32mm or 35mm tire recomendations please

[oldfatslow]

Okay, on my do everything cross/gravel bike I've been riding the Panracer Pasela Tour Guard tires in a 32mm width. I ride a mix of road and compacted gravel trails.

I am looking for my next tire.

Ideally it would fly on the pavement, be good on the gravel/dirt, never get a flat, last a million miles, and be damn sexy with black sidewalls.

What do you recommend?

[josephr]

Continental Contact II or Top Contact....bullet proof and last for miles. I think max PSI is 80 but they're comfy at 65psi (200lbs here).

[GeorgeTSquirrel]

I'm a fan of the Vittoria Randonneur Cross Pro (Nashbar (http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_547832_-1___204729) $25)

It's listed as a 37 but it's mislabeled. It's actually a 35mm per the sidewall although it actually measure at about 33mm by caliper.

It's acceptable on pavement, not noticeably slower than the 28mm Bontrager's I had on before (although I'm sure they are marginally slower on a long enough ride). On rail trails, this tire shines... when I sprint on the loose stuff, the tire actually bites and the bike moves forward (braking is good too). Also can't go wrong with the reflective sidewall. Highly recommended for the price.

[marciero]

Ideally it would fly on the pavement, be good on the gravel/dirt, never get a flat, last a million miles, and be damn sexy with black sidewalls.


Tall order. Aside from the tan sidewalls, the Paselas you are riding would seem a good compromise of all these. I just put a set on my 650b and thought they were great, even compared to the thinner, lighter, Compass tires. Both made by Panaracer, they seem to have essentially the same casing.

[weisan]

I'm a fan of the Vittoria Randonneur Cross Pro (Nashbar (http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_547832_-1___204729) $25)

It's listed as a 37 but it's mislabeled. It's actually a 35mm per the sidewall although it actually measure at about 33mm by caliper.

It's acceptable on pavement, not noticeably slower than the 28mm Bontrager's I had on before (although I'm sure they are marginally slower on a long enough ride). On rail trails, this tire shines... when I sprint on the loose stuff, the tire actually bites and the bike moves forward (braking is good too). Also can't go wrong with the reflective sidewall. Highly recommended for the price.

10% discount code 49473

[donevwil]

Give the Compass Stampede Pass a try, they are supposed to be virtually identical to the Grand Bois Cypres with a slightly thicker tread and black sidewall. I have thousands of miles on the Grand Bois Cypres, they fly on pavement, virtually last forever (plus I'm 240#) and perform surprisingly well off pavement. I haven't tried the Stampede Pass only because my Cypres are still going strong. I rode the standard Paselas in 32 prior to trying the GBs and although they're a competent tire they do not belong in the same discussion as the Grand Bois and, I assume, Compass tires.

[marciero]

Give the Compass Stampede Pass a try, they are supposed to be virtually identical to the Grand Bois Cypres with a slightly thicker tread and black sidewall. I have thousands of miles on the Grand Bois Cypres, they fly on pavement, virtually last forever (plus I'm 240#) and perform surprisingly well off pavement. I haven't tried the Stampede Pass only because my Cypres are still going strong. I rode the standard Paselas in 32 prior to trying the GBs and although they're a competent tire they do not belong in the same discussion as the Grand Bois and, I assume, Compass tires.

This has not been my experience with many thousands of miles on multiple sets of both GB Cypress 700 32 and Compass 650B 38 (Loup-Loup I think). They are designed to optimize performance, especially the EL version, and while they ride nice and do okay on gravel, I have found they wear like any other performance tire-quickly. And in addition to the regular garden-variety flats, I have also twice gotten flats that completely destroyed Compass tires. I certainly would not consider these tires if puncture resistance and longevity were primary concerns. That said, these are the tires I ride in the Spring-Fall. I recently got the Paselas for winter commuting and touring. I find the ride quite good-"favorable"-given the (anticipated) additional puncture resistance and mileage.

[sparky33]

I heard that Clement LGG will soon be available in 32.

The cx file tread Clement LAS is nice for mixed surface

[JAGI410]

T-Servs? I'm running the 32s on one of my bikes and really like them. The news of a 32 LGG is quite exciting though, I love those in a 28.

[donevwil]

This has not been my experience with many thousands of miles on multiple sets of both GB Cypress 700 32 and Compass 650B 38 (Loup-Loup I think). They are designed to optimize performance, especially the EL version, and while they ride nice and do okay on gravel, I have found they wear like any other performance tire-quickly. And in addition to the regular garden-variety flats, I have also twice gotten flats that completely destroyed Compass tires. I certainly would not consider these tires if puncture resistance and longevity were primary concerns. That said, these are the tires I ride in the Spring-Fall. I recently got the Paselas for winter commuting and touring. I find the ride quite good-"favorable"-given the (anticipated) additional puncture resistance and mileage.

Makes me wonder if all Cypres are created equally. I'm 240#, have ridden ~3000 on them (~2000+ on one set) including a couple hundred on dirt and gravel, in addition to winter filth, and had only two flats.

One ultimately has to prioritize ride, durability, puncture resistance and cost (pick two on average, three if you're lucky). It sounds as though oldfatslow is looking for alternatives to Paselas.

[sparky33]

Soma New Xpress tires come all black folding in 32 and 35.... looks a lot like a nicer Pasela.

[likebikes]

for nice riding 32/35/37 tires, try:

resist nomad (very awesome tire, $25 EACH!, all black version available, run a bit small- 35c is more like a 32c)
vittoria voyageur hyper (very nice riding tires, all black sidewalls, reflective stripe, formerly called the randonneur hyper)
schwalbe kojak

I rode paselas and continentals for years- the above are much better riding/higher quality. Currently commuting on a set of voyager hypers- very nice.
paselas are good and cheap, but not great- there are better riding tires out there, more durable ones, more puncture resistant ones.

[Ken Robb]

While one can wish for improvement over what we have sometimes we should stick with what we know works. :)

[cinema]

Give the Compass Stampede Pass a try, they are supposed to be virtually identical to the Grand Bois Cypres with a slightly thicker tread and black sidewall. I have thousands of miles on the Grand Bois Cypres, they fly on pavement, virtually last forever (plus I'm 240#) and perform surprisingly well off pavement. I haven't tried the Stampede Pass only because my Cypres are still going strong. I rode the standard Paselas in 32 prior to trying the GBs and although they're a competent tire they do not belong in the same discussion as the Grand Bois and, I assume, Compass tires.

Interesting. mine were toast after like 1100 miles, if that. i'm 130 lbs. you must have a great public works system.

My vote is for rando/voyager hypers.

[bcgav]

Clement X'Plor USH 700X35 120tpi. Center tread rolls nice, quiet & fast on pavement.

http://clementcycling.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/USH_34-1024x908.jpg

[modernfuturist]

This thread is almost happening on a weekly or bi-weekly basis now... and yet here I am posting again about how much I can vouch for Vitttoria Rando Hypers/Voyagers.

$24.99 per tire from Nashbar (http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_578278_-1___) or $20 per tire from the UK (http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TYVIVOHY/vittoria-voyager-hyper-folding-tyre)

Full disclosure: I also enjoy riding on Gran Bois and Compass tires, but they have less puncture protection.

[marciero]

I'll throw one other option out there-Schwalbe Marathon Supreme. I've put a lot of miles on them commuting and touring, and again, I think they ride pretty good considering how beefy they are. I've not found them harsh riding, though they are sometimes described as such.

[Pastashop]

If you ride mixed (asphalt & dirt) roads, consider some version of these:

http://www.roadbikereview.com/cat/wheels/tires-clincher/avocet/cross-k-32/prd_104044_2489crx.aspx

http://www.avocet.com/tirepages/cross_2_specs.html

http://yarchive.net/bike/avocet_dirt_tires.html

The Bruce Gordon Rock n' Road tire is kind of an approximation of that design, and it's highly regarded by experienced riders as a good dirt / smooth road tire that doesn't buzz too much. (edit: as far as the center section is concerned; cornering on a smooth road is another matter.)

[vqdriver]

Where does the jack brown fit into the mix?

[modernfuturist]

The Jack Brown is also a great tire but IMO, it suffers from price range and feel. I think it's better than a Pasela, but at nearly double the cost. It's not as fast as a Gran Bois or Compass tire, and nearly the same cost (granted it has better flat protection than either of those two tires).

Moral of the story, the amount of choices in wider tires nowadays has gotten much better and there are plenty of great options.

[Look585]

(snip) I am posting again about how much I can vouch for Vitttoria Rando Hypers/Voyagers.


Hey ModernF, can you comment on actual vs. nominal width on the Voyager/Rando Hypers? Do the 35mm measure anything close to that on 23mm rims?

Thanks!

[JLP]

Have you considered Paselas? Just kidding, but they're just what you're after.

[weisan]

I finally "retired" one of my 35mm paselas yesterday bought 6 years ago for $9.90 and ridden intermittently but have conquered:


D2R2
Katy Trail (3 days)

[etu]

This thread is about that elusive and subjective topic of "ride quality". Only way to really find out is try it out yourself and see what your own preferences and priorities are.
If you have never tried the more fragile, but potentially better riding type of tires (Gran Bois/Compass), you should get on them just so you know what the buzz is about and whether it's worth it to you. They are expensive tires, but relative to other bike related purchases still reasonable, especially if you end up with a big smile on your face.
In fact, I have a pair of Compass 32's that I would be glad to ship to you to try out. You will not be able to answer the longevity question, but at least you'll see if you can tell the difference in ride quality. PM me if you're interested.

[Ken Robb]

If you ride mixed (asphalt & dirt) roads, consider some version of these:

http://www.roadbikereview.com/cat/wheels/tires-clincher/avocet/cross-k-32/prd_104044_2489crx.aspx

http://www.avocet.com/tirepages/cross_2_specs.html

http://yarchive.net/bike/avocet_dirt_tires.html

The Bruce Gordon Rock n' Road tire is kind of an approximation of that design, and it's highly regarded by experienced riders as a good dirt / smooth road tire that doesn't buzz too much. (edit: as far as the center section is concerned; cornering on a smooth road is another matter.)

I still have Avocet Cross tires on my MB-3 and like them a lot but I thought Avocet went out of business years ago. Has it been revived?

[sparky33]

The Jack Brown is also a great tire but IMO, it suffers from price range and feel. I think it's better than a Pasela, but at nearly double the cost. It's not as fast as a Gran Bois or Compass tire, and nearly the same cost (granted it has better flat protection than either of those two tires).

Moral of the story, the amount of choices in wider tires nowadays has gotten much better and there are plenty of great options.

JB is not black sidewall....

The OP is keeping it stealth.

[Pastashop]

I still have Avocet Cross tires on my MB-3 and like them a lot but I thought Avocet went out of business years ago. Has it been revived?

Yup, Avocet appears to be gone... I still have a set of Fasgrip slicks (black sidewalls from early 2000s?..) on one of my bikes and they are fantastic.

[modernfuturist]

Whoops, forgot the OP wanted blackwall. In any case, hopefully I answered the other user's question about Jack Browns in relationship to other tires. Someone should just make a tire matrix or flow chart of widths, prices and "feels".

Hey ModernF, can you comment on actual vs. nominal width on the Voyager/Rando Hypers? Do the 35mm measure anything close to that on 23mm rims?

I ran Voyager/Rando Hypers (both the 700x35 and 700x38) on rims with 19.55mm width and they measured to ~33.5 and ~35.5 respectively. Here's a p. cool collaborative spreadsheet with actual tire measurements (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dyYRfhNdFUIbeF1BiQpMyQnhbepy6nxK9DDgd7BhYSk/edit#gid=0).

[donevwil]

Mike at Black Mountain Cycles really likes the Clement X'PLOR MSO (http://clementcycling.com/xplor-mso).

Interesting. mine were toast after like 1100 miles, if that. i'm 130 lbs. you must have a great public works system.

I've heard similar stories so you're not alone. I did have one Cypres that was defective as received and was replaced by Compass Cycles. Interestingly, Sonoma County, CA has notoriously bad roads. Too many miles of rural roads to maintain effectively and a large reason I'm jumping from 32mm tires to 38.

[joshbd]

+1 for Panaracer T-Serv Protex. I have them one my commuter / cross bike now and no complaints (or flats). Had schwalbe marathon supremes before that, and they didn't last a year. The side wall and reflective material peeled right off. Granted, the supremes were replaced under warranty by the very nice people at schwalbe.

[JAllen]

Continental gatorskins is my recommendation. I run them on my ss commuter 27 1/4. Pretty much a 32. Portland has some pretty bad roads (two by my place are not even paved) and they haven't let me down.

[marciero]

I finally "retired" one of my 35mm paselas yesterday bought 6 years ago for $9.90 and ridden intermittently but have conquered:


D2R2
Katy Trail (3 days)


Now youve got me thinking about d2r2 tire choices.
Speaking of which, the "what tire are you riding at d2r2?" thread should appear any day now

[weisan]

If you run 650b, you would do well to consider the Panaracer Col De La Vie, they are dirt cheap $20 or less. I use them on my commuter bike and lunch ride on the trail, absolutely fabulous.

Velo Orange
A very comfortable and supple tire, it is 38mm wide and a relatively light 420 grams. This is a very high quality tire with low rolling resistance and a wonderful ride. It has enough tread to work on dirt roads. We feel that this is the best everyday 650b tire.

[Mclulz]

I would do something like the Marathon supreme. I love the casing and they roll smooth. Plus if you run larger tires might as well FRED out with a reflective sidewall. I fount this link to them. Anybody have them for cheaper inside the US?


http://www.pricepoint.com/Brand/Schwalbe/Schwalbe-Marathon-Supreme-HD-700c-Folding-Tire.axd

[bikerboy337]

Another +1 for Clement USH 35mm's.

I had this same thread a little while ago, was looking for something for my commutes and for some weekend rides, unfortunately i have about 90% road for me, not much gravel/dirt in the immediate area, so i needed something that will roll fast on pavement, but be able to hop on dirt when its there...

picked these up and they're great... been running them all winter for my rides and they're a blast, barely notice any speed difference between these and my 25mm gp4000s....

i'll likely be running these on d2r2 as well...

[vqdriver]

anyone try the conti top contact II? comes in sizes 32 all the way up to 47 :eek:

[Kirk007]

Anyone running tires this size tubeless?

[modernfuturist]

Just saw the Panaracer Gravelking 700x32 at my local LBS... looks pretty cool for an all black, mixed terrain tire. I'm curious to try them out along with the Clement LAS or USH tires...

http://www.gravelbike.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Pana-GK-32-profile-e1415556620188-1024x524.jpg
(http://www.gravelbike.com/?p=3793)

[Rebel_Biker]

clement x'plor ush 700x35 120tpi. Center tread rolls nice, quiet & fast on pavement.

http://clementcycling.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/ush_34-1024x908.jpg

+1

[Rebel_Biker]

Another +1 for Clement USH 35mm's.

I had this same thread a little while ago, was looking for something for my commutes and for some weekend rides, unfortunately i have about 90% road for me, not much gravel/dirt in the immediate area, so i needed something that will roll fast on pavement, but be able to hop on dirt when its there...

picked these up and they're great... been running them all winter for my rides and they're a blast, barely notice any speed difference between these and my 25mm gp4000s....

i'll likely be running these on d2r2 as well...

I agree. I run these on a Psychlo-X and love them. I get about 60/40 pavement to dirt here in Santa Fe. Love these tires. Deceptively fast and really good on dirt and double track.

[bluesea]

This thread is almost happening on a weekly or bi-weekly basis now... and yet here I am posting again about how much I can vouch for Vitttoria Rando Hypers/Voyagers.

$24.99 per tire from Nashbar (http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_578278_-1___) or $20 per tire from the UK (http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TYVIVOHY/vittoria-voyager-hyper-folding-tyre)

Full disclosure: I also enjoy riding on Gran Bois and Compass tires, but they have less puncture protection.




I remember these being more pricy, or they have scaled down tire quality?


I'l like a full sized 30c for my Spesh Roubaix/w short reach calipers, which almost fit 32c Stampede Pass in the front with 1.5mm vertical clearance.

[GRAVELBIKE]

A 35mm Pasela will be inexpensive, ride nicely, and behave predictably on paved and unpaved surfaces.

The Compass tires (which are made by Panaracer) will have a nicer ride, but cost much more than the aforementioned Paselas.

If you want/need something with more pronounced tread, check out the 32mm Panaracer Gravelking, the aforementioned Clements, or if your bike has the clearance, the Challenge Gravel Grinders.

You can find reviews of these tires on my site.

[Oregonic]

Clement X'Plor USH 700X35 120tpi. Center tread rolls nice, quiet & fast on pavement.

http://clementcycling.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/USH_34-1024x908.jpg

I'm surprised it took 15 posts to get to this one...

[Rebel_Biker]

I'm surprised it took 15 posts to get to this one...

In action today. Took them out for a 50 mile ride. Probably 10 miles on dirt/gravel roads.

Can't tell you how versatile they are.

[weisan]

This thread is about that elusive and subjective topic of "ride quality". Only way to really find out is try it out yourself and see what your own preferences and priorities are.
If you have never tried the more fragile, but potentially better riding type of tires (Gran Bois/Compass), you should get on them just so you know what the buzz is about and whether it's worth it to you. They are expensive tires, but relative to other bike related purchases still reasonable, especially if you end up with a big smile on your face.
In fact, I have a pair of Compass 32's that I would be glad to ship to you to try out. You will not be able to answer the longevity question, but at least you'll see if you can tell the difference in ride quality. PM me if you're interested.

I was the lucky receipient of etu pal's compass 32 tires. I PM'ed him about my interest to give 'em a try and the next thing I know he packed and shipped them over to me in short order and on his dime. Who would do that??? I mean, this is incredible! Thanks Ed. The package came in safe and sound earlier today. They looked really nice and supple, of a different category, not to be confused with my old Pasela. I haven't mount them yet but I will...as soon as I muster enough courage for the battle that will ensue between my Pacenti wheels and the compass tires...don't get me wrong, people, I love my pacenti wheels, they ride so well and Kirk is an upstanding individual....but boy, let me tell you, in order to enjoy my pacenti wheelset, I almost have to earn my keeps (http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=161954) every time I mount a set of tires. :rolleyes:
Oh well, tomorrow I will make the attempt, just not tonight...tonight shall remain peaceful and uneventful.
:p
http://alicehui.com/pics/misc/compass32.jpg
http://alicehui.com/pics/misc/pacenti.jpg

[weehastogopee]

Maybe try some resist nomads?

[bluesea]

What about a nice riding smooth tread 30c? Something right between Compass Chinook Pass 28c, and their Grand Bois Cyprès would be sweet.

[Pastashop]

....

http://www.avocet.com/tirepages/cross_2_specs.html

http://cyclescribe.blogspot.com/2014/05/great-moments-in-obscure-parts-avocet.html

Continental Tour Ride, Schwalbe Marathon, and Panaracer Pasela are approximations, but don't get you quite the combo of straight-line traction in the dirt and quietness and cornering ability on pavement that the Avocet Cross II tire did.

http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/tires/622.html

[p nut]

My Grand Bois Hetre's have been averaging about 1 flat per ride. Lots of goat heads and glass around here, though. But a few weeks ago, put Stan's in the tubes and that has helped some. Not sure if going tubeless is on the table, but if so, the ride is fantastic.

By the way, I have Pacenti SL23 rims and have no issues mounting GB tires on them. Not a tool-less mount, as it's tight, but I can get it mounted fairly quick with just one lever.

[GRAVELBIKE]

Been riding Compass tires almost exclusively lately, and the ride quality is fantastic. Their 32mm model measures 31.4mm on my Rolf Prima VCX wheels.