fast touring tyres.

[jazzkat]

Hi all
I'm looking for a recommendation or two for some nice touring tyres. I'm using rigida sputnik rims so apparently I can run 28-51mm tyres.
I've currently got marathon plus tyres on and they have been pretty good - no punctures in 1000+ miles, but I cant help feel that they are quite 'slow' tyres, I'd rather put my meagre wattage into carting the load up a hill rather than overcoming rolling resistance. I appreciate that it is always a compromise, I'm not too fussed about puncture resistance, I can fix a puncture easily enough, although I'd rather not puncture at all! I'll be touring fully loaded (four panniers/kitchen sink) so need tyres that will take the load and be comfortable.
What do you reckon?

 

[mcshroom]

My choice is 32mm standard marathons, but others to look at would be Marathon Supremes or Panracer Paselas.

I've tried Continental Sport Contacts in 28 and 32mm and I don't think they roll as they look like they should. I couldn't notice a difference between the 32mm Sport contact and the 32mm Marathon that replaced it on LonJOG.

 

[jazzkat]

Thanks for that.
I'm planning to do a couple of audax events on the bike so faster tyres will be less hard work.

 

[potsy]

Marathon Supremes, light-ish, fast rolling but a tad pricey

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Marathon Supremes, light-ish, fast rolling but a tad pricey

What are they like getting them on and off the rims? I'm not too bothered about patching punctures on the road - it's just an excuse for a breather when I'm on a longer run - but the Continental Contour Plus I have on my tourer, while they don't puncture often, when they do it's an epic struggle getting them both on and off. I'd trade off ease of repair against puncture resistance any time. I've heard stories about Marathons being beasts to get off the rims.

 

[potsy]

What are they like getting them on and off the rims? I'm not too bothered about patching punctures on the road - it's just an excuse for a breather when I'm on a longer run - but the Continental Contour Plus I have on my tourer, while they don't puncture often, when they do it's an epic struggle getting them both on and off. I'd trade off ease of repair against puncture resistance any time. I've heard stories about Marathons being beasts to get off the rims.

They are much easier than M+, one of the easiest tyres I've ever put on tbh.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

They are much easier than M+, one of the easiest tyres I've ever put on tbh.

Right, I'm off online shopping! Thanks

 

[mcshroom]

Marathon Plus are the ones that are hard to get on and off. I've not had too many problems with normal Marathons, and I have no experience myself, but I've heard that Marathon Supremes aren't too difficult to change either.

 

[Andrew Br]

They are much easier than M+, one of the easiest tyres I've ever put on tbh.

This ^

Marathon Supremes, light-ish, fast rolling but a tad pricey

and this ^.

They also grip superbly on wet roads.

At some stage you might want to get a lighter pair of wheels than the Sputniks.
I know that they're bomb-proof but, IME, they strangle the life out of the bike.
As ever, YMMV

.

 

[jazzkat]

It looks like the supremes are the way to go - thanks all

At some stage you might want to get a lighter pair of wheels than the Sputniks.

Any recommendations?

 

[frank8265]

You might wanna take a look at the marathon racer.
Durability, puncture resistant but faster / lighter it seems than the marathon plus.

 

[Andrew Br]

At some stage you might want to get a lighter pair of wheels than the Sputniks.
I know that they're bomb-proof but, IME, they strangle the life out of the bike.

Any recommendations?

Where to start ?
I have:-
DRC ST19; reliable but dull and the heaviest rims that I now own. They're on the roadified MTB. Fitted with 35mm Marathon Supremes.
Mavic CXP33; tough but narrow. They're on the new bike. They have Royce hubs which are beautiful. Fitted with 28mm Supremes. 8800 miles.
Velocity A23; wide, light. My favourite among the rims that I have. They're on my Dirty Disco. Hope hubs (red), 28mm Conti GP4 Seasons. 3750 miles.
Velocity Blunt SL; very wide, disc only. I'll be fitting them (haven't used them yet) when I want to take the Disco off-road. XT hubs, 35mm Marathon Extremes.
Mavic A317; disc only, cheapish MTB rims. They're on my tourer. Front has a dyno hub, rear a Rohloff, 35mm Schwalbe Sammy Slicks. 5700 miles.

Of this lot, the A23 seems to be the best so far. I really like the way they ride on that bike and with those tyres.
I had the CXP33s with the Supremes on the Disco before I got the A23s. It didn't seem to respond quite the same.

You need to consider what riding you do jazzkat and what you want from the wheels.
If you're going to ride across Africa then Sputniks are probably the best choice but my experience was that they were just too heavy for anything that I would be doing, even loaded touring.
There's lots of info on the web and pleny of people on here to ask.
I'd be tempted by 36h A23s (mine are 28/32 F/R but I only audax or credit card tour on the Disco).

Hopefully, someone more knowledgeable will be along soon.

.

 

[mcshroom]

I'll throw in Exal LX17s as decent lighter touring rims as well. Nicely made and build up into wheels easily IME. I got a couple to replace some aging Rigida Snypers (which i would also recommend but unfortunately are no longer made).

17mm internal rims are IMHO the most practical for UK touring bikes, as the will take anything from 25-38mm. It seems to be a gap in the market though as people either make super-skinny road wheels (13mm, occasionally 15mm) or 19mm+ touring rims.

 

[raleighnut]

Conti tyres are notoriously tight I was given a set of Grand Prix Supersonics by an old mate and they are the only tyres I've had to use levers to get on instead of just thumbs. My tip for Marathons, or indeed any tyre, is to inflate them to just below their max rated pressure.
To Mushroom some of us know whose woods they are I still miss him, I once gave him a photograph at the Haunted Valley gig in Milford which he later used on the inside of Sir Vincent Lone's " When the Bridegroom Comes" and he even gave me credit on the liner notes, near on fell off me chair when I saw my name. Ian Rankins newish book " Standing in Another Mans Grave " is dedicated to him.

 

[andrew_s]

I also like LX17s as touring rims. They are fairly cheap from Spa.
For tyres, I use either Gatorskin 28 or 32, or Marathon Racer 35 or 38, depending on where I'm going. It tends to be new tyres for a tour, which means punctures are rare, then use them up on return. Gatorskin are mostly OK on unsurfaced roads, but being narrower make you slow down more than a wider tyre would if it's particularly rough, or there's loose gravel or sand.

As far as performance goes, bear in mind that it's the total of tyre and rim weights that counts. There's no point going for a lightweight rim and sticking a heavy tyre on, and expecting a sprightly ride.