bontrager tires that are hardened,
    but they're very difficult to mount. I got one on the rear wheel with a
    lot of effort, but I'm not yet sure that I don't have the tube pinched
    under the bead, and I can't get it to inflate.

    I don't think this is the right tire for my Mavic Kysrium rims, and I'm going to go back to the shop and return the tires. I don't know if the lighter Bontrager model would be better, but I think I can do better
    with something like Continental Gatorskins.

    Kinda depends on wet your area is? Gatorskins while absolutely tough and
    light, have rock hard compound and thus are rather nervous in the wet,
    hence the rCLSkaterskinsrCY name they have acquired if one lives in moist environments. I found the grip worse than even the cheapest of cheap tyres
    one could find! This said Bontranger tyres I only know from the MTB side
    and even then only the Mud X which was a good XC though that was some 20
    years ago canrCOt recall seeing any MTB with them recently, even Conti has redesigned and so on their range beyond the XC stuff to tyres that can cope with steep technical trails, saw a number last weekend at Peaslake, plus obviously Schwalbe and Maxxis who are the big two really.

    I've never been excited about Trek and tires. Many years ago, the bike I
    was riding had Araya rims, and the nearest shop to me was a Trek shop
    that mostly sold Trek's Matrix tires. For some reason, the combination
    of Araya and Matrix was not good, and I had a lot of problems with
    blow-offs when mounting those tires. The blow-offs problem went away
    when I moved to some Continental line that was skinwalls, and then
    further when I moved to wheels with Mavic rims.

    Knowing that Bontrager was a mountain bike brand before Trek acquired
    them, I've never been excited about their road stuff. I know that Trek
    has had around 30 years of producing stuff, and for what they're doing, "Bontrager" is merely a brand name, which is why I was willing to give
    them another try. I have no idea of what Trek might be producing in the
    way of high-end performance tires, but for what I need, I think I'm convinced that I can do better with other tire producers.

    Smith


    Roger Merriman


    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From NFN Smith@worldoff9908@gmail.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Tue Jun 9 17:00:02 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    Roger Merriman wrote:
    I stopped at the LBS and got a set of Bontrager tires that are hardened,
    but they're very difficult to mount. I got one on the rear wheel with a
    lot of effort, but I'm not yet sure that I don't have the tube pinched
    under the bead, and I can't get it to inflate.

    I don't think this is the right tire for my Mavic Kysrium rims, and I'm
    going to go back to the shop and return the tires. I don't know if the
    lighter Bontrager model would be better, but I think I can do better
    with something like Continental Gatorskins.

    Kinda depends on wet your area is? Gatorskins while absolutely tough and light, have rock hard compound and thus are rather nervous in the wet,
    hence the rCLSkaterskinsrCY name they have acquired if one lives in moist environments. I found the grip worse than even the cheapest of cheap tyres one could find!

    In my case, drier than you can possibly imagine. I might see rain once
    in a year, but only if I get caught out during a monsoon storm.

    Even if both of my tires are several years old, the age is accelerated
    by arid conditions. Our primary environmental condition is a kind of
    thorn commonly known as "goats heads", small and really nasty. The
    pointy part impales itself in something soft (e.g., bike tires, shoe outersoles, and God forbid, soles of feet) and breaks off, leaving a
    larger chunk (probably seed to re-germinate). Especially common near
    open agricultural space. All of the holes I've patched are pinhole-sized
    -- very probably goats heads.

    For me, part of the attraction of this tire model is sturdy tread for
    thorn resistance, and I don't need a lot in the way of performance,
    especially cornering. It may be that this tire is tough enough that
    it's unlikely that I'll pick up a thorn, but I can't imagine what it
    would be like if I ever flatted out on the road, and had to dismount a tire.

    The other mistake I made was that this particular shop is part of a
    local chain. I mostly like them, although I normally interact with
    another location that is more focused on road bikes, and this one is
    smaller -- more emphasis on mountain bikes and general-purpose riders. Historically, they've been primarily selling Specialized, but a couple
    of years ago, they told me that they had a hard time getting stock, so
    they dumped Specialized and shifted to Trek. And for the shop I went to,
    they only stock the Bontrager tires.

    There's a bigger chain in the area -- they also are primarily Trek, but they're big enough that I think their tire selection isn't Bontrager exclusively. One insider thing I know is that with Continental, shops
    that sell their stuff have to commit to a minimum volume of sales, and
    as a result, if a shop has Continental, they're going to have more stuff
    and better variety of stock.

    Smith
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roger Merriman@roger@sarlet.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Wed Jun 10 05:30:25 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    NFN Smith <worldoff9908@gmail.com> wrote:
    Roger Merriman wrote:
    I stopped at the LBS and got a set of Bontrager tires that are hardened, >>> but they're very difficult to mount. I got one on the rear wheel with a >>> lot of effort, but I'm not yet sure that I don't have the tube pinched
    under the bead, and I can't get it to inflate.

    I don't think this is the right tire for my Mavic Kysrium rims, and I'm
    going to go back to the shop and return the tires. I don't know if the
    lighter Bontrager model would be better, but I think I can do better
    with something like Continental Gatorskins.

    Kinda depends on wet your area is? Gatorskins while absolutely tough and
    light, have rock hard compound and thus are rather nervous in the wet,
    hence the rCLSkaterskinsrCY name they have acquired if one lives in moist
    environments. I found the grip worse than even the cheapest of cheap tyres >> one could find!

    In my case, drier than you can possibly imagine. I might see rain once
    in a year, but only if I get caught out during a monsoon storm.

    Ah it rained yesterday here and likely to today timed for the home commute
    on a rCLdry dayrCY but as long as itrCOs not too hard mudguards will handle it fine.

    Even if both of my tires are several years old, the age is accelerated
    by arid conditions. Our primary environmental condition is a kind of
    thorn commonly known as "goats heads", small and really nasty. The
    pointy part impales itself in something soft (e.g., bike tires, shoe outersoles, and God forbid, soles of feet) and breaks off, leaving a
    larger chunk (probably seed to re-germinate). Especially common near
    open agricultural space. All of the holes I've patched are pinhole-sized
    -- very probably goats heads.

    For me, part of the attraction of this tire model is sturdy tread for
    thorn resistance, and I don't need a lot in the way of performance, especially cornering. It may be that this tire is tough enough that
    it's unlikely that I'll pick up a thorn, but I can't imagine what it
    would be like if I ever flatted out on the road, and had to dismount a tire.

    Tyres do tend to be easier 2nd fitting, but yes a tyre one cannot
    reasonably remove is kind storing problems for the future!

    The other mistake I made was that this particular shop is part of a
    local chain. I mostly like them, although I normally interact with
    another location that is more focused on road bikes, and this one is
    smaller -- more emphasis on mountain bikes and general-purpose riders. Historically, they've been primarily selling Specialized, but a couple
    of years ago, they told me that they had a hard time getting stock, so
    they dumped Specialized and shifted to Trek. And for the shop I went to, they only stock the Bontrager tires.

    There's a bigger chain in the area -- they also are primarily Trek, but they're big enough that I think their tire selection isn't Bontrager exclusively. One insider thing I know is that with Continental, shops
    that sell their stuff have to commit to a minimum volume of sales, and
    as a result, if a shop has Continental, they're going to have more stuff
    and better variety of stock.

    That might be a US thing certainly my local can order stuff in but only has
    a few sizes of I think the Conti 5000 they are more of maintenance than
    parts I guess, after all probably can get it cheaper online, have just
    though ordered a new front tyre as mine has done almost 10k but has picked
    up a puncture from glass, which is sign itrCOs done itrCOs also has more than a few slashes etc from glass etc.

    Gone for Big Ben plus rather than Big Apple so touch more tread and a plus layer under to keep the glass out, but still supple sidewalls unlike the Marathon Plus which give a fairly harsh ride. ThatrCOs the idea anyway werCOll see when I fit and ride it!


    Smith


    Roger Merriman


    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Wolfgang Strobl@news51@mystrobl.de to rec.bicycles.tech on Wed Jun 10 18:21:05 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    Am 8 Jun 2026 19:11:49 GMT schrieb Roger Merriman
    <roger@sarlet.com>:

    Wolfgang Strobl <news51@mystrobl.de> wrote:
    Am 7 Jun 2026 22:20:48 GMT schrieb Roger Merriman
    <roger@sarlet.com>:

    cyclintom <cyclintom@yahoo.com> wrote:
    It's always a bad day when you get two flats and you only have one spare innertube,


    ThatrCOs kinda spectacular unlucky on the road at least! I used to average >>> maybe 2 per year, and IrCOd ride in wet dirty lanes, the flint is quite good
    at cutting tyres as yourCOd expect!

    I don't ride on wet dirty lanes and I hadn't a single flat over
    ~8000 km that I did on the road bike that I built in 2023.
    Perhaps I'm lucky. However, tubeless tyres with sealant could
    also play a role.

    ItrCOs years ago for myself, since I used a full road bike, I have a roadie >commuter but that has Marathon Plus Tyres so are functionally immune from >flinty dirty lanes.

    Perhaps. But two of these in 32-622 / 28x1.25 have a weight of
    810 g * 2 == 1.62 kg. Two of my GP 5000 (28-622) weight 265 g *
    2 == 0.53 kg.

    A kilogram here, a kilogram there ...

    I used to ride my old commuter bike from 1995 (a Peugeot PR 3000)
    with 25 mm slick tyres. Got it with 23 mm tires. :-)
    --
    Thank you for observing all safety precautions
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roger Merriman@roger@sarlet.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Wed Jun 10 16:45:58 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    Wolfgang Strobl <news51@mystrobl.de> wrote:
    Am 8 Jun 2026 19:11:49 GMT schrieb Roger Merriman
    <roger@sarlet.com>:

    Wolfgang Strobl <news51@mystrobl.de> wrote:
    Am 7 Jun 2026 22:20:48 GMT schrieb Roger Merriman
    <roger@sarlet.com>:

    cyclintom <cyclintom@yahoo.com> wrote:
    It's always a bad day when you get two flats and you only have one spare innertube,


    ThatrCOs kinda spectacular unlucky on the road at least! I used to average >>>> maybe 2 per year, and IrCOd ride in wet dirty lanes, the flint is quite good
    at cutting tyres as yourCOd expect!

    I don't ride on wet dirty lanes and I hadn't a single flat over
    ~8000 km that I did on the road bike that I built in 2023.
    Perhaps I'm lucky. However, tubeless tyres with sealant could
    also play a role.

    ItrCOs years ago for myself, since I used a full road bike, I have a roadie >> commuter but that has Marathon Plus Tyres so are functionally immune from
    flinty dirty lanes.

    Perhaps. But two of these in 32-622 / 28x1.25 have a weight of
    810 g * 2 == 1.62 kg. Two of my GP 5000 (28-622) weight 265 g *
    2 == 0.53 kg.

    A kilogram here, a kilogram there ...

    I used to ride my old commuter bike from 1995 (a Peugeot PR 3000)
    with 25 mm slick tyres. Got it with 23 mm tires. :-)

    Misremembered I have the Schwalbe One plus so a road tyre with the plus protection, so doesnrCOt have the Marathon plus stiff sidewalls and uncomfortable ride.

    In 28mm form they are, 570g each, considering that the bike is around 14Kg
    plus laptop bag with well tech and so on, plus being the commuter and in
    the wild outer west london glass isnrCOt a possibility itrCOs a certainty so tyres have to cope with that.

    Others who commute into central london can and do go for lighter weight
    rubber on the commute as those glass etc isnrCOt likely and the route is one that can be done at speed ie 20mph average down the embankment into the
    city or Canary Wharf.

    Roger Merriman

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roger Merriman@roger@sarlet.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Thu Jun 11 14:19:06 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    Roger Merriman <roger@sarlet.com> wrote:
    NFN Smith <worldoff9908@gmail.com> wrote:
    cyclintom wrote:
    It's always a bad day when you get two flats and you only have one spare innertube,


    I'll see your two flats and raise you one. I got 3 today, and didn't
    have a spare. I fixed the first two flats, but when I got to the third,
    I called to get a ride home.

    I'm due for a new set of tires anyway, and with the frequency of thorns,
    I'm inclined to add kevlar inserts.

    Smith


    I had that with the gravel bike, years ago, which prompted the getting tubless which yes has its own problems occasionally but is much easier to live with than tubes for that useage.

    Roger Merriman



    And decided today that was worth going tubeless on the MTB did try TPU
    though the tubes had very cheap valves so I gave up with those, and have shipped them the Wheelset to the shop to fit, plus a rear tyre as itrCOs a
    few years old and pushing my luck with as rear tyres do take a lot of punishment and itrCOs definitely had number of punctures over the years, plus
    I want to try the new new Schwalbe Romy trail tyres.

    With the gravel bike at same pressures you could feel the difference, but
    MTB trail tyres are a fair bit more substantial construction than Gravel or
    XC tyres where there is significant crossover.

    Will report back as and when.

    Roger Merriman

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From NFN Smith@worldoff9908@gmail.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Thu Jun 11 11:13:49 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    Roger Merriman wrote:
    With the gravel bike at same pressures you could feel the difference, but
    MTB trail tyres are a fair bit more substantial construction than Gravel or XC tyres where there is significant crossover.

    Will report back as and when.

    I'll be interested to see what you experience.

    I'm finally through my adventures. I returned the Bontragers, although
    it was useful that a shop mechanic reminded me that tires do stretch
    some after they've been ridden, and over time, they're easier to mount
    and dismount.

    I went to another shop and paid a little more than I had really intended
    for high-end hard-shell Continental Gatorskins. Those were also kind of
    stiff going on, and then I ended up having problems with the tubes I got
    at the Trek shop. One tube seems to have valve problems and isn't
    holding pressure, and when mounting the other one in one of the
    Gatorskins, I goofed and got the tube caught under the bead and got a
    blowout when I mounted.

    Besides the Trek shop (my regular one is the same chain but a different location, not as close to my house, but more focused on road bikes),
    there is also a Specialized shop nearby. They're small enough (and
    almost exclusively Specialized) that I don't go to them regularly, but
    the people who run the shop are serious riders, and not prone to hiring sales-droids. Thus, I got a couple of Specialized tubes, and got
    everything mounted correctly -- finally. I got a ride in this morning,
    and glad of it, but still feeling the effects of my long layoff. After a
    few hundred miles, I'm definitely more comfortable -- longer distances,
    faster speeds, and where I'm now getting out 3 days a week, and
    beginning to get consecutive days, but today wasn't super-satisfying. If
    I ride tomorrow, it will probably be relatively short before going
    longer on Saturday.

    Smith
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From =?UTF-8?B?Y3ljbGludG9t?=@cyclintom@yahoo.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Mon Jun 15 15:45:36 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On Tue Jun 9 08:29:30 2026 NFN Smith wrote:
    Roger Merriman wrote:
    NFN Smith <worldoff9908@gmail.com> wrote:
    cyclintom wrote:
    .

    I'm due for a new set of tires anyway, and with the frequency of thorns, >> I'm inclined to add kevlar inserts.

    Smith


    I had that with the gravel bike, years ago, which prompted the getting tubless which yes has its own problems occasionally but is much easier to live with than tubes for that useage.

    I stopped at the LBS and got a set of Bontrager tires that are hardened,
    but they're very difficult to mount. I got one on the rear wheel with a
    lot of effort, but I'm not yet sure that I don't have the tube pinched
    under the bead, and I can't get it to inflate.

    I don't think this is the right tire for my Mavic Kysrium rims, and I'm
    going to go back to the shop and return the tires. I don't know if the lighter Bontrager model would be better, but I think I can do better
    with something like Continental Gatorskins.

    I've never been excited about Trek and tires. Many years ago, the bike I
    was riding had Araya rims, and the nearest shop to me was a Trek shop
    that mostly sold Trek's Matrix tires. For some reason, the combination
    of Araya and Matrix was not good, and I had a lot of problems with
    blow-offs when mounting those tires. The blow-offs problem went away
    when I moved to some Continental line that was skinwalls, and then
    further when I moved to wheels with Mavic rims.

    Knowing that Bontrager was a mountain bike brand before Trek acquired
    them, I've never been excited about their road stuff. I know that Trek
    has had around 30 years of producing stuff, and for what they're doing, "Bontrager" is merely a brand name, which is why I was willing to give
    them another try. I have no idea of what Trek might be producing in the
    way of high-end performance tires, but for what I need, I think I'm
    convinced that I can do better with other tire producers.
    I'm using gatorskins and on clincher tires I started working the tires on all the way around to the filler rather than the opposite way. This appears to work much easier and I was abloe to put these on without much trouble.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From =?UTF-8?B?Y3ljbGludG9t?=@cyclintom@yahoo.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Mon Jun 15 15:49:38 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On Tue Jun 9 17:00:02 2026 NFN Smith wrote:
    Roger Merriman wrote:
    I stopped at the LBS and got a set of Bontrager tires that are hardened, >> but they're very difficult to mount. I got one on the rear wheel with a >> lot of effort, but I'm not yet sure that I don't have the tube pinched
    under the bead, and I can't get it to inflate.

    I don't think this is the right tire for my Mavic Kysrium rims, and I'm
    going to go back to the shop and return the tires. I don't know if the
    lighter Bontrager model would be better, but I think I can do better
    with something like Continental Gatorskins.

    Kinda depends on wet your area is? Gatorskins while absolutely tough and light, have rock hard compound and thus are rather nervous in the wet, hence the ?Skaterskins? name they have acquired if one lives in moist environments. I found the grip worse than even the cheapest of cheap tyres one could find!

    In my case, drier than you can possibly imagine. I might see rain once
    in a year, but only if I get caught out during a monsoon storm.

    Even if both of my tires are several years old, the age is accelerated
    by arid conditions. Our primary environmental condition is a kind of
    thorn commonly known as "goats heads", small and really nasty. The
    pointy part impales itself in something soft (e.g., bike tires, shoe outersoles, and God forbid, soles of feet) and breaks off, leaving a
    larger chunk (probably seed to re-germinate). Especially common near
    open agricultural space. All of the holes I've patched are pinhole-sized
    -- very probably goats heads.

    For me, part of the attraction of this tire model is sturdy tread for
    thorn resistance, and I don't need a lot in the way of performance, especially cornering. It may be that this tire is tough enough that
    it's unlikely that I'll pick up a thorn, but I can't imagine what it
    would be like if I ever flatted out on the road, and had to dismount a tire.

    The other mistake I made was that this particular shop is part of a
    local chain. I mostly like them, although I normally interact with
    another location that is more focused on road bikes, and this one is
    smaller -- more emphasis on mountain bikes and general-purpose riders. Historically, they've been primarily selling Specialized, but a couple
    of years ago, they told me that they had a hard time getting stock, so
    they dumped Specialized and shifted to Trek. And for the shop I went to,
    they only stock the Bontrager tires.

    There's a bigger chain in the area -- they also are primarily Trek, but they're big enough that I think their tire selection isn't Bontrager exclusively. One insider thing I know is that with Continental, shops
    that sell their stuff have to commit to a minimum volume of sales, and
    as a result, if a shop has Continental, they're going to have more stuff
    and better variety of stock.
    Around here Goatshead thorn season isn'r until August.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From =?UTF-8?B?Y3ljbGludG9t?=@cyclintom@yahoo.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Mon Jun 15 15:52:18 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On Tue Jun 9 11:23:02 2026 AMuzi wrote:
    On 6/9/2026 10:57 AM, Mark J cleary wrote:
    On 6/9/2026 10:29 AM, NFN Smith wrote:
    Roger Merriman wrote:
    NFN Smith <worldoff9908@gmail.com> wrote:
    cyclintom wrote:
    .

    I'm due for a new set of tires anyway, and with the
    frequency of thorns,
    I'm inclined to add kevlar inserts.

    Smith


    I had that with the gravel bike, years ago, which
    prompted the getting
    tubless which yes has its own problems occasionally but
    is much easier to
    live with than tubes for that useage.

    I stopped at the LBS and got a set of Bontrager tires that
    are hardened, but they're very difficult to mount.--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From AMuzi@am@yellowjersey.org to rec.bicycles.tech on Mon Jun 15 14:26:21 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On 6/15/2026 10:45 AM, cyclintom wrote:
    On Tue Jun 9 08:29:30 2026 NFN Smith wrote:
    Roger Merriman wrote:
    NFN Smith <worldoff9908@gmail.com> wrote:
    cyclintom wrote:
    .

    I'm due for a new set of tires anyway, and with the frequency of thorns, >>>> I'm inclined to add kevlar inserts.

    Smith


    I had that with the gravel bike, years ago, which prompted the getting
    tubless which yes has its own problems occasionally but is much easier to >>> live with than tubes for that useage.

    I stopped at the LBS and got a set of Bontrager tires that are hardened,
    but they're very difficult to mount. I got one on the rear wheel with a
    lot of effort, but I'm not yet sure that I don't have the tube pinched
    under the bead, and I can't get it to inflate.

    I don't think this is the right tire for my Mavic Kysrium rims, and I'm
    going to go back to the shop and return the tires. I don't know if the
    lighter Bontrager model would be better, but I think I can do better
    with something like Continental Gatorskins.

    I've never been excited about Trek and tires. Many years ago, the bike I
    was riding had Araya rims, and the nearest shop to me was a Trek shop
    that mostly sold Trek's Matrix tires. For some reason, the combination
    of Araya and Matrix was not good, and I had a lot of problems with
    blow-offs when mounting those tires. The blow-offs problem went away
    when I moved to some Continental line that was skinwalls, and then
    further when I moved to wheels with Mavic rims.

    Knowing that Bontrager was a mountain bike brand before Trek acquired
    them, I've never been excited about their road stuff. I know that Trek
    has had around 30 years of producing stuff, and for what they're doing,
    "Bontrager" is merely a brand name, which is why I was willing to give
    them another try. I have no idea of what Trek might be producing in the
    way of high-end performance tires, but for what I need, I think I'm
    convinced that I can do better with other tire producers.




    I'm using gatorskins and on clincher tires I started working the tires on all the way around to the filler rather than the opposite way. This appears to work much easier and I was abloe to put these on without much trouble.

    Yes that's exactly correct.

    Reviewing theory, or Michelin's original patent, the tire
    needs to drop into the center well of the rim on one side
    while the edge is lifted over the top of the rim on the
    other side. With a fat classic MTB rim it's effortless.

    For many modern 'tubeless compatible' rim sections or for
    very narrow rims, the clearances are minimal so by ending at
    the valve, tire changing is less daunting. The only place
    the tire cannot drop in the rim center is at the valve.
    --
    Andrew Muzi
    am@yellowjersey.org
    Open every day since 1 April, 1971
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From zen cycle@funkmasterxx@hotmail.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Tue Jun 16 05:21:06 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On 6/9/2026 12:23 PM, AMuzi wrote:
    On 6/9/2026 10:57 AM, Mark J cleary wrote:
    On 6/9/2026 10:29 AM, NFN Smith wrote:
    Roger Merriman wrote:
    NFN Smith <worldoff9908@gmail.com> wrote:
    cyclintom wrote:
    .

    I'm due for a new set of tires anyway, and with the frequency of
    thorns,
    I'm inclined to add kevlar inserts.

    Smith


    I had that with the gravel bike, years ago, which prompted the getting >>>> tubless which yes has its own problems occasionally but is much
    easier to
    live with than tubes for that useage.

    I stopped at the LBS and got a set of Bontrager tires that are
    hardened, but they're very difficult to mount.-a I got one on the rear
    wheel with a lot of effort, but I'm not yet sure that I don't have
    the tube pinched under the bead, and I can't get it to inflate.

    I don't think this is the right tire for my Mavic Kysrium rims, and
    I'm going to go back to the shop and return the tires. I don't know
    if the lighter Bontrager model would be better, but I think I can do
    better with something like Continental Gatorskins.

    I've never been excited about Trek and tires. Many years ago, the
    bike I was riding had Araya rims, and the nearest shop to me was a
    Trek shop that mostly sold Trek's Matrix tires. For some reason, the
    combination of Araya and Matrix was not good, and I had a lot of
    problems with blow- offs when mounting those tires. The blow-offs
    problem went away when I moved to some Continental line that was
    skinwalls, and then further when I moved to wheels with Mavic rims.

    Knowing that Bontrager was a mountain bike brand before Trek acquired
    them, I've never been excited about their road stuff. I know that
    Trek has had around 30 years of producing stuff, and for what they're
    doing, "Bontrager" is merely a brand name, which is why I was willing
    to give them another try. I have no idea of what Trek might be
    producing in the way of high-end performance tires, but for what I
    need, I think I'm convinced that I can do better with other tire
    producers.

    Smith

    Normally Bontranger anything is crap and there tires are the worst.
    Never buy Bontranger stuff and stick to Conti PG 5000 you be a happy
    cyclist.


    Thank you.
    I was wondering how to say that nicely but there's nothing nice to say.


    I've never had any problems with Bontrager stuff, though I haven't ever
    put any of it through any serious paces like racing off-road except for
    the Bontrager CX frame I have - of course that was actually built by
    Bontrager pre-trek so it didn't have any other bontrager stuff on it
    when I was racing it.

    After I decided to set that up for my wife a few years ago I bought Trek/Bontrager CX wheels and tires in the same black/red color scheme to
    get it all matchy-matchy. I've only ridden it once since then but it
    rode really smooth and stable. She doesn't take it out much but her only complaint is that she's not a fan of drop-bars.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roger Merriman@roger@sarlet.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Tue Jun 16 10:42:57 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    zen cycle <funkmasterxx@hotmail.com> wrote:
    On 6/9/2026 12:23 PM, AMuzi wrote:
    On 6/9/2026 10:57 AM, Mark J cleary wrote:
    On 6/9/2026 10:29 AM, NFN Smith wrote:
    Roger Merriman wrote:
    NFN Smith <worldoff9908@gmail.com> wrote:
    cyclintom wrote:
    .

    I'm due for a new set of tires anyway, and with the frequency of
    thorns,
    I'm inclined to add kevlar inserts.

    Smith


    I had that with the gravel bike, years ago, which prompted the getting >>>>> tubless which yes has its own problems occasionally but is much
    easier to
    live with than tubes for that useage.

    I stopped at the LBS and got a set of Bontrager tires that are
    hardened, but they're very difficult to mount.-a I got one on the rear >>>> wheel with a lot of effort, but I'm not yet sure that I don't have
    the tube pinched under the bead, and I can't get it to inflate.

    I don't think this is the right tire for my Mavic Kysrium rims, and
    I'm going to go back to the shop and return the tires. I don't know
    if the lighter Bontrager model would be better, but I think I can do
    better with something like Continental Gatorskins.

    I've never been excited about Trek and tires. Many years ago, the
    bike I was riding had Araya rims, and the nearest shop to me was a
    Trek shop that mostly sold Trek's Matrix tires. For some reason, the
    combination of Araya and Matrix was not good, and I had a lot of
    problems with blow- offs when mounting those tires. The blow-offs
    problem went away when I moved to some Continental line that was
    skinwalls, and then further when I moved to wheels with Mavic rims.

    Knowing that Bontrager was a mountain bike brand before Trek acquired >>>> them, I've never been excited about their road stuff. I know that
    Trek has had around 30 years of producing stuff, and for what they're >>>> doing, "Bontrager" is merely a brand name, which is why I was willing >>>> to give them another try. I have no idea of what Trek might be
    producing in the way of high-end performance tires, but for what I
    need, I think I'm convinced that I can do better with other tire
    producers.

    Smith

    Normally Bontranger anything is crap and there tires are the worst.
    Never buy Bontranger stuff and stick to Conti PG 5000 you be a happy
    cyclist.


    Thank you.
    I was wondering how to say that nicely but there's nothing nice to say.


    I've never had any problems with Bontrager stuff, though I haven't ever
    put any of it through any serious paces like racing off-road except for
    the Bontrager CX frame I have - of course that was actually built by Bontrager pre-trek so it didn't have any other bontrager stuff on it
    when I was racing it.

    After I decided to set that up for my wife a few years ago I bought Trek/Bontrager CX wheels and tires in the same black/red color scheme to
    get it all matchy-matchy. I've only ridden it once since then but it
    rode really smooth and stable. She doesn't take it out much but her only complaint is that she's not a fan of drop-bars.

    Bontranger has the long standing Hardcase which is a much less popular Gatorskin alternative though itrCOs almost certainly better in the wet.

    I personally wouldnrCOt use Gatorskins for that reason just terrifying poor
    wet weather grip! Rode through a thunderstorm last week or week before
    that, with Schwable One pluses so heavier but also functional immune to
    glass, remained all things considered well composed with the hail/debris
    and standing water.

    Bontranger seems to have a a long-standing XC tyre line up, I used their
    mud X way back which was the first Mud tyre I used that didnrCOt just skate over wet rocks etc, didnrCOt have the volume to cope with the full
    suspension, but good tyre nevertheless.

    Roger Merriman

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Ted Heise@theise@panix.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Tue Jun 16 14:46:35 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:26:21 -0500,
    AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:
    On 6/15/2026 10:45 AM, cyclintom wrote:

    I'm using gatorskins and on clincher tires I started working
    the tires on all the way around to the filler rather than the
    opposite way. This appears to work much easier and I was abloe
    to put these on without much trouble.

    Yes that's exactly correct.

    Reviewing theory, or Michelin's original patent, the tire needs
    to drop into the center well of the rim on one side while the
    edge is lifted over the top of the rim on the other side.
    With a fat classic MTB rim it's effortless.

    For many modern 'tubeless compatible' rim sections or for very
    narrow rims, the clearances are minimal so by ending at the
    valve, tire changing is less daunting. The only place the tire
    cannot drop in the rim center is at the valve.

    Aha! This (ending at the valve when mounting tires) is a new bit
    of knowledge for me--thanks both!
    --
    Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> Gretna, NE, USA
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roger Merriman@roger@sarlet.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Sun Jun 28 21:22:24 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    NFN Smith <worldoff9908@gmail.com> wrote:
    Roger Merriman wrote:
    With the gravel bike at same pressures you could feel the difference, but
    MTB trail tyres are a fair bit more substantial construction than Gravel or >> XC tyres where there is significant crossover.

    Will report back as and when.

    I'll be interested to see what you experience.

    Only one ride if for the MTB fairly long one, with a new rear tyre and
    fresh tubless install on front and rear tyre. At same pressures which is
    around what most tyre pressures suggest, I canrCOt realistic tell the difference, which is what I expected, had very chattery stuff as up on the ridgeway and itrCOs been well above 30 which shouldnrCOt be normal but is becoming so, but dropped to just below 30 on Saturday and has dropped a bit more today.

    Will though give me the chance to play with pressures as with Tubeless as
    long as you donrCOt ding the rim can get away with lower pressures, and presently IrCOm running same pressure on the gravel bike and the MTB, whorCOs tyres have quite a bit more volume and sidewall support, clearly the MTB
    and and does push the tyres harder, some of the technical descents that
    while rideable on the Gravel bike your picking your way down, vs just
    sending it on the MTB.

    I shall have play possibly somewhere steeper with berms that I can load up
    the sidewalls!

    I'm finally through my adventures. I returned the Bontragers, although
    it was useful that a shop mechanic reminded me that tires do stretch
    some after they've been ridden, and over time, they're easier to mount
    and dismount.

    I went to another shop and paid a little more than I had really intended
    for high-end hard-shell Continental Gatorskins. Those were also kind of stiff going on, and then I ended up having problems with the tubes I got
    at the Trek shop. One tube seems to have valve problems and isn't
    holding pressure, and when mounting the other one in one of the
    Gatorskins, I goofed and got the tube caught under the bead and got a blowout when I mounted.

    Besides the Trek shop (my regular one is the same chain but a different location, not as close to my house, but more focused on road bikes),
    there is also a Specialized shop nearby. They're small enough (and
    almost exclusively Specialized) that I don't go to them regularly, but
    the people who run the shop are serious riders, and not prone to hiring sales-droids. Thus, I got a couple of Specialized tubes, and got
    everything mounted correctly -- finally. I got a ride in this morning,
    and glad of it, but still feeling the effects of my long layoff. After a
    few hundred miles, I'm definitely more comfortable -- longer distances, faster speeds, and where I'm now getting out 3 days a week, and
    beginning to get consecutive days, but today wasn't super-satisfying. If
    I ride tomorrow, it will probably be relatively short before going
    longer on Saturday.

    Smith

    Roger Merriman


    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2