Originally Posted by
mstateglfr
Between those two, i wonder if the rolling resistance difference is even perceptible.
When you have a hugely thick tire thats heavy and compare it to a hugely thick tire thats heavy, rolling resistance will most likely be woefully underwhelming either way.
With that said, i would go with the 420 every day of the week.
- Its lighter. Comparable tires(53mm for the 468 and 50mm for the 420) weigh 14oz different. The 420 tires are almost 1 pound lighter. That, on the tires which rotate, is significant.
- the 420 tread will be a lot better on pavement. It has a moderately smooth center line. I would get seriously annoyed at the road chatter i would feel riding knobby tires on pavement for dozens of miles each day. Knobby tread sucks energy, gives worse traction, and vibrates.
- i doubt you will ride cobditions, fully loaded on a touring bike, where the knobby tires will be needed over the 420 tread. That 420 tread will be more than capable of handling gravel, hardpack dirt, and softer sand sections. It will provide less rolling resistance, give more traction in almost all conditions, and allow for a smoother ride.
- the 420 is a lot cheaper cost per their website(about 70% less).
- you are very concerned about puncture protection. Flats are a reality. They are often times a rare reality though. Paying attention to where you ride (your line) is probably the most important way to prevent flats and has nothing to do with tire technology or design. Both of these tires are tanks. I have ridden 700mi of straight gravel and over 2000mi of overall riding this season without a puncture...punctures are rare. This has been on multiple tires which are a lot more lightweight than either of your options, so i wouldnt expect to ever flat on your options, unless i rolled thru thorny areas which will flat most anything.
Go as light as you can when considering equally quality options. Go as smooth as you can for comfort.
You've made fantastic points there, thanks. It's a really big decision for me in a few key ways. For me, it's a sizable financial investment, and spending as much time and riding as many miles as I hope to, proper performance for the road conditions I end up on and puncture resistance are huge. The point you raise regarding feel and noise, and the fact that you've used less burly tires and still experienced few flats are very good ones, and are the only reason to go with the 420 over the 468 it seems. I do like quiet. I'd love to be able to find out just how much quieter and smoother the 420 would be over the 468; quite noticeable do you think? Also I plan on adding a puncture resistant liner to the 420 if I get them, so perhaps that would negate the puncture advantage of the 468.