I am so sick of getting flat tires I am finding that I need to get a few new pairs of tires. As I shop around I am appalled by the price of tires. WTF, I mean really, I can get a car tire that lasts 40K miles for the same price as a bike tire.
Does anyone know where I can get some decent tires for cheap?
Yup…but as soon as you look for car tires that perform as well for a car as the ~$50 bike tires do for a bike…you’re going to spend over $400/tire…and the mileage is going to get cut in half at best…
For any number of reasons…car tires are always going to be relatively less painful to buy. Consider economy of scale first and foremost.
Good tires cost $. Cheap tires aren’t worth it.
Actually most cheaper name brand tires last longer than upper end tires. And race car tires last about 150 miles and cost thousands. 
Styrrell
I guess you guys are correct about the performance, but sometimes I just feel like I have a target on my back when I am buying bike stuff. It seems like the cost far outweighs the performance.
Conti Gatorskins.
I know those never flat, but I need something I can train and race on. I don’t have race wheels.
2nd the Gatorskins. Put them on about 3 months ago…not a single flat yet and have been riding over lots of glass, crap on the road, etc. Love them.
for sure gator skins rock. no flats for 6 months. does anyone know if the GP 4000 contis are as “flat resistance” as the gator skins. i was looking to upgrade to a lighter tire for racing
Get some Schwalbe’s. Not exactly the cheapest, but you’ll be able to put in a lot of training miles on them and they’ll still be good race tires.
You want durability and performance - qualities that reside on opposite ends of the spectrum. For that, you will spend $$$. It’s no different than anything else in life…your car, your computer, your sunglasses…oh man, someone’s bar-b-q’ing outside. Gotta go.
Check out nashbar or performance. they always have close outs on tires for cheap. You don’t need an expensive tire for training.
I rode Specialized Armadillos all of 2005 and part of '06 with zero flats. Prior to that, I had the Mondo race tires and flatted constantly! Rolling resistance sucked with the Armi’s but I never had to worry about flatting. Now, I have Conti 4000’s and have flatted 3 times, though I now believe those were pinch flats due to poor tube mounting. They definitely have a smoother ride than the Armi’s.
"http://www.biketiresdirect.com "
Not so sure about bike tires direct anymore. The last 6 conti GP3OOOs I bought from them were crap. Hard, dry and cracking sidewalls. I have never had a sidewall just blow out without hitting something until these tires. I started ordering form Totalcycling.com and have had much better luck. They are cheaper but shipping is $28 to the US so you need to order in bulk. Conti GP 4OOO $36.14.
Dave
I know those never flat, but I need something I can train and race on. I don’t have race wheels.
well, if you keep having to replace tires then you’re not really saving anything. gator skins until you race. then put on your race tires, take them off right away. it’s cheaper than race wheels.
I usually try to support my LBS, but for tires the pricing from Europe is so much cheaper that I have them sent. THe best that I’ve found is www.probikekit.com.
Examples if you buy 2 at a time: Vittoria Open Corsa clinchers $30.26 each (no VAT, and Free shipping to the US), Michelin Pro2Race, $26.63, and Vittoria Corsa CX EVO tubulars for $42.25 (again, with free shipping).
I like supporting the LBS as much as the next guy, but something is awry here with the US distribution network for these products. Performance is priced at nearly 200% of these prices (and charges for shipping).
For good race-day tires at good prices, go to ebay.
For good training tires, shop the closeouts and sale items from the cycling catalogs and etailers.
Bob C.
Buy some cheap tires and put Slime Liners in them. You will never flat. I did this for my wife, who lives in mortal fear of flat tires. She hasn’t flatted once in a couple of years now.
If I flat more than once every few months on the same tire its past time for a new tire.
wow, that is amazing! can’t say i blame you!