Too much rubber kind of tires?

[swbluto]

I was thinking about cars and why they don't have seem to have as many problems with flats as bicycles. I think it's likely due to the significantly greater amount of tread available and the probable thickness of the rubber. Is there a bicycle tire out there that has that kind of thickness?

I was checking my tires and I noticed a glass shard had embedded itself in the front. It didn't seem to pop the tire due to the thickness of the thread, so it seems a sufficiently thick tread should prevent most flats.

I know thinner / lighter treads are of concern of most regular bikers due to weight and the such, but we're powered bikes! We can take the extra weight.

Using this same logic, it seems like motorcycle tires probably have significant amounts of tread kind of like cars. Has anybody tried to adapt something like this with success? Maybe moped tires?

 

[EVnewbie]

http://www.schwalbe.com/gbl/en/produkte/tour_city/produkt/?ID_Einsatzbereich=9&ID_Produktgruppe=36&ID_Produkt=133&ID_Artikel=846&info=1

I have been using Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires on my recumbents and, now with the Marathon Plus ATB tire...the the back of a Norco. You WANT too much rubber? Besides the kevlar belts, the tires have a blue rubber belt under the thick tread of the tire. The 26x2.0 tire weighs 1,100 grams (3 pounds, 3 oz) and they work very well. No flats after I started using them in the spring of 2005. The 32x700C Plus on the back of my recumbent has over 2,100 miles on it, shows little wear and has never flatted. The 20x1.75 on the back of my wife's recumbent has over 4,000 miles on it with the same results, no flats and little wear.

The 26x2.00 Marathon Plus ATB is just wearing the little mold nipples off but my son has not flatted it yet. The tires are quite heavy, calculate about twice the weight over a regular tire but that would explain why they don't flat. That tire will be my electric bike back tire when I get it on the road. Be forwarned, they ain't cheap!

EDIT

Back 9 years ago I tried the Maxxis Hookworm 20x1.95 tire as my recumbent front tire. Very thick tire tread and the weight was very noticable. The 26x2.50 tire weighs 1,250 grams or 3.75 pounds...there are no kevlar belts but if you need something wider than a 2.00, those beasts should do the trick.

 

[gerhardt]

I have been using the Maxis Hookworm 26x2.50 rear and 20x1.95 front with heavy duty tubes on my delta E-trike with great results. I operate up to 35 mph with no flats. I read where the Maxis Hookworm was tested to 90 mph in the UK on a bike towed by a Porsche car. Maxis also makes motorcycle tires so they know how to make tires.
Don Gerhardt

 

[docnjoj]

I'm quite sure the Wal-mart "steel belt" 20" tires are Maxis Hookworms or good copies. I am using one on my trike in place of the Marathon Plus that came with the rear quick release wheel.
otherDoc