36Oly_Rider

Looking at purchasing tires for my build. I'm kind of leaning towards the Mondials. Seems like they are pretty durable and versatile (on road and light off road) which is what I want in a tire for my Sutra. I usually use Specialized tires on my road bikes, which I love, but would rather NOT use Specialized on this bike build...I do love Conti's too, but not real familiar with what they have for touring/commuting. I will be running 700c tires on Velocity Cliffhangers seen here: Velocity USA.

I am interested to hear what wisdom you all will have to offer.

Thanks.
Jon

PhilPub

This may come down to what mix of "on road and light off road" you want to do, but I've been recommended Marathon Supreme, which are lighter (e.g. 440g vs 570g for 700x35c) but with a slicker tread. But I've gone for 32c - not an option with the Mondial - since I will be using them almost solely for road use, and more Winter training/commuting than touring. They still get great reviews for durability and protection.

mrFreel

Take a look at the Clement XPLOR USH. I used them last season and found them responsive I the pavement and also able to handle gravel and some tame off road

Mike

mdilthey

The Marathon Mondials ride like bricks. Bricks that you never need to think about, worry about, or even replace for thousands and thousands of miles. I love them.

jrickards

Agreed but I also find that they are not too good on wet roads, the hard rubber tends to be more prone to skidding/wheel-lockup than my Conti Touring Plus (nice range of sizes from 28-47). I've had no punctures on my Conti tires after about 7,000km. Skidding has happened only a few times with my Mondials and only on the rear (fortunately) but it has made me wary of using them in wet conditions so they've been put aside for the dry summer months.

fietsbob

Continental Travel Contact Is their Adventure touring tire .. Has the Gator skin sidewall stuff. & a Puncture Resistant Band ..

made in 622-37 & 42 and 559-47..

AusTexMurf

Another vote for Continental Travel Contact, here. I have had 5 of these in 700X37 on my CX700. Mounts narrower than 37. More like 32-35. Air them up to 70-85 psi and ride on the center bead about like 28's. Fast, smooth, comfortable. Pressure can be dropped to 40-50 psi or so and ridden comfortably off pavement. Run them on all surfaces in central Tx. Rode the GAP/C&0, mixed surfaces and conditions, three times with them as well. Rolled them through the Ohio winter/spring of 2014 and proved surprisingly decent winter tires. Very flat resistant. Tough, durable tire that handles great when fully loaded and with trailer/tagalong trailabike in nearly all surfaces and conditions. Fast, smooth, and nimble unloaded riding tarmac, gravel, granite, rock, dirt. Reflex model has nice reflective stripe. Brown/burgundy simulated skin walls look a bit retro and awesome, too. My neighborhood LBS stocks both. Made in Germany.

Apples to apples to the Mondial and for mostly off road use, would recommend the wider 622-50's.

continental bicycle Travel CONTACT

mantelclock

And another vote for Travel Contacts. Smooth center line with small knobs on the sides. I use the 622-37s. Everything that AusTexMurf says about them is true as well. I've been on some pretty rough washed out dirt roads with them without problems.

dim

have a close look at Schwalbe Durano Plus

Biketouringhobo

I vote for Conti Touring Plus in 26in and 70c

RedandBlack

I just ordered some 26" x 2" Mondials to replace the 1.75" Conti Tour Rides that came stock on my LHT for the same reason as you. A bullet proof tire with a good Road/Dirt trade off. I'll let you know how they handle. If you're interested, I found a good deal on wiggle for $46 wiggle.com | Schwalbe Marathon Mondial Evo DD MTB City Tyre | MTB Road Tires . As long as we are on the subject, it there any reason why the Conti tubes wouldn't fit? I bought some new Schwalbe tubes, but I figured I'd let the Conti's live out the rest of there lives since they are a bit older, though still in good shape.

veganbikes

If you want something skinnier Gatorskins or GatorHardshells if you want something wider Travel Contacts or Top Contacts

36Oly_Rider

Basically, road mainly, with some trails/mountain dirt roads/etc. Nothing too extreme. It is Washington, so, some tread is better than no tread.

Here's a reason you should worry about bricks, haha!



Just kidding. Jrickards does bring up a valid point, and I do live in a very wet state. The compound does seem a little harder than the Conti's. Guess I do have a lot to think about. Need to research it out more.

If your Conti tubes are made for 1.75 to 2.whatever you should be okay with the Schwalbe tires. I think it would be good to hear your opinions. Looking forward to them.

36Oly_Rider

Yeah, digging the Conti's... Don't know why, but I guess you can quote so many at a time....fietsbob, you are not forgotten. I try to get every one thumbs up.

Not sure, but the rims I have are 25mm inside and 30 outside. The Durano Plus largest is 28 and 32 for the Conti's...Would those sizes lead to potential problems? Everybody I talk to at my LBS's say 35 or better for the Cliffhanger's.

GerryinHouston

Digging around Sheldon Brown's site I found that

for x interior rim width,

the recommended tire width is 1.45x-2x.

So for 25 mm, you can fit 37c-50c

mdilthey

I used these for about 2,500 miles. The tread was fine, but the sidewalls gave up. Never had that problem with another tire, so I stopped using the supremes.

LeeG

My vote is Mondiale on the rear and Clement XPlor on the front, why not?

psy

Don't overthink it, I believe the mondial is the best all arounder there is. I've seen the continentals, and though I haven't ridden them, my mondials seem to be the beefier, longer wearing of the two and I wouldn't switch. That said, I have continental Grand Prix 4 seasons in my road bike And I like them ok. But not like I love my mondials.

veganbikes

Can't go wrong with good Contis. The nicer ones are all handmade in Germany (I don't know which ones aren't but probably the under $50 tires)

I would probably go with 35mm at a minimum as your shop said. I am unsure why a 32mm wouldn't work but for safety I wouldn't recommend it. My guess is it would give the tire a wider profile and you would probably run it at a lower pressure.

Ridefreemc

On the tube question. I find that I get way too much aggravation trying to get additional mileage out of older tubes and just bite the bullet and replace them. i keep the old ones as spares. Penny wise and pound foolish has been my experience on that/this.

36Oly_Rider

What do you think of the XPLOR MSO? Saw a set of them at the LBS. Considering those as well.