OnyxTiger

Hey guys,

Planning on upping the width on my tires, currently running 700 x 32c Kenda Kommando knobbies on it... a noticeably more plush ride than the former 25c Gators, so now has me thinking about comfort for the now longer haul.

Ride is a 24mi round trip in Arizona, 90% asphalt with the remaining on a canal with hardpacked (Depending on the route I want to take out of 3/4 possible routes). Therefore, getting away from heavier treads/knobs and looking for a smoother rolling slick pattern.

Am prioritizing both speed and comfort at the sacrifice of durability/puncture protection, but if I can find a suitable balance for all, then I'd like to know.

On the shortlist:

- Compass Bon Jon Pass (35c)/Barlow Pass (38c)... hearing nothing but great reviews on the suppleness and smooth and fast ride, some comments on the puncture protection being a slight issue. Tanwalls might be an issue in Arizona, as that tends to kill the carcass in short order from what I hear.

- Vittoria Voyager Hyper ... the tirerollingresistance website cites this as having only 17w of resistance, and at a fair price.

- Pasela PT ... Not sure what to think of these yet. Seem fairly heavy, and have heard of multiple people saying these don't roll quite as well as the Compass choices.

- Conti Gatorskins (32c) ... puncture protection but rolling resistance isn't lauded


Am I missing any other choices? Do you guys have any tires in that size range? Or, have you gone from a 35/38 down to 32ish and found either no difference in comfort/speed, or vice versa?

Thanks!!

Nightdiver

I've mostly migrated everything to Schwalbes and can't complain. I alternate between Marathon Supremes, Marathon Racers, and Kojaks all in 35c. I don't know if it's just bad luck, but I've had more flats with the Racers than the other two. The Kojaks maybe feel the best, but I really can't tell a huge difference between them.

downwinded

I've had good luck with the Supremes too. I have run 35's and presently have 28's on my Trek. Width you choose would depend on the route /surface.

crazyravr

On my Giant TCX 0, I swap out the cross tires for Schwalbe Marathons when commuting. In the fall cross tires go back on.

Abe_Froman

I've heard nothing but wonderful things about all of the Compass tires. Of course...at like $80 a pop they'd better be good.
I have a set of the Voyager Hypers in 40mm. I like them. A lot. Got em for $17 a piece off one of the British sites.
No experience with the Pasela PT, though others have recommended them.
Gatorskins - I had a set in 23mm, and they were horrifically harsh.

Something you may have overlooked - Continental GP4000iis. About the best tire you can get for a reasonable price IMO, based on my 25mm set and reviews of others and online tests. They make them in 28mm, which apparently measure more like 31mm. Those would be tough to beat IMO.

RubeRad

Another 'vote' for schwalbe, I'm very happy with my marathon mondial 700x42, they come in a wide range of sizes. It's much cheaper to buy them from germany, even with shipping. I got mine from bike-discount.de, but there are a couple other sites too.

OneIsAllYouNeed

I really like Pasela and Pasela PT as a tire with a good balance of speed, grip, and durability. Compared to the Pasela...
Schwalbe Kojaks are slower and less puncture resistant.
Compass are faster, less puncture resistant, and less durable.
Vittoria Voyager Hyper feel the same as Paselas to me, but I don't have enough miles to gauge their durability.
Gatorskins are much slower, longer lasting, and more puncture resistant.
GP4000S II 28mm (31mm measured) are faster, less puncture resistant, and less durable.

noglider 

All of the tires mentioned here should serve you well. I have a lot of experience with the Pasela and like it a lot. I also have the Voyager Hyper, and they're heavy but don't feel heavy, as all the weight is in the tread. It's a very nice tire.

chas58

My commute is like yours. I think Gatorskins are OK, its just that conti recommends WAY too much pressure in them. Drop it to something reasonable (60-80pis on 32mm) and they are not bad.

I found some Conti 4-seasons in the 32mm size. They are fast, supple, and have excellent durability and protection.

I change tires a lot, but right now I have a 28mm GP4000S2 on the front and a 32mm 4-season on the rear. The S2 is a LOT smaller than the 32mm 4 season (true to size), but then again it is a bit bigger than the 28mm 4season (which runs smaller than marked).

Compass is great, but not the toughest tire for commuting. Same with the Vittoria. I wouldn't use either on the rear of a commuter.

Don't get too hung up on rolling resistance. You won't be able to tell any difference in a couple of watts on a commute. Example: Gatorskings vs SII - they both get me there in the same time. Doing an hour long time trial I might save a few seconds with the faster tire, but not when commuting.

PS - the only place I've found the 32mm 4seasons is amazon, where they are marked as 32 inch tires (go figure).

Andy_K 

I also have the 700x32 GP 4 Seasons and like them a lot. Bike Tires Direct and Universal Cycles both have them in stock right now.

chas58

Good to know - I waited 1.5 years for bike tires direct to get them in stock until I found them on Amazon...

DrIsotope

The Panaracer RibMo has shown itself to be about as durable as a Gatorskin, but rides a whole helluva lot better, and they're a tiny bit cheaper than the Pasela PT. Put a set on the wife's bike in hopes of combatting the goatheads, and she has been flat-free since the day they went on. They also have no visible wear at all after ~300 miles, which is promising.

She's on the very cheapest ones-- non-PT wire beads.

fietsbob

You in AZ have different Flora with Spines, that I don't.


How wide is the frame gap the tires have to fit?







...

Viich

Clement LGG is another you might consider around that size. Nice round profile. I'm running 28's with only one flat this year.

daaxix

I've been riding the Schwalbe Marathon Plus for 18 months on dirt and asphalt everyday, about 7,000km so far, with only one flat from a giant nail on the dirt. I've even pulled broken glass out of the tire, but it didn't puncture through the interior.

I recommend them, especially for the price.

Craptacular8

Just put a set of pasela 32's on a newly built up touring bike. Have not had the chance for more than a few miles, but like them. I had pasela t-servs on a commuter, they rolled ok, and while they were not "heavy" they felt that way to me.... I love the Compass tires. I have them on a couple bikes so far. One of the Jon Bon's in the standard casing, one in extra light that I use on gravel, and some pavement. I've only got a couple hundred gravel miles on them, but so far, so good. They are going on my space horse next in the standard casing to replace the Challenge Gravel Grinder's that I wore out. We do some loaded tours, so I'm hoping I love them in that application as well. I've not had an issue with flats, but do not encounter prickly things, and seldom avoid seeing the glass shards in time.

jrickards

I like my Conti Contact tires that came with my 2012 Kona Sutra (I bought it in the fall of 2013). I've put about 8000km on the front tire, the rear wore down after about 6000km and the front is still good, at least for the rest of this season. If there has been a flat, I don't remember.

snow_echo_NY

great question, following. also looking for tires, but maybe for touring and commuting.
i run 700x28 gatorskins and they are a harsh ride but they have nearly 8000 miles on them and they're still going. i should probably change them out at some point.

i'm guessing i would try the pasela. so many good suggestions here though.

(and listening in for more recommendations...)

OnyxTiger

So, I ended up going with the newest iteration of Schwalbe's Marathon Supreme (HS469)... they turned out to weigh about 300 grams lighter than the earlier version due to a slightly thinner sidewall, with a newer compound for a more supple casing. Price was $53 per. Main reason I went with them is because they had them on Amazon and I have a store card, otherwise will probably have considered other tires. Too bad Compass and Vittoria Hypers weren't on Amazon.

So far, I'm very pleased with the added width. I realize I can easily fit a 38c on the frame, but that's water under the bridge...

Haven't taken them for a commute voyage yet (still waiting for the AZ heat to tone it down a bit). Definitely feels great going over drainage grates and literally not feeling anything. That's an other worldly experience!

Thanks for all your recommendations, seems like there's only a few go-tos, and I trust they're all proven.

acidfast7

Jebbus, you should get them shipped from over here to your door for a fraction of that price.

tyres

€79.63 shipped to you door

those are also the folding version

mb2112

+1 for Schwalbe's as well.
I've put 2200+ commuting miles on my Marathon greens and have had one flat (from a nasty industrial staple that would have flatted a car.) They're a bit heavy, but I noticed an immediate improvement in rolling resistance too. Running Schwalbe's on my mtn bike too and love them.

chas58

I'm trying to figure out why some people claim gatorskins are harsh. They have a tough tread and supple sidewalls.

I think the problem is because Conti recommends putting way way too much air in them. try about 55 front and 70 rear, and they should ride much better. The Conti 4 seasons do ride a little better though (the tread is not as thick, but they wear nicely).

acidfast7

I found them to be inferior and not tough enough for British roads (2000km out of the rear). And that's with the single speed that I ride. The Marathons are a much better tyre in my experience.

OnyxTiger

I do have Gatorskins on my roadie trainer, 700x25c, and they're no harsher than my GP4KIIs that I used prior to that. I didn't care much for the gashes and punctures that GP4KIIs gave me over only 2K miles, and was hesitant about going back to the Gatorskins, but so far they fare well. I agree with checking the psi though, that could have something to do with it. Go low until you pinch, then go higher I suppose.

snow_echo_NY

@chas58 gatorskins are bomb proof at least in my experience. i ride over glass. every imaginable surface available on NYC streets. and 7700 miles strong with showing no signs of stopping. i get a flat maybe 1x every other year. b/c i didn't inflate properly. i know everyone here is saying inflate to 65 psi for a more comfortable ride. yes i ride that. it's not more comfortable than my yuba mundo i assure you. plus once it gets to 40 (which is really quite quick when it's underinflated), that's when i get a flat. so i don't do that anymore, i keep it at 80+ (or try to) at all times.

this is my experience and how i feel tho. not everyone's the same.

i spoke with my LBS about tires i would be interested in. i'm thinking of doing more touring and i'd like the right tire for it - and they suggested anything by panaracer. they make pasela among some other tires. i think that will be it for me. if you have experience about the different panaracer tires out there and what's good for what, i'm interested. i may pick the tour tire instead of the pasela that was recommended here - i definitely do need it to be reliably tough. and thanks for starting this thread, - - - i'm interested in what OP will choose!