illusiumd

All the streets in Chicago are just atrocious on my commute so I'm thinking of going up from 28 to 32 - 32 being the biggest I can run. Right now I'm running Conti 4 Seasons 28 but they seem more like 25. I have to say the 4Season has held up much better than I expected - I don't think I've had a puncture in over a year - but I think a good fat 32 would help out my rims much better.

5 mi of my commute is city pothole mania and then I have 10 on nice lakefront pavement.

I had Marathon Plus back in the day - and yes they're indestructible - but way too heavy. Are the supremes worth the price?

suncruiser

I'd recommend Continental Procontacts. I've been putting a lot of miles on them here in Seattle and not really been too nice to them. Only had one puncture, and that was some ####### throwing a glass bottle in front of me on Ravenna. They do tend to run a little on the small side for a 32 though.

mstateglfr 

Vittoria Voyager Hyper Folding Tyre | Planet X $17.80 per tire right now. They are a $40-50 tire stateside. Quick rolling, relatively light for the size, and dont flat easily. I dont use them, but do use 2 other versions of Vittoria tires which are similar(not as 'nice' as the Hyper) and they are really solid in terms of wear and tear. I have probably 1800 miles on the 4 tires over a couple seasons of city/road/chip path riding and havent had a flat all while the tires wearing fine.

T-Serv PT ? Panaracer Bicycle Tires This is a really solid tire that a couple friends have on their bikes. One commutes many days a week and the other has them on a path/weekend/around town bike. They both love the tire. Its relatively light

X'PLOR MSO | Clement Cycling, Cyclocross Tires, Adventure Tires, Mountain Bike Tires, Road Bike Tires And this is what I would probably consider the most. Dont be scared by the tread- I use this tire in a 40mm size for a gravel bike and it is really impressive on poor surfaces while riding great on streets and paths around the city. It is smooth rolling and really supple, even though there is a visible tread. It comes in 60tpi and 120tpi. I have the 120. The 60 will be a bit heavier and a bit stiffer feeling. The 60tpi will cost about $30 per tire and the 120 will cost about $53 per tire.
I have used them for a couple of years of gravel riding and they wear great as well as havent stopped me due to a flat. I grew up in Chicago- no roads there are in worse condition than most of the gravel I ride, for what its worth.

bikemig 

I've been running 700 x 32c continental touring plus reflex tires on my commuter. They're solid tires that are reasonably priced, have good resistance to flats, and have a reflective strip. https://www.amazon.com/Continental-T...ZDG?th=1&psc=1

tarwheel 

I've had excellent results from Panaracer Pasela PTs and Vittoria Voyager Hypers, both in 32s. The Hypers have a reflective sidewall, which is an added plus for commuting, and roll better. The Paselas have a little bit of tread that is helpful when riding in dirt or mud.

lostarchitect 

I agree, good experiences with both these tires.

edit: actually it was the Randonneur Hyper that I liked, my mistake. Voyager is probably good too, though.

HardyWeinberg

marathon supreme!

OneIsAllYouNeed

+1 Pasela TG
+1 Vittoria Voyagaer Hyper
both are fairly true to size

Panaracer Gravel King 28mm or 32mm (slick, not the "small knob" version) would be worth a look, too.

pdlamb

I really want to respond to one of these kinds of questions with, "You should try a 32 tire." But instead:


+1 on Pasela TG
Also look at the Specialized Armadillo, if you can find it. Not bad for rolling resistance, good for flat resistance, and wears like iron.

lostarchitect 

Total disagree on the Specialized Armadillo (and the Continental Gatorskin, which is even worse, while we are at it). These were 2 of the most uncomfortable tires I have even been on. The flat protection isn't worth the ride. If you are only going to ride a few miles at a time I suppose it could be tolerable, but if you ever plan on riding 10+ miles these are not good choices.

noglider 

@lostarchitect, I really appreciate your input on these tires. I know I'm unlike many people. Many people would sacrifice ride quality for puncture protection. I won't. Fortunately, there are a few tires that offer puncture protection without making the ride worse. If there weren't I would ride without any protection, and I do on most of my bikes. I have tried the Vittoria Voyager Hyper, and I'm amazed.

I'm about to try the Clement LGG which gets the same comments as the Hyper, also in 32mm. I believe 32mm is the maximum size I can use on my International after I install fenders.

HardyWeinberg

I am a schwalbe only person. Combination of ride quality (supremes, big apples), durability, and wet weather traction (especially over thermoplastic street markings) cannot be beat. Every other brand I've tried has let me down on at least one of those scores.

Darth Lefty 

If you're looking at the regular Marathon in 32 you should pause and read this
Schwalbe Marathon 32, 37, 40, 47 Comparison

The nut graf:

Kedosto

Huh. So I've been doing it wrong for all these years? I commute rain or shine 28+ mi. round trip on Specialized Armadillos. Nimbus, All Condition, and now Infinity. Mostly 38's but have used 45's down to 32's.

Armadillos aren't the cheapest, lightest, or plushest tires money can buy, but I haven't found a tire that can match their durability and flat protection. I've tried EVERY major brand of tire. Every single one. The Schwalbe Marathon came close, but their weight, cost and limited availability proved to be too much for me.

Selecting a tire requires an evaluation of what the rider believes is most important. In my case, flat protection is paramount. I simply cannot risk getting a flat in one of the many bad areas I pass through. I readily agree that the Armadillos aren't the softest riding tire, but 38's at 45/70psi is pretty damned comfortable.

The OP needs to decide which factor is most important for the ride. Durability? Weight? Cost? Flat protection? Reflection? Looks? Every tire offers a blend of each, with some factors expressed more than others. No tire excels in all areas; there is always a compromise.


-Kedosto

mstateglfr 

I have Clement Strada LGG tires on a road bike and love em. They are 25s, not 32, due to clearance.
10x more fun to ride on them than the previous 2 tires I had on the bike. Im sure there is no actual speed or effort difference, it just feels easier and more fun to ride though.

softreset

Interesting on the Clement Strada LGG. I put a pair (in 28) on my commuter and it was a total nightmare. 5 punctures in the first 100 miles of riding. None were from under-inflation. I put a pair of Gator Hard Shells on (also in 28) and I've got over 1000 miles (on the same route) of puncture free miles.

robert schlatte

Continental Tour Ride. They are inexpensive and have a good thick tread which holds up nicely to street debris. Maybe a little on the heavy side. I have been using them on my commuting bike for over a year and I don't think about flats.

chas58

+1 Pasela TG. That is pretty much the standard light, fast, tough 32mm tire.

I just got a pair of 32mm Conti 4 Seasons, but I think they are a tad too large for my bike. Still, it is hard to find a good 330tpi supple smooth riding tire in this size. Good luck finding a pair - they are extremely rare. A 32mm Gatorskin (foldable if you like) is also an option.

Panaracer gravel king (smooth tread) is also a good option, but again, good luck finding one in 32mm.

Here is a chart with prices, TPI, and weigh for some of the better tires in this size:


Chart: Tire $$$ mm TPI Weight

• Pasela $35-40 32mm 66TPI 360g/410g Smallish for a 32
• T-Serv $35-40 32mm 66TPI 350g
• Gravel King $40 32mm 126TPI 320g RF732-GKS-B
• Gravel King $40 32mm 126TPI 290g Smooth tread - hard to find in size
• Gator Hard $37 32mm 180TPI 375g/450g
• Gatorskin $37 32mm 180TPI 350g/420g smallish for a 32
• Ultra Sport 32mm 180TPI 350g
• Conti 4 season $60 32mm 330TPI 320g German catalog 2016
• Compass Stampede $76 32mm 260TPI 254g/291g
• Challenge Erocia $62 30mm 260TPI 284g
• Challenge Almanzo 30mm 260TPI 367g
• Spec. Robaix PRo 30/32mm 120TPI 380g

lostarchitect 

Nobody's saying you are doing it wrong, it's right for you if your main concern is only flat protection.

That's not my biggest concern and I was giving OP my viewpoint. I personally have ridden those tires and hated them. I suspect you also have not ridden any really high end tires if you find them comfortable with those incredibly stiff sidewalls, but if they work for you, they work for you. I trust OP is an intelligent enough person to understand that all these comments are people's opinions and evaluate them as such.

canklecat

If you want bombproof, grippy, long wearing and an outstanding value, try Michelin Protek Cross Max. Only $20 apiece at Bike Tires Direct.

Yeah, they're heavy. I've been running a set of 700x40 for a year, no complaints. I run the pressure quite a bit lower than recommended. Bombed out pavement, chipseal, gravel, wet or dry, you name it -- no problems. I just rotated that pair after a year and noticed some cuts and shards of glass splinters in the rear tread, but nothing penetrated the puncture shield. I filled the small cuts with Shoe Goo and put that tire on the front. The original front still looks almost new, so it should be good for at least another year on the back.

The plain Protek tires are quite a bit lighter, but cost a few bucks more and lack the same tread and heavy duty puncture proof shield. Seems like paying more for less tire, but still a bargain at $25.

If you don't need the heavy duty tread pattern, Michelin Pro4 racing and training tires get high marks for low rolling resistance and good puncture resistance. They're also a relative bargain in the US because Michelin doesn't get much love here on the wrong side of the Atlantic, so the tires are often discounted heavily by Nashbar, REI, Bike Tires Direct and others.

MichaelW

Standard Marathons are tough and durable. Not the speediest in their size but good enough. I have toured thousands of miles on all surfaces with them.

Mr IGH

Another vote for Paselas TG, I run the 32mm on my commuter and gravel grinder wheelsets.

veloz

Panaracer T-Serv. My go to urban tire and it's relatively lightweight too. I've run through several sets and also the Pasela TG's - both are good. Same tread on both tires and both measure very close to spec on Velocity A23 rims. I run 28's most of the time but have a set of 32's as well which make a good gravel tire.

chas58

So, what is the difference between the Panaracer T-serv and Paselas? I have always wondered, but can't figure it out.

I have heard the 32s run small. Can you confirm? My frame just barely does NOT fit a 32mm tire, but I can run a 32mm gatorskin (not the 4 season though). Any info on if the Panaracer's run small?

Panaracer has the 32mm
T-serve
Paselas
Gravel king (both smooth & knobby tread).

Nice choice of 32mm tires for gravel riding and fast urban riding. Nice to see them supporting that as fast, quality 32mm tires can be hard to find.

OneIsAllYouNeed

T-serve is more puncture resistant (read: slower) than Pasela.

Recent model year Paselas run true to size or large. Older ones were a bit undersized (31.5mm on my 24mm wide Dyad rims).

Been many years since I used Gatorskins, but they ran small, too.

What rims are you using?

Of my personal tire collection at the moment, the best fits for you would be Conti GP4000S 28mm (30mm actual on 23mm A23 rim or 24mm Dyad rim) or Kenda Kwick Cross 700x30 (31mm actual on A23 or Dyad rims. Also it's a terrible 'cross tire, but quite nice on the road with side knobs trimmed).

The Challenge Strada Bianca 30mm tire gets mixed reviews, but it might be a good choice for your application as well.


There's a handy public spreadsheet with measured tire widths on various rims at:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing
Don't break it!