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Old 05-31-17, 11:51 AM
  #315  
hokiefyd 
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Originally Posted by castmasterflash
The 30's are smooth but "heavy" in road cycling terms - i just would like to get some real world feedback on what going from "heavy" to less heavy feels like and performs like.
With tires, "less heavy" normally means less of a puncture protection belt, and a thinner carcass overall, which usually results in better ride quality. My hybrid (not a Sirrus), came with 700x35 tires that weighed between 700 and 800 grams each, and had a tread liner that you could definitely feel in the tire when it was off the wheel. The sidewalls were relatively thin, and the tread area itself was pretty stiff. I replaced those tires with 700x42 tires that weigh only 420 grams. Yes, only 420 grams, for voluminous 42mm tires. They have very thin sidewalls and a tread layer that is also very pliable (no real liner). Result is a nicer ride, even when aired up to a similar pressure as the 35s. I can air these up to 80 psi and roll forever on pavement like a road tire, or I can run them at 30 psi and ride gravel and hardly not notice that it's not paved.

Depending on the size of the gravel, I wouldn't recommend anything narrower than 35mm. Sure, anything CAN be done on just about anything, but you gain a lot of stability with a wider tire, and you really don't lose much (if any) speed on the pavement. There's an unavoidable gain in cross section (in terms of aerodynamics), and usually a weight penalty compared with some super light 300g road tires, but I think a 420g 42mm tire is an EXCELLENT compromise for an all-surface hybrid.
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