Originally Posted by
Bicicletta89
How do you all feel about Kenda K35?
Awful tire. I had to match an existing rear wheel on a Motobecane Grand Jubile (with Vitus 192 tubeset). I hand built the front wheel and found a Kenda K35 (whitewall) to match the existing tire. What a mistake. The ride was dead feeling and utterly uninspiring. Ugh. I sold the bike as a result. So, for want of a decent road tire, a bike was lost.
Your initial premise may be wrong. A narrower tire will be not be faster. But a more supple tire will ride better. If you can "barely" fit your 1 1/4" tire, but they do fit, then run those. Get decent tires, Pasela or better.