09box

I've read a quite a bit about Panaracer Paselas and have thought about giving them a shot in the future. Some people swear by them and some people hate the things. Anybody here use them?

Seizedpost

Yes, I've used them for a little while (1000 miles?). I've got 27 x 1 1/4 PTs. No complaints, they whine a little at speed but they ride nicely. I had Kenda K35s before and these are a big upgrade. Their flat protection seems good too.

I haven't had an issue yet but their weakness seems to be the sidewalls.

bigbenaugust 

I am pro-Panaracers in general. I have used Paselas, T-Servs, and Tours on various bikes.

Trueblood

Yep, I commute on them on my 77' Zebrakenko Wind. No problem with flats and they wear well. 27 x 1 1/4

Steve B.

They run small as BTW

I've an older tire I recently put on a bike, with a Ruffy Tuffy as the 2nd tire. Both rims are Open Pro.

The 28mm Pasela is actually 25 and a bit at 80psi, while the RT is 26 and a bit.

I only checked as the Pasela looked obvioulsy narrower then the RT when they are supposed to be the same size.

PaulRivers

I used to use the TServ's.

I would not buy the Pasela's in the non-flat-resistant version. "Tourguard" is the flat resistant version.

I use Continental gp4000's on all my (road) bikes now. They are a little more expensive, but buying them on amazon it's $10-$20 more per tire. But I love how they manage to grip better and also be faster rolling.

The TServ's I used before weren't bad. If I was on a college budget I might still be using them. Do think the gp4000's are better though (more expensive to though).

ThermionicScott 

I use 700x28C on a couple of bikes, and recent batches have run pretty true-to-size. The ride and looks and price are great, but they are not bulletproof.

pdlamb

I used them with few exceptions for nearly ten years, until they ran into some production problems. After a few years away to let the distribution channels clear out, now I'm having trouble finding them again. I thought they were an excellent balance of low rolling resistance, decent puncture protection, and easy to mount/dismount when the time came.

noglider 

I like them! There are better riding tires, but they cost more. There are more puncture resistant tires but they cost more. The sidewalls are delicate, though, and I haven't found a way to keep them clean, either. To be honest, blackwall tires are more practical.

My experience is that they are true to size. If they're not, I'd like to know what width rim you're using.

Steve B.

A 10-12 year old 700/28 Pasella on a similar age 18.5 mm Mavic Reflex rim, measures at 24.97mm. So 25mm.

A spanking new Pasella, same 28, measures 26.5mm on a 20mm Mavic Open Pro.

Both tires pumped to 100 psi.

I like these tires as well, got the new Pasela from Niagara Cycles via Amazon for $18.

https://www.amazon.com/Panaracer-Pas...asela+700+x+28

Good tire for the money, roll fine, reasonable puncture resistance on the older versions I've tried. Just not true to size.

lostarchitect 

My experience is they do run true to size, but everyone seems to have a different experience, so I guess it varies batch to batch.

Anyway, I think they're a very good tire for the price.

Phil_gretz

I don't think that the Pasela is durable enough for an everyday rider. The sidewall is easily nicked and will split. Even the PT/TG version has this vulnerability. They are fairly light and roll nicely. They look great when new. They get dingy and streaked once ridden in the rain with rim brakes. And they cannot be satisfactorily cleaned. So, in my experience - only for a show bike that doesn't get ridden much. They are fairly cheap.

wphamilton

I tried one set, 700x25 I think. Good tires but I didn't think they rolled all that well. Kind of average, and average price.

cyccommute 

I agree that they tend to run smaller. Panaracer tires also tend to be a bit taller and have a less round profile than most road tires. But overall, I've found Panaracers to be excellent tires in both road and off-road tires.

bmthom.gis

If it matters, BikeSnobNYC swears by them on all of his drop bar bikes and rides all over NYC with nary a problem.

fuzz2050

I think this thread is very telling-they're great tires, for some purposes. They're light, cheap and roll really well, but the appearance is questionable, and they are not as durable as other tires. It's up to you if you like the way they look, and are willing to take the decreased durability for the great road feel and traction.

For what it's worth, I rode nothing but for years.

Seizedpost

I ride in the rain and have found that with Simply Green and a rag I can get the sidewalls reasonably clean. Not like new, but pretty good.

Dahon.Steve

The only thing I don't like about the Pasela is the lack of a side-wall reflective strip.

Don Buska

My primary interest is in 70-80's Japanese road bikes, so the Pasela tires have been a natural choice for me as they are still "Made in Japan". I agree with the views posted here. For the price they are indeed very good tires. I use both the plain and the PT versions in 27" and 700C sizes.

Seizedpost

I just rode over several miles of gravel on the first day of a tour. The Paselas performed very well.

WMBIGS

When I first mounted the Paselas 28mm. I was not impressed with the traction. I was riding in the skate park with that slippery cement, went down hard once. Really not the tires fault though. Outside the skate park I have had no complaints. One flat on the rear about mid-life. 2nd flat and I noticed many of the cords were showing. mine measured at 27mm wide on a narrow rim. I am getting wider wheels and really want to try the Gravel King. I have to wear out a few of my in stock tires first.
MikeB

DiegoFrogs

I used to swear by the old tourguard (TG) version, until I moved to New Mexico. The goathead thorns there caused me a lot of problems.

I had a couple in 700c x 28 mm and 27" x 1-1/4" sizes, and they always seemed to be true to size in width.

I noticed the sidewalls seemed to age quite poorly. On some low-mileage bikes I noticed they were a bit 'crispy' after a couple years. I considered a set this summer for a 26" MTB I keep in my parents' garage in the USA and ride around for a couple weeks each year, but ultimately chose Vittoria Voyagers for that reason. Great, cheap tires in that size, and I have no complaints.

Couple nights ago I pulled the trigger on some Vittoria Voyager Hyper 700c x 32 mm for my '77 Centurion Pro Tour to replace the semi-knobby Panaracer and Conti touring/hybrid tires I've had on it, in the hopes I'll start riding a lot more. I can't wait until they get here! The recent uncerainty about the GBP lead to a bit of a low price, so I couldn't resist.

pdlamb

Got to be careful with new tires. Sometimes they'll have mold release still on the outside of the tire -- which is SUPPOSED to be slick so they can get the tires out of the mold. After a few miles, you can often feel the tire starts sticking to the road a bit better.

noglider 

I never heard this before. Thank you.

lostarchitect 

+1. Even better if you use a scrub brush.