Been running kenda small block 8's on my touring/commuting/winter road bike for the last year but found them pretty draggy - would see an average of 25km/h whereas my road bike would get 30+km/h for same effort. They have however been excellent in other respects, no p words, happy on whatever surface and confident in most conditions.
I've just put some cheap OEM 23's on and the bike (in a straight line) is transformed, far faster. However sketchy as a sketchy thing on sustrans type cycle paths and wet grimy roads where the sb8's would be grand.
So what tyre for winter commuting incl gravel canal path and sustrans cycle path? My bike can run up to 32 under the guards.
Do I stick with sb8's or are there other low crr, high puncture protection, high grip tyres out there?
I appreciate this could be moon & stick territory.
Evo ron front, evo ralph back. All the time for everything.
Not the best for road riding and not the best for extreme off road.. But they cover all bases for me.
Schwalbe Marathon Supreme?
4500 miles since Feb on marathon supremes. 24 mile round trip daily commute. Mix of swinley fire road, road, kitty litter canal path (Hawley / Cove bypass) then cycle route. Not a single puncture.
They are pretty slick but run them lowish pressure for grip. Unfortunately if you want grip you need knoblies like the small blocks, if you want speed you need slicks. Supremes have cut outs to shed water and improve grip but on muddy paths or wet leaves they are not great (as expected).
Guess it depends on how much Road vs off road you routes take you! For the puncture protection alone the supremes are amazing.
On One Gravel Road. 120tpi folders for £15 each.
I've gone from Vittoria CX tyres to Vittoria Touring tyres to Gravel Roads and the GRs grip better than the CX tyres yet roll faster than the touring tyres. I replaced them with Challenge Gravel Racer file tread tyres and they went slick pretty quickly (1000 miles) and then started to lose chunks. Straight back to GRs when they came back into stock.
continental cyclocross speed would be my choice but any similar file tread would do. I find mine ok on the road and most of the time ok on gravel. If you hit mud you will struggle. Did the C2C on them and the sandstone way.
+1 Schwalbe marathons
+1 for Marathons
Schwalbe marathon racers
Vittoria Randonneur 28c (cheapest version) £13.49
I've fitted a rear one after deciding the expensive Armadillo Elites weren't as tough as the Specialized Dealer claimed they were. Too soon to tell about the Vittoria yet (with only 100miles done so far), but if they hold up they will be cheap way to get through future winters!
Loving Schwalbe Marathon Tours on my 26er rigid commuter. No mudguards for me though. Marathons are quite a tall tyre so worth checking clearance that way as well as width under your 'guards.
My sister swears by her Schwalbe Land Cruisers - think you can get them in 700c. Heavy though, but bloody tough.
Got Conti TourRide 700x47 trekking tyres on the Kona Ute. Continuous central bead rolls smoothly and keeps carcass elevated away from glass etc. Side tread is deep enough for muddy canal paths, LRT and easy singletrack. They weight about a kilo each, however narrower ones will be lighter and still bombproof. Much cheaper than Marathon+ too.
Gravel Kings - fast grippy and the name is cool
I commute on my 29er and I also use schwalbe land cruisers 700 x 40c. Heavy but so far have been bomb proof. Used mainly for back roads,canal towpath and disused railway (and some night rides on local singletrack and bridleways)
If they still make them, Conti Sport Contacts, 700x32.
Used them for the exact use you talk about on my bike, plus a 100 mile wintry road ride. Roll much better than Marathons and I think I wore a pair out with only 1 puncture.
Marathon Supremes +1. Had a set on my old tourer, wish I'd taken them off before I sold it. Buy from German sites for a good price (after checking with your LBS who won't have any).
Schwalbe Marathons if you want bombproof but heavy
Schwalbe Durano Plus if you want marginally less bombproof but a lot lighter.
They do them in various widths up to about 30c for the Durano and 45ish for the Marathons
another vote for land cruisers here. great, cheap all round tyre.
The continental tour rides in 47c are £14 delivered for a pair on amazon!
My next change from On One Gravel roads (which are excellent BTW) will be over to a pair of Schwalbe Snow Studs. 😀
I bet all the Studs will have fallen out before it gets cold!
Marathons...
I'm currently using the Vittoria Hypers Planet-x were selling off cheap, but they are puncturing quite a bit now its winter (city commute, lots of glass!)
Have a browse here... http://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/tour-reviews
Standard Marathon comes out quite well given the puncture resistance.
Schwalbe Marathons.
I was going through tubes like socks before I got the Marathons, and now I can ride (and indeed have ridden) through glass fields, without a puncture.
The comfort of knowing that I am going to get to work and return in the evening without any trouble is unspeakably nice.
I can't believe it took me as long as it did to discover (read: ask STW about) them.