Touring - Panaracer Pasela TG, total trash?

Just wondering if these commuting/touring tyres are total junk? Fairly cheap, which doesn't really bother me so much as I really like the aesthetics... am I correct to assume the sidewalls might struggle in a touring situation? They are called tour guard, so I'm assuming their flat protection is at least acceptable

edit: should say my order of priorities is probably comfort > speed > flat protection > longevity... with acceptable sidewalls being kind of overriding, but I'll probably be carrying a spare tyre on me at any rate

I had some on a commuting bike for about 3,000 miles. I think I had one flat. I carried stuff on the bike every day, and I'm fairly large. I think they should do fine for touring on paved roads.

As you noted, the price is good.

yeah, and as a further plus I've noted that Rivendell seem to be fans of panaracer, and those are dudes who value practicality and function :D

Of any tire mentioned on this forum, the Pasela seems to have the most mixed reviews: People seem to either love them or hate them. The number one complaint is sidewall failure.

I really like them especially for the price and they roll like crazy. I am am currently using 26x1.25s on my touring bike for commuting. I also use the 700x25s on my road bike for winter riding and I am now building up a Cross Check and will be using some old 700x35s that are still in great condition after a couple of short tours and commuting.

I am really amazed how well they roll, especially the 700x25s, and I got them for only 18 bucks. Plus they have never flatted.

I would say they fit your priorities pretty well.

I like mine (700x32). Only have about 1000 miles on them though, but so far so good. I ride them on a gravel/crushed stone trail to commute and they seem to be holding up okay.

Speedo

your criteria are met with that tire. If you wanted more sidewall durability with the forementioned characteristics there are other tires as well. No free lunch.

yeah, and as a further plus I've noted that Rivendell seem to be fans of panaracer, and those are dudes who value practicality and function :D

Hey, now.... Just so ya know, mine is a Bridgestone- only kissing cousins with Riv and his heinous highness :)

And I like Pasellas for the reasons that show up in the OP`s priorities list, but I don`t think of them as "touring" tires despite the name. I haven`t gotten any punctures in any of mine, but they have a tendency to pinch flat on me unless I pump them up a bit more than what I`d like to. Still I plan on buying them for my roadie as long as they`re available- may that be a long, long time.

I have Panaracer Urban Maxx (Maxxi [plural?!) -they seem to have a very similar tread pattern. I also have some Panaracer Paselas on my beater bike -again, with what seems to be an identical tread pattern.

While I'm [cough] a little overweight, these tyres have held up really well, and I've had no sidewall issues at all. The only issue I've had have been these tyres seem to have some noticeably greater rolling resistance. It all came about when I was measuring times for a commute, and every time I rode a bike with the Panaracers on, I was slower. I then rode the same bike with Schwalbe Marathons (1/4 wider too!) and my times were improved immediately. When this happened I hadn't read -as far as I could recall -any information about Panaracers having bad rolling resistance, and I tried to put as much equal efforts into my commutes, tyre pressure was good, etc. Anecdotal I know, but I'm pretty convinced they have bad rolling resistance.

So..... while I would buy Panaracers with similar tread pattern again, I think they wouldn't be my first choice.

I put them on my tandem, they roll great, and are a smooth ride. Wish I would have done it sooner. Rides like a Caddy........
2fer

Just wondering if these commuting/touring tyres are total junk? Fairly cheap, which doesn't really bother me so much as I really like the aesthetics... am I correct to assume the sidewalls might struggle in a touring situation? They are called tour guard, so I'm assuming their flat protection is at least acceptable

edit: should say my order of priorities is probably comfort > speed > flat protection > longevity... with acceptable sidewalls being kind of overriding, but I'll probably be carrying a spare tyre on me at any rate

I've been using the Pasela TG folding now for about 4 years -- the 26x1.5s (that's nominal; actual 'width' is about 1.35"). I'm on my second rear tire (nearing it's end!) and original front; averaging about 6000 kms. a year -- a mix of daily commuting February through November/December, longer rides on road and light off-road during the season.

In that time, I've had (not to curse myself:D) one flat on my first very worn rear tire, caused by a 1" nail.

My take: for a 'treaded' tire capable of light off-road, very light, quick, and smooth rolling; quiet and comfortable. I do think the sidewall would be somewhat vulnerable if bashed through a rock garden etc, but other than that I can't think of any real weaknesses, given their intended application. They do wear perhaps a little quicker (on the rear) than e.g. something like a Marathon XR, but in my view that's the price one pays for the benefits. They are a true 'touring' tire, but not an expedition tire.

YMMV, but I have yet to find any good reason to change given what I use them for, though I think I'll go the 1.75s next (no particular reason -- I just like 'fat' tires!).

I ride Panaracer T-Servs (a minor improvement on TGs i think) thru some heinous, and i mean heinous, gravel, riff raff and rough stuff.


Panaracers T-Servs are great touring tires. Fast, smooth riding and tough.

Put the folding version on my commuter/utility bike when I built it up last spring in 35x700 size.
There were a lot of posts about them running narrow- these were not, actually measuring 35 mm.
Have over 3000 on them now- my commute to work is half gravel road- they are holding up pretty well. No problems with them. Also put a set on my wife's touring bike- she thinks they ride a little more harshly than the Schwalbe marathons they replaced. She has not had any problems with them either.

One thing to clarify about the Panaracer Pasela Tourguard -- there are two versions.

One is the steel-bead version, which is roughly $20-ish only.
The other is a folding version, which is usually around $30.

To make this a bit more confusing, some people advertise the tire as the "Tourguard," others as the "TG."

Just make sure you don't get excited about an under-$20 price if what you really wanted is a folding version (I've made that mistake).

One other thing to note - if you have an older bike with 27-inch wheels, the 27-inch version of this tire is one of the few really good commuting/touring tires commonly available for 27-inch wheels, and it comes in 3 widths (1 inch, 1-1/8 inch,and 1-1/4 inch).

I've got the 32's. Was hoping they're narrower as people say since that would mean I could run true 35's on this Bob Jackson World Tour with fenders.

I like them, but while I'm not as sure about this as Nigeyy seems, I think there's considerable rolling resistance. I keep them a touch under 110psi. The resistance seems to drop off very quickly if I go to 110-115 (and the cornering is greatly improved), but this makes them too hard for me. I'll try another tire once these show any real issues though. So far I've only had one puncture and there's plenty of sharp stuff on the road in Paris.

I've heard this as well -- "bad rolling resistance" I dunno -- there do seem to be conflicting opinions about this. FWIW, I've certainly never noticed it, although I will say that if I overinflate my tires, if anything rr goes up a touch. I tend to work out proper inflation based on Sheldon Brown's chart (using tire width and load [front/rear]) and stick with that. OTOH, I do think that some of the new-generation Schwalbes (e.g. Supreme), with more sophisticated puncture-resistance technology, may well be better than Paselas as far as rolling resistance goes; the Paselas do use a conventional kevlar (I think) 'breaker strip' under the tread, which does slightly increase rr, at least in theory, all else being equal.

Just wondering if these commuting/touring tyres are total junk?

Ah Contraire, I put a set on my Trek and absolutely love them. Wish I would have done it a long time ago.
Love the skin wall side walls too.

Pumped up to 95/100psi they roll as good as any tire I've ridden, YMMV.

I have them on 4 bikes and absolutely love them. Never had a problem with them. I do notice the tread pattern is different on the 700 size tires than the 27" No matter they are great on all my bikes.. Flatted one on the rear of my Volare but that was my fault for getting a bit rambuncous with presta valve.

On my last tour I used a brand new set of Pasela TGs. Over 1500 miles, I had six flats as compared to the zero flats that my touring partner had with Schwalbe Marathons. It was definitely the highest number of flats to miles traveled that I have ever had while touring with a new set of tires. The primary culprit seemed to be little metal wires from semi/auto tire blowouts. These were not repeat flats (i.e., each flat was caused by an independent wire or, in one case, rock puncturing the tire).

I`m surprised by how many people say they`re slow or have a lot of rolling resistance. I currently use 26 x 1.25 and 700 x 32 (wire bead) and they`re both the "fastest" tires I`ve used on those two respective bikes. Granted, I`m used to tires more on the heavy-duty side and the Paselas are also the closest to racing tires I`ve used in any size. I`ve used other sizes of Paselas in the past and I agree that they ALL seem to run quite a bit on the narrow side for any specified width. Plus one on the T-Serves too, if you want similar, but a little stouter- that`s what goes on in place of my 26 X 1.25s when I head off the beaten path.

panaracer big casing tires are some of the faster fat 700s i've ridden as well.

much speedier than any of the 'standard' touring tires like the schwalbe marathon, vit randos, old conti Top touring or travelcontacts.....

the panaracer tires are fast in the class of 700c fat boy microtreads.

I have had good luck with panaracer T-servs as well as the Pasela. They both hold up well to the garbage that all over city streets here.

good feedback guys :D I'll be getting my LBS to get me some in this week :D only one question; there is a bit of talk about their sizing being off... I kind of want some 25s that are actually 25s, are they reasonably honest in the narrower sizes?

I guess it depends on what tires you normally ride, with regard to rolling resistance. I found that Pasela TG (folding version) were inexpensive, durable, flat resistant and nice looking (if you like tan sidewalls). However, I found their rolling resistance was very high compared to the tires I normally run on my bikes (Michelin ProRace and Krylions, Continental GP 4000s, Vredestein Fortezzas). My average speed on commutes dropped by 1-2 mph when I switched from Michelins to Paselas.

However, if you normally run heavy, wire-beaded tires, than I imagine that the Paselas might seem fast. I am back to running Conti GP 4000s on my commuter bike. My commute route is very hilly, and I would rather sacrifice a little durability for speed and lightness.

I guess it depends on what tires you normally ride, with regard to rolling resistance. I found that Pasela TG (folding version) were inexpensive, durable, flat resistant and nice looking (if you like tan sidewalls). However, I found their rolling resistance was very high compared to the tires I normally run on my bikes (Michelin ProRace and Krylions, Continental GP 4000s, Vredestein Fortezzas). My average speed on commutes dropped by 1-2 mph when I switched from Michelins to Paselas.

However, if you normally run heavy, wire-beaded tires, than I imagine that the Paselas might seem fast. I am back to running Conti GP 4000s on my commuter bike. My commute route is very hilly, and I would rather sacrifice a little durability for speed and lightness.

Yes -- of course, but surely you're comparing apples/oranges here: road race or race/training tires vs. true touring tires. Any good, true racing slick is going to have lower rr (all else being equal) than any good, true, treaded touring tire (e.g. Paselas, folding or wire bead). It's always a matter of trade-offs, as you say.

I'd love a 30-35mm tire that's something in between the Pasela TG and a road racing type tire. I'm running the 32 Paselas. I don't have a reliable way to measure them; anyone know if the 32's are closer to 30mm?

But I suppose people are right. I've not used heavier touring tires and I'm really just judging the Pasela TG's against road race tires when I say that I notice the rolling resistance, and they actually don't fair too badly in that respect.

Ah Contraire, I put a set on my Trek and absolutely love them. Wish I would have done it a long time ago.
Love the skin wall side walls too.

Pumped up to 95/100psi they roll as good as any tire I've ridden, YMMV.

Nice bike.

(By the way, it's "au contraire".)

I ride Panaracer T-Servs (a minor improvement on TGs i think) thru some heinous, and i mean heinous, gravel, riff raff and rough stuff.


Panaracers T-Servs are great touring tires. Fast, smooth riding and tough.
Full agreement. 5700k on a 28mm T-Serv rear tire with only two slow leaks, rolling weight of 265lbs. The front tire may see 10,000k based on current visible wear.

I have the 27 x 1 1/4's on my Team USA frame, used it for a commute to haul my 225 lbs self, and two loaded panniers with my work cloths, shoes, tools, lunch... They feel fast, comfortable compared to 26 x 1.5 Specialized Nimbus Armadillo's and do okay on hard pack dirt trail. I had a flat on the second day, but so far haven't gotten another one. I did have a tube pop while I have it on the stand, but otherwise they perform well, and wouldn't mind buying the same for a replacement.

700*35c on my lht. 80/95psi, i weigh 215lbs. love them. roll faster IMO than vittoria randonneur 700x40c DS and conti ultra gatorskin 700x25c. if not faster then definitely more comfortable and better feedback than either of those.

gf just ordered a set from amazon and one of the tires came with a slight rip in the sidewall. sidewalls are very thin, but it appears that it was cut by a box cutter at some point in the distribution chain. haven't had problems with mine.

I had some on a commuting bike for about 3,000 miles. I think I had one flat. I carried stuff on the bike every day, and I'm fairly large. I think they should do fine for touring on paved roads.

As you noted, the price is good.

Ditto on all points. My experience was similar.

Panaracer tires are okay. Not bad, not great. That's about as good as tires get.

If someone is looking for a fine 35mm tire, look at the Forte(Performance Bike) Metro K. They wear well, roll fast, are nice and round for great cornering on descents, and are as flat resistant as any other kevlar belted tire. Don't let the price tag fool you.

How do I measure rolling resistance? I ride Kreitler rollers. Differences in tires are readily felt in this controlled environment.

gf just ordered a set from amazon and one of the tires came with a slight rip in the sidewall. sidewalls are very thin, but it appears that it was cut by a box cutter at some point in the distribution chain. haven't had problems with mine.

Same, I bought a 26"x1.5 Pasela TG from REI and it had a 3" nick just into the sidewall fibers from a sharp knife.

I have the 27 x 1 1/4's on my Team USA frame, used it for a commute to haul my 225 lbs self, and two loaded panniers with my work cloths, shoes, tools, lunch... They feel fast, comfortable compared to 26 x 1.5 Specialized Nimbus Armadillo's and do okay on hard pack dirt trail. I had a flat on the second day, but so far haven't gotten another one. I did have a tube pop while I have it on the stand, but otherwise they perform well, and wouldn't mind buying the same for a replacement.
are you the lone wolf?
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wb8bAl1P-N0/SaaY_HKMQAI/AAAAAAAAGPg/ltmQNWKuiMk/s400/lotus+guy.jpg

I like them.Some say they have sidewall problems,mine don't last long enough for me to find out.

they're great.

No siree. I have an 85 Raleigh Team USA, its suppose to be their top sport touring model.

How do these measure up, is the 35 a true 35 or is it narrower.



Panaracer tires are okay. Not bad, not great. That's about as good as tires get.

If someone is looking for a fine 35mm tire, look at the Forte(Performance Bike) Metro K. They wear well, roll fast, are nice and round for great cornering on descents, and are as flat resistant as any other kevlar belted tire. Don't let the price tag fool you.

How do I measure rolling resistance? I ride Kreitler rollers. Differences in tires are readily felt in this controlled environment.

I have the Panarace Pasela TG in 26x1.75 they roll good I think.And they mount real easy too.