Originally Posted by
M.Lou.B
Hello rekmeyata,
thank you very much for your reply. There are so many different tires out there that it's quite confusing what to look for, so your advice really helps. I will definitely check out the Marathon Almotion and the Marathon Supreme. Last night I was looking at the Marathon Racer which is 35cm wide and weighs 465g per tyre, which would drop some 700g off my bike. My wheels are 700 or 28" btw, nothing unusual.
I've been considering upgrading the rims as well though I'm not quite sure how to pick a new set. Have you got any suggestions that would be reliable enough for the occasional touring but not too heavy?
Thanks again for your help, I really appreciate it!
I believe those rims can fit all the way up to a 35c tire, I doubt it will fit anything wider; if you never ran tires that wide before on that bike you'll have to check to make sure you have the clearance at the fork and brakes to handle that wide of a tire.
Now all that is left for you do to is decide what tire to use.
If you want a faster road type of tire you could also look at the Continental Gatorskin, and the bit tougher version the Gator Hardshell, the largest width they have is a 32 though, but it's a popular commuter tire though not made for gravel. There is also the Panaracer Gravelking SS, this tire has a smooth center section for faster rolling on roads, with aggressive side lugs for gravel, plus it has a very good flat protection belt and a long wearing tread. There are other tires too but that gives you an idea of what else is out there from a couple of top manufactures.