Originally Posted by
Randochap
The Hetre has no peer in 700 as far as I know. The key is in the volume and the supple casing, which makes it incredibly comfortable
and fast. From what I understand, the manufacturer has very nearly reproduced the performance of the legendary hand-made French demi-balloon tyres of yore. They come alive on chipseal and gravel surfaces.
I can't say that I've used them with a heavily loaded bike; just
day tours and randonnees w/ appropriate gear. But I have around 3,000 kilometres on my first pair with only a couple of flats and one deep 1/2" wide cut through the rubber to the casing which (tip) I successfully fixed with Super Glue.
Sounds like a Sunday century tire or hotel touring(which I don't do often). I like the idea of comfort and speed. I spent last night reading Sheldon Brown's "How to build a 650B". I'm thinking the wheels and tires(Hetres) will cost $500.00. The brakes will also need to be adjusted or replaced. Thanks for your information. Nice pictures on your link. Best, Charlie