Originally Posted by
WestMass
1) Aside from "absorbing road noise" and "superior flat protection" - are there any other real advantages to getting a pair of schwalbe marathons or something similar for commuting - or should I just stick with the skinny tires on my commuter. What do folks think?
Any tire has advantages and disadvantages. Every tire is designed with different priorities in mind. A tire like the Schwalbe Marathon Plus is all about durability and puncture protection. To achieve these goals, it compromises on rolling resistance, grip, weight and cost.
You need to figure out your personal priorities. It sounds like you want something fairly sporty feeling but with good puncture protection. For centuries, comfort is probably also a priority. For group rides, you would probably sacrifice a little comfort for speed. You haven't mentioned your price tolerance.
Originally Posted by
WestMass
2) Also, what specific tires would you recommend (both for a narrower tire (23-25) or a fatter tire (28+). I've been cruising the biketiresdirect site and reading reviews on the tires I see.
For fair weather riding, when I know I'll have good road surfaces and little debris to worry about, I like the Continental Grand Prix 4000S or Schwalbe Ultremo R.1 (recently replaced, I think, by the Ultremo ZX). I prefer 700x25 for either. A lot of roadies go with 700x23, but I'm not convinced it's even faster than a 700x25 and it's certainly not enough faster to be worth giving up width. I'd go even wider, but they don't make the GP 4000S in 700x28. The Ultremo is available in 700x28, but I haven't tried it.
When I'm going to be riding in the rain, I like Continental Grand Prix 4 Seasons. These are marginally heavier than the GP 4000S, but have better puncture protection. I think I can feel the difference in ride between these two, but it's a small difference.
Originally Posted by
WestMass
3) Is the tire weight really going to be noticeable (in centuries, in commuting, in zipping around town, in 40-70 mile weekend rides) between a narrower road-style tire and a fatter touring-style tire?
It depends on how much weight you're talking about. Over the course of a century, I think you'd definitely notice the difference between 200 gram tires and 400 gram tires. Over the course of a 10 mile commute, the tire construction will account for most of the difference in how the tire feels, but lighter tires tend to be more supple too, and so I'd say you definitely feel it. Tires with a lot of tread will feel like they're slowing you down relative to a slick tire. How much they actually slow you down is debateable, but they'll feel like they are.
The weight, as such, only makes a difference during acceleration. If you like to sprint away from stop signs (or groups of other cyclists), that's where you'd feel the weight.
Originally Posted by
WestMass
4) It seems like all of the group rides I do (not that I do a lot - but might start doing more), everyone has really narrow tires - will I be an alien / be able to keep up with a thicker tire?
I seriously doubt that anyone would notice unless you get something really wide (> 32). If anyone comments and then doesn't drop you, the joke's on them. Your personal fitness will usually determine whether or not you can keep up.