Touring - Conti TopContact or Marathon Supreme

Has anyone tried either of these touring tires? I understand the TopContact (with Vectran) has become available recently. I'm not sure if the Schwalbe Marathon Supreme is available in the US yet. I'm also considering going with the Pasela TourGuard, but my preference is a blackwall tire (not a deal killer though).

I use the Conti GP4000 on my road bike and it's a great tire. I'm looking for a comfortable, durable, moderate weight touring tire with decent puncture resistance for my Atlantis. I'll probably go with a size 35 or 37 (700c wheel).

The Pasela tg is a good, fast tyre, but does not have the rep re being punctureproof that the Marathon has.
I have Shwalbes on all my bikes and I swear by them.

Has anyone tried either of these touring tires? I understand the TopContact (with Vectran) has become available recently. I'm not sure if the Schwalbe Marathon Supreme is available in the US yet. I'm also considering going with the Pasela TourGuard, but my preference is a blackwall tire (not a deal killer though).

I use the Conti GP4000 on my road bike and it's a great tire. I'm looking for a comfortable, durable, moderate weight touring tire with decent puncture resistance for my Atlantis. I'll probably go with a size 35 or 37 (700c wheel).


I have the Top Contacts on one of my bikes and it's a good tire. Profile isn't quite as round or full as the Top Touring but not a bad tire. I'll probably use them when the Top Tourings on my touring bike are shot.

I haven't got any experience with the Schwalbe tires. I tired the Pasela a couple of years ago and I didn't like them much. They were taller than they were wide and I didn't like the ride quality that much. They didn't corner that well. They felt like you fell off the center ridge as you went around a corner and they didn't grip that well.

Has anyone tried either of these touring tires? I understand the TopContact (with Vectran) has become available recently. I'm not sure if the Schwalbe Marathon Supreme is available in the US yet.

I didn't think the Marathon Supremes were available anywhere until 2007, which fortunately isn't too far away at this point. Hopefully, they'll be available closer to January 2007 than December 2007. I'm curious about them as well.

I tired the Pasela a couple of years ago and I didn't like them much. They were taller than they were wide and I didn't like the ride quality that much. They didn't corner that well. They felt like you fell off the center ridge as you went around a corner and they didn't grip that well.

From what I understand, the newer Paselas don't have that higher ridge. I don't have any personal experience with them myself though.

I didn't think the Marathon Supremes were available anywhere until 2007, which fortunately isn't too far away at this point. Hopefully, they'll be available closer to January 2007 than December 2007. I'm curious about them as well.

I think the Peter White Cycles website says they'll be available in January. I may hold out for those although they'll be pricey (~$68 ea. I think).

The Supremes promise to be the end all. Best puncture resistance, least rolling resistance, and lowest weight, but at the cost of durability and, well, the cost. These tires will be pricey!

If what I'm reading is correct, then for 700C rims the least wide one will be a 35
That's still quite wide IMHO
I'm looking for a tire that is 28 to 30 wide, can anyone recommend anything?