Barrettscv 

What is your favorite 700c clincher tire on your steel C&V bike? Why is it your favorite? Please tell us what bike(s) the tire is installed on and include which size you prefer.

seedsbelize 

My favorite tire is the Vittoria Open Pavè.

CV-6 

Current is the Specialized Turbo Hell of the North in 28mm. Currently on an 80s Bernard Carré, Jan de Reus, and a couple of other wheelsets that get put on various frames. Some find these fragile, but I have not experienced that. I have not paid full price for any set. Why do I like it. The ride is lively on whatever frame they are installed.

Barrettscv 

I have the green stripe version on my Eddy Merckx. It's very grippy and has a smooth ride combined with low rolling resistance.

It’s unfortunate that Vittoria no longer makes an exact replacement

Dfrost 

Favorite on the Marinoni is Compass/Rene Herse Stampede Pass EL, 700x32mm. 260gm measured weight on my digital scale, 32+mm actual width on tb14 rims. Lively, smooth, versatile. I expect to get 7000 total miles (3500 on the front, then another 3500 when moved to the rear), based on plenty of experience with similar C/RH tires. FWIW, I just removed the rear Grand Bois Cypres predecessor after 4000 miles on the rear of this bike, still usable as “tour spare”. So the high initial cost seems pretty reasonable in the long run. Hopefully I don’t awaken the Flat Tire Karma gods by saying that they are fine in that regard.

I use the Chinook Pass EL (28mm) version on the Miyata, since 32’s don’t fit under its fenders

Shrevvy 

Veloflex Masters mostly in 25, but I have one bike with 28s. I just put the Veloflex Record 23s on a track bike, but have yet to ride it. Boy those are light and supple tires in hand though. Veloflex has stopped making the Masters. I have yet to try the replacements.

nlerner

The bikes I’ve ridden the most this year have Compass 38mm tires, Compass 35mm tires, and Gravel King 32mm tires. All good.

AZORCH

+1 on the Compass/Rene Herse 700 x 32 in ultralight. I have them on my Boulder Brevet, Raleigh International, and Bernard Carre´. They are lively and comfortable to ride. I've got RH 700 x 38 on my off topic Diverge - not as lively as the 32's (as you'd imagine), but don't miss by much.

And of course, Paselas look the part, and ride ok. I've got them on a few other bikes.

iab

GB Cypres 30mm. But the only other clinchers I use are Panaracer Pasela 32mm, a low bar.

phtomita

Nishiki TriA with 700x25 Conti GP4000SII - I tried to fit a 28 but it will rub the frame.
Centurion Pro Tour 15 with 700x28 GP4000SII.
4 flat experience on both with 10k plus miles - the path/roads I drive are pretty nice to ride.
I got two flats when I went for a 140 mile loop Seattle, Tacoma, Olympic Peninsula, Mukilteo this past Fall.
Got the GP5000s but didn't have chance to install them yet.

veganbikes

Vittoria Corsa G+ and i am currently using them on my '94 Phil Wood in 700x25c and have used them on my Titanium road bike in the past but got lazy and haven't switched back after what I thought was a deep cut made me want to swap out to another Vitorria Graphene tire though I will eventually swap back probably in spring since these tires on currently are a little more winter ready. Though I am partial to anything with a good tan wall personally and any open tubular designs.

canklecat

Continental Grand Prix Classic skinwalls, 700x25 only. Retro tread design with up to date materials. Outstanding tire for the money and good looking if you don't mind the reddish-brown sidewalls. Durable, grippy, smooth rolling, low rolling resistance. Other than being a tight fit in my Ironman I can't find a thing to fault with these tires after a year and a half on two bikes. After the raised center tread wears down a bit it doesn't rub on the rear brake bridge. Switching brakes, or filing down the bridge would help but I haven't done either yet. No problems clearing my other road bikes.

My current favorite go-fast tire is the Soma Supple Vitesse SL, 700x23, light brown skinwalls. Best lightweight tire I've ridden, tougher than the Schwalbe One V-Guards I used to ride, better grip, better on chipseal... just a better tire in every way.

And I'm switching my road bikes to latex tubes. Really helps tame the road chatter on chipseal. Supposedly less rolling resistance but I'm mostly after the comfort. I still carry one or two butyl tubes for flat repairs, but have successfully patched a latex tube.

RobbieTunes

2 votes, but generally I just want something with air in it.
Green stripe on my Fiorini, blue stripe is going on my Paramount.
Ditto on the replacement; there’s a close skin wall+color version that I want for my lady’s Merckx.
Not my favorite.

Veloflex Master. For the ride smoothness. 25c.
I wish I could afford to put them on all my bikes, but they don’t wear so well and it cuts into my hookers and blow budget.

Drillium Dude 

My favorite tires; we both approve this message:





They are decently hard-wearing, provide a supple ride and great bite when leaning hard into a corner. I've used both 23 and 25mm versions and the 25s are great on gravel, too. I've cut one here and there, but overall they aren't too prone to cuts in my experience. Plus they go up to 145psi; I normally run mine at 120 so it looks like I've lots of wiggle room. They go on and come off my rims relatively easily with or without tire levers.

Once I find something that works I tend to make the full conversion; today all my riders are wearing some version of Vittoria Open Corsa. Thanks to gomango for suggesting these in a thread a long, long time ago as new tires worthy of vintage rigs

DD

delbiker1 

I am with seedsbelize and Vittoria Open Paves, 27mm. I have them on my Soma Smoothie, Campy Zonda with Vittoria latex tubes. I am going to try the Open Corsa at some point.

bwilli88 

On the crappy roads here in Cambodia, My Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires are great. The Timex of tires, "takes a licking and keeps on ticking". Most of my bikes have some type of Schwalbe tires on them, Marathon Plus, Marathon Plus Tour, Big Apples, 635ERTO Delta Cruisers, 700c Delta Cruiser Plus, might be others

gearbasher

I use Vittoria Rubino Pros (23) on all my bikes. Easy to mount, long lasting and very puncture resistant.

Kabuki12

For my budget, Panaracer Pasella with or without tour guard. I also like the set of Bontrager Race Lites I bought as take offs for $20 from a guy on Craigslist. The Race Lites are 25c and make the Medici roll real nicely. I usually go a bit wider but these are just right for the type of bike they are on. They are a bit pricey for me when new so probably won’t buy more unless a similar deal comes along. Funny, I have two other sets of Bontrager tires, new , never ridden looking for bikes that were given to me. They are 28c(perfect) just like the tires that are on my Windsor Pro , so I am set. My 27” tire bikes will all be replaced with Panaracer when the time comes.

Cougrrcj

Me - then a 'near Clyde' at almost 100kg. (220 lbs) - now 195 lbs
Bike - 1986 Miyata 710

I only have one 700c bike - my '86 Miyata 710. This was my Arizona bike - kept out in Phoenix at my mother's so when I'd visit her I'd have something to do when she napped in the afternoons... When I bought it, it had a 23mm wire-bead Vittoria Zaffiro in front, and a flat 25mm somethingorother on the rear. The LBS only had ONE Vittoria Randonneur 28 in stock (and $60! ) , so I put that on the rear -- temporarily. It rode like a truck. Sluggish and dead. I thought to myself that I had bought a lemon - I thought Miyata was a good bike... I was disappointed. Hmmmmm...

As bought - kinda. New rear tire, new saddle



On my next visit to see mom, I brought along a bunch of parts to refurb the bike. Tires, tubes, cables, dual-pivot brakes, SunTour barcons, bar tape. When changing out the tires, I found out WHY it rode like a truck - the front tire was fitted with a heavy thorn-proof tube filled completely with Slime, and the 28mm Randonneur I had on the rear weighed as much (502g) as both of the new tires I had brought along. I had fitted it with Vittoria Rubino Pro Tech III - 150tpi (280g each) and a puncture-resistant belt under the tread. Those tires are discontinued, I believe, not sure what replaced it. Had initially put 28/28 on it due to the rough 'cobble-pebble' road surfaces out there -- it is so hot in the summer out there that the tar binder in the pavement goes away and leaves the pebble aggregate behind. I settled on inflation pressures of 85f/95r to balance ride comfort and speed. Anyway, the 28 front tire left only 1mm clearance at the fork bridge. I had also bought a pair of 25s (260g ea) at the same time, just in case the 28s wouldn't work.














Mom passed a few years ago, and I shipped the Miyata back home to the Cleveland area...

So after I got a pinch flat on the front this year - concrete chunk that I couldn't see on the shoulder of a concrete surface train track overpass on my dim dawn commute - I put one of the the 25s up front, and still running a 28 on the rear. Now with the 25 up front I have 3-4mm clearance at the fork bridge. Still ~90psi(f) / 95(r)

BTW, the original wheelset was replaced this in June of this year with a set of 36h Mavic Open Pro laced to DuraAce 7400 hubs with 15/16ga Sapim stainless butted spokes. VERY LIGHT wheels at 770g front without skewer, and 882g rear without skewer or freewheel.

The ride now is a night-and-day difference from when I bought it!

Barrettscv 

Excellent narrative, tires can make an enormous difference in the performance and character of a bike. I also put the Rubino Pro Tech on a bike that was going to see some hardpack gravel along with pavement use. Another excellent tire.

Barrettscv 

Another excellent tire, better puncture protection than the Corsa but still light and smooth feeling.

gomango

Yes, it was a great tire.

Old pics, but I've used it on a couple of bikes in the last few years.

IMG_6541 by Grady Linehan, on Flickr

IMG_3458 by Grady Linehan, on Flickr

gomango

Same here.

I use the GK on my Black Mountain Monstercross for commuting and it's been a champ.

FWIW I've been downsizing/consolidating the bike collection this year, but I also think I've upgraded considerably.

For instance, my new to me Moots Routt 45 takes the RH Snoqualmie Pass (700x44) as if it was made for this bike.

I ride 90% on country roads and gravel at this point. Great tire!

I also use a Bruce Gordon Rock n Road on this bike and that one is superb as well.

jdawginsc 

Big fan of both Vittoria Rubinos and Zaffiros..

gugie 

Biggest tire that will fit properly, preferrably a light casing from Panaracer. These are labelled Compass Rene Herse, Rivendell, and other brands.

On my Zero Bike, I have room for 35's without fenders. Since that bike resides in the People's Republic of Berkeley, it doesn't have fenders. Pic from last year's TdMIL, by calender almost one year ago, but feels like ten:



My purpose built gravel bike has Rat Trap Pass tires, which are insanely wide (54mm).



On vintage frames you generally have larger clearances for wider tires. Generally speaking the older the frame, the larger the clearances. Somewhere in the 70's the trend towards shorter chainstays and fork blades started. I've found that some frames can't fit 35's. I have one bike with 32's, but can really feel the difference due to smaller volume. Enter the Jack Brown's, measuring 33 1/3, sold by Rivendell. The weight is both claimed and weighed personally by me to be almost exactly between the Rene Herse 32's and 35's. The casing looks exactly the same. The tread is different, but I'm of the opinion that this is such a minor difference that only a person with the initials Jan Heine could notice. I have these on a couple of bikes.

Grander Sportier:


Pimp Eroica Grand Sport:



The Jack Browns are truly Goldilock tires. The ride difference between 32's and 33 1/3 is definitely perceptible.