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Old 06-30-22 | 06:28 AM
  #12  
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staehpj1
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From: Tallahassee, FL

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Originally Posted by niknak
Maybe I'm in the minority, but I rarely get punctures on tour since I'm likely on small back roads away from cities. That's why I don't see the point in using heavy touring tires that ride harshly. The Schwalbe Marathon Supreme @ 490g for the 700x40 seems good, but the Rene Herse 700x44 Endurance casing @ 425g would be my choice. Neither of those options are cheap though. But I'm willing to shell out money for comfort and performance where it counts.
Originally Posted by timdow
i would l still go with the widest marathon plus. If you want a slightly more aggressive tire, take a look at the Marathon Plus Tour, which has the same the puncture protection but different tread.
Just noting that folks will run a really wide range of tires for touring. The Rene Herse 700x44 Endurance casing @ 425g and while a lot wider is way lighter than the widest marathon plus (700x38 and 960g). So a much bigger tire is over two pounds lighter for the pair of tires. The Plus has a super stiff sidewall. Some don't mind that or maybe even like it, but it means whatever is the opposite of a lively ride feel. So the plus may be great for someone who doesn't value a lively ride feel, or care about a couple pounds of rotating mass and total weight, or wants to minimise punctures above all else.

A tire like the Rene Herse is the other end of the spectrum. It will have a lively ride feel and light rotating mass and the cost of more frequent flats and the endurance casing has made some efforts to help in that area. Also if running tubeless the thorn flat hazard may be minimized or eliminated.

Both rolling resistance and comfort can be optimised with a supple sidewall and a wider tire and wight is always something that is good to minimise so I personally would be inclined to go more toward the lighter wider end of the scale in this compromise these days. I have always thought a supple sidewall was the way to go, but am only starting to believe in the fatter is better thing more in recent years. Not all of my bikes accomodate it though. If you go as wide as your frame will accomodate, you have no room for error if a wheel get wonky. So there is a compromise there between the widest tire possible and being able to limp along with a broken spoke or two.
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