Straight Line

Conti's new generation Shieldwall Cross Kings and Race Kings are also worth considering. They've now got reinforced sidewalls and bigger volume. Handling is tops and they're a lot cheaper than the Protection Conti's. Fitting was a breeze with just a hand pump needed to seat and seal the beads.

Low the tyre pressures can have benefits in the right conditions. But if pressures are too low and terrain changes from soft to harsh, a couple of negatives emerge. 1. Increased tyre movement (tread/sidewall squirm) will reduce tyre life 2. Potential damage to tyres and rims in the case of impact on rocks etc is pronounced 3. Increased puncture rates on tread and sidewall areas Find a happy balance at the hardest pressures you're comfortable with and use these as much as possible. May feel strange initially but your riding style will soon adjust to higher pressures. Tyres will last longer, and downtime will be minimised.

Just take note that fitting wide tyres on narrow rims will mean they compensate by higher profile so frame and fork clearance could be issues.

Spot on with the observation that performance is dictated by tyre pressure. Tyre sidewalls flex (distort) progressively more as pressure is reduced. This gobbles up rider energy and increases rider fatigue which is exponential in long rides or difficult terrain. It's also destructive for tyre tread and casing. Work on the premise that if you increase your tyres pressure from "too low" (ie. below 1.5 bars nominally) to the hardest you're comfortable with, you'll conserve energy and be able go faster for longer. Do it incrementally and give each pressure enough riding time to get used to the change in handling. You'll eventually find the "Sweet spot" DieselinDust is talking about. You'll ride better and your tyres will last longer.

Run the highest pressures you can within your comfort zone. Tyre casing distortion increases progressively as pressure is reduced. The net result is a higher wear factor all round on tyre casing and tread. Tyres with reinforced sidewalls and/or bigger air volume are almost mandatory for any rocky surface riding (ie Cape Epic, Cape Pioneer, Attakwas etc).

3 puncture in 3 rides. That's heavy. Try Continental tyres with Protection sidewalls They can take serious punishment especially in rocky terrain. They're expensive but they last and handling is top notch.