Biking San Diego to Pheniox Tire Question

[tomhampton6]

I have not biked in the south and I am going from San Diego to Pheniox.  Do I need special tires?  Right now I have your basic tire for a touring bike Trek 520.

[staehpj1]

I have not biked in the south and I am going from San Diego to Pheniox.  Do I need special tires?  Right now I have your basic tire for a touring bike Trek 520.

I would suggest that a bit of extra care with where you wheel your bike when off pavement goes a long way toward preventing flats from goat head thorns.  They are likely to be just about anywhere you wheel the bike off of the pavement for a rest or other break.  Try to be careful where you go and check for thorns when starting out again.

For tires I like Continental Ultra Gator Skins and beyond the care mentioned above I make no special allowances for riding in the southwest.

Having grown up and lived my whole life in the east, when I rode out west I got a lot of flats before I figured out what goat head thorns were and where you find them.

[tonythomson]

I had no particular problems with flats last year on that section, major cause of flats seems to be those little bits of wire from the shredded vehicle tyres.  Impossible to see or avoid always so I would get top quality kevla lined tyres and you shouldn't have too much trouble.

Great ride by the way.

Tony

[John Nelson]

In my experience, the Bontrager hardcase 700x32 that comes standard in the Trek 520 is a pretty good and tough touring tire already. I haven't gotten any flats in them yet.

[Tourista829]

Schwalbe Marathon Plus.

[Susan]

Schwalbe Marathon Plus!

[Galloper]

I like the Panaracer Tourguard Pasella.   Fast rolling and, I think, lighter than the Schwalbe.

[DNault]

+1 for the Marathon Plus

[JimF]

Another Schwable Marathon Plus vote. They are on the heavy side, but I TA'd with them and added another 1500 miles with no flat. They're still on my bike.

[tomhampton6]

Thanks for the ideas on my tires.