700C touring tire recommendations

[Mikeyankee]

Just built up a touring bike and have taken it out on the road a few times using Avocet Cross tires
(32 mm), because they're the widest I had lying around. They're great on unpaved roads but seem
awfully draggy on pavement, which is where I usually ride.

I'd appreciate recommendations from knowledgeable tourers on affordable tires in 32-35 mm width that
might offer lower rolling resistance.

Thanks in advance.

Mike Yankee

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[Chalo]

[email protected] (MikeYankee) wrote:

> Just built up a touring bike and have taken it out on the road a few times using Avocet Cross
> tires (32 mm), because they're the widest I had lying around. They're great on unpaved roads but
> seem awfully draggy on pavement, which is where I usually ride.

The deep center tread is of no value on surfaces harder than the tire itself.

> I'd appreciate recommendations from knowledgeable tourers on affordable tires in 32-35 mm width
> that might offer lower rolling resistance.

Try the Panaracer Pasela 700x35 (32mm actual). It's a good compromise between casing width, weight,
durability, and rolling resistance. And it's inexpensive.

The Avocet FasGrip 700x32 has even lower rolling resistance, but is narrower and more fragile than
the Pasela 35, not to mention more expensive and more difficult to find.

Chalo Colina

 

[B]

>> I'd appreciate recommendations from knowledgeable tourers on affordable
>tires
>> in 32-35 mm width that might offer lower rolling resistance.

Panaracer palsea 35 has my vote B

(remove clothes to reply)

 

[Robert Strickla]

"B" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> >> I'd appreciate recommendations from knowledgeable tourers on affordable
> >tires
> >> in 32-35 mm width that might offer lower rolling resistance.
>
> Panaracer palsea 35 has my vote

Schwalbe Marathons are nice and last quite a while.

Rob Strickland

 

[Andrew Webster]

[email protected] (MikeYankee) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...

> I'd appreciate recommendations from knowledgeable tourers on affordable tires in 32-35 mm width
> that might offer lower rolling resistance.
>

Try Michelin World Tour, I've used them for many years in both 27"x1
1/4" and 700Cx32 sizes. Excellent durability and very cheap.

Andrew Webster

 

[Josh Gatts]

"MikeYankee" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Just built up a touring bike and have taken it out on the road a few times using Avocet Cross
> tires (32 mm), because they're the widest I had lying around. They're great on unpaved roads but
> seem awfully draggy on
pavement,
> which is where I usually ride.
>
> I'd appreciate recommendations from knowledgeable tourers on affordable
tires
> in 32-35 mm width that might offer lower rolling resistance.
>

I just came back from about 2000 miles of loaded touring on a set of Avocet Duro Plus 700x32's.
They're completely slick, and so have very low rolling resistance and excellent grip in the wet. I
had only one flat. The rear tire is feeling a bit thin on the tread, but probably has another 500
miles or so on it. Highly recommended, though hard to come by -- I had to special order them
through my LBS.

--Josh

 

[Bfd]

"Josh Gatts" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> "MikeYankee" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Just built up a touring bike and have taken it out on the road a few times using Avocet Cross
> > tires (32 mm), because they're the widest I had lying around. They're great on unpaved roads but
> > seem awfully draggy on
> pavement,
> > which is where I usually ride.
> >
> > I'd appreciate recommendations from knowledgeable tourers on affordable
> tires
> > in 32-35 mm width that might offer lower rolling resistance.
> >
>
> I just came back from about 2000 miles of loaded touring on a set of Avocet Duro Plus 700x32's.
> They're completely slick, and so have very low rolling resistance and excellent grip in the wet. I
> had only one flat. The rear tire is feeling a bit thin on the tread, but probably has another 500
> miles or so on it. Highly recommended, though hard to come by -- I had to special order them
> through my LBS.
>
Agree, Avocet tires are hard to find, but on the web they're available at the following locations:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/tires/622.html http://www.lickbike.com/t0018100.htm
http://www.gtgtandems.com/parts/700r.html http://www.worldclasscycles.com/clincher-tires2.htm

 

[Bruce Graham]

> [email protected] (MikeYankee) wrote:
>
> > Just built up a touring bike and have taken it out on the road a few times using Avocet Cross
> > tires (32 mm), because they're the widest I had lying around. They're great on unpaved roads but
> > seem awfully draggy on pavement, which is where I usually ride. I'd appreciate recommendations
> > from knowledgeable tourers on affordable tires in 32-35 mm width that might offer lower rolling
> > resistance.
>
To me a puncture is the cause of noticeable rolling resistance. I have had ZERO punctures in 32000
tire-Km with Continental Top-Touring 2000 32mm unless you count one tube failure at the stem
(ham-fisted me probably). (2 bikes each 8000Km on these tires)

I also have done about another 3000Km on a pair of 28mm Conti TT2000's. The 28's are nicer than the
32's on pavement, especially unloaded.

Bruce Graham

 

[Mike Demicco]

[email protected] (Chalo) wrote in news:[email protected]:

> [email protected] (MikeYankee) wrote:
>
>> Just built up a touring bike and have taken it out on the road a few times using Avocet Cross
>> tires (32 mm), because they're the widest I had lying around. They're great on unpaved roads but
>> seem awfully draggy on pavement, which is where I usually ride.
>

IRC Tandem - a great tire and less than half what the other overpriced tires cost.

 

[Whitfit]

I've had some poor luck with Pasela's. I had a sidewall tear with little provocation (some gravel)
and the sidewall's seem excessively light. Although good for rolling resistance, for loaded touring
I want to be rolling on something that doesn't leave me stranded.

Whitfit

 

[M Gagnon]

"Mike DeMicco" <[email protected]> > >
>
> IRC Tandem - a great tire and less than half what the other overpriced tires cost.

Good but not great tires. Two caveats:

1. They are noisy. Not a problem for commuting, but I don'T like them for touring on quiet roads.

2. I feel they are a bit slippery. For instance, I don't trust them as much on man-hole covers and
steel plates -- especially when wet -- as I trust the Continental Top Touring.

That being said, the price is right and I use them on my commuter. But I also think they are not as
puncture resistant as the Top Touring I have on my tourer.

Michel

 

[Rich Clark]

"MikeYankee" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Just built up a touring bike and have taken it out on the road a few times using Avocet Cross
> tires (32 mm), because they're the widest I had lying around. They're great on unpaved roads but
> seem awfully draggy on
pavement,
> which is where I usually ride.

My recent experience, all 700x32c:

Continental TopTouring 2000 -- reliable, durable, very puncture resistant, really expensive and
apparently never discounted. 5000 miles from a rear with no flats, the matching front is now on the
rear piling up even more miles. Comes in an optional ($4 extra) reflectorized sidewall that makes
your bike stunningly visible in headlights from the side at night.

Panaracer Pasela TG -- used on the rear of the above bike, many flats -- punctures, pinch-flats, the
works. Threw the tire out after less than 500 miles. Concluded that sidewalls are too flimsy for
this 210lb rider to use as a rear tire. The front is doing fine, no flats. On the plus side, these
tires are increadibly easy to get on and off my Mavic T519 rims without the use of tools.

Avocet CrossK -- 6000 trouble-free miles, but yes, kinda slow, kinda noisy, and towards the end
tended to square off too much and the tread started to separate. Never a flat, though.

Specialized Nimbus EX ("Flak Jacket," not Armadillo) -- These are actually 700x35c, a size no
longer made, that I bought for $12 each a couple of years ago on clearance when all the mail order
places had to stop selling Specialized. These are surprisingly good commuter tires. Nearly slick,
inflatable to 100psi, but fat and comfy and round. The first pair I bought are still going strong
on the hybrid I sold to my officemate; he's got umpty-ump thousand miles on them now, with nary a
flat. I've got maybe 800 miles on this second pair and am amazed at how fast they are, given how
soft they ride.

FWIW

RichC

 

[Robin Hubert]

"M Gagnon" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> "Mike DeMicco" <[email protected]> > >
> >
> > IRC Tandem - a great tire and less than half what the other overpriced tires cost.
>
>
> Good but not great tires. Two caveats:
>
> 1. They are noisy. Not a problem for commuting, but I don'T like them for touring on quiet roads.
>
> 2. I feel they are a bit slippery. For instance, I don't trust them as
much
> on man-hole covers and steel plates -- especially when wet -- as I trust
the
> Continental Top Touring.

How can you trust any tire on a wet manhole cover?!? I will wager you that Top Touring tire will
slip out as soon or sooner.

>
> That being said, the price is right and I use them on my commuter. But I also think they are not
> as puncture resistant as the Top Touring I have on my tourer.
>
>

--
Robin Hubert <[email protected]