Tires for Light Touring
 

My old Specialized Sequoia has become my all-purpose "light touring" bike. It has a rack on it, so I use it for multi-day road tours, but also use it locally when the ride involves dirt roads or hard-pack rail-trails. It came with 700x25 tires, but was really transformed when I fit some lightly-treaded 700x32s on it. These really smoothed out the aluminum-frame harshness and I don't feel like I lost anything in speed compared to the skinnier tires.

I'm getting ready to replace them for next season, and the only thing I'd like to improve on is the puncture resistance, but I'm afraid that I'll feel added weight and rolling resistance if I go the "Gatorskin" or "Armadillo" route. I'd consider 700x28s, but that might cost me on the softer surfaces as well as some ride quality.

Anyone have experience in a good, all-around, puncture-resistant tire? Or am I talking unobtainium here?

Doug

Everybody has their own favorites. I used Continental Gatorskins for several years with no punctures and didn't feel the performance factors were undesirable. When I switched to recumbents I started using Schwalbe tires.

I've been very happy with my Conti Gator Hardshells. Switched my Roubaix to 700x25s with this tire, no flats (knock wood) through multiple centuries in 2010. Also have the same tire in 700x32 on my Soma Double Cross. Ride and handling are excellent for a puncture resistant tire, IMHO. Currently building a bike with 700x35 Michelin Pilot Sports - very curious to see how well they work.

Panaracer Pasela TG

My current favorite tire is the Continental Grand Prix 4-Seasons. Even the 28mm model weighs a scant 260 grams.

I run the 28s on my (aluminum) primary commuter, and the 25s on the road bikes. I used the chart at PSI Rx to adjust tire pressure to find the right balance between ride and performance for my weight and preference. I found this makes more difference in ride quality than tire model or construction.

One of my bikes still has Gatorskins. I can't seem to wear the things out. Gatorskins come in 32mm if you want, and the 32mm wire-bead model is only 380 grams.

Durability and puncture resistance are my primary criteria, and Schwalbe Marathon Plus have not disapointed me yet. If weight and rolling resistance were higher on my priority list, I might look at something else.

+1

Running 26x1.25s- really like them. No flats in two years.
Used to run Armadillo's. really heavy/sluggish feeling, but bulletproof.

I'm using Gatorskins (not hardshell) and Pasela TGs on several bikes because of their smooth rolling and lightish weight. I've done several handfulls of long rides, and have not had a flat with either type.

Me too, when in doubt, pick these, fast and reliable

Marc

+1 I have not been disappointed with either the 4 Season or Gatorskin tires I have used.

I'll second the Marathon Plus. They match my car tires for durability, which seems a reasonable standart to hold them to, as the two vehicles are used for the same purpose, although over different trip lengths.

My wife's bike has Armadillos, and I'm not impressed -- they seem inferior to the Marathons in both rolling resistance and ride. No idea how puncture resistant they are, as she only rides a few times per year.

Paul

I use the continental 4000s tires. They are made with black chili compound here is a link:

http://www.conti-online.com/generato...p4000S_en.html

For light touring, I've had really good luck with the Continential 2000 Touring Tire. I've got a set on now that has around 6000 miles and never a flat. I suspect, they'll have to be replaced in a few hundred more miles, but this is pretty good mileage. I've also used the Continential Touring Plus, but don't have a real opinion on them yet. They perform OK, but I don't have enough miles on them to know how well they'll last.

Another fan of Panaracer Pasela TGs here. Reasonably light, reasonably tough and reasonably priced. Look around and you can find them pretty cheap.

I just bought a set of Continental Contacts and so far really like them for wet roads. Don't know how long they will wear yet though.

I bought Armadillos as an experiment because one of my riding buddies seems to attract flats and I figured sooner or later one that was aiming for him was going to miss and get me. Also, because where I ride has lots of glass. I swear people are lazy litterers. They just toss bottles out the window whereever they they are.

The Armadillos have not dissappointed in flat resistance. But, handling is radically different that my old Bontrager tires. Also, the tread is wider than the sidewall so I have an additional X mm on the ground over another tire of the same marked size.

One more tidbit on the Armadillos- I've had 4 of them with tread separation from the casing. It is not noticeable unless you deflate the tire. The tread comes loose from the casing along the centerline of the tire, but stays attached at the sidewalls. Specialized replaced the first two. When it happened again, I switched.