What the best 700c tyre for touring

infopete

Recently I've toured on gatorskins 23, Pro race 3's 23 mm and 25, krylions 23mm and recently Continental Gran Prix's 24mm

If you're only cycling on roads then whatever you currently have on your bike will do. If you intend to go off road a bit then I would suggest the Gran Prix.

Mrs P has only toured on Krylions or Pro Race but then I get to carry the tent.

maringirl

I have used Conti Contacts 700 x 28 for years now. The pair I have on the bike have been there for four years and still loads of wear in them. I only recall one puncture.

samsbike

Hoopdriver wrote:

samsbike wrote:

I must be one of the unlucky ones as I have managed to have 2 punctures in under 1k miles on teh M+. However, I probably would have had more given my commute is half crappy canal path.

That is astoundingly unlucky. What was it that punctured your tyre?

First one was a piece of glass and the second was a longish (inch long) thin piece of wire.

As I learnt if you suddenly find the ride improving on a M+ its probably a puncture!

RowanM

I love Schwalbe Kojaks. Easy rolling and relatively reluctant to puncture. I have ridden them all around France and Spain, and am taking them to Italy in a fortnight. They are not so good in dirt and mud (they are totally slick) but I managed to ride from Maastricht to Luxembourg on the weekend on them with much of it being off-road, and that was after doing the 250km Amstel Gold Race tour version the day before. So a nice versatile tyre!


This was workable on my slick Kojacks, but a bit challenging I admit!

baron_o_buchlyvie

I reckon the ouncture proof "advantages" of the M+ are overstated. Most tyres nowadays are made with decent puncture protection. I managed to get a flat on the M+ within a day of buying it (longish bit of glass). I've now changed to Panaracer RibMos and the difference in weight and rolling resistance is marvellous. Riding is a pleasure now rather than the chore it was with the Marathons. There's really no need for these tyres. Ever.

The best 700c touring tyres I ever used were Specialized Armadillos.

martinperry

Just got back from organising a Paris trip with 10 other riders. For the record, the puncture toll was as follows.
Conti city contact (28/25mm) 3 punctures (one on a pretty shagged tyre - mine!) 4 bikes
Gatorskins (23mm) 2 punctures 4 bikes
GP 4000s (23mm) 0 punctures 1 bike
Marathon plus (28mm) 0 punctures 2 bikes
Unscientific, but a reasonable sample
Ive just replaced my shagged city contacts with Marathons!

Bodhbh

Baron o Buchlyvie wrote:

I reckon the ouncture proof "advantages" of the M+ are overstated. Most tyres nowadays are made with decent puncture protection. I managed to get a flat on the M+ within a day of buying it (longish bit of glass). I've now changed to Panaracer RibMos and the difference in weight and rolling resistance is marvellous. Riding is a pleasure now rather than the chore it was with the Marathons. There's really no need for these tyres. Ever.

The best 700c touring tyres I ever used were Specialized Armadillos.

I go with this. Most of the Marathon range are pretty tough - the only things to get thru my XRs where a 4 inch nail and a chisel head shaped piece of flint, both hitting them square. Not sure a M+ would be any better there. Plus, I've found after so many miles the inner and/or rim tape may shift about and you get a cut and a flat no matter what the outers are. I'm no weenie, but I'd rather spend the weight/rolling resistance budget on either fatter tyres or a bit of tread for off-road capability and a plusher comfier ride.

sm1234

I'm out on the road doing rtw tour right now. Fitted marathon+ recently (had to import to Indonesia from UK!), they replaced some VERY cheap lighter local tyres - I had to take what I could get -700c's are a pain to get hold of out here. Marathon + definitely feel heavier and go slower. Ignore those who deny this. But equally ignore those who say it's going to be ridiculously slow - 5% max, probably less. I have had no punctures with Marathon + (cycling buddy with M+ has had a couple in last 5000km, compared to me & other cyclist with half a dozen or so punctures each). So u need to just weigh up punctures vs weight - but neither will be a deal breaker, unless you really can't fix punctures or really need to shave a few minutes here or there.

Enjoy your tour!
Steve

TomBruce

I cycled over 11,000 miles on Schwalbe marathon plus tour tyres. They were absolutely incredible. I don't think I had any punctures for the first few thousand miles. I got a few near the 10,000 mile mark from the very fine wire that had come out of exploding lorry tyres. I would definitely recommend them.

www.tombrucecycling.com. Bike ride around the world, touring advice, blog, photos, book...

Hoopdriver

Baron o Buchlyvie wrote:

I reckon the ouncture proof "advantages" of the M+ are overstated. Most tyres nowadays are made with decent puncture protection. I managed to get a flat on the M+ within a day of buying it (longish bit of glass). I've now changed to Panaracer RibMos and the difference in weight and rolling resistance is marvellous. Riding is a pleasure now rather than the chore it was with the Marathons. There's really no need for these tyres. Ever.

The best 700c touring tyres I ever used were Specialized Armadillos.

It's clear you have very little experience of remote area touring...