hilltowner

I personally have found that they don't slow me down at all. I used a pair of McClure Pass tires (26" x 1.5" or 38mm) for my last tour through the Cascades and Rockies. Had been using Schwalbe Marathon Greenguards, same size but pumped up to full pressure (100 psi). Discovered something with the Schwalbes while approaching Grand Forks, ND the previous year. The pavement on Rt. 2 must have been an asphalt layer over concrete. The transverse cracks in the asphalt appeared to be very regular, mirroring the old concrete seams. The bumping had a metronomic quality that was driving me insane. I let about 40 lbs out of each tire and found that it was the solution. Decided to keep the pressures low for the remainder of the ride (reached Duluth at the end of it.) And figured WTH, I'll take Compass (now Rene Herse) at their word that low pressures on wide supple tires (the Schwalbes are definitely not supple) would be an even better way to tour.

Can say without hesitation it was a good move (again only comparing rock hard low-end Schwalbes to a much pricier tire.) Very limited sample size to this trial. Only downside was an encounter with goat head thorns in Riverside, WA The Compass/Herse tires didn't stand up well to the attack, but not sure the Schwalbes would have done much better. The "greenguard" is supposed to be a puncture resistant extra layer so it would have been interesting to know. Never met g.h.t.s before, or since, so I can't say.