Hybrid Tire replacement



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Melisa Johns

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I need some tire recommendations. The bike is a 1992 Cannondale H600 Cross, Ritchey Vantage
CrossSport rims, 36 spokes on LX hubs, Avocet 700x38 tires. After 10 plus years, the sidewalls
are cracking with probably 50% or more good tread. The Esge fenders are a tight fit, and 38 is
the max size.

I am not displeased with the Avocet tires. They grip well, wear well and are inexpensive to replace.
My tri-athlete neighbor was suggesting a smaller tire for less rolling resistance, suggesting a
700x28. The Avocet can be had in 700 by 32 or 25 or 38. So if I am to swap rubber, any
recommendations for brand and size.

He also suggested a Giant OCR Elite 0 as a replacement bike. But I want new rubber. The
bike is fine.
 
I run Bontrager Select Invert "K" (kevlar) on my hybrid. Never ran anything else so can't compare.
Have at least 3000 miles on the tires and while the back shows some wear, its still rolling. Front
tire still looks new. I've looked at other brands but they seem to all have a deeper tread pattern
and since I never ride off road, I like the Bontrager tread better. Grips well in wet. The
non-kevalr version is dirt cheap, like $10 and the kevlars about $20

"Melisa Johns" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I need some tire recommendations. The bike is a 1992 Cannondale H600
Cross,
> Ritchey Vantage CrossSport rims, 36 spokes on LX hubs, Avocet 700x38
tires.
> After 10 plus years, the sidewalls are cracking with probably 50% or more good tread. The Esge
> fenders are a tight fit, and 38 is the max size.
>
> I am not displeased with the Avocet tires. They grip well, wear well and are inexpensive to
> replace. My tri-athlete neighbor was suggesting a smaller tire for less rolling resistance,
> suggesting a 700x28. The Avocet can be had in 700 by 32 or 25 or 38. So if I am to swap rubber,
> any recommendations for brand and size.
>
> He also suggested a Giant OCR Elite 0 as a replacement bike. But I want
new
> rubber. The bike is fine.
 
I'd probably just get another set of Avocets myself. Are you riding 38 width because your riding
warrants it? (dirt, gravel, crappy roads?) I ride a Raleigh R300 with Avocet Cross tires, 35 front,
38 rear. I do this because the fender clearance was tight up front. Even at 220+ lbs I can vary the
tire pressure to suit the road conditions. Maybe you could drop a size but it's up to you to decide
based on how and where the bike is used, and load it's carrying.



>I need some tire recommendations. The bike is a 1992 Cannondale H600 Cross, Ritchey Vantage
>CrossSport rims, 36 spokes on LX hubs, Avocet 700x38 tires. After 10 plus years, the sidewalls
>are cracking with probably 50% or more good tread. The Esge fenders are a tight fit, and 38 is
>the max size.
>
>I am not displeased with the Avocet tires. They grip well, wear well and are inexpensive to
>replace. My tri-athlete neighbor was suggesting a smaller tire for less rolling resistance,
>suggesting a 700x28. The Avocet can be had in 700 by 32 or 25 or 38. So if I am to swap rubber, any
>recommendations for brand and size.
>
>He also suggested a Giant OCR Elite 0 as a replacement bike. But I want new rubber. The
>bike is fine.

Pete Geurds Douglassville, PA
 
Melisa Johns wrote:
> I need some tire recommendations. The bike is a 1992 Cannondale H600 Cross, Ritchey Vantage
> CrossSport rims, 36 spokes on LX hubs, Avocet 700x38 tires. After 10 plus years, the sidewalls
> are cracking with probably 50% or more good tread. The Esge fenders are a tight fit, and 38 is
> the max size.
>
> I am not displeased with the Avocet tires. They grip well, wear well and are inexpensive to
> replace. My tri-athlete neighbor was suggesting a smaller tire for less rolling resistance,
> suggesting a 700x28. The Avocet can be had in 700 by 32 or 25 or 38. So if I am to swap rubber,
> any recommendations for brand and size.

Cracking of sidewall rubber is a cosmetic, not a structural issue, so you don't need to replace the
tires as long as they aren't worn too thin, and as long as they aren't lumpy or distorted anywhere.

Avocet tires are excellent. I particlarly like the FasGrip slicks, not so big on their "Cross"
models which are heavy and slow by comparison.

A warning: if you do decide to replace the Avocets with new Avocets, buy the next size down! Older
Avocet tires (as with many manufacturers) were marked considerably wider than their actual width.

Over the last year or so, however, Avocet has re-numbered all of their tire sizes, so what had been
called "38" is now 35; "35 is now 32; "32" is now 28, etc.

Since you have borderline fender clearance, this could be an issue for you.

Another tire you might want to consider is the Ritchey Tom Slick in the 32 mm size. We've got these
for $19.95, a great value in a very nice tire. See: http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/tires/622.html

Sheldon "Avocet Advocate" Brown +-------------------------------------------+
| Being ignorant is not so much a shame | as being unwilling to learn. | -- Benjamin Franklin |
+-------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone
617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 http://harriscyclery.com Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com
 
Thanks for the sizing info Sheldon. On the cracking issue: I know another big guy who likes Cross
tires and reports that as they crack the treads have cracks as well as the sidewalls and these
cracks in the tread area are very good at finding mall bits of gravel which are good for a flat. So
the tires look as if they'd go a while longer but the flat risk doesn't make it worth while.

Sheldon wrote:
>Cracking of sidewall rubber is a cosmetic, not a structural issue, so you don't need to replace the
>tires as long as they aren't worn too thin, and as long as they aren't lumpy or distorted anywhere.
>
>Avocet tires are excellent. I particlarly like the FasGrip slicks, not so big on their "Cross"
>models which are heavy and slow by comparison.
>
>A warning: if you do decide to replace the Avocets with new Avocets, buy the next size down! Older
>Avocet tires (as with many manufacturers) were marked considerably wider than their actual width.
>
>Over the last year or so, however, Avocet has re-numbered all of their tire sizes, so what had been
>called "38" is now 35; "35 is now 32; "32" is now 28, etc.
>
>Since you have borderline fender clearance, this could be an issue for you.
>
>Another tire you might want to consider is the Ritchey Tom Slick in the 32 mm size. We've got these
>for $19.95, a great value in a very nice tire. See: http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/tires/622.html
>
>Sheldon "Avocet Advocate" Brown +-------------------------------------------+
>| Being ignorant is not so much a shame | as being unwilling to learn. | -- Benjamin Franklin |
>+-------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone
>617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 http://harriscyclery.com Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
>http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com
>
 
"Bob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> I run Bontrager Select Invert "K" (kevlar) on my hybrid. Never ran anything else so can't compare.
> Have at least 3000 miles on the tires and while the back shows some wear, its still rolling. Front
> tire still looks new. I've looked at other brands but they seem to all have a deeper tread pattern
> and since I never ride off road, I like the Bontrager tread better. Grips well in wet. The
> non-kevalr version is dirt cheap, like $10 and the kevlars about $20
>
>
>
> "Melisa Johns" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I need some tire recommendations. The bike is a 1992 Cannondale H600
> Cross,
> > Ritchey Vantage CrossSport rims, 36 spokes on LX hubs, Avocet 700x38
> tires.
> > After 10 plus years, the sidewalls are cracking with probably 50% or more good tread. The Esge
> > fenders are a tight fit, and 38 is the max size.
> >
> > I am not displeased with the Avocet tires. They grip well, wear well and are inexpensive to
> > replace. My tri-athlete neighbor was suggesting a smaller tire for less rolling resistance,
> > suggesting a 700x28. The Avocet can be had in 700 by 32 or 25 or 38. So if I am to swap rubber,
> > any recommendations for brand and size.
> >
> > He also suggested a Giant OCR Elite 0 as a replacement bike. But I want
> new
> > rubber. The bike is fine.
> >
> >

My suggestions will depend upon where you ride. Panaracer Pasela TourGuard have given me
satisfactory performance on pavemant. They come in a range of sizes up to 37C and they are light in
weight. If you ride on dirt or gravel roads, I'd suggest something with thicker tread like Avocet
Cross II. I use both the Avocet and the Panaracer and I think they are good values. Also you can get
each with or without a kevlar belt. It costs about $10 extra for the belted models and it is
supposed to enhance puncture resistance. Unfortunately, I have no way to know if it is worth it, but
I bought the kevlar and get very infrequent flats.

Just a note that if you go with a higher pressure tire as your neighbor suggests, make sure your rim
strips are up to it.

Steve Shapiro
 
Craking does count,next step the sidewall blows out. I went this way with 2 Ritchey Speed Max and a
Kenda 40- 622.

Fire up MTB 03
 
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Craking does count,next step the sidewall blows out. I went this way with 2
> Ritchey Speed Max and a Kenda 40- 622.

Cracking sidewall and/or tread counted long ago when tires were cotton, as the openings allowed
water entry that was hard on the casing integrity.

Today's nylon tires are completely inert in that regard. If you scuff off all the tread and/or
sidewall, the tire is still rideable so long as the cords are not violated.

Your tire failed for some other reason. Common causes include brake shoe scuffs and things of
that nature.

--
Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971
 
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