Which 700x32 touring tire?
 

I’m considering several 700x32 tires for my Soma Double Cross. The bike will be used for century rides, light touring on-road and will also see some gravel-road, gravel tow-path and easier off-road travel. The non-paved trekking could almost be done on a 700x28 slick, I can almost always find a smooth, firm line as I travel along.

I would like to avoid a knobby tire that will make paved road travel slower, but I would like to feel more confident that I'm not going to slide when on un-paved ground.

I’m considering

Vittoria Randonneur Hyper & Vittoria Randonneur Cross Pro: http://www.vittoria.com/product/city-trekking/

Schwalbe Dureme: http://www.schwalbetires.com/node/2666

Schwalbe Marathon Racer: http://www.schwalbetires.com/bike_ti...thon_racer_429

Continental Top Contact: http://www.conti-online.com/generato...opcont_en.html

Panaracer Ritmo and T serv PT: http://www.panaracer.com/urban.php

I’ll also add the Performance Forté Metro-K Road: http://www.performancebike.com/bikes..._1070099_-1___

The Hyper is the smoothest and lightest tire, it can also accept 90 psi. I'm a 210 lbs guy who would want 85 psi in the rear tire.

Which will work best as a faster trekking tire in your opinion? Any other tires that I should consider?

Multiple votes are OK, but limit multiple votes, please.

I voted for the Vittoria Hyper but I personally prefer the Conti Sport Contact 700x37c, although I have 700x32c on my tandem at the moment.

I have the Dureme 26 x 2.0 on one bike and the marathon racer 700 x 35 on my other bike.
Both great tires! My guess is it would be six of one, half a dozen of the other for the 700C x 32 tires.

My touring bike has 700x40 Marathons, but you mention light touring. My single-speed road bike has 700x32 Panaracer Pasela TG.

I voted for Panaracer. The set of Crosstowns I ride on now, have taken me through broken glass bottles, metal shards, and unseen potholes at night. After 460 miles, they still look new.

- Slim :)

I use and vote for Vittoria Randonneur just the Randonneur love them and have 3675 on the tires which is a 2008 Fuji Touring bike and I am going to stay with them.
When they finally show wear I am replacing with the Vittoria Randonneur-:)

I'd vote for the Vittoria Randonneur Pro, not the Cross Pro but the regular/plain Pro. Only weighs a bit more than the Hyper, offers more puncture protection, and rolls almost as smoothly as the Hyper in my experience.

If you're not planning to ride off-road, then I'd ignore the Randonneur Cross Pro or any other cyclocross tire.

The narrowest Duremes are 700x37, so not a 32 tire. The racers come in 30s or 35s. I have two sets of racers (30 & 35) which I use on my commuting bikes. I like them, but I wouldn't take them off-road.

32mm Schwalbe Marathons. They are a good balance between traction on unpaved surfaces, low rolling resistance on pavement, weight, and durability. I just posted this on another thread, but it is applicable here.

I have had a poor experience with Panaracers (fast but fragile), good experience with Schwalbe marathons (good all'rounder) and excellent experience with Vittoria Hypers (fast, very durable and great wet weather traction). We have the Hypers on our tandem now and ride trouble free loaded at 475 pounds total weight! Hypers RULE!!

BTW, We tour on a mix or road and limestone rail trail (GAP, Erie Canal) and muddy slop (C&O). The C&O is where the Panaracers failed miserably in durability and the Hypers were faultless. Since we have been riding Hypers, we have not had another thought about "could we have a better tire." Now we are free to think anout all of our other equipment but we relax as we have found the ultimate rubber to roll on.

These are all great tires.

Prices range from $13 each for the Forté Metro-K to about $60 for the Schwable tire.

The 700x32 Vittoria Randonneur Hyper and the Panaracer T serv PT are the lightest at 350 grams, the Schwalbe Racer is 360 grams for a 700x35 tire. The other tires are all 450 grams or more.

The Vittoria Randonneur Cross Pro has a max pressure rating of 70 psi, all others had 85 psi or higher.

The finalist are;

700x32 Vittoria Randonneur Hyper: fast, light, supple, moderately flat resistant, moderate price, but weaker gravel & dirt road tire due to smaller size and smooth shoulders.

700x35 Schwalbe Dureme: very flat resistant, durable, better on soft ground, heavy, and expensive.

700x35 Forté Metro-K: Best value, very good all-around performer.

If I was touring, I would use the Schwalbe, it's the toughest and most versatile. If I was doing a century ride, I would want the Vittoria, it's the fastest and most supple. For all around commuting and recreational cycling, the Forte is hard to fault.

I ordered the Hypers :-)

Ok, the Vittoria Hypers are great! How great are they, They are great on...;

Smooth Pavement, as fast a a good 700x25

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/l...insburg014.jpg

They are just as fast on smooth gravel;

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/l...insburg019.jpg

They are smooth and sticky on wood...;

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/l...insburg024.jpg

They are smooth and fast on roadways;

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/l...insburg042.jpg

And they can track well while speeding down 10% roads at 45 mph, the smooth shoulders hold well on fast turns on firm pavement;

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/l...insburg038.jpg

Me too. Your photo essay was that convincing.

Conti Top Contacts are hands down the best all-around tire I have ever owned.

Hyper Pro is a nice tire, I've got a 37mm on the front of the Cross-Check w. 35mm Supreme on the back. My very limited sample in 35mm with one HyperPro, one RandonneurPro, two Marathon Supremes, one Marathon XR, Two T-Serv, Two Pasela over two years commuting 12miles/day through occasional patches of glass.

No flats w Supremes, T-servs, Pasela or XR. One flat ea. with Hyper Pro and two on Randonneur. I'd pick a T-Serv for the conditions you're describing. Maybe using an XR for the rear if bad city roads or heavy loads were involved.

I've been running Panaracer 700X32 T Serv on my Jamis Aurora. I know that most will tell you to use a wider tire, but I've had great luck with this tire fully loaded. I do tend to pack light. I also backpack and kayak tour so most of my camping gear falls into the ultra light category. If I were to run loaded weight (Gear + Bike) in the 70 lb. or above range, I'd probably go a little wider.

my heavy grocery carrier is a 26"wheeled LHT. So far 1.75" T-Servs have been perfect for loaded and unloaded riding although the front tire appears to pick up a LOT of water riding through very wet roads. It's got to be one of the nicest riding reasonably durable tires around.

I've ran Panaracer TG's and Schwalbe Marathons the last few years,I like both tires.

The Randonneur Hypers came in the mail Friday and I got in 28 miles on them yesterday. Very smooth and fast tire! It was like having an extra gear compared to those Conti 700x42s. I didn't feel like I was giving up that much cush either. Now I wish I'd had them on my tour last month.

Thanks for the thread!

I'd disagree. Solid, but very heavy and a lot of rolling resistance. Touring Plus'es on the other hand I liked - a lot.

Is this a having a touring bike, or using a bike for loaded touring, question.

The LBS here sold a lot of Marathon Plus, tires to people touring the Oregon coast
with their camping gear aboard..

I have 3 bikes with them on them, 1 the 32 wide, 700c version .
[others not that size]

Yes, I continue to be pleased with mine.

I've got a set of the Vittoria Hypers on one bike now but didn't get to put a lot of miles on that particular ride, but so far, so good. The only tire I tend to shy away from are the Pasela tg's. Had a couple side wall failures and then a friend I was touring with this past month had a similar PIA experience. Thank God for gorilla tape.