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I just bought a Schwinn bike with the following codes on the tire. AKR6483 / 40-622 / 700x38c. I have gone to numerous websites to possibly order a solid rubber tire for my bike so I will never have to by a replacement tire or repair a flat due to puncture. Can you tell me which solid rubber tire would be acceptable for this bike

Thank you very much

Ron

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    If you're dead-set on solid tyres then I'm afraid I can't help. But if you're open-minded and wondering why these tyres aren't stocked by cycling shops, there is a reason - basically Darwinian. Solid tyres have been tried time and again over the years, but never successfully enough to convince shops to stock them.
    – PeteH
    Jul 21, 2014 at 22:14
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    Specifically Neil Fein's answer. FWIW where I worked we refused to fit them after the first time - they're a huge PITA to fit, and people balk at $100+ per wheel labour costs.
    – Móż
    Jul 21, 2014 at 22:59
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    It is worth noting that the very invention of pneumatic tires by Dunlop a long time ago was responsible for a huge development and widespread use of the bicycle as a vehicle.
    – heltonbiker
    Jul 21, 2014 at 23:12
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    Also note that there are several different technologies that produce tires that are far less prone to puncture (like 10x to 100x less) than are the standard tires that came with your bike.
    – Daniel R Hicks
    Jul 22, 2014 at 0:20
  • I got solid tyres for a bike about 14 years ago, they had to be such a tight fit because with pneumatics they expand as you inflate so they tighten to the rim and don't roll round it. The bike shops couldn't fit them and I had to go to ATS (a car tyre fitting company if you're in the outside the UK)
    – laurencemadill
    Jul 22, 2014 at 9:53

2 Answers 2

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As the comments have comprehensively pointed out, solid tyres have some significant problems.

I recently fitted a solid tyre from Tannus on my bike with the same goals as yours. I only managed to last a few weeks before I couldn't deal with the problems and refitted my standard tyres.

Pros

  • No flat tyres!

Cons

  • Rough ride - the ride quality was awful. Jarring and rattling constantly.
  • Poor grip - The tyre didn't have anywhere near the grip of a good standard tyre.
  • Somewhat loose attachment to the rim - there was a sensation of the tyre 'rolling' off the rim. It didn't ever roll right off and I don't think it would, but there was noticeable give where the tyre attached to the rim leading to this instability when cornering.
  • Flat spotting - I locked up the wheel to avoid a car in the first 10 minutes of fitting the tyre and it created a significant flat spot. I actually had to feather the flat spot with sandpaper because there was a very noticable 'bump' with every revolution of the wheel.

If you want to give them a try, this tyre from tannus would fit your bike. The item code WMI702H or WMI702S would both fit, but be a bit narrower than your existing tyre (32 rather than 38).

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Zero maintenance is just not going to happen. A bicycle has a many moving parts. Chains, gears, and bearings. Go for a puncture resistant tire. An example is the Schwalbe Marathon Plus.

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  • Can vouch for the Marathon Plus. Had a flat about every two months before with ordinary tires, no flat in 2 years since Marathon Plus. Need to keep them well inflated, though, so not zero maintenance. Just get a good standing-up pump (or car tire valves or adaptors, and inflate at gas stations - if acceptable in your region).
    – fzwo
    Jul 22, 2014 at 7:55

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