Colorado Kid

I don't want to start a Flame War but I want 700+28 tires for my commuter/touring bike. Any ideas?

MNBikeCommuter

I've been running Conti Gatorskins for years/decades. Maybe there's better out there, but they've served me very well for commuting and long rides.

pdlamb

Panaracer Pacelas, followed closely by Gatorskins. The Pacela has a better ride, but the Gatorskins wear a bit better IME.

Save the lighter weight tires for summer rides in the country where there's not so much tire-puncturing trash on the roads (usually).

Colorado Kid

I some times take a long way home via one of the many "trails" around here. (Off road.) This is about 20% of the time. Can anyone recommend something that is good and can do double duty for mild off road commutes?

SquishyBiker

I use a WTB Byway in a 700x44 - you can get them in a 700x34 as the narrowest size.
Apart from that, I'd brave the 20% on Conti GatorHardshells in a 700x28 - you're not going to have much area for tread for a fast rolling do it all tire, so go fast!

sdimattia

Been running Panaracer Paselas (not PT version) and GravelKing Slicks for two years now with no issues. I think Gatorskins were mentioned - great tire for puncture protection but too slick for my needs. There's always Schwalbe Marathons too.

Germany_chris

I run Rene Herse but I don’t commute through a city

CliffordK

I'm a fan of the Gator Hardshells (25mm). Longer wearing than the Gatorskins.

The Schwalbe Marathon Plus (HS 440) is a HEAVY tire, but should give you decent traction and durability. Available in 25mm and 28mm. Are there stocking issues?

pdlamb

More information, please? Are the trails close to flat, and the surfaces packed 1/4" gravel? Or are you climbing 15% grades on pot-holed dirt with deep sand patches at the bottom of the hills?

Colorado Kid

Flat trails in Boulder, what's that? They range from semi hilly to mountainous. The trail bed are dirt to fine gravel. It all depends on which route I use.. I don't need something with full blown knobs but also I don't need slicks. Any ideas?

ThermionicScott 

I have an affinity for the Panaracer family of tires: Pasela 700x28C on two bikes, Pacenti Pari-Moto 650x38B on another, Compass/Rene Herse 26"x1.8" Naches Pass on another, and Gravelking 650x48B on the newest addition (wife's new bike.) I also have an idle set of 26"x1-3/8" Col de la Vies that I'm considering putting on my old 3-speed, too..

Paselas were one of the few "supple" tanwall tires commonly available about 10-15 years ago before that style came back, but I'm not a big fan of the deeply-grooved tread. It looks as if designed to prevent hydroplaning, which is unnecessary and leads to cracking in the tread as it wears. Whenever feasible, I use the file-tread versions of Panaracer tires. (The "Fairweather for Traveler" is another option along these lines in 700x28C, but I haven't tried it yet.)

Another downside to this family of tires for commuting is that the tan sidewalls age like milk if you park the bike outside in sunlight all day. The sidewall latex dries up and flakes off, leaving the already-fragile sidewalls vulnerable to abrasion. It's rare that I wear through the tread of one of these tires before a sidewall injury takes it out. I get enough miles for the dollar that I can't complain too much.

We haven't put a lot of miles on the Gravelkings yet, but if I needed a durable file-tread commuter tire with decent rolling resistance and classic-ish looks, I'd look into another set of those.

Leisesturm

Always was a Schwalbe Marathon (not Plus!) guy until we bought a Trek tandem. Bontrager Hardcase clinchers come stock on Trek bikes. After living with Bonties in both 26" x 2" and 700C x 25mm for about 5 years now I don't really want anything else. Thing is all our favorite tires are getting really hard to find! I certainly can't find any Bonties anywhere and even most of the Schwalbe line is 'out of stock'. I don't know about Gatorskins but my luck with Conti tires has not been good The only tires I have ever had to boot were Conti somethings. But I may have to hold my nose and try a set of GS's because they, at least, seem to b somewhat attainable.

Classtime 

For occasional trail use tires that are not slick, choose one of the Gravel Kings. I used to commute on 25mm Gatorskins which have the toughest sidewalls but not a nice ride. GS in 28 would likely ride better. Currently commuting 40 mile round trip on 28mm GP4000s pumped to 80 psi each Monday and have enjoyed them. (No gravel on my commute--only glass and other crap.)

timdow

If you intend to carry a significant load on your tours or commutes, I would recommend the Schwalbe Marathon Tour.

Leisesturm

Actually, I can't seem to find GatorSkins either. This may not have been the best of times to begin a thread about 'recommendations'. If you can find a tire (two?) in the size you want. Buy it (them).

BobbyG

no
I run 700x28 smoothie street tires with tire liners on my old 12-speed road bike and it makes for nice flat-free commutes. It does pretty well on dirt, but not so much on gravel. Those are the fattest tires that will fit at the recommended inflation. I tried 700x32s but couldn't inflate the front past 65psi. Even then it would rub the fork "crotch" if there was any sort of bump in the road.

DiabloScott

I was in a pinch last summer and got some Bontrager AW1s. They ride nicer than I thought. My commute is mostly on trails with debris rather than gravel but they've held up pretty well too.

But I'm still going back to Challenge for next time.

grosey

I use the "Fairweather for Traveller" 700x28's on my 'good' road bike, I originally bought them for my commuter but there was no way they were fitting on my wheels. They replaced Schwable Ones after I split a sidewall. They are very fast rolling and just feel nice to ride on. I had never heard of them before but came across them on the Planet X website, but have never seen them on there again.

GhenghisKahn

Been cycle commuting since 1987. Have tried them all over the years. Even airless. Everything is a compromise. All my touring/utility and commuting bikes have 28 or 32mm Schwalbe Marathon Plus. They all have Mr Tuffy liners in the rear tires as well. Since starting to use SMPs in 2000 I've had 3 flats. 2 of them were pinch flats. The other was the tire liner cut into the tube over time. No punctures in over 20 years of using SMPs.

Colorado Kid

Great infor.! Now that cool weather and Snow is around the corner, please tell me I can hold off on buying Studded tires a little longer. (Or maybe I should ask Santa for a pair?) I like my "new" tires and look forward to buying some of the ones many of the members on this list wrote about. Should I have break down and get Studded tires( After mounting some nice Trek All Condition tires on my bike) what is a good studded tire? (26+2.1 )

ThermionicScott 

My first set of studded tires were Kenda Klondike Wide, in 26"x2.1": https://bicycle.kendatire.com/en-us/...klondike-wide/

They were heavy, noisy, and slow, but I don't think you can get around that with studded winter tires! They were well-made, with carbide-tipped studs. I only switched to a different brand/tire because I didn't have clearance for fenders with the Kendas.

GhenghisKahn

When I lived in Pittsburgh I bought a set of 2.1 carbide studded off craigslist for 75.00. Put them on my backup mtb. Kept the psi at 35 lbs. Rode them in heavy snow and slush days. They were slow as you can imagine, but really, really grippy and stable. I loved them. Sold the bike upon moving to New Zealand, but if weather here necessitated having them I'd get them again in a minute. They add a level of fun to winter cycling.

Clyde1820

I've had these, and did about 5-10% on mild off-pavement and reduced-grip surfaces, but short of outright gravel and softer-packed dirt trails. Worked fine. No t the lightest tires out there, but they have really good flat protection.

Continental Ride Tour -- available in ETRTO 28-622, in BLK/BLK and BLK/reflex -- https://www.continental-tires.com/bi...tour/ride-tour .