Tires make a big difference!!

When I acquired a used Bike E about three months ago, it was shod with Primo V-Monster tires.
They had lots of grip - and that was the problem - too much grip. They made pedaling hard and
slow and going up even small hills was a pure bitch (then again, I'm fat and outta shape, so
whaddya expect?).

I hied myself off to my local bike shop and ordered a Kenda Street 16 X 1.75 for the front, and a
Maxxis Hookworm 20 X 1.95. I originally wanted a set of Kenda Kwests, but the dealer couldn't get
them through their distributor.

Installed them a few days ago, and they make a big difference. Pedaling is easier - I find I can
start off in higher gears than I normally would and I can go somewhat faster. On flats and
downgrades, the ride is positively zippy and I don't have to pedal too hard.

I kinda like the styling of the Hookworms, but I gotta admit Maxxis has weird names for their tires
- my dealer's catalogue even shows some Maxxis Ringworms. Yecch.

Steve

 

You wold have liked the Kwests better. I currently run a Primo Comet Kevlar
1.25 on the front of my bikeE and a Tioga Comp Pool on the rear. These are available mail order from
a number of places often used by posters. I doubt that your LBS does not do business with JB
Importers they have them available as well as the Kwests. So do most all the distributors.
--
Jude....///Bacchetta AERO St. Michaels and Tilghman Island.. Maryland Wheel Doctor Cycle and Sports,
Inc 1-800-586-6645 <[email protected]> wrote in message
news[email protected]...
> When I acquired a used Bike E about three months ago, it was shod with Primo V-Monster tires. They
> had lots of grip - and that was the problem - too much grip. They made pedaling hard and slow and
> going up even small hills was a pure bitch (then again, I'm fat and outta shape, so whaddya
> expect?).
>
> I hied myself off to my local bike shop and ordered a Kenda Street 16 X 1.75 for the front, and a
> Maxxis Hookworm 20 X 1.95. I originally wanted a set of Kenda Kwests, but the dealer couldn't get
> them through their distributor.
>
> Installed them a few days ago, and they make a big difference. Pedaling is easier - I find I can
> start off in higher gears than I normally would and I can go somewhat faster. On flats and
> downgrades, the ride is positively zippy and I don't have to pedal too hard.
>
> I kinda like the styling of the Hookworms, but I gotta admit Maxxis has weird names for their
> tires - my dealer's catalogue even shows some Maxxis Ringworms. Yecch.
>
> Steve

 

I have seen some Comets before and they look like a good tire. However, a number of other bent
riders say the tire is flat prone. Have they made some improvements??

 

I had two flats on Primo Comets on my SatRDay in 3+ years, more than 6,000 miles. And two flats in
one month on Primo Comets on my Greenspeed GTO. I think it's a combination of luck, riding
conditions, and where on the road you're riding.

Nathan wrote:
> I have seen some Comets before and they look like a good tire. However, a number of other bent
> riders say the tire is flat prone. Have they made some improvements??
>
>
>

--
Larry Varney Cold Spring, KY http://home.fuse.net/larryvarney

 

"Larry Varney" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I think it's a combination of luck, riding conditions, and where on the road you're riding.

For what is worth I think your right! It does not seem to matter what tires I run I don't get
many flats.
--
Jude....///Bacchetta AERO St. Michaels and Tilghman Island.. Maryland Wheel Doctor Cycle and Sports,
Inc 1-800-586-6645

 

I got a flat on my rear primo comet with under 300 miles on the new bike. Do you suppose it was the tire or the 2" roofing nail that I didn't see...:-}.

I can't blame the tire on that one.

 

"Nathan" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I have seen some Comets before and they look like a good tire. However, a number of other bent
> riders say the tire is flat prone. Have they made
some
> improvements??

Mine now have over 2,000 miles on them

 

Have Primo Comets been improved?

I'm not sure. My Burley Canto came with the first set I've ever used. But I can tell you this: I have more than 1000 miles on them and just got back from a 200 mile+ tour of eastern Wisconsin. About half the miles were on roads and half were on crushed shell bike trails. I am shocked that I haven't had a flat thus far.

FWIW, I NEVER ride without checking the pressure and topping them off if necessary.

Also, FWIW, they do seem a little sluggish.

Ben
>>>>Burley Canto>>>>

 

I appreciate the answers. FWIW I had severa; bent riders and one shop owner say they THINK there are
issues with Comets. That is different than there are problems with the Comets.

One rider I talked to who rides a fairly consistent route, switch from Comets to (pardon the
spelling) Schauwlbe. He claims to go from from occassional flats to none.

 

"Nathan" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I have seen some Comets before and they look like a good tire. However, a number of other bent
> riders say the tire is flat prone. Have they made some improvements??
I've only had one flat in the three or four Comets I've gone through on my V-Rex, after flatting
several times on the OEM IRC. That one flat was on a brand new tire, in the rain, a puncture that
left a nasty-looking gash but did not seem to affect the useful life of the tire - I put something
like 3500 miles on it afterward. I ride relatively clean roads. Lots of chip seal, but not a lot of
cager debris.

 

"Jude T. McGloin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> "Larry Varney" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > I think it's a combination of luck, riding conditions, and where on the road you're riding.
>
> For what is worth I think your right! It does not seem to matter what tires I run I don't get
> many flats.

I'm one of those people who had bad luck with the Comets. I had two suffer fatal glass cuts within
three months. On the same roads, same riding habits, the replacement Schwalbe City Marathons
occasionally flatted, but didn't show the same damage from glass cuts.

I wonder if the early Comets had a harder rubber compound- it looked as if the tire simply split
once the cut started. The Marathons would absorb the glass chunks (which had to be pried out), but
the tread rubber did not rip apart.

Jeff

 

"Nathan" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I have seen some Comets before and they look like a good tire. However, a number of other bent
> riders say the tire is flat prone. Have they made some improvements??

Well, I lovingly refer to mine as "glass magnets". I had 4 flats in about 6 months, but I ride on
some back roads that are fairly covered with broken beer bottles. I switched to Kenda Kwests about 2
weeks ago out of frustration, and I will have to see how well they hold up.

Bryan

 

I don't know what to say. Al who I ride with runs the same tires I do over the same roads. He gets
flats I don't? His tires are covered with glass cuts, mine are not? Our mileage is near the same.
However, He is a ridge runner. We are blessed with wide sholders on most main 2 lane roads. He is
always on my right when we ride on the wide sholder and rides the ridge where all the glass ends up,
regardless of the traffic conditions. When I ride with a group I seem to see hazards long before
they do? I'm I just more observant?

--
Jude....///Bacchetta AERO St. Michaels and Tilghman Island.. Maryland Wheel Doctor Cycle and Sports,
Inc 1-800-586-6645 "Jeff Wills" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Jude T. McGloin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > "Larry Varney" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > > I think it's a combination of luck, riding conditions, and where on the road you're riding.
> >
> > For what is worth I think your right! It does not seem to matter what
tires
> > I run I don't get many flats.
>
> I'm one of those people who had bad luck with the Comets. I had two suffer fatal glass cuts within
> three months. On the same roads, same riding habits, the replacement Schwalbe City Marathons
> occasionally flatted, but didn't show the same damage from glass cuts.
>
> I wonder if the early Comets had a harder rubber compound- it looked as if the tire simply split
> once the cut started. The Marathons would absorb the glass chunks (which had to be pried out), but
> the tread rubber did not rip apart.
>
> Jeff

 

I have a flat every 100miles or so in average, front or back, comet, roadlite, whatever
(allways slicks).

I guess it correlates strictly to the glass beerbottles still used around here. I guess im a can-man
after all.

Torben