Originally Posted by
Vern1
Thanks for all the good advice!
The tires do not look too worn and continue to provide good traction, handling and stopping so technically no need to replace them at this point. However as several have pointed out, I will be gone for 3 months and doubt I will wear them out but could rip a sidewall or something and then may be stuck. Think i will look for new tires before I go and stick the old one in my bike bag for the trip
Will check out the Michelins. Have been pretty impressed by the Ramblers but theres always an urge to try something new!
As a replacement for the Ramblers (I have a pair and like them), take a look at the Continental Terra Speed, they come in 35 and 40mm X 700c and also in 650B. I put a set on my wife's gravel bike and they seem to serve her very well and get excellent reviews. They have a cousin with larger knobs called the Terra Trail. Another of the same type are the Michelin Power and Vittoria Terreno. Finally, I rode Donnelly XPlor MSO which i used fo many years mixed pavement, gravel, single track. Great tires.
I looked at all those tires when I went to replace my Donnellys, not because I didn't like the Donnellys, but because I wanted to try something new. All of the above get good reviews for the type of riding I do and pretty close to each other in the rolling resistance tests. None of them are rated super-duper in mud, because they don't have large lugs. If you want good mud-shedding, you need large lugs with spaces between, which of course don't roll as nice for more general gravel/pavement/smooth single track. I bought the Maxxis Ramblers because I found some on sale and didn't think any of the others - without actually trying them! - would necessarily be better than any other for what I do.
PS: when I travel with my bikes, I always bring a spare tire. I have some old/spares/not quite worn tires in the garage and just throw one or two of those in.