Road Plus

Yes.

Really.

Then again, they’re skinwalls, so they’re cool.

Having a bike with 700x38s on that I can comfortably ride on rutted and banged up paths I’m fundamentally failing to see what the point is.

However, since I was a 29r decrier when they first came out and my go to bike is now a 29r maybe they’re awesome…

Logo on rim is not aligned with tyre. 😯

Been thinking about this for about a year, drop bar 29er with big apples on.

Road Plus aims to enhance the capabilities of endurance road and gravel bikes, giving riders the ability to comfortably take on even more adventurous rides

Its the only think that has been stopping me shredding the gnarr on the asphalt

That said I can see why folk want a higher volume tyre for the rough roads we have but then I recall rule 5.

Hardly a new thing, but interesting to see some bigger names trying to drag it a bit more mainstream…

Not so obvious why you can just use bigger tyres on 700c. Its not like a larger diameter isn’t helpful over rough bits

But who knows maybe it will be the new thing

One can only assume the bike companies balance sheets are looking a little weak – smacks of total desperation 😯 I’m well up for innovation but this is getting silly

Meanwhile I’ll keep riding my steel fixed with 700c wheels which is pretty much the same as my Dad was riding in the 50s and 60s and isn’t so far removed from the Rover Safety from c 1890… and takes me pretty much anywhere I need to for day to day travel

This isn’t actually new, is it? Haven’t the French been doing this for….ever?

Been done already by Jan Heine/compass tyres – unless you ride on super smooth tarmac there is zero point in running the skinny road tyres that come with road bikes.

Looks like a good idea… for the real world… more comfort without more toe overlap.

brooess – Member
Meanwhile I’ll keep riding my steel fixed with 700c wheels which is pretty much the same as my Dad was riding in the 50s and 60s

ahhh, i remember when 700c was the new standard and we all had to swap from 27″

🙂

amedias – Member

interesting to see some bigger names trying to drag it a bit more mainstream… repackage it and sell it as a new idea

I’ve been impressed with WTB’s rims recently but this really makes me want to stab someone in the face tbh. And it’ll be the same pish as Boost, if it takes off- lots of companies that never used to consider selling a frame with enough space in it for a larger tyre and acted like you were weird to think of using more than 28C, will suddenly tell you fat tyres are really important.

You appear to be mistakenly assuming the point is a technical advantage.

Skinny(ish) tyres work fine on all normal tarmac – it’s only when riding on non-tarmac there’s any need or point for anything else.

Sorry, kitty

I bloody knew it was coming, I swear I predicted road bike wheels would be next to be frigged with…

In essence you can sort of see the logic, roadies have cottoned on to the concept of slightly wider (25-28mm), higher volume tyres being more comfortable in recent years. But I think they’ve picked the wrong gimmick, they should have gone for “gravel plus” first (presumably that’s on the way too) I just don’t reckon roadies are going to fall for this one, where shoving a higher volume tyre on drop bared, offroad bike probably has more chance of selling, and arguably makes more practical sense, but then why not simply plonk bigger tyres on a 622 rim?… Oh hang on…

The Skin-walls are pretty though, so that’s something…

This will only make sense if combined with a new hub standard! 😡

I dont see the issue, It’s a good idea to build frames that can run either wheel size so you have the options if you want. Its not like with mtbing where the new standards mean nothing old is compatible.
It sounds like they are looking at frames that can be used like this potentially expanding the possiblities of your current bike.

This has been a thing for ages, nothing to get upset about.

35c+ on 700c is fine if you’re big, but for shorties 650 makes sense.

More not less rubber on more versatile road-ish bikes is excellent news for most of us. I don’t have a road bike at the moment at all, but I was coming to the conclusion that 700x30mm (preferably tubeless) was about right, so I’m delighted to see what’s about when I’m next buying.

🙂

when 700c was the new standard and we all had to swap from 27″

Wasn’t it just us in the uk that had to be dragged onto 700s?

So a gravel plus bike is basically my hybrid with curvy bars? So they’re making hybrids and tourers and giving them funny names?

Before you know it they’ll be introducing gravel plus flat bar suspension bikes. Erm…mtb anyone?

Looks like the tyres I had on my old Raleigh Arena

Before you know it they’ll be introducing gravel plus flat bar suspension bikes. Erm…mtb anyone?

There’s a massive overlap of capabilities among very differently-styled bikes for medium distance/not-too-fast/not-too-rough/on-and-off-road riding.

A vast proportion of the regular bike rides that loads of us do would probably be absolutely fine on a CX/tourer/”gravel” bike/hybrid/XC-mtb/trail-mtb. You’d just be faster/enjoy it more in different places on the different bikes.

Just as a vast load of other rides are absolutely fine on a trail/enduro/all-mountain/marathon bike.

🙂

I may be missing something here but didn’t cannondale do this with the slate a while ago.

well it’s nice to be a trail blazer for once, I’v been riding Compass Switchback Pass 650b X 48mm tyres since they came out last year… they’re fab. Get the extralight versions with the supple sidewall and it’s like riding on clouds 🙂

Live and let live. You don’t have to use it.

chunky slick tyres for the 26 were never called “+” they just had dimensions in inches not mm 😕

Im tempted to be a bit less cynical about this idea than I have been about most other wheel standard introductions.

firstly it seems like a really good idea – my commute to work includes loads of roads that have been dug up so often Iv seen smoother bridleways. Yet its still 22 miles so not really need a racer

Secondly they appear to have made it so the wheel is the same width and height as a standard wide road wheel… so all you would have to change is the wheels, not frame and forks. I’m pretty sure my bike cant be upgraded as looking at the spacing at the back I’m still not sure I can even squeeze 25c tyres in there! but still its a change many will be able to make relatively cheaply.

Whats not to like?

Hmm, I wonder if I could put one just on the front…?

650c was a standard for road bikes before the mtb world decided they liked “just right” middle sizes. We had a lovely ladies road bike that fitted teens1 and 2 perfectly when they were younger. Sadly nobody is really making this prefect size now, so XS road bikes look a little out of sorts.

The good news is that there will now be a good range of tyres so when the current 650b hard tails there will be a good range of tyres to let them become commuters etc.

They work wonders for toe overlap too, not just short arses. 650b X 48 has the same approx diameter as 700c X 35.

The road whole 650b road thing has been building in the US for some years now thanks to Jan Heine and BQ.. and of course the French.

bigdean – Member
Been thinking about this for about a year, drop bar 29er with big apples on.

Singular Gryphon with 2″ 700c Big Apples or Marathons and a pannier rack.

4 years now as an excellent 20 mile each way commuter. Year round.

(I know 2″ 700c isn’t a proper tyre size, but you know what I mean)

Captain Flashheart, always late to the party but like to make an entrance?

Having a bike with 700x38s on that I can comfortably ride on rutted and banged up paths I’m fundamentally failing to see what the point is.

Because not everyone is going to be able to fit 700x38s on their road bike (think seattube clearance or fork crown clearance), The RoadPlus gives you the additional volume but at a diameter much more likely to fit your frame.

so all you would have to change is the wheels, not frame and forks

not sure how good your rim brakes are going to be using the tyre side wall.

umop3pisdn – Member

This has been a thing for ages, nothing to get upset about.

That’s kind of the entire point. An idea probably older than the marketing man who decided to rebrand it Road Plus and pretend it’s new and exciting.

it is a little bit new and exciting 🙂

If you can’t fit 700x38s I doubt the width of these will fit in your forks and seatstays. Not to mention that they will only work with disc brake 700c bikes – the majority of which will fit 700×38. They’re not really something you can just slot in an existing road bike in anything like the way some people seem to think. TBH I have to question the design of any bike which will fit these tyres but not 700x38s – do you happen to know of any like that?

not sure how good your rim brakes are going to be using the tyre side wall.

So whats the difference in height of braking surface between the standard wheels and these new ones? (I’m not a roadi)
That would be a shame as there seems to be plenty of clearance in my forks for such a wheel on the front. You can drop the pads down a bit on my brakes from what I recall – Will this not be enough?

So whats the difference in height of braking surface between the standard wheels and these new ones?

19mm