MBfrontier

I am looking to replace the original Bontrager AW1 Hard Case 700 X 32 tires that came with my 2015 Trek FX 7.4 Disc Bike. These tires probably have 3000+ miles on them. I have been looking at Conti GP5000 and Conti Gator Skin Hardshell in 700 X 32 as possible replacements.

My riding is almost exclusively on a rail to trail asphalt paved bike/walking/hiking trail. It's a very nice trail because it is well maintained and the volunteers do a good job of keeping the debris cleaned off.

Any recommendations or comments on what tires you would recommend or pick?

Best regards.

Mike B.

rumrunn6

sounds like you could go to 28 mm if you wanted to

jtaylor2

I'm curious as to what you don't like about the AW1's that make you want to change. Particularly with only 3000 miles on them. I currently have 8000 miles on my rear AW1 and it has still got a lot of miles left in it. And based on that I would expect to get close to 20,000 miles on my front. I'm basing that estimate on what I posted in the other tire thread https://www.bikeforums.net/21252141-post9.html ,

Jim

MBfrontier

rumrunn6, could be a possibility. Would prefer a softer ride than what I am getting with the AW1's at 100 to 105 psi.

jtaylor2, the AW1's have significant flats on the center of the tires. When I bought the bike in 2015 I weighed 230 and the railroad paved bike path that I ride on has been paved with nice but rough asphalt so I'm sure that both helped wear the center of the tires, especially the rear. I swapped the rear and front tires the beginning of last summer to extend my tire mileage. There is no wear indicator I am aware of on the AW1's that I know of so I can only go by how significant of a flat is worn in the center. The shop where I bought the bike is recommending new tires. I don't have anything against the AW1's but I'm curious if I may get a softer ride with similar or better rolling resistance with GP5000's. Also, the AW1's are only available in my area at a Trek dealer at the same price as premium tires like Gatorskins or GP5000's on Amazon. I'm not sure exactly how other brand tires compare to Bontragers.

Thanks for both of your replies and hope to hear more from you and other members. I don't know what I don't know.

rumrunn6

OK, gotcha. fwiw - I've been happy running the front tire 5-10 psi less than the rear. the front carries less weight so needs less pressure. running the front lower instead of equal to the rear makes the bike less twitchy & more comfortable

AU Tiger

For a softer ride, I would bump up to 35mm or even 38mm tires. You could easily get your tire pressure down to 40 or 50 psi which makes a world of difference. The increase in rolling resistance would be minimal, and probably not even noticeable for the type of riding you describe. When I went from 28 to 35, the boost in comfort far outweighed the slight jump in weight and rolling resistance. Also, since you say they keep the trail pretty clean, you don't have to worry too much about extra puncture protection. So I would say just find a 35mm or 38mm tire with low psi and a tread pattern you like.

hokiefyd 

The "Hard Case" nature of the AW1s offers increased puncture protection at the expense of comfort. Strong, sturdy tires will generally ride like you installed truck tires on your car. Some prefer that and some don't; there's no right or wrong...just one preference over another. You may find additional comfort in tires that are specifically built with supple sidewalls. An example of which is the Panaracer Pasela, though they're generally available only in a natural tan wall. They also have less than optimal puncture protection (though the Pro Tite version of the Pasela is supposed to offer a thin Kevlar layer under the tread). In general, tires with less puncture protection will ride softer and smoother than tires without puncture protection. This is the case regardless of tire pressure, though lowering you pressure can certainly help.

I'm about 240 pounds and one of my bikes has tires that are marked 35mm but are actually about 32mm as installed. I keep about 40 psi in the front tire and about 50 psi in the rear tire. I'd personally never inflate one beyond about 70 psi, for comfort reasons. There becomes a point beyond which the tire stops "getting faster" and becomes only "less comfortable". That point will be different depending on the tire, the surface, and all sorts of other variables. I'd just play around with the inflation on your tires and see if you can discern a pressure that feels both comfortable and quick to you (if those are your goals). If comfort is your primary goal above all else, then I'd recommend a significant reduction in pressure...at least to try.

hokiefyd 

I just posted a link to a video in the Bicycle Mechanics sub-forum about tire pressure. I thought it was a pretty interesting analysis, and timely for this particular thread as well.

https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-m...-pressure.html

Gconan

32mm 5000 Continental tubeless for comfort .

MBfrontier

Thank you all for your replies.

I purchased the Continental GP5000 700 X 32 Clincher Tires. I installed them and put 85 PSI in the rear and 80 PSI in the front tires. They are much more difficult to get on and off than the Bontrager AW1's. If and when I get a flat it will be interesting to see how much fun it will be to do a repair on the trail. I decided not to try getting into tubeless this time around. I already had two new Continental Tubes so it was a an easy decision financially.

It will be interesting to try different air pressures to get the ride quality/rolling resistance tradeoff where I like it. I plan on starting off with the pressures listed above.
I won't get back to bicycle riding until the spring. I am looking forward to seeing how these tires perform.

Thanks, again. I'll post more when I have an update.

MBfrontier

Just wanted to give an update on my Continental GP5000 700 X 32 Clincher Tires. The tires are mounted with Continental 42 mm Presta valves 700 X 25-32cc Tubes.
I started out with 85 psi in the rear tire and 80 psi in the front. The ride felt softer over the bumps compared to the Bontrager AW1 hardcase tires with 105 psi. I put 90 psi in the rear tire with 85 psi in the front. Still a softer ride than the AW1's and similar or better roll resistance (as best I can tell). I currently have 165 miles on them and really like them. I'm happy with this setup.