searching for a tough tire?
Written: Jun 18 '02 (Updated Jun 24 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: flat resistance, good handling, red side walls
Cons: a little heavy.
The Bottom Line: a solid reliable tire that is nearly bullet proof. I still keep a flat kit with me, but I haven't looked at it in a long time.
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| motomiker's Full Review: Specialized Turbo Armadillo |
I moved from San Diego to northern Illinois. Don't ask why. SD is bike friendly. Northwestern Illinois, not so much. The Illinois trails have lots of rough patches and the roads often times don't have wide shoulders to accommodate cyclists. When I moved here I bought a mountain bike as it was more fitting for the environment. after about half a year I went back to my road bike. I was initially plagued by punctures. I found a tire review on line, which tested several tires by riding them through a trough filled with jagged metal, nails, glass and other tire puncturing junk. Of all the tires tested, only the Armadillo did not flat. My research showed that the tire is protected by a woven Kevlar layer (Specialized uses a different term that escapes me) that goes from bead to bead unlike most Kevlar tires which only have it in the tread area. I bought a pair at a shop in Milwaukee, (Spoke and Sprocket) and have 500 miles on them. At a svelte 210lbs, I know I am tough on tires. Low pressure is death to tires, especially snake bite flats. Side wall printing recommends from 115 to 125 psi. I keep them in that range by checking before each ride and topping them off with my 20 year old Silca floor pump. I have had no flats to date and the Armadillos show almost no wear. I have found glass and a piece of wire pushed into the rubber but it did not into the tube. I brush it away and go on about my business. The tires have a center section that is slick with minimal sipes on the edges. the 23c size is larger than those of years gone by and about the size of 25c turbos that I had 10 years ago. they are somewhat heavier and stiffer than many other performance tires, but I think the added weight it worth it. if you are a racer who must shave every ounce they are not for you.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
motomiker
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Member: Mike R
Location: Northwestern Illinois
Reviews written: 10
Trusted by: 0 members
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