Tyres for touring on an Allez

[maurice]

Hi

I'm spending a few weeks doing a Calais to Nice run in June/July, about 900 miles ish.

It's going to be a credit-card lightweight style tour, so using hotels and just a rear rack, on my 07 Allez Triple.

At the moment the bike has the stock 23c Specialized Mondo tyres. Is it worth going for a bigger tyre for comfort / ability to take a heavier load, say 25c? Would the average speed get affected much by going up to 25?

Thanks!

 

[palinurus]

I'd change them, the mondos that come with the Allez aren't great.

Personally I can hardly tell the difference between a 25 and a 23 in terms of rolling resistance, for touring I'd suggest it wouldn't be much difference (for a given tyre).

I've been using Specialized armadillos for a few years for winter use (just had my first puncture on them today- first since Oct 2005). Hopefully someone else will be along soon with other recommendations- since I mostly just use two types of tyre I don't have a lot of experience of others.

 

[rich p]

I suspect you'll need to keep up your tyre pressures on skinny tyres like that. I'd be inclined to put the fattest you can get clearance with.
I have an Allez and the wheels were Alex which went out of kilter with alarming regularity!

 

[maurice]

Yeah the wheels on this are Alex, I've not noticed them go out of true yet but then I probably haven't done 500 miles on the bike yet.

Sounds like fatter tyres are a good plan then, I'll have to see what the lbs thinks it can take. Quick question, is there a reason why you wouldn't use the Armadillos for summer use or is it just they are a bit more geared towards winter with the puncture protection?

 

[palinurus]

I use armadillos all year round on my commuting bike. This year I'm going to use them all summer on my Allez too, I only used to change them because I'd sometimes do a TT on it and wanted some quicker tyres for that. I've got another bike for that kind of thing now.

I've been using the original (Alex) wheels from my Allez on my commuting bike, I've done plenty miles on them (probably getting on for 5000 miles) and they've been OK. The rear did go a bit wobbly once but I tweaked it and it's been fine since. I don't carry much on my commute, and I don't weigh that much either, so I don't know what they are like when under a bit of load.

 

[spandex]

I might even go upto 28 for touring just for the little bit more.