Personally, though I like the sound of a Sturmey Archer hub or a well-mannered RD with a quiet Suntour or Shimano freewheel/freehub, I dislike the sound of tires with tread patterns. My favorite tires back in my skinny-tire days were the Specialized Turbo and the Avocet Criteriums with no tread at all -- slicks -- for the smooth riding they afforded. The nearest I can come to that now is the Rivendell Jack Brown Greens, with the minimal checkerboard (especially after worn in some), but I wish someone would make high quality, lightweight slicks in the 35–42 widths. Tread patterns are vastly overrated for use on pavement, IMO.