Touring - I don't think I need 35mm tires. Your thoughts.

I am set to do the southern tier in March and April. I've built up an LHT with 700c wheels and put 35mm Panaracer Pacellas which actually size up a little bigger than 35mm. I will have a small bar bag, rear trunk bag (perhaps 10lbs in weight) and my BoB trailer that puts about another 15lbs on the rear axel. I weigh about 150.

The rims will accomodate down to 28s, but I'm thinking 30 or 32s would be fine. The 35s sure make it a bit sluggish, and I don't think I really need tires that big and heavy. I've done some short tours ~300 miles, but lightly loaded. I'd sure appreciate thoughts/suggestions from some of you more experienced guys. I understand that the 35s might be a bit more comfortable, but I'm more interested in your thoughts about durability and performance issues. Thanks in advance...

I weigh 200 lbs and the bags on my 36 lb touring bike were about 40 lbs. I used Continental Top Touring 28 mm tires without a problem.

I think you need them.

:)

Just kidding. Seriously, it's really whatever you prefer. People tour on vastly different equipment, and usually every item of gear has a great reason for being there, but the individual cyclist is the final judge. I recommend taking several partially- and fully loaded weekend tours to seperate the wheat from the chaffe. I've toured on everything from 700x25 to 26x1.75, depending on my load and need for speed. There is no right answer, just don't get a recumbent with white-wall balloon tyres (unless you submit some pictures. :) )

Conti Top Touring 2000s in 700x32 have gotten my loaded bike - with my 230lbs of dead weight added, around for a long time. :)

Much depends on the surfaces you intend to ride. In my opinion, it goes something like this:

Smooth sealed: 23-25mm
Chipseal, rough asphalt, and smooth gravel: 28-32
Gnarly gravel and offroad: 32+ with tread.

The wider the tyre, the lower the pressure range, and therefore the more comfortable. However, you have to balance that with the lower speed very wide tyres induce for the same energy output. I generally run all my tyres at the lowest recommended pressure for comfort reasons. The difference in rollling resistance is negligible, but the butt comfort factor changes considerably.

I have 25s on my touring bike and have done a lot of loaded riding with them. But they currently do more duty as randonneur tyres.

I have also toured extensively with 28s and 32s. The latter are definitely slower, but I would probably opt for them (if they were still made -- TT2000s) if I was doing trips combining all the road surfaces I mentioned above.

As to durability, keep your tyres inflated to within the pressure range recommended on the sidewall, watch where you are riding to avoid major road debris and potholes, ride in the swept part of the road (ie, the bit cleaned by the right wheels of motor vehicles) to avoid goats heads and Michelin wires, and carry your bike across grassed or dirt areas that may harbour goats heads.

=(if they were still made -- TT2000s)

I still have two brand new spare sets. :) I'd like to try out the new Top Contacts though, which I believe are the next generation of the Top Tourings. I've had good results from the Contacts on my xcross bike.

I've never used anything wider than 25s on any of my tours. There were a few moments in Australia where I kind of wished for something a bit wider when my cycling partner insisted on riding gravel roads, but for the most part, 25s have been fine.


If you are riding paved roads, go with whatever tire size you feel comfortable on.

well, there are some advantages to wider tires. they certainely come into their own on gravel roads and trails.

Those panaracers, they ARE wide 35's, that''s for sure. But they are also oh so stable doing 50 MPH on the downhills. I think you're wanting something a little narrower if you're going with a BOB and mostly paved roads.

Continental is introducing some very TT2000-esque touring tires for 2007. Also, the Gatorskin is now available in 32c.

The Panaracers, which actually measure 37mm, are known to be fast tyres when pumped up fully. They are also reckoned to be very comfortable so unless you object on aesthetic grounds why not stick to them.

I did the Southern Tier on 25's with a BOB. No problems except when entering some unpaved campgrounds. Then I walked my bike.

I've rode on 23's touring on good pavement but it was painful compared to a set of 35's I recently replaced with 38's. My touring adventures now include very out of the way places on various road conditions including gravel, logging roads, and trails just wide enough to get the handlebars past the foliage (most of the time). I should have the 38's worn out mid summer and will be going to 42's as that’s the widest tire I can get in my current frame. Here is an example of the sort of places I travel through.
http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/1351/94bridgejy7.jpg

I am a heavy boy at 250 lbs and carry a heavy load of gear for the family, on my Cannondale T-2000 I tour with a 28 on the front and a 32 on the rear (Schwalbe Marathon) with no problems. I seem to have far less problems than the kids who use 28's front and rear, I, unlike they, keep my eyes open and try to avoid obvious gaps in the road surface and foreign objects, which may be why I get less far fewer tire problems.

I know everyone has a favorite tire but these marathons are long lasting and tough, with decent sidewalls, they last for a looooooooooong time.

I did a 1700 mile tour on 28s front and rear and did fine. I weight 225 and was fully loaded. However, I have since learned to appreciate a well graded dirt road. If you want to keep your options open, you might want a larger tire, if you are going to stay on the pavement, the 28s will be fine.

Thanks everyone. Your comments have been very helpful and have reinforced my suspicions. I happen to have some new Panaracer Pacella 28s and 32s in my inventory that I'll give a try. The 32s actually measure up to about 31. Lucky for me, I bought a bunch of these for our tandem (a real tire eater) in various sizes ranging from 28-35. A few months ago there were some great sales, so I loaded up. I think the suggestion to try them out and see how they feel will be my best approach. I sure like the 32s on our tandem. I'm sure either would work just fine in terms of durability, comfort, etc. It's just a matter of what feels best. Now if the snow would only skadoodle!!

I agree with your final coment. I would just look at more than the tire width. I would rather ride a wider tire with a slick or thin surface than a narrower tire with a lot of beef and tread, as far as low rolling reisistance or speed was concerned. SO you can somewhat have your cake and eat it, by moving up to a larger tire that is a slick. Works nicely for those with a need to absorb some bumps in the tires. Obviously the slicks are not too great on off-road surfaceds. I guess between tire weight, pressure range, tread, width, and armouring, there aren't any easy answers but at least you should be able to find something that you like to ride on.

I have been using the Pasela and the Pasela TG for seven years in 28 front and 32 rear. I really think they are great tires, that's why I continue to use them; however, the standard Pasela is rather flat-prone for a loaded touring tire. The TG is a improvement, and I commute on them now; it's also folding. When loaded, I use something like the Vittoria Randonneur in a nominal 32. It feels marginally slower compared to the Pasela but will hold up to the occasional broken beer bottle residue and roofing nail/staple.

if you like Panaracer's (Made in Japan) tires, the Panaracer "T-Serv for Messenger" are tougher and more robust than the "Tourguards". also higher pressure rated than many other fat tires.

if you like Panaracer's (Made in Japan) tires, the Panaracer "T-Serv for Messenger" are tougher and more robust than the "Tourguards". also higher pressure rated than many other fat tires.I'm pretty religious about the TourGuards, but I did not know that about the T-Servs. I'll have to try them.

if you like Panaracer's (Made in Japan) tires, the Panaracer "T-Serv for Messenger" are tougher and more robust than the "Tourguards". also higher pressure rated than many other fat tires.

I contacted Panaracer months ago and asked them what would be better for touring: the Paselas or T-servs? I wished I saved the email but they said something to the effect that the T-servs are more responsive/higher performance (??) but the Tourguards will wear much longer and are better for touring. I have a folding T-serv but have yet to use it since it is just my back up and has remained at the bottom of my pannier. I have logged many miles on the 35mm Tourguards and w/ only one flat (from a thorn).

IMO the Tourguards are the best of both worlds. They are about the lightest, if not the lightest, touring tire out there but provide excellent flat protection. As stated above, you can buy a tire like the Armadillo or Travel Contact... but you are also getting a much heavier tire.

35's will definately be more comfortable. They may seem like overkill when your bike is unladen but they'll seem just right when you're loaded up.
Larger tires soak up road buzz better. I think road buzz is the number one contributor to fatigue. Even more so than the extra pedaling effort required by a larger, heavier tire. You won't always notice the extra effort but you will always notice the buzz.