Originally Posted by
ConstantRider
I do a lot of mixed terrain riding in the Headlands and Mt. Tam, and have used the mountain bike versions of both the Speedmax and the WTB All Terrainasaurus -- both 26 x 1.5 or pretty close to that. Definitely prefer the the Terrainasauruses. They're much grippier on dirt but don't feel any slower on pavement. They come in a lot of different sizes for road bikes -- 32, 35, 38, I believe.
Thanks for the suggestion. Those tires came on my Bianchi San Jose. I felt they were too heavy and slow for my purposes in the 700c size. I'm not sure what width they were. I just ordered a pair of the new Michelin Jets, since I mostly liked the old ones. It looks like the new ones may corner better on the road, but I'm not sure how they will do in the dirt. I almost ordered the Ritcheys, but a lot of reviews on the web say they aren't the most predictable (I'm OK if a tire isn't all about traction, but I want it to give out in a predictable way). I may try them to see for myself if the Michelins don't work out. Conti has a promising new tire, but it costs $160 a pair, which I think is too much. I may also look at the Schwalbes, which people seem to either love or hate.