700 x 27C Tire Reccos

[sean]

I recently went for a big upgrade. I've been riding my '88ish 3 Rensho with (gasp) 7sp Suntour (I did upgrade to compact cranks) for a while now. Recently I switched to a Litespeed with Campy Record 11sp. Needless to say, a very different ride.

I normally run 23 or 25c and I'm fine on San Francisco streets, but with this new setup, I'm not digging the jostling from the potholes and such. I'm thinking of trying some 27c tires and I'm looking for some reccos.

fire away...

[veloduffer]

Rivendell Rolly Poly tires (made by Panaracer). Very round tire with good volume and excellent for bad roads. Despite their round profile, it doesn't feel like a slow tire. Riv Jackie Browns are similar and have more flat protection.

Rolly Poly tires (http://www.rivbike.com/products/show/roll-y-pol-y-700-x-27-kevlar/10-034)

Do a forum search here and you'll get favorable reviews. They are also Andy Hampsten's choice for riding - pretty good endorsement.

[Rueda Tropical]

Schwalbe Ultremo 28c is a top of the line racing tire that I have found to be really flat resistant and a nice ride. The out of production Michelin Pro2 25c are about 27 on the rim and are also very nice and pretty flat resistant as well.

[retrogrouchy]

The 27 mm Roll-y Polys are said to be excellent. The Jack Browns are 33s.
The Grand Bois 28 (the 26 and 28 GBs both seem to run about a mm narrower than rated, for me, on a typical non-wide rim) is also quite nice. All four of these tires are made by Panaracer. The Challenge Parigi-Roubaix is highly rated by some, but I was unable to get them mounted when I tried some. I really like their 24 mm Triathlon tires, however, so of course they've discountinued those..... :crap:

[130R]

not really what you were looking for, but have a look at specialized armadillos

[Ken Robb]

you can ride BART to walnut Creek and get your Roly-Polys or Ruffy-Tuffy tires right from Rivendell International Headquarters.

[JohnHemlock]

I love the Challenge Parigi-Roubaix but have torn flappers in two of them, which is two more tires than I have ever torn up in my life.

+1 on the Michelin Pro2 if you can find some. My favorite tire evah.

[sean]

I'm a little hesitant to run panaracers. I have them on a tourer and they are great, but a little sluggish. I'm not sure if this is typical of the model or the company as I have never tried the Grand Bois made or the Riv made.

I used to run Pro Race 2 in 23c and loved them, I'll keep my eyes peeled.

What are peoples thought on the Conti GP 4000?

[soulspinner]

I'm a little hesitant to run panaracers. I have them on a tourer and they are great, but a little sluggish. I'm not sure if this is typical of the model or the company as I have never tried the Grand Bois made or the Riv made.

I used to run Pro Race 2 in 23c and loved them, I'll keep my eyes peeled.

What are peoples thought on the Conti GP 4000?

Harder to mount than a reluctant horse, otherwise I like em.

[kevintice]

I have used the RolyPoly, the Grand Bois 28mm and the Parigi-Robaix, mounted on DT-Swiss rr 1.1 and DT-Swiss tk 7.1. The Roly Poly is a good tire, measures out at about 27mm, and is reasonably durable. It doesn't have the ride quality of the other two though. The Grand Bois feels really plush. They measure out at 28mm, seem slightly more durable than the Parigi-Roubaix. The tread is probably a little thicker than that of the PR. The PR rolls great, is comfy and plush, but seems a little more "lively" than the GB. On most rims, they will measure out closer to 29mm wide, so for some bikes clearance is an issue. On a rr 1.1 rim (double eyelets) the PR is an absolute bear to mount, but they will stretch and will get easier with time. On tk-7.1, they fit no problem. I think the issue is with well depth of the rim, as I have heard that single eyelet 1.1's the problem is not as severe. Using an ultra-thin rimstrip like a Rox helps. The other thing that helps is to use a bead jack, like the Kool-Stop, to mount the tires for the first few time. After awhile, I can easily get the PR off the rim with one tire lever, and then put back on with fingers only. Also, use a 23mm tube instead of a larger, bulkier 28mm tube if mounting is an issue.

For me, choosing between the GB and the PR is a toss-up. I really like the ride quality of these tires,and the cost of more flats and less mileage from the tire (as compared to say the Specialized armadillo) is something that I don't get too worked up about.

[retrogrouchy]

I'm a little hesitant to run panaracers. I have them on a tourer and they are great, but a little sluggish. I'm not sure if this is typical of the model or the company as I have never tried the Grand Bois made or the Riv made. (snip)

That's kind of like saying you're reluctant to drive a BMW because of your experience with a Mini. They happen to make the Mini, but also produce a whole lot of other vehicles that are more, uh, ultimate?

I've been underwhelmed by every Conti (car and bike) tire I've ever used.

[sean]

Like I said, only experienced one of the line-up and not ruling others out. But even to your example, if you have had a certain experience with one thing, like it or not, it will influence future decisions with other products by that same manufacturer.

However, this is way off topic, and like I said, I'm not opposed. Just looking at my options. I'm not the type that like to throw money at different tires to see which is best. I know there will always be some of that, but I would rather go in informed than start throwing down cash on tires that aren't cheap.

BTW, I loved my Mini. It was a great car.

[retrogrouchy]

Like I said, only experienced one of the line-up and not ruling others out. But even to your example, if you have had a certain experience with one thing, like it or not, it will influence future decisions with other products by that same manufacturer.

However, this is way off topic, and like I said, I'm not opposed. Just looking at my options. I'm not the type that like to throw money at different tires to see which is best. I know there will always be some of that, but I would rather go in informed than start throwing down cash on tires that aren't cheap.

BTW, I loved my Mini. It was a great car.

Great. Try an e36 M3 some time. It's kind of like a Mini with lots more power, much better handling, and Grand Bois tires. ;)

[alexstar]

I used the GP 4000 4-season in SF, in all weather, and they rode great. I had both the 23mm and 28mm widths at different times. The rubber isn't as hard-wearing as some other tires, but I still got a couple years out of them.

[sean]

Side note, the Mini was running Contis. True story.

[retrogrouchy]

Side note, the Mini was running Contis. True story.

Well, there's your problem, right there! I believe it.

[rdparadise]

Just my opinion. The new ride most likely has a shorter wheelbase and shorter chain stays. This will cause the bike to seem more unstable or jittery. This is how racing geometry bikes feel. They are quick, react quickly to your movements, etc.

I would check your seat height, fore and aft position. Make sure your knee is in alignment with your pedal at the 3 o'clock position. Secondly, check that your brake-shift levers are directly above your front axle. These two changes is needed will dramatically improve your bikes handling.

Once these have been checked out, you can buy wider tires, or try a lower tire pressure. Start at 100 and see what you think. Let me know what you determine.

Best of luck.

Bob

[sean]

Thanks Bob. I definitely know the geometry is much more agressive than the Rensho, and I know that's a huge factor. I've been messing with fit to get the best results, but I may just go have a friend do it for me at his shop.

I usually run about 100 psi, but I'm pretty sure it's a combination of the new geometry and 23c tires. Admittedly, it's a huge change from a steel bike with 25c.

[rugbysecondrow]

I like the Conti suggestion, but I also have liked the Schwalbe Marathon 28's (actually a 26 or 17). Inexpensive at Wallbikes, good wear, nice ride. http://www.wallbike.com/tires.html

[giverdada]

my cousin took some continental gp 4000's on a tour up from minnesota to toronto, then left them here for me 'cause he needed something wider (than the 28) for his loaded bike. i put them on my commuter and hammered them for the next two seasons, only switching them out for icy roads. they got all the salt and sand and then spring and summer and everything else. the sidewalls seemed to be wearing after the first season on my serotta, so i switched them out for some 25c maxxis refuse. flatted the front refuse within 3 months, but it was under-inflated. i needed to switch out my winter commuter tires on my singlespeed, so i grabbed the continentals and stuck them both back on. i will get on them in about five minutes and head to work. they're about 3 years old, have been on multiple bikes, endured the most abuse i can dish out, and are still running beautifully. nice road feel as far as i can tell through my fat ass too. wicked tires. and 28s are pretty sweet on light road bikes. :beer:

[anomaly]

I have put about 1000 miles on a set of Grand Bois Cypress 700x30 over the last 3 months and like them quite a bit. They are plush, roll fast and the downhill grip is superb. They are more puncture resistant than the Vittoria Evo Corsa CX 700x25 that I have on the Merckx. I think they will be truly dead, with one front to back rotation, at the 1300 mile mark which is an acceptable amount of wear to me given the way they ride. I plan to buy a set of Challenge PRs to replace the GBs as I want to do a back to back comparison, though I'm very very happy with the GBs to date.

[retrogrouchy]

I have put about 1000 miles on a set of Grand Bois Cypress 700x30 over the last 3 months and like them quite a bit. They are plush, roll fast and the downhill grip is superb. They are more puncture resistant than the Vittoria Evo Corsa CX 700x25 that I have on the Merckx. I think they will be truly dead, with one front to back rotation, at the 1300 mile mark which is an acceptable amount of wear to me given the way they ride. I plan to buy a set of Challenge PRs to replace the GBs as I want to do a back to back comparison, though I'm very very happy with the GBs to date.

I haven't tried the 30s yet, just the 26s and 28s. Sounds like you've had a positive experience with the 30s, so maybe I should try those too....

[mister]

I used the GP 4000 4-season in SF, in all weather, and they rode great. I had both the 23mm and 28mm widths at different times. The rubber isn't as hard-wearing as some other tires, but I still got a couple years out of them.

i agree, the conti gran prix 4 season is a good all around tire.
the 28mm tyire measures more like 27mm.