Touring tyres

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P.H

Über Member
My present favorite touring tyre is the Marathon Racer in 30mm.

They're all a compromise, strength, longevity, grip, weight, cost.

The Marathon Racers won't win in any of those categories, but are pretty high up in most and not bottom of any.
 

MarkF

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
M+'s for me. I am not fast, a plodder, 50/60 miles a day tops and I did not notice any difference whatsover when I changed over to M+'s, at 14 stone and with camping gear, how would I? What I have noticed is a total lack of punctures, freedom from repairs and worry is great.
 

John the Monkey

Frivolous Cyclist
Location
Crewe
The LHT currently has a pair of 42c Conti City Contacts on that I got for £15.

So far they seem durable & roll tolerably well. Ideally I'd like a reflective sidewall, but hey.
 

e-rider

crappy member
Location
South West
so what about the Conti Top contacts I recommended? Too expensive? Probably the best touring tyre out there and nobody seems to want to even consider that they might be good. Most likely people just haven't tried them.

They are the top-of-the-line conti touring tyre.
 
OP
OP
rich p

rich p

ridiculous old lush
Location
Brighton
so what about the Conti Top contacts I recommended? Too expensive? Probably the best touring tyre out there and nobody seems to want to even consider that they might be good. Most likely people just haven't tried them.

They are the top-of-the-line conti touring tyre.


£31 at Winstanleys. You're tempting me. !
 

e-rider

crappy member
Location
South West
£31 at Winstanleys. You're tempting me. !

I splashed out on the folding ones but I got them on sale for £55 pair at chainreactioncycles a while back.

Make sure you don't buy the 'winter' version by mistake (unless that's what you want)

Probably not much weight diff between folding and non-folding anyway.
 

willem

Über Member
On a loaded tourer I think you have a choice between the Panaracer Pasela TG for spirited not too heavily loaded riding in not too demanding conditions (the Marathon Racers are similar, but a bit slower and a bit sturdier). I love the Pasela's for that, and have used them with great success. They are fast and comfortable, but not bombproof. If conditions are more demanding the ordinary Marathon is a great tyre. It copes well with gravel roads, it is sturdy, can carry heavy loads, and it is pretty puncture proof. Unless you are making a habit of riding in thorny or glass littered environments you really do not need the extra offered by the Marathon Plus, and you don't want the harsh and slow ride.
Much therefore depends on conditions. I have just come back from a rough and partly off road tour in Norway, and for that I fitted wide Marathon Extremes. I liked the extra grip offered by these knobbly tyres, and I liked the very low weight (there was a lot of hard climbing). The downside was more rolling resistance on tarmac, but those were the easy parts in any case. These are not general purpose tyres like the ordinary Marathons, but they fited my purpose very well. As soon as I have time I will put the Pasela's back on, however.
Finally, I would strongly advise to fit the widest tyre that will fit your frame. They give far more comfort, better grip on gravel roads, and are faster in real life conditions. The preference for narrow tyres is largely a remnant of the days when it was technically impossible to build wide tyres with light and flexible casings that were strong enough to handle the increased forces exerted by large air volumes. Technology has moved on, and there is now a choice of light and flexible wide tyres.
Willem
 

srw

It's a bit more complicated than that...
so what about the Conti Top contacts I recommended? Too expensive? Probably the best touring tyre out there and nobody seems to want to even consider that they might be good. Most likely people just haven't tried them.

They are the top-of-the-line conti touring tyre.

They're only available for 26" wheels in a 50-559, with a maximum inflation of 58psi. That's wide and bouncy. Marathon pluses are available in 35-559 - 1.35" width with a max inflation of 95psi; that makes for a much smoother ride. Even the utlra-wide 47-559 will go up to 75psi.
 
OP
OP
rich p

rich p

ridiculous old lush
Location
Brighton
They're only available for 26" wheels in a 50-559, with a maximum inflation of 58psi. That's wide and bouncy. Marathon pluses are available in 35-559 - 1.35" width with a max inflation of 95psi; that makes for a much smoother ride. Even the utlra-wide 47-559 will go up to 75psi.


My wheels are 700s
 

willem

Über Member
Low pressure tyres are not bouncy, they are just comfortable. The only drawback is a slight increase in rolling resistance, and less stability in fast descents. I use my 26 inch 50 mm rear tyres at 5 bar with luggage, and with 4 bar without. Front is always 3 bar (no front bags). Narrow Marathon plusses would be bone jarringly uncomfortable rather than smooth on anything but th every best tarmac.
Willem
 

Yellow7

Über Member
Location
Milton Keynes
I've fitted the Marathon Plus tyres from my tourer onto my town bike & still only 1 puncture to date & that's cycling around the 'redways' cycle route of Milton Keynes with glass & thorns to contend with, said puncture was actually while on the touring bike. Sure the 1.75 is a bit narrow for some of the briddle-ways I cycle but with over 4000miles on them I'm not complaining.

Just fitted the 'Marathon Plus Tour' onto the tourer, these are a hybrid knobbly / road version of the 'Marathon Plus' so still have the puncture protection & slightly wider at 2.0, so also look better when fitted on a mountainbike size frame & good for on / off road (I hope!!) Twelfth picture down on my blogs project page shows the tread pattern.

http://www.wallisonw...e-projects.html


Mark
 
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