Touring tyres

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Crankarm

Guru
Location
Nr Cambridge
http://www.petracycl...ource=googlepbs

http://www.probikeki....php?code=Y0123

Any preferences from these 2? I quite like the extra puncture resistance as long as they roll okay.

I guess weight and rolling resistance and puncture resistance is key. Being Schwalbe touring tyres they won't be the lightest. My preference would be for the first tyre link sold by Petracycles as M+ are really heavy. Thought you would have your favs or know what you want anyway RichP?
 

e-rider

crappy member
Location
South West
I'd consider the continental top contact also available in 700x32 - very nice tyres but more expensive than the ones you posted. I think the retail at £55 each but can be found online for about £33 each
 

rualexander

Legendary Member
Both of those tyres are excessively heavy, no need for that kind of weight unless extreme touring on very rough roads for a prolonged period.
Realistically, while touring, punctures are rare, you are unlucky if you get one every thousand miles.
I'd recommend Panaracer Pasela Tourguard.
 

MacB

Lover of things that come in 3's
I like my M+ for general and commuting use, about 4k miles between two sets of 700x35 and not had a puncture yet. There is a weight penalty which I can feel when accelerating or going uphill. But I don't find they roll as bad as some online postings might suggest. When I was commuting regularly last year I did some comparative rides:-

The Giant you're familiar with - 23mm tyres, no rack etc and total bike weight of about 21lbs I could manage about 18.5mph over 20 miles

Using the Surly for the commute and taking the average speed for the round 40 mile trip, to try to balance out wind direction etc - I could manage 15 to 15.5mph - the bike has guards, rack, hub gear, 700x35 M+ tyres and weighs in at about 33lbs, plus I had a pannier on for the commute.

How much of the speed difference is attributable to each part is impossible for me to calculate but it's not just the tyres.

It's got to be down to how much you want to spend and how much you value weight versus punture resistance. You can get 700x32 tyres down as low as about 330g and this rises through the options to 800g for the M+. The route matters as well, how many/severe the hills and expected surface conditions you'll be riding over.
 

Tim Bennet.

Entirely Average Member
Location
S of Kendal
I've used Panaracer Pesella (32c) for years camping touring and have only had maybe one puncture in 10,000 miles. I can't imagine where you would be going to make the M+ tyres worthwhile.
 
OP
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rich p

rich p

ridiculous old lush
Location
Brighton
Okay, so the feeling is that these are too heavy. I carry such a weight that I hadn't thought this would be an issue. Although I've toured a lot this is the first time I'll have had to change my Galaxy originals - Continental Country Rides which have been great but are no longer made.
Before that I toured on a hardtail so this is my first ever replacement touring tyre purchase.
 
Location
Midlands
Okay, so the feeling is that these are too heavy. I carry such a weight that I hadn't thought this would be an issue. Although I've toured a lot this is the first time I'll have had to change my Galaxy originals - Continental Country Rides which have been great but are no longer made.
Before that I toured on a hardtail so this is my first ever replacement touring tyre purchase.

I carry a lot of weight like you - never been particularly fast either (thats me -not suggesting that you are slow) - fitted M+ last year for the first time (after a bit of a nightmare in the Carmargue the year before with the ordinary M - Kevlar - bit extreme - double puncture 5holes rear, 3 front - about 50 thorns in the tyres - made me realise that while fixing the punctures does not take that long it can mess with the day quite a lot)

M+ fit and forget for 10000k - cannot say I particularly noticed the increase in weight on the loaded bike - my average speeds were slightly down last year - but that was probably a function of the tour being open ended

I used to use the Paesella but found the side walls were a bit fragile and I would average at least a couple of puntures every couple of thousand K - As a middle of the road tyre I found the Conti Top Touring (called something else now) a nice robust tyre -couple hanging on the wall (5000k on them but lots of life left) of my garage which will go on the commuter when the ordinary Marathon that I discarded for touring wear out
 

Crankarm

Guru
Location
Nr Cambridge
Continental Travel Contacts? They have a mooth middle band with nobbles on the edge. I bought a pair years ago. They are still going strong and haven't punctured, although I don't ride on them that much these days preferring Armadillo All Condition Pros.

Continental Travel Contacts http://www.chainreac...x?ModelID=18823

Armadillo All Condition http://www.evanscycl...o-tyre-ec001821

The AACs in either 25C or 28C.

Also Vittoria Rubino Pros, more a road tyre, but in 25C still a very light, capable and durable road touring tyre.
 

srw

It's a bit more complicated than that...
I used to use the Paesella but found the side walls were a bit fragile

A bit fragile? The sidewalls on our tandem lasted about 200 and 300 miles respectively!

I have Marathons on my Brompton and Marathon pluses on my all-purpose workhorse and on the tandem. The only punctures I've ever got have been from 6-inch nails (twice) I've run over in central London. Estimated mileage about 3000 miles each year; the tyres last for several thousand miles.

On tour this summer on the tandem we started with a completely shagged-out rear Marathon+. The sidewall had already split* and the tube was the wrong size and had a pinch puncture (kindly supplied and fitted by a well-known bike retailer - no, not that one). The shagged out Marathon+ lasted 500 miles before finally the sidewall finally gave way - and it was still perfectly rideable, with only a slight bump noticeable each revolution, and then only on downhills. Had it not been for the folding spare we were carrying with us we'd have happily carried on.

A couple of days later we lost our way** and went through a glass-strewn motorway underpass. The brand new Decathlon best touring tyre picked up a puncture, the Marathon+ shrugged it off.

*Yes, I know. We should have replaced it before we left!
**I didn't believe the French would signpost a deviation on a bike path
 
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rich p

rich p

ridiculous old lush
Location
Brighton
It's fraught with different views.
Too heavy - Doesn't matter
10K miles with no punctures - 200m sidewalls knackered
I think I'll go for the marathons in one of their guises
 

MacB

Lover of things that come in 3's
It's fraught with different views.
Too heavy - Doesn't matter
10K miles with no punctures - 200m sidewalls knackered
I think I'll go for the marathons in one of their guises

give them a try Rich you can always offload a set of M+, you could give them 500 miles and still flog them for half price.
 
OP
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rich p

rich p

ridiculous old lush
Location
Brighton
give them a try Rich you can always offload a set of M+, you could give them 500 miles and still flog them for half price.


That's true. I can't imagine why I wouldn't like them though as long as they roll. A few ounces on 25kg is irrelevant.
 

MacB

Lover of things that come in 3's
That's true. I can't imagine why I wouldn't like them though as long as they roll. A few ounces on 25kg is irrelevant.

It's perceptions as well, my Giant originally had the 35mm M+ on it and I started my streamlining by moving to a 28mm set of M+. I then went on a social ride feeling all light and zippy. Until Teef said, all casual like, oh M+ bit like peddaling treacle isn't it? I hid my pain well but that really hurt :biggrin:
 
OP
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rich p

rich p

ridiculous old lush
Location
Brighton
It's perceptions as well, my Giant originally had the 35mm M+ on it and I started my streamlining by moving to a 28mm set of M+. I then went on a social ride feeling all light and zippy. Until Teef said, all casual like, oh M+ bit like peddaling treacle isn't it? I hid my pain well but that really hurt :biggrin:


I like treacle! See you soon!
 
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