On May 14, 3:44 pm, landotter <
[email protected]> wrote:
> On May 14, 5:30 pm, "BobT" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> > "landotter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> >news:7b11fd3f-47e4-445a-bdaf-58c85784b04b@e53g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
>
> > > On May 13, 4:25 pm, PeterCruzer <[email protected]> wrote:
> > >> I'm currently running a pair of 700x28 Specialized All-Condition
> > >> Armadillos on my ride. Given that they come it at a whopping 460g
> > >> apiece, I was thinking of switching over to the All-Condition
> > >> Armadillo Elites, at 340g apiece.
>
> > >> Can anyone comment on the diffferences between the two? The Conti
> > >> Ultra Gatorskin is another contender. Thanks. Peter.
>
> > > No experience with either, but a question: for the width, those are
> > > very very heavy tires. I expect they both ride like ****. Does your
> > > route demand such a miserable hose of a tire?
>
> > A quick search yields these weights for 700x28c tires:
> > Continental Continental Ultra Sport Tire - 350 gm
> > Vittoria Randonneur Cross Tire - 500 gm
> > Continental Ultra Gatorskin Tire - 320 gm
> > Michelin Dynamic - 320 gm
> > Michelin City - 560 gm
> > Nu-Teck Bike Touring Airless Tire - 680 gm
> > Schwalbe Stelvio HS 376 - 350 gm
> > Schwalbe Marathon Plus - 740 gm
> > Michelin Pro2 Light - "Our lighest tire" 700 x 23c - 190 gm
>
> > What 700c x 28 tire would you suggest that is dramatically lighter than
> > these "very very heavy tires"?
>
> It's a casing thing, not really a weight thing, FWIW. A 28mm wire
> bead tire that weighs more than 300g probably has reinforced sidewalls
> and will ride like ****. Great if you need it in really rough
> conditions, but at the expense of a nice ride. If I *needed* the heavy
> tire for road issues--I"d just get the cheaper one.
I'm running the Armadillos on a Silvio Cruzbike recumbent; hence the
preference for a bit more width. I am not a racer. Re "ride like
****", yah you betcha. Why do I need 'em? Good question. My daily
workout route goes through about an aggregate half mile of broken
glass (along a two lane state highway famed for its high accident
rate). I have a pair of Vredestein Fortezza Tricomp 700x25's I could
slap on, but I'm pretty sure those would be meat in no time. In
short, I want *some* degree of flat protection, but am willing to give
up the bomb-proofness of the 460g armadillos for the better ride and
lower weight of the 340g Armadillos. An e-mail to the manufacturer
brought this response about the two:
Peter,
The Armadillo Elite will of course be lighter and will have a much
better ride quality to them but I have noticed that the standard
armadillo actually have better flat protection and that is because in
the Elite model they thinned out the Kevlar lining a small amount and
added aramid bead to make it more of a race ready flat protection
tire. If you are looking for the best all round flat protection I say
stick with the ones you have but if you want a nicer ride and a
lighter tire check out the Elites.
-Zane
Specialized Customer Service/Online Store
1137 South 3800 West
Salt Lake City UT 84104
877-808-8154
So I reckon there you have it. Thanks. Peter