Fast 35-42mm road tires
06-03-22, 07:52 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 1,851
Bikes: Lemond '01 Maillot Jaune, Lemond '02 Victoire, Lemond '03 Poprad, Lemond '03 Wayzata DB conv(Poprad), '79 AcerMex Windsor Carrera Professional(pur new), '88 GT Tequesta(pur new), '01 Bianchi Grizzly, 1993 Trek 970 DB conv, Trek 8900 DB conv
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 758 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 809 Times
in
471 Posts
Fast 35-42mm road tires
This is sort of a crossover between road and gravel..so we'll go with placing it in General Discussion.
I'm looking to assemble a comprehensive list of wide, fast, 700c road tires. Gravel(fine, hard rail trail type) is of secondary importance. Most road tires are fine on dry rail trail surfaces and this is good enough. Tires that fall under "Gravel", "Road", or "City/Touring/Hybrid" are all good as long as they're fast, comfortable, and 35-42mm(-ish).
So far I'm aware of:
>Gravelking Slicks & Semi-Slicks (& and SK)
>Schwalbe Marathon Supreme (HS469)
>Rene Herse
>Maxxis Velocita AR
>Challenge Strada Bianca
>American Classic Kimberlte
Anyone know of additional tires?
Personal experience/thoughts on any above, or others?
I have lots of experience with the Gravelkings & Marathon Supremes. Two very different-feel tires, but both very nice rides.
I'm looking to assemble a comprehensive list of wide, fast, 700c road tires. Gravel(fine, hard rail trail type) is of secondary importance. Most road tires are fine on dry rail trail surfaces and this is good enough. Tires that fall under "Gravel", "Road", or "City/Touring/Hybrid" are all good as long as they're fast, comfortable, and 35-42mm(-ish).
So far I'm aware of:
>Gravelking Slicks & Semi-Slicks (& and SK)
>Schwalbe Marathon Supreme (HS469)
>Rene Herse
>Maxxis Velocita AR
>Challenge Strada Bianca
>American Classic Kimberlte
Anyone know of additional tires?
Personal experience/thoughts on any above, or others?
I have lots of experience with the Gravelkings & Marathon Supremes. Two very different-feel tires, but both very nice rides.
06-03-22, 07:53 AM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: North Central Wisconsin
Posts: 4,613
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2970 Post(s)
Liked 1,177 Times
in
768 Posts
All the work has been done for you already.
https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/
Continental TerraSpeed 700 x 40 roll pretty good on the road and gravel.
https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/
Continental TerraSpeed 700 x 40 roll pretty good on the road and gravel.
06-03-22, 09:17 AM
#3
Guest
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 2,888
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1346 Post(s)
Liked 3,270 Times
in
1,439 Posts
Dunno if they're "fast," but Surly Extraterrestrial 700 X 41 fit the description.
Likes For Rolla:
06-03-22, 09:24 AM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: TC, MN
Posts: 39,505
Bikes: R3 Disc, Haanjo
Mentioned: 353 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 20791 Post(s)
Liked 9,436 Times
in
4,663 Posts
I'm not sure what sizes they're doing now, but the Schwalbe G-One Speed were nice - supple with micro-knobby tread (almost like inverted golf ball dimples). The G-One All-around have a slightly more aggressive tread, but still pretty minimal, and they're nice, too.
06-03-22, 12:31 PM
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 1,851
Bikes: Lemond '01 Maillot Jaune, Lemond '02 Victoire, Lemond '03 Poprad, Lemond '03 Wayzata DB conv(Poprad), '79 AcerMex Windsor Carrera Professional(pur new), '88 GT Tequesta(pur new), '01 Bianchi Grizzly, 1993 Trek 970 DB conv, Trek 8900 DB conv
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 758 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 809 Times
in
471 Posts
All the work has been done for you already.
https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/
Continental TerraSpeed 700 x 40 roll pretty good on the road and gravel.
https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/
Continental TerraSpeed 700 x 40 roll pretty good on the road and gravel.
Thx to the other suggestions. If you have any favs that are not on the rolling resistance site..please post your thoughts. It appears inventories haven't caught up yet as I'm seeing lots of "out of stock" on various websites.
06-03-22, 10:20 PM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2022
Location: USA - Southwest PA
Posts: 3,045
Bikes: Cannondale - Gary Fisher - Giant - Litespeed - Schwinn Paramount - Schwinn (lugged steel) - Trek OCLV
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1387 Post(s)
Liked 1,844 Times
in
1,062 Posts
most of my riding during past year or so has been casual riding on 700 x 32 Gravelking SS (not the plus version) - they seem to be good
also just more recently tried 700 x 35 Gravelking SS - not enough time on them yet to compare to the 700 x 32
and also just recently tried 700x35 Terra Speed - they roll well - better than I expected and appear to meet the claims and rolling resistance test results despite the tread (wide spaced / low height knobs)
all tires mounted tubed (Schwalbe Aerothan TPU)
700 x 32 Gravelking SS measured just under 32 mm with weight around 320g
700 x 35 Gravelking SS measured just over 36 mm with weight around 365g (measured weights 355g to 372g)
700 x 38 Gravelking SS - 410g (did not install)
700 x 35 Terra Speed - measured just under 35 mm (maybe 35mm from outside knob to outside knob) with weight of 365g
.
also just more recently tried 700 x 35 Gravelking SS - not enough time on them yet to compare to the 700 x 32
and also just recently tried 700x35 Terra Speed - they roll well - better than I expected and appear to meet the claims and rolling resistance test results despite the tread (wide spaced / low height knobs)
all tires mounted tubed (Schwalbe Aerothan TPU)
700 x 32 Gravelking SS measured just under 32 mm with weight around 320g
700 x 35 Gravelking SS measured just over 36 mm with weight around 365g (measured weights 355g to 372g)
700 x 38 Gravelking SS - 410g (did not install)
700 x 35 Terra Speed - measured just under 35 mm (maybe 35mm from outside knob to outside knob) with weight of 365g
.
Last edited by t2p; 06-03-22 at 10:43 PM.
06-04-22, 03:13 AM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 8,371
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4384 Post(s)
Liked 4,820 Times
in
2,978 Posts
Pirelli Cinturato Velo (32 and 35 mm versions)
06-04-22, 07:09 AM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 974
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 503 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 630 Times
in
352 Posts
All the work has been done for you already.
https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/
Continental TerraSpeed 700 x 40 roll pretty good on the road and gravel.
https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/
Continental TerraSpeed 700 x 40 roll pretty good on the road and gravel.
06-04-22, 07:22 AM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: TC, MN
Posts: 39,505
Bikes: R3 Disc, Haanjo
Mentioned: 353 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 20791 Post(s)
Liked 9,436 Times
in
4,663 Posts
Guys like Robert Chung have stated that relative placement rarely shifts between drum and road, and IIRC that's typically only if they're very close, in the first place, and have slightly different impedance breakpoints.
06-04-22, 08:12 AM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2022
Location: USA - Southwest PA
Posts: 3,045
Bikes: Cannondale - Gary Fisher - Giant - Litespeed - Schwinn Paramount - Schwinn (lugged steel) - Trek OCLV
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1387 Post(s)
Liked 1,844 Times
in
1,062 Posts
agree the tests might not directly equate to real world conditions - but it does provide a reference
and for casing compliance - wouldn't casing compliance also be a factor in real world performance - and maybe even more so on compromised road surfaces ?
I was curious (and almost skeptical) about the performance of the Terra Speed after reviewing the rolling resistance charts - and in fact was the primary reason I purchased the tire (I was not looking for a 'knobby' tread) ... wanted to try for myself
but after a few rides I was impressed - and believe the performance met the claims and rolling resistance test numbers
(but for this particular tire I would trade some of the compliance and rolling resistance for added thickness and protection - and maybe a slight less round profile)
Last edited by t2p; 06-04-22 at 08:15 AM.
06-06-22, 09:15 AM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: North Central Wisconsin
Posts: 4,613
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2970 Post(s)
Liked 1,177 Times
in
768 Posts
Agree with the comments above about the Terra Speed. I have the 700 x 40s on my bike and can maintain pretty damn close to road bike tire speeds with them both on and off the pavement. I chose the tires based on the test results on that website.
06-06-22, 09:38 AM
#12
Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Oregon
Posts: 183
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 61 Post(s)
Liked 254 Times
in
96 Posts
I’ve got a couple of bikes that I’ve been running 700c Kenda Kwick Drumlins on. I’ve got a set of 40mm and a set of 45mm. I like them because they can be inflated at a lower level to engage the knobby treads on the edges for soft terrain or pumped up to 80 lbs. to run smooth on the tight tread in the middle. My only beef is that it’s difficult/impossible to find them without the reflective stripe on the sidewalls. It’s easy to peel the stripe off but would rather not have to.
Likes For nick_a:
06-06-22, 11:38 AM
#14
Advanced Slacker
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 6,209
Bikes: Soma Fog Cutter, Surly Wednesday, Canfielld Tilt
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2761 Post(s)
Liked 2,534 Times
in
1,433 Posts
Rene Herse in Superlight casing are pretty freaking fast, light, and ride like magic.
Bon Jon Pass (35mm), Barlow Pass (38mm).
Bon Jon Pass (35mm), Barlow Pass (38mm).
Likes For Kapusta:
06-06-22, 11:49 AM
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,655
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1242 Post(s)
Liked 1,318 Times
in
671 Posts
It doesn't matter that the tests are done on steel rollers. If one tire has less rolling resistance than another tire on a roller it will also have less rolling resistance on the road (any road surface) as well.
Agree with the comments above about the Terra Speed. I have the 700 x 40s on my bike and can maintain pretty damn close to road bike tire speeds with them both on and off the pavement. I chose the tires based on the test results on that website.
Agree with the comments above about the Terra Speed. I have the 700 x 40s on my bike and can maintain pretty damn close to road bike tire speeds with them both on and off the pavement. I chose the tires based on the test results on that website.
Last edited by Atlas Shrugged; 06-06-22 at 01:07 PM.
06-06-22, 12:18 PM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 8,371
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4384 Post(s)
Liked 4,820 Times
in
2,978 Posts
I would question that logic as the variables could affect the resistance in a non-related fashion. As an example, a fast car such as a Porsche Turbo would not be the fastest car if a travel trailer was attached when compared to another performance vehicle such as an AMG E63 wagon. How would a solid rubber tire or hyper-inflated tire perform on their tests? A tire specifically tuned to perform well in real-world conditions might perform poorly on the static rolling drum test.
06-06-22, 12:44 PM
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: TC, MN
Posts: 39,505
Bikes: R3 Disc, Haanjo
Mentioned: 353 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 20791 Post(s)
Liked 9,436 Times
in
4,663 Posts
... So, back then, we were *exactly* occupied with this question of the agreement or disagreement between roller and field tests. We were 100% concerned that roller tests were not realistic, and we were hoping to use field tests to prove that roller tests were inadequate. Most of this stuff was just presented and discussed and analyzed and shared on the Slowtwitch Forum. Here's the part you're not gonna like, and I don't really like it either: if you go to Slowtwitch and search the forum for posts by any of us with subject headings like "roller Crr" or "roller vs. field test" or variants of that, you'll see the discussions. So, you can look up the discussions -- they're still there, including the descriptions of what we found and discussion and arguments, but you'll have to read through a bunch of scattered posts to find where we concluded that *we were wrong* and the rank ordering of roller and field tests is almost always preserved. Look in the time frame around 2008 or 2009 or so.
Second, more to your purposes, we were racing, so almost all of our tests (except for a couple of tests of training tires) were for racing tires, and those were tires that we either personally owned or were sent to us for testing -- remember, I said none of us work in the industry. So, altogether, there were maybe a a dozen of these joint tests until we got tired (!) of doing them -- field testing is a lot more time intensive than roller testing and none of us were getting paid for it (cuz we're not in the industry) so once we saw that relative rankings hardly ever changed, we stopped that unless there was a really good reason. I was happy and relieved for that....
Second, more to your purposes, we were racing, so almost all of our tests (except for a couple of tests of training tires) were for racing tires, and those were tires that we either personally owned or were sent to us for testing -- remember, I said none of us work in the industry. So, altogether, there were maybe a a dozen of these joint tests until we got tired (!) of doing them -- field testing is a lot more time intensive than roller testing and none of us were getting paid for it (cuz we're not in the industry) so once we saw that relative rankings hardly ever changed, we stopped that unless there was a really good reason. I was happy and relieved for that....
06-06-22, 01:06 PM
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,655
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1242 Post(s)
Liked 1,318 Times
in
671 Posts
Upon a re-read, I missed the mark on that one! I will leave the analogies to others going forward. The point I was trying to make was just because a tire performs really well on the drum test does not necessarily correlate to conditions out on the road.
06-06-22, 03:26 PM
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: North Central Wisconsin
Posts: 4,613
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2970 Post(s)
Liked 1,177 Times
in
768 Posts
If tire A has less rolling resistance than tire B on a roller. Then tire A will also have less rolling resistance than tire B on pavement or gravel.
https://www.bicyclerollingresistance...ing-resistance
Likes For prj71:
06-06-22, 04:57 PM
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: NE Indiana
Posts: 8,683
Bikes: 2020 Masi Giramondo 700c; 2013 Lynskey Peloton; 1992 Giant Rincon; 1989 Dawes needs parts; 1985 Trek 660; 1985 Fuji Club; 1984 Schwinn Voyager; 1984 Miyata 612; 1977 Raleigh Competition GS
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1125 Post(s)
Liked 248 Times
in
199 Posts
I think the Gravelkings you listed are your best bet, they are rated high in that rolling test site, but you can Goggle reviews about the Gravelkings, and anywhere you look they have high reviews, plus they are less expensive than some other brands.
06-06-22, 05:24 PM
#22
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Memphis, TN
Posts: 196
Bikes: A few older US made Cannondales, a modern Soma Saga (no longer made, alas!), and one gifted crabon Specialized. Never enough.
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 45 Post(s)
Liked 60 Times
in
39 Posts
Toss my suggestion for 42mm Soma Shikoros. On my commuter, I swapped the Shikoros in for 38mm Marathons, and the ride difference is night and day. They feel faster, with a cushier ride, just as puncture resistant, with only one flat in 4,800 miles, and still going strong.
Likes For But its me:
06-07-22, 04:02 AM
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 8,371
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4384 Post(s)
Liked 4,820 Times
in
2,978 Posts
The drum tests do appear to correlate very well with real-world road conditions, hence why such tests endure in terms of ranking road tyres. There isn't really any reason to believe otherwise unless you have some data to suggest otherwise.
Likes For PeteHski:
06-07-22, 06:40 AM
#24
don't try this at home.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: N. KY
Posts: 5,932
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 972 Post(s)
Liked 509 Times
in
349 Posts
I really liked my Compass Barlow Pass 38mm Ultra lights. Thin and flexible, like a road tire, and no tread, good. The ride was amazing on new, rough chipseal roads, and fast on smooth roads. Cornering was really grippy.
But one tire developed a bulge, it appears the fabric casing is failing. I didn't hit any curbs or deep potholes.
But one tire developed a bulge, it appears the fabric casing is failing. I didn't hit any curbs or deep potholes.
06-07-22, 09:02 AM
#25
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2022
Location: USA - Southwest PA
Posts: 3,045
Bikes: Cannondale - Gary Fisher - Giant - Litespeed - Schwinn Paramount - Schwinn (lugged steel) - Trek OCLV
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1387 Post(s)
Liked 1,844 Times
in
1,062 Posts
prefer the Gravelking SS over the Gravelking slick
Gravelking slick is lighter and faster - but I prefer the added tread thickness, puncture resistance, and durability / longer life of the SS
.
Last edited by t2p; 06-07-22 at 09:07 AM.
