I've finally managed to get MsGinge out on her bike, with me and the kids, around our local forest trails. Hopefully this will be a more common occurrence from now on and so I need to get some more appropriate tyres on her bike than the 28 mm slicks she is currently running.
The world of touring/gravel tyres isn't one that I'm familiar with so I was wondering what people here might recommend for us. I think we should be ok fitting something up to 40 mm into her frame and would want something that is ok riding on tarmac, gravel/hardpack forest trails and, ideally, relatively sandy trails too.
Having had a quick look about on the schwalble website I was thinking that their G-One Allround/Bite, Land Cruiser, Marathon Mondial or Marathon Plus Tour all seem like sensible candidates but I have no idea which, if any, would actually work for our needs.
Continental Travel Contact (folding for lower weight)
Very puncture resistant, good on tarmac and good side knobs for a bit of extra grip when turning.
Land Cruiser work for cruising about on mixed fire road and tarmac. Occasional muddy tracks - but it makes the handling/grip “interesting”
WTB Nano is available in 40c.
I'd have said Land Cruiser as well.
What Kerley said - I have these on 3 bikes and love 'em. great tyres
I just put a pair of Specialized Crossroads on my 26" Charge Duster so I can ride on the road to Cannock Chase and along the main tracks on it. They seem to have a good mix of smooth rolling and chunky cornering treads. Mine are 26X1.9 and the 700c ones say they are 38s.
G-One Allrounds work great for me. On and off road. Got some sharp flinty gravel tracks round here and not puncture once with the tubeless. Pricey and buggers to fit are the downsides.
Actually the first tyres I've ever replaced with the same more than once. Luckily found a pair cheap on ebay recently.
I think I'd go for something from Specialized if I had to pay full whack for the G-Ones.
Vittoria adventure trail are ace and dirt cheap at Planet X, or they were the last time I looked.
I've a set of Landcruisers in the Classifieds ...
Schwalbe Land cruiser 700×35. x2
Tough old boots, but roll well enough. One has had a couple of month’s use, the other is unused. Good commuter/cheap gravel option. £14 the pair.
(Plus postage). PM me if interested.
Bontrager GR1
Depends on the clearance. Some hybrids can't take much more than 28 - 32 mm tyres. Tread pattern will not matter much on gravel forest trails unless she is trying to rag it round corners. Width and pressure will make the biggest difference. Don't over think it.
Land cruiser = boat anchor
I got a pair of these Schwalbe Marathon Cross tyres last week and they work pretty well off road. Much lighter than land Cruisers and roll well on road. Bargain price too
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tyres/700-x-38-40622-schwalbe-marathon-cross-hs470-tyre-700-622/
There are not many reviews around but you can find them on the US Schwalbe site
Spesh Trigger.
Thanks for all the advice.
<Fickle> In true STW form I've not taken any of it and ended up ordering a set of 700-42, folding, Continental AT Rides from bike 24. </Fickle>
They will be fine on Gravel, not what I would choose for road though but in the end you won't be doing any races so doesn't really matter