frantik

perhaps one reason he didn't get punctures was he was running the tire savers?

Taxi Rob

Where are you guys buying your tires? I found some good deals at biketiresdirect, and they have a few 650b sized models that nobody else carries. I got four pair including my Kenda Kwests, a set of 27" non-TG Paselas, a pair of Conti TourRide 650b, and another set that is slipping my mind right now, because they were on a bike I sold. I spent less than $180 delivered with some 650 tubes included.

Paramount1973 

From the description, the Compass tires sound nearly identical to Pasela Tourguards or the black-sidewall version, T-Servs. I am using 26x1.75 T-Servs on a drop bar conversion and like them a lot.

frantik

they are very similar.. Panaracer even makes the compass tires using the same mold. I may have to find some of these black sidewall versions to try on my alpina to compare

frantik

I just bought some black Panaracer T-Serv PT tires.. 26x1.75", $74 shipped for a pair. These will go on the Alpina and will hopefully provide a good comparison to the Compass tires.

The Schwalbe Marathon Surpremes in a 26x2" size are pretty tempting as well but they are twice the price

noglider 

I don't think Schwalbe sells tires on their prices. I guess they've built a name for themselves and don't have to compete on price.

frantik

After more time with the Compass Tires, including a 14 mile ride, I'm beginning to really like them! The difference in speed and comfort is huge compared to the K838s. Traction is also improved.. not that I was slipping all over the place before, but i turn at speed with even more confidence.

I got the Panaracer Tservs today.. they are the same mold as the Compass tires and are also folding bead, so same tread and sidewall printing. I haven't tried them out yet but they seem pretty similar. One small difference I noticed is that the Tservs were easier to form into the shape of a tire, even off the rim, while the Compass tires were like a wet noodle.. these are like slightly less cooked noodles



Despite the fact i don't really like the skinwall on the Univega, the Compass tires are kind of growing on me... to the point I don't want to remove them to try out the Tservs! Eventually I'll do a comparison, because right now I'm considering getting another set of the Compass tires instead of swapping these onto the Jamis. I definitely want to make sure the Compass tires are noticeably better than the Tservs before I pick up another set, but WOW they are nice. I push way bigger gears now that I switched tires, and go a lot faster. Before I used to see roadies on the bike paths and wonder why I couldn't even get close to their pace.. i didn't realize so much was the tires!
yeah i suppose so. I'm still looking at Schwalbe tires in a ~2.0" size, though not so much the marathons. I want some big volume tires for the 8300 Composite cause it's not as forgiving as steel

frantik

I tried out the T-servs on my 86 Diamondback Apex.. they ride much nicer than the Kenda K838s, but not nearly as nice as the Compass tires. The Compass tires feel like you're riding on a balloon of air that eats up rough roads at speed. the Tservs are nice (especially once you dial in the tire pressure) but just aren't the same. The Tservs are worth the money.. but I think the Compass tires are noticeably better.

I just ordered a 2nd pair of Compass tires. The set on my Univega aren't coming off so I needed a new set for the Jamis. I think that is probably the best review I can give. the total shipped with 2 schwalbe tubes was just under $150. It's kinda funny having tires that cost more than the bike.. but they're worth it.

I'm still pretty interested in finding a supple tire with even more volume.. I think Fat Franks commonly get good reviews.. they're pretty heavy tho.. like 900g!

753proguy

You are getting hooked on having the best tires!

"Friends don't let friends ride less-than-the-best-tires..."

753proguy

They have a lot of tires that are essentially unique and/or trendy.

And they are great marketers....

753proguy

Installing great tires is the most bang for the buck you can do to upgrade a bicycle. Like with cars, tires are very, very important. It's the only place the vehicle touches the Earth!

Velognome 

Great, now I have to wear out my Pasela TG's so I can order as set of Compass'.......Nice but costly (for me ) write up, "Thanks"!

frantik

I emailed Compass and asked why they listed their tires as 44mm on their site, even though the tires themselves and the packaging both say 42. The response:


Mine have been mounted for about a month and my caliper reads 42.8 for the tire.. it's a bit hard to measure the width since the tire compresses but at 42.8 there is no resistance pulling the caliper off

goldfinch

I use the Compass 26 x 1.75 on my hybrid which I ride in all kinds of conditions. One flat in about 800 miles on the tires. It was a wire. I like them a lot, they are a very comfortable tire. Plus, they are faster than the 1.25 stock tires that came with the bike. My problem is that the tire is a bit big and rubs the front fork at times. Nice to see they now have a 1.5, which I am ordering. Thanks for the review.



I also use a compass tire on the rear of my old steel Terry, which has a 700 wheel in the rear and a 24 in the front.

3speedslow

Decided to give the WTB 1.5 slicks a try. Have ridden the bike on about 5 10-20 mile rides and shorter jaunts around the neighborhood. Quite impressed with the smooth rolling feel they have with great grip and quick acceleration from a stop.

I will buy these again when the next worthy project comes my way.

Paramount1973 

My T-Servs appear to be breaking in and delivering a more cushy ride. Anyone else notice this with similar tires?

goldfinch

I got my Compass 26 x 1.5 a few days ago and put them on the bike. Nice tires. It is good to have enough fork clearance again. I can still run the pressure pretty low (I am a light weight) so the ride is nice on rough surfaces. I simply cannot judge speed as compared to the 1.75 Compass tires, not enough difference to notice.

Now I have to find a home for the 26 x 1.75's which have a lot of life left in them.

frantik

I mounted my 2nd pair of Compass 26x1.75 tires, and unfortunately i think i may have gotten a defective tire.. it's got a "low spot"/"hop" that is visible and can be felt while riding. I'm going to double check I mounted tired correctly (pretty sure i did) and if there is still a problem, I'm going to exchange it.

update: i remounted the tire and it looks a lot better.. never "mis-mounted" a tire before but i suppose it can happen to the best of us.. hopefully a test ride will confirm it was user error

As I've used mine i've noticed they have been breaking in more and riding better, but at the same time my compass tires have also been breaking in and riding even more nicely they're on different bikes so it's an "apples to oranges" comparison but i'd still spend the extra money on the compass tires, unless i absolutely wanted a black sidewall

MrEss

We have two bikes here with 26" Paselas... one 26x1.5 and the other 26x1.75. On one bike, with Rhyno Lite rims, the tires fit pretty tightly and are somewhat hard to mount. On the other bike, unknown secondhand rims, the tires fit loose, very easy to mount, but you have to be super careful to get the bead equally seated all around to prevent this bump/hop as you describe.

frantik

I've never run into that problem before.. I suspect it's a combination of the tire and the rims (Araya RM-17) which are skinnier like road tires. After the test ride I can confirm it was my mistake and the tire does not need to be returned

Chris Pringle

To add to this discussion...

I am one of those who went with the Schwalbe Marathon Racer (26x1.75"), albeit the wired bead version. I've put 3,300 Km so far (2,050 mi.) with ZERO flats (knock on wood!) since March 2012. Speed seems really adequate when I do long group rides on weekends (buddies riding w/ 23-28mm tires.) These tires are also very quiet and have had good grip on dry/wet surfaces (on and off road.) At 2300 Km (3 months ago) I rotated the tires (front went to rear and rear to the front.) I'm really curious to see how long they last. These tires have also been very forgiving with the roads found here in Mexico. FWIW, I keep them inflated at 50 psi for the rear and 40 psi for the front (my weight fluctuates between 170-175 lb.)

I bought the wider 1.75" tires hoping I was going to be doing more bike touring over the next year. It has turned out that we've been doing more long-distance rides, especially on weekends. I ride with a front bag on a mini rack.

A month ago (in taking advantage of a trip to the U.S.), I had a dilemma between getting the 1.5" Compass or the 1.5" Marathon Racer (folding version) as back-ups: Complete lack of flat protection over (reportedly) faster speeds on the Compass Vs. better flat protection while possibly sacrificing some speed on the Marathon Racer. I went with the latter. Chose the 1.5" -- 1.75" are an overkill for rando type rides. You see, the issue for me is that often we ride in groups of four or more people. Flat protection is a big deal. If anyone has a flat, it's just a pain in the a** for everyone to stop and wait. On a tour or riding alone, it is fine, but on group rides I think the idea of a flat seems to me is not so welcoming.

When I checked over a month ago, it seemed like there was a shortage of the Marathon Racer 26"x1.75" folding version in North America.

At any rate, if anyone ever tries both tires, PLEASE report back.

My ride:

Velognome 

^ Nice, your bikes are always so clean!

wrk101

I used to mismount quite a few tires unfortunately. It was a combination of using my large air compressor to directly inflate tires (lightning fast fill), and not being careful enough checking the bead completely.

I ended up splurging on one of these (picked it up used naturally). Problem Solver Air Bob inflator. Worth the $$ if you work on bikes routinely. Allows you to ease the air in while filling. A luxury item for sure.

I got mine from a shop going out of business (seems to happen around here about every six months or so).


https://www.amazon.com/Problem-Solver...lem+solver+air

frantik

I used a foot pump and checked the bead was seated, but i didn't notice one side was set deeper than the other. I'm new to folding bead tires, most of the lower end tires i'm used to keep their basic shape and aren't supple enough to seat under the tube anyways

andyfloyd

I have some of those tires, they are on a Miyata Elevation that Im fixing for a flip. Will ride on em and report back.