mechanicmatt

I have two bikes that can handle larger tire diameters (Jamis Aurora and an '91 Trek 750), anyone have a tire that they like in 700 x 38 to 45-ish size frame that you would recommend? I have Vittoria Randonneur on my Jamis that are beginning to get some rubber cracks after 8 years of riding (tread life is fine though). A little tread on the tire is fine but I'm mostly just riding road.

noobinsf 

Panaracer Paselas are widely hailed, and they are at least available as 700x35. Soma also has what I hear are nice tires in wide 700c sizes (like 38+), like the Supple Vitesse, which incidentally are also made under contract by Panaracer.

gugie 

Pricey, but of course the Rene Herse (née Compass) offerings are available. The design, tread and casing is shared across many sizes. They offer a 700c x 44 in various casings so you can dial in rolling resistance vs durability.

canklecat

Continental SpeedRide. Nominally 700x42, actually measures closer to x38 wide for most folks.

Despite Conti's odd description of it as a "semi-slick" or "urban" tire, it's actually patterned after some popular cyclocross tires for dry conditions. It has a file pattern on the main tread -- far from "slick" -- and vestigial side knobbies that come into play only on turns on grass. It has a thin puncture shield, which is the main difference from Conti's nearly identical but narrower Cyclocross Speed tire (now discontinued or renamed). And the SpeedRide costs around $20-$25, half the price of comparable popular dry gravel/grass tires.

The main file tread does 95% of the work and works very well as a compromise all-arounder tire -- pavement, gravel, grass. Even dry powder snow a couple of winters.

I've ridden a pair (wire bead version with reflective sidewall) for going on three years, no problems. I usually set the pressure fairly soft, around 50-60 psi rear, 40-50 psi front, depending on conditions and whether I'm lugging stuff in a handlebar bag or panniers on the rear rack.

I had a rash of half a dozen puncture flats the first couple of months I used the SpeedRides back in autumn 2016. Every flat was user error. I blasted through piles of debris that collects at intersections (lots of broken glass and sharp stuff lurking), which accounted for three or four punctures. Another came from riding on grass in late summer/early autumn when goathead grass burrs are dry. And one was from broken glass hidden by piles of leaves. No puncture flats since, more than two years and around 3,000-4,000 miles. That's pretty good.

The rear tire showed some wear by last year so I swapped it to the front. I don't usually do that but I was curious to see if it affected handling. Nope, feels the same as always.

At lower pressure the ride is comfortable without feeling sluggish. Not too bouncy and really tames chipseal and rough pavement. Occasionally I've ridden it at full pressure and it feels a bit harsher but not faster.

Occasionally I've tried other tires on my Univega hybrid but keep going back to the SpeedRide. That includes a couple of months last winter with Conti Sport Contact II, which weighed the same, had less aggressive file tread, but felt harsh at full pressure and sluggish at lower pressure. The Sport Contact II tires are back in the closet now. Ditto, pairs of hybrid tires from Specialized, Innova and others with variations of chevron tread patterns -- tried 'em, didn't care for 'em, switched back to the SpeedRides.

Clyde1820

I've been impressed with the Continental Tour Ride (Ride Tour) tires. They're available in many of the same 700c sizes as the Vittoria Randonneur, for roughly similar weights and prices.

Great puncture resistance, pretty good rolling speeds. Decent enough tread for good traction on sketchy road surfaces.

On another bike, I've had the Vittoria Randonneur in 700x38. Nice speedy tire, with more of a flat-road style tread as compared to the Conti Tour Ride, and without the puncture resistance.

If you're looking for something similar in weight and price, with these sorts of features, I would recommend considering the Conti.

riva

I've got Schwalbe marathons currently, I think 38mm. They seem round enough for inexpensive tires. Round is more than I can say for some of the junk hybrid sized tires I've bought.

For the bucks I think you could do a lot worse than these for mostly road and a little not road stuff.

mstateglfr 

Vittoria Randonneur is quite possibly one of the slowest tires ever created. If they didnt use molasses in the tire compound, I would be surprised. Almost anything you buy will feel faster than what you have now. Its a good place to start as its only up from here!
Vittoria Randonneur Pro is much better for rolling resistance, just as durable, and lighter. Still not fast though.
Vittoria Hyper is fast, light, and dirt cheap if you can still find them online. Really impressive tire.

more...

Schwalbe Marathon Almotion is a 38 tire that rolls well.
Compass Barlow Pass extralight is light and fast. Its also like everything from RH/Compass- not exactly inexpensive.
Schwalbe G-one. There are multiple models with varied weight/price/speed.\
Compass Bon Jon is another to consider.
WTB Exposure in tanwall is light and rolls well too.


There are just so many quality 35-42mm tires available it can be difficult to sort thru. And with each company having so many variations of each model, it gets more difficult. Did I get the 'speed' version of the tire or 'race' version, and whats the difference?!?
Seriously- I think Schwalbe has 10 versions of its 'Marathon' tire at least. Then you have RH/Compass which gives each tire width a different name that is also just as difficult to keep straight.
Choose a price ceiling and go from there. Thats the easiest way to start sorting out what you want vs no want. Then decide if you want tread or not. Once those are decided, options become more manageable.

ryansu

I had panaracer Pasela 700x38c on a commuter and liked them.

Clyde1820

These links might be of use for some people, when evaluating tires.


Touring Tires -- Reviews & Tests @ Bicycle Rolling Resistance.

Road Tires -- Reviews & Tests @ Bicycle Rolling Resistance.

MTB Tires -- Reviews & Tests @ Bicycle Rolling Resistance.

canklecat

The rolling resistance site tests are usually accurate, but occasionally my experience differs significantly from their tests and conclusions.

The Continental Sport Contact II is a notable example. On paper and in the rolling resistance site tests it appears to be a good tire for commuter bikes, touring and an alternative to Gatorskins for bikes with enough room to accommodate 700x28 or wider tires.

In actual practice on real roads, it doesn't quite work out. I've kept the Sport Contact II set after trying it for 500 miles, only because they fit my old SKS Bluemel fenders and the tires were grippy in wet conditions. Eventually they'll be acceptable on an errand or commuter bike for wet weather. They wouldn't be my first choice for everyday riding if I wanted to enjoy the ride.

Otherwise I've agreed with the rolling resistance conclusions on most other tires I've ridden that they've tested, including the inexpensive Conti Ultra Sport II. My experience with those tires perfectly matches the RR site's. They don't suddenly become sluggish and squishy at lower pressure, and even match the performance of much more expensive tires at comparably lower pressure. But I know some folks who dislike the Ultra Sport II and disagree with the RR tests and my impressions.

Same with the RR site tests of the Schwalbe One V-Guard, Vittoria Zaffiro, Conti Gran Prix Classic skinwalls, and others. My experience and impressions matched their tests, pro and con.

nlerner

I ran 700 x 38mm Panaracer Gravel Kings (with the smooth tread) tubeless on my Black Mountain road; that is until I got a flat on our June/July tour of the Pacific Northwest and the sealant didn't do the trick. I liked 'em. But then I tried the 700 x 38mm Compass/Rene Herse tires tubeless on the same bike/rims, and they were too big (rear rubbed on the brake bridge)! So not all 700 x 38mm tires measure the same.

Murray Missile 

I'll second that.

mechanicmatt

Thanks all for the suggestions!

Lascauxcaveman 

Another thumbs up for Panaracers in 35 and 38mm. Quite a bit lighter than the Vittoria Randonneurs (although those things are tough!)

Nice thing about the larger tire sizes: lower inflation pressure usually means fewer flats.

brandon98

I have a set of the Maxxis ReFuse 700x40 on my Masi CX. I rather much like them for volume, rolling resistance on pavement, consistent grip, and adequate grip off-pavement. I found the Panaracer GravelKing SK to be a bit treacherous with the squirming knobs, especially on hard pack or pavement if you ride aggressively.

https://www.maxxis.com/catalog/tire-511-139-re-fuse

hokiefyd 

I will second the suggestion of the Continental Speed Ride. I have a pair that I've used on a number of bikes (swapped to different wheels, etc.). No matter the inner rim width, they're a pretty consistent 38mm +/- 1. I, too, ride them on the softer side (30-40 psi front, 40-50 psi rear, I'm 240 pounds). They're very comfortable tires, and also very smooth tires. They're pretty light for their size (425 grams or so as I recall), they have a folding bead (unless you get the reflective version, which has a wire bead), and they're inexpensive. They're a tremendous value.

gomango

I started using the Gravel Kings on my Monstercross last year. A really decent tire for half the price of Compass/RH tires.

I tossed a wider set of GK's on my Bilenky for our St. Paul to Duluth trip this summer and I was impressed.

No drama at all. No flats which was nice on a longer trip, often in the middle of nowhere.

mechanicmatt

Yeah I actually like the Randonneurs and find them good rollers, no flats either with them. They are heavy though and I want to try something fatter (mine are 32's). The Continental Speed Rides look like a good one to try out. I've had Paselas in the past and they are fine too.

Again, thanks all for the suggestions.

bwilli88 

I really like my Schwalbe marathon plus tours 700Cx42. A couple of years without flats and almost no wear.

SamSpade1941 

plus 1. ... you may get tired of the tire before you wear them out marathons are heavy but very long lived .. it took me 3 years and a lot of miles to wear a set out .. currently I’m running a set of 700x40 Clement Xplor on my Surly and a set of 700x38 Panaracer Gravel King Slicks on my Soma Stanyan ... I greatly prefer the Gravel Kings to the Clement / Donnelly tires

riva

Yep, not the ones to get if you want light, but some got those wonderful looking bright color protection layers in their marketing propoganda.

rseeker

I'm riding Michelin Protek Cross in 700x38, $25 each from REI, or IIRC around $20 from Bike Tires Direct. These fit fine on my 1994 Trek 730, with I think enough room for fenders when I get those. They're true 38s when measured.

I mostly ride road, so I wanted good-rolling tires, with some dirt/gravel/offroad/mud so I also wanted some tread. The local highway has an unbelievable amount of junk off to the sides, so I also have to deal with that, and these seem study enough so far. These have a 1mm protection layer, and the inverted tread gives another few mm. (The Protek Cross Max has a 5mm protection layer. Somebody here has those I think.) The sidewalls seem supple, and the tread looks like a crown on top of the casing. I can see a broken beer bottle possibly flipping up and into the sidewall, but I can't go far on armor, and I'm good with this trade-off point. They roll great, and so far I love em a bunch.

I haven't had them long enough to see how they wear.

francophile 

These fit and ride more like a 38, although they're 700x35. I'm fairly certain Continental is phasing them out, but I absolutely love them.

https://www.probikesupply.com/produc...700x35-folding

They've been sold out at every outlet I shop at for at least 8-10 months now. I'm not familiar with ProBikeSupply, so I haven't ordered any from them (I'd also prefer a ~$25/tire price because I'm cheap!!)

PS - I see you're at Signal Mountain. If you happen to be near ATL in the near future, I have a spare tire I can kick you. Or I guess we can nego on shipping, they're folding, so ... easy to ship.

63rickert

I'm using the RH Snoqualmie Pass, nominal 700x44. On a rim with internal width of just under 19mm they inflate to 41-42 used with inner tubes. First rear tire has been worn through and no flats until tread was about gone. This was in fairly rough urban duty, two winters on city streets. It has been replaced with same and I'd not consider a lesser tire. Just too much fun to ride. For a bike that gets used a lot cough up the money and enjoy.

Keep the pressure low, doesn't much change rolling resistance and makes plush. At higher or even normal pressure feels like bouncing superballs.

MrK.

I put on a pair of Soma Supple Vitesse 42c tires. The sidewalls are paper thin. The tire I put on the front was uneven with the tan sidewall visible on one side and not the other as I rode. This aggravated me more than it should have. I read they were supposed to be good on gravel so I gave it a go despite my doubts because of the dainty sidewall and lack of tread whatsoever. 5 miles into a 30 mile mixed tarmac/gravel ride on them a hidden object ripped open the side of the rear tire and tube ruining the tire. Less than 8 miles total on the tire. Not sure I will replace it. I put back on a set of T-servs 35c that have plenty life left.