What tyres are you using to commute to work?

[Thorn Sherpa]

Hutchinson Bulldog tyres at the minute 😂 not exactly ideal commute tyres but using them until they wear out! More than likely use marathons next, had a few pairs over the years and can't fault them.

 

[accountdeleted]

I've had a couple of Marathon Plus (25c for 6,000miles & 28c for nearly 10,000miles). In the last 8 years and 16,000miles, there are lots of cuts on the treads but ONLY ONE PUNCTURE (biggest thorn I ever seen after one of the storms in early 2024).

I now changed to Durano Plus 28c. Same puncture protection technology as Marathon Plus but "road" tyre category. Just did 46miles on it yesterday. A bit harsh (same 70 psi), a bit thinner (actual width measured on D+ is 29mm and M+ was 32mm). But my word it feels and is FASTER (1.5mph) than Marathon Plus!

Too early to determine the puncture protection level on Durano Plus, though. Time will tell.

 

[accountdeleted]

Some update re: Durano+. Done approx 460miles in April (averaging 100miles/week).

Absolute game changer from Marathon+, averaging 2mph faster on Durano+ and it's sooooo much wooshy and fun!

I'm not in London or big city, I live in the south with plenty of medium size towns with villages and farms in between. I now realise Marathon+ is overkill for my environment. Sure, I only had 1 puncture in 16000 miles on Marathon+, but I'm happy to sacrifice puncture protection more to shed weight and gain fun speed.

Experiencing how fast I feel Durano+, I just got a pair of bargain GP 4 Seasons 28c to try out (maybe GP4S for summer and Durano+ for winter).

A bit surprised all season type tyres like GP 4 Seasons, Pirelli P Zero 4S, Michelin Pro 4, etc aren't mentioned here. Maybe these are not up for challenge on London crud roads?

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

38mm Marathon Cross were good to me for commuting from 2016.

35/40mm Marathon Supremes were very good from around 2021 and still have tons of life left after my commutes unexpectedly stopped in late September '22... Just put them on the new egravel.

28mm Conti 4Seasons weren't bad.

2.35" G One Speeds were nice when working correctly, but they punctured too easily, had several walks of shame.

38mm 45Nrth Gravdals were excellent for winter days with risk of ice, 240 spikes per tyre.

4" Jumbo Jim's were fun, but draggy and heavy.

Mix of my old fatbike and Marasa hybrid

 

[Thorn Sherpa]

On Schwalbe Marathons now, would have liked the Plus but came across a like new pair of standard Marathons for £20. So far so good, lot easier than the previous knobbly Hutchinson tyres.

 

[oldandslow]

Marathon Plus for commuting. Not bothered about saving 5.7 seconds on the trip with a lighter tyre, just want to get there without a puncture.

 

[slowmotion]

I commuted for years across Fulham, Chelsea and Battersea on Vittoria Rubinos and was amazed ar how few punctures I suffered. I had started on Marathon Plus ones but simply hated the faff of putting them on and off , either when fitting them or fixing punctures out on the road ( yes, they do sometimes puncture! ).

Rubinos are not perfect but are good enough.

 

[Gunk]

Marathon Plus on the Brompton, great until you need to change one, absolute pigs to get on a 16” rim.

 

[markemark]

Continental Grand Prix 4 Season. Not the best for punctures but much easier to change when I do get them and super fast. Rather have the odd puncture that is quick to change and fast than a slow tyre that is also a pain to take off.

 

[accountdeleted]

Continental Grand Prix 4 Season. Not the best for punctures but much easier to change when I do get them and super fast. Rather have the odd puncture that is quick to change and fast than a slow tyre that is also a pain to take off.

Well! I've just put on GP 4 Season for commuting!
So I've had nearly 10,000miles on Marathon Plus (over many years), and then recently moved on to Durano Plus (Since March, ~500miles on it already). I happened to snatch a local bargain on nearly new GP 4 Seasons so I took a punt and put them on (Since beginning of May, done ~200miles already). My idea is to have GP4S as the "summer" tyre and Durano+ as "winter" tyre.

Definitely a massive upgrade from Marathon + to Durano+ / GP4S in terms of average speed (+2-2.5mph faster on average) and feel (soooo much more fun to ride now! ). I can't really feel a noticeable difference (or average speed) between Durano+ and GP4S. I wouldn't have got GP4S if I didn't snatch a bargain (looked up a brand new price; absolutely expensive! ).

I've learned how to ride & maintain to minimise risk of puncture (I'm not in London...) so I feel at peace with sacrificing less "puncture protection" factor for more speed and enjoyable ride to work / home. 👍

 

[markemark]

Get a puncture. Fix it. Move on. It’s no big deal. Costs very little. Takes little time, far less than puncture proof types. Just get faster tyres and be done with it.

 

[T4tomo]

Marathon Plus on the Brompton, great until you need to change one, absolute pigs to get on a 16” rim.

I used to run standard (non plus) Marathons on my Brommie, which proved sufficient to ward off the P fairy on the mean streets of London. Flint and thorns are the worst enemies of tyres, and there is precious little of either in city centres.

The single speed I used Lifeline prime armour which were a Wiggle special copy of Conti 4 seasons, which also proved tough enough.

 

[MichaelW2]

On 700c, plain Marathon.
On 26" Big Apple. They soak up rough surfaces and cobbles and are efficient at my slow cruising speed.

 

[accountdeleted]

Get a puncture. Fix it. Move on. It’s no big deal. Costs very little. Takes little time, far less than puncture proof types. Just get faster tyres and be done with it.

Funny experience - The only puncture I had with Marathon Plus (a massive thorn, the morning after one of the big storms in the beginning of 2024; a cyclo-cross commuting experience going over felled trees, branches, road signs and fences! 🚵‍♂️) - it was on the front wheel so I cycled home 20miles with flat tyre. Marathon+ is so thick it can run flat (at ~10mph...), I don't need to carry stuff for roadside puncture repair. Weight and space saving of a pump, tyre levers and repair kit .

I don't think I can do the same with GP4Seasons... maybe with Durano Plus...

 

[Dan Lotus]

25mm Durano pluses for me - they are not the quickest admittedly, but only succumbed to one penetration (ooh err) and that was a massive solid thorn that would have gone through anything to be fair.
They are a reasonable challenge to fit/remove, so probably a good thing they are so resistant.