Best commuting tyre & best pump?

elyob said the following on 31/07/2006 12:28:

Quoted message said:

Also, my mini-pump was proven to be pretty useless, and am looking for a new
pump. Possibly one that can easily swap between my road bike and my ATB.

Can't help on the tyres, but one of the mountain bike magazines is doing
a review of various mini-pumps - I'm not clear if you are looking for a
better mini-pump or a full size pump, although ATBs and full size pumps
don't go together well. I was pleased to see that the Blackburn
Marathon came out very well. As to swapping between road bike and ATB,
it depends on which valves you have! The Blackburn can cope with both
Presta and Schraeder, but you have to fiddle a bit.

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

"Paul Boyd" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

elyob said the following on 31/07/2006 12:28:

Quoted message said:

Also, my mini-pump was proven to be pretty useless, and am looking for a
new pump. Possibly one that can easily swap between my road bike and my
ATB.

Can't help on the tyres, but one of the mountain bike magazines is doing a
review of various mini-pumps - I'm not clear if you are looking for a
better mini-pump or a full size pump, although ATBs and full size pumps
don't go together well. I was pleased to see that the Blackburn Marathon
came out very well. As to swapping between road bike and ATB, it depends
on which valves you have! The Blackburn can cope with both Presta and
Schraeder, but you have to fiddle a bit.

Both my bikes are presta, so no real problem. However, am wondering where to
place pump on my road bike. It has a single screw hole under the top tube,
and also a spare water holder placing on the seat tube.

The Topeak Morph pump has been recommended. Also, a long pump I used
yesterday was far more effective than my own mini pump.

elyob said:

my mini-pump was proven to be pretty useless, and am looking for a new
pump. Possibly one that can easily swap between my road bike and my ATB.

Some of the topeak pumps have a "smarthead" that fits on presta or
schrader without fiddling around with reversible bits in the head. I
just got one and it seems OK but I haven't really had it long enough to
judge.

"elyob" <[email hidden]>typed

Quoted message said:

"Paul Boyd" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

elyob said the following on 31/07/2006 12:28:

Quoted message said:

Also, my mini-pump was proven to be pretty useless, and am looking for a
new pump. Possibly one that can easily swap between my road bike and my
ATB.

Can't help on the tyres, but one of the mountain bike magazines is
doing a
review of various mini-pumps - I'm not clear if you are looking for a
better mini-pump or a full size pump, although ATBs and full size pumps
don't go together well. I was pleased to see that the Blackburn Marathon
came out very well. As to swapping between road bike and ATB, it depends
on which valves you have! The Blackburn can cope with both Presta and
Schraeder, but you have to fiddle a bit.

Quoted message said:

Both my bikes are presta, so no real problem. However, am wondering
where to
place pump on my road bike. It has a single screw hole under the top tube,
and also a spare water holder placing on the seat tube.

Quoted message said:

The Topeak Morph pump has been recommended. Also, a long pump I used
yesterday was far more effective than my own mini pump.

I have faffed around with minipumps and have come to the conclusion that
I *lurve* my (long) zéfal hp-x. Just about the only pump IMO.

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email hidden]
Edgware.

elyob said:

My Specialized Ex Armadillos are looking pretty ropey and I've decided that
I need to get new tyres. These older ones were fantastic being 26x1.95's. I
could do most dry off road without any problems and also plenty of commute
type cycling. I also didn't mind the chunky look.

However, they were pretty heavy and I'm reconsidering what tyres to use for
towpath and road commute use.

I have found mo problem using either City Jet (1.5"😉 or Nokian AWS
(1.3"😉 on my commuter. These have been taken on some fairly nasty off
road. Wet tree roots they won't like, nor mud, but everythign else
should be fine (towpaths shouldn't be much problem) and the benefits on
road are fantastic wrt speed and weight.

...d

"elyob" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My Specialized Ex Armadillos are looking pretty ropey and I've decided
that I need to get new tyres. These older ones were fantastic being
26x1.95's. I could do most dry off road without any problems and also
plenty of commute type cycling. I also didn't mind the chunky look.

However, they were pretty heavy and I'm reconsidering what tyres to use
for towpath and road commute use.

Also, my mini-pump was proven to be pretty useless, and am looking for a
new pump. Possibly one that can easily swap between my road bike and my
ATB.

Thanks

Hi, I've been using Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tyres for my commute for the last
nine months and have yet to have a puncture (prays the puncture fairy isn't
listening). They can be a bit tough to get on some types of rim.

As for pumps I carry a Blackburn frame pump. I've yet to use it with the
tyres mentioned. I use a track pump to inflate the tyres at home.

John

elyob said:

Both my bikes are presta, so no real problem. However, am wondering where to
place pump on my road bike. It has a single screw hole under the top tube,
and also a spare water holder placing on the seat tube.

The Topeak Morph pump has been recommended. Also, a long pump I used
yesterday was far more effective than my own mini pump.

I have a Topeak Morph and would recommend it - excellent for quickly
getting very high pressures without putting any strain on your valves.

PhilO

elyob said:

Both my bikes are presta, so no real problem. However, am wondering
where to place pump on my road bike. It has a single screw hole under
the top tube, and also a spare water holder placing on the seat tube.

Zéfal/Truflo HPX fits under the top tube of most road bikes with the help
of a clip-on peg at the front end. A cable tie around the head tube is
even better, with the head of the tie acting as the pip. Aparently none
of this is necessary with certain small frames as the pump nestles in by
itself, sort of like it would against the seat tube. Add a velcro strap
if you like, though one isn't needed with a peg that doesn't slip.

However, despite it being a great pump, I hardly ever take my HPX any
more. I prefer to carry a shorter pump as that's more practical when
visiting shops etc. I don't risk leaving the pump on the bike.

Quoted message said:

The Topeak Morph pump has been recommended.

Heavier than HPX, and the HPX is quite heavy.

Quoted message said:

Also, a long pump I used
yesterday was far more effective than my own mini pump.

Boost the effectiveness with a blast of CO2. There are combined pumps &
CO2 inflators but they won't be as good as two seperate products. (I
wouldn't rely soley on CO2 for obvious reasons). A super light mini pump*
+ lightweight CO2 inflator** + one 16g cylinder is lighter & smaller than
an HPX in total, and is easier and quicker to use, for the first puncture
anyway.

* egs. Topeak Pocket Rocket, Innovations Road Air, Axiom Sprint Air,
Barbieri CarbOne

** eg. Innovations Air Chuck SL (Wiggle)

~PB

elyob said:

However, they were pretty heavy and I'm reconsidering what tyres to use for
towpath and road commute use.

Standard response: Schwalbe Marathons. Not the fastest road tyre around
but an excellent compromise if your riding covers both road and light
off-road. Bulletproof, too.

Quoted message said:

Also, my mini-pump was proven to be pretty useless, and am looking for a new
pump. Possibly one that can easily swap between my road bike and my ATB.

On the recommendation of several people here, I got a Zefal HPX. I
thank those people that recommended it. It is the business. 110psi? No
sweat. Alternatively, one of my clubmates swears by his Topeak Road
Morph.

d.

elyob said:

My Specialized Ex Armadillos are looking pretty ropey and I've decided that
I need to get new tyres. These older ones were fantastic being 26x1.95's. I
could do most dry off road without any problems and also plenty of commute
type cycling. I also didn't mind the chunky look.

However, they were pretty heavy and I'm reconsidering what tyres to use for
towpath and road commute use.

Also, my mini-pump was proven to be pretty useless, and am looking for a new
pump. Possibly one that can easily swap between my road bike and my ATB.

Thanks

I have a crank brothers. Power pump for commuting. very light and very
very small (and fairly cheap). Fits in my pannier side pocket. Has a
twist end to select high volume or high pressure. Not particularly
quick to inflate a tyre. However, even averaging 200 commuting miles
per week I have only had 3 punctures this year and only one necessitated
fixing at the side of the road. So the extra time to inflate the tyre
is well worth the saving in weight.

Gordon

John said:

Quoted message said:

Hi, I've been using Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tyres for my commute for the last
nine months and have yet to have a puncture (prays the puncture fairy isn't
listening). They can be a bit tough to get on some types of rim.

The right answer! I'll second these for comuting. They are heavy, don't roll
that well but are totally and utterly puncture proof. This last fact overrides
everything for me on a commuting bike.

--
Arthur Clune

elyob said the following on 31/07/2006 12:54:

Quoted message said:

Both my bikes are presta, so no real problem. However, am wondering where to
place pump on my road bike. It has a single screw hole under the top tube,
and also a spare water holder placing on the seat tube.

The spare bottle holder position sounds like the best bet.

Quoted message said:

The Topeak Morph pump has been recommended. Also, a long pump I used
yesterday was far more effective than my own mini pump.

IIRC, now you mention it, I think that one was the one that shoved more
air per stroke than any other mini-pump. I'll check when I'm home tonight.

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

"davek" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

elyob said:

However, they were pretty heavy and I'm reconsidering what tyres to use
for
towpath and road commute use.

Standard response: Schwalbe Marathons. Not the fastest road tyre around
but an excellent compromise if your riding covers both road and light
off-road. Bulletproof, too.

Quoted message said:

Also, my mini-pump was proven to be pretty useless, and am looking for a
new
pump. Possibly one that can easily swap between my road bike and my ATB.

On the recommendation of several people here, I got a Zefal HPX. I
thank those people that recommended it. It is the business. 110psi? No
sweat. Alternatively, one of my clubmates swears by his Topeak Road
Morph.

That was the type lent to me. Yeah, far, far more effective.

What size do you recommend?

Size 1 measures 350mm to 400mm
Size 2 measures 410mm to 460mm
Size 3 measures 470mm to 520mm
Size 4 measures 530mm to 580mm

I had to keep repumping my tyre as I didn't have a spare tube, as all my
spares were nicked in France. I did manage to get the tyre off and on with
my bare hands, and I was carrying an instant patch set. Unfortunately the
presta valve head was damaged and I think this kept on losing pressure.
Every few miles I had to refill, which was a shame as I had to do this 7 or
8 times. Even with this, it's hotter work pumping a tyre than riding along.
🙁

Still, didn't keep anyone else waiting, so that's the main thing.

I've looked at the Marathons on Wiggle. They're quite expensive compared to
the City Jets (they're doing 30% off a set) ... they have two city jets and
two inner tubes for £25 ... which seems quite a good price.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/Default.aspx?Main=ProductDetail.aspx&W=0&Manufacturer=&UberCatName=&Cat=cycle&CategoryName=Tyres%20-%20MTB%20Road&ProdID=5300003751&UberCat=0

davek said:

Standard response: Schwalbe Marathons. Not the fastest road tyre around
but an excellent compromise if your riding covers both road and light
off-road. Bulletproof, too.

Bulletproof up to a point... If you really want the best in armour
plating then the Plus version is about as close to puncture proof in a
pneumatic tyre as you'll get AFAICT having not actually used them: the
standard Marathon /does/ puncture from time to time.

But having said that, not so much that I've ever thought at all hard
about changing the Marathons on the 'bent or the Brom for something
different. IME a very capable and tough general purpose tyre (I think
I've had less than 1 puncture per year on average since starting to use
them).

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

elyob said:

I've looked at the Marathons on Wiggle. They're quite expensive compared to
the City Jets

Spend more on the tyres and less on the pump. If you don't get
punctures then it doesn't matter if your pump is a bit disposable,
provided you've got a track pump at home for the normal top-ups. In
the cold, dark and wet of a winter commute you don't want to be pumping
your tyres up by the roadside however lovely your pump may be.

elyob said:

What size do you recommend?

I got a size 4 cos that's what fits my frame. If you're not intending
to fit it on your frame then it probably doesn't matter (as big as fits
in your pocket?).

d.

On 31/07/2006 14:40, Paul Boyd said,

Quoted message said:

IIRC, now you mention it, I think that one was the one that shoved more
air per stroke than any other mini-pump. I'll check when I'm home tonight.

Er, actually it was the Truflo Maxair. Close!

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

On 31 Jul,

Peter Clinch said:

davek said:

Standard response: Schwalbe Marathons. Not the fastest road tyre around
but an excellent compromise if your riding covers both road and light
off-road. Bulletproof, too.

Bulletproof up to a point... If you really want the best in armour
plating then the Plus version is about as close to puncture proof in a
pneumatic tyre as you'll get AFAICT having not actually used them: the
standard Marathon /does/ puncture from time to time.

But having said that, not so much that I've ever thought at all hard
about changing the Marathons on the 'bent or the Brom for something
different. IME a very capable and tough general purpose tyre (I think
I've had less than 1 puncture per year on average since starting to use
them).

I had a marathon on the front of my hybrid. After several weeks of not being
used I re-inflated the tyres, and it blew off the rim. Whether the tyre had
been displaced whilst the pressure was low I don't know, but it's put me off
using it. It doesn't quite seem to sit correctly on the rim, I noticed this
when originally fitting it, and suspect an oversized bead. I'm now using a
Continental travel contact, but only about 20 miles so far - it also has
kevlar reinforcing.

--
BD
Change lycos to yahoo to reply

elyob said:

Also, my mini-pump was proven to be pretty useless, and am looking for a new
pump. Possibly one that can easily swap between my road bike and my ATB.

Thanks

Cyclaire (www.cyclaire.com)does the biz to 100+ psi for me. Bit heavy
at 300g, tho'.