Built my commuter bike up last night but it’s got 2.1" knobblies on at the moment. What would people recomend for a wet/winter tyre for unclasified backroads, A roads and the occasional hardpack footpath? i.e. not an out and out city slick type.

I thought maybe the Conti Double Figher II

http://www.conti-tyres.co.uk/conticycle/ti%20dfighter2.shtml

If you want to stick to chunky sized tyres I’d recommend Schwalbe Marathon XR – you can get them in 26×2.0". Kinda rugged extreme touring tyre so should cover you for most things.

I started off with Specialized Nimbus (1.5") but I kept getting dumped on my face by manhole covers and slightly greasy roads.

I Swapped them for Schwalbe City Jets and we get on fine. Never had much of a problem with punctures using either tyre. I’m sure there is nowt wrong with the Nimbus’ but we just didn’t get on…

i like my nimbusessesss? nimbii? 2 x nimbus, they have enough tread to cope in the wet. I found the slickasaurus too slick and the Schwalbe tyre with the reflective stripe is just too damn ugly.

My commute in all city, i don’t use hardpack paths so i run about 70 psi.

I forgot to mention a large dairy farm en-route which provides for a lot of organic material on the tarmac for 200m where the cows commute to feeding and back.

Probably depends on the proportion of tarmac to rougher stuff. A semi-slick such as the Panaracer Mach SS (if they still make ’em?) would probably be fine for the rougher parts, but would drag more on roads than a slick.

In terms of slicks, I had Schwalbe City Jets and found them OK, although the grip does abruptly give way if you lean the bike over too far on bends. Now gone to Spesh Nimbuses, and find them to be fine. They’re all an absolute pig to fit though…

Specialized Crossroads or Hemisphere if you want something a bit blocky, but still fast rolling.
I used to use an older version of the Crossroads and they were good, but noticeably more draggy than out and out slicks. The hemisperes look like they might be more the ticket, than the crossroads.

You can get both with puncture protection, I think.

I use a Conti Travel Contact (26×1.75)on the front
<http://www.conti-tyres.co.uk/conticycle/ti%20travel%20contact.shtml&gt;

…and a Spesh Nimbus (26×1.5)on the back.
<http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/productDetails.asp?productID=6821&gt;

both pumped up to 70psi – used on the roads and the odd canal towpath. The Nimbus punctured though when I road over some sharp gravel / stoney track once. I found a bit of flint wedged in it.

Whether they’re the best commuter tyres out there I’ve no idea but they work for me.

K

Schwalbe landsharks (i think thats their name). Puncture resistant so far………. and roll really easy.

Schwalbe Marathons here with the ‘ugly’ reflective sidewalls…which work really well. For a commuter the resistance to flats has got to be the priority and these do the trick well.