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What are some good quality tires and where to get them?

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Pegasus Stormbringer

On Training Wheels
I've been getting into fixing bicycles recently, and I've got 4 bikes that just need tires/tubes/rim strips. Two are balloon tire bikes, a 1936 Western Flyer Monark and a 1939 Elgin Four Star. The other two are a 1961 Western Flyer Galaxy Flyer and a 1961 Raleigh Sports 3-speed.

I put blackwall Kenda tires on my moped and they're good quality, but I don't really know anything about bicycle tires. What are some good brands, tread patterns, and where is the best place to find them?

I'd also like to know if you can get a pair of tires/tubes/rim strips for less than $60; I've got several 1960s and '70s bikes that need tires, but have a low resale value, which means I can't really make a profit from them.
 
Kenda, Schwalbe, and Duro tend to be very good brands, at least by my experience. Duro tires tend to be a bit cheaper, but still useable. Ebay is a surprisingly good source for bike tires, but there's bicycleheaven as well.

Brand options and cost usually depend on the tread type, tread design, color, and size. You can get tires for around $20 each, but the choices decrease as well. For older bikes, simpler tread patterns tend to be more desirable, like brick-patterned tires usually made for cruisers. More complex, varied patterns like the small-block 8 may be less visibly appealing, but the more varied surface texture might be better for less-than-ideal conditions. The best tread pattern really plans on how you plan to use the bike.

If you're looking to just get a bike back to usable condition, you might want to check local bike repair shops or bicycle co-ops, as they may have used tires at a lower cost.
 
Buying parts at retail makes it very hard to make a profit flipping bikes. Scavenge useable tires off of parts bikes and tell the buyer they can buy new ones as cheaply as you can.Show them how easy it is to change a tire if the ones on the bike are really bad. Modern Schwalbe tires would turn my commuter (1980s mountain bike) into a hot rod, but in city riding would get too many flats. Thorn proof tubes and Mr. Tuffy's would help, but cancelled the thrill of lightweight low rolling resistance tires. I reverted to the cheapest Kendas and accepted the loss in performance. If you have a bike co-op nearby, check them out for tires, check craigslist, NEVER pass on a free bike, and one (and only one) local sporting goods store has a tire recycling barrel I have pulled tires out of. Bike shops will sometimes have used tires for cheap, but not often. Since you are in Redneckistan- I'm a refugee from Iowa myself- see what you can find out behind walmarts. From all reports you have to move fast, but they throw an ungodly tonnage of stuff away. Find any local bike shop dumpsters and farm them- lots of good parts inside if you can get to them. Make yourself a dumpster hook- just a stick with a nail on it to fish things out. For rim strips duct tape works just fine. Learn how to patch tubes! A good patch will last forever. When I was living in Iowa City I could say I was money ahead if I bought an english racer for a 1.00 at the goodwill auction or 5.00 at a yard sale , regreased it, maybe added some reflectors tires/ tubes from bike shop dumpsters or parts bikes and a rack and sold it for 50.00. Always add a rack for resale if you can. Girls bikes sold better there than boys a few decades ago.
 
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Kenda, Schwalbe, and Duro tend to be very good brands, at least by my experience. Duro tires tend to be a bit cheaper, but still useable. Ebay is a surprisingly good source for bike tires, but there's bicycleheaven as well.

Brand options and cost usually depend on the tread type, tread design, color, and size. You can get tires for around $20 each, but the choices decrease as well. For older bikes, simpler tread patterns tend to be more desirable, like brick-patterned tires usually made for cruisers. More complex, varied patterns like the small-block 8 may be less visibly appealing, but the more varied surface texture might be better for less-than-ideal conditions. The best tread pattern really plans on how you plan to use the bike.

If you're looking to just get a bike back to usable condition, you might want to check local bike repair shops or bicycle co-ops, as they may have used tires at a lower cost.
@elginbluebird, aka Mike the bike has some of the COOOLESTwide whites for around $60.00 with free shipping. I have bought several sets of these Columbia Superb tires and have high praise for these tires. They look really good and ride great on my old Ballooners.. RideOn...
 
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