Tyres for Boardman Hybrid Comp

sumitkaria

I have some continental gatorskins 28s on my bike at 80psi. Finding the ride a little uncomfortable - anyone recommend any tyres which are a little more forgiving?

Stevo_666

I use the Conti Sport Contacts in a 32 size. Can happily be run anywhere from about 55 psi: the extra size and lower pressure should help.

sumitkaria

what do you think of the marathon plus in a 28? would they be better

tarbot18

try lowering the pressure in your gatorskins to 60 ish should help a lot dont go with marathon s very heavy tyre compared to gatorskins and will really slow you up.

Stevo_666

sumitkaria wrote:

what do you think of the marathon plus in a 28? would they be better

Never tried the Marathons Plus, but unless you're particularly puncture prone then probably not worth it on the weight front. 28's should be OK as they are what Boardman spec as the tyre size out of the box - like has been said above, try lowering the pressures a bit.

Hammerboylee

I have changed the tyres on my Hybrid Comp to 30c Schwalbe Comps. They are amazing. Roll the same as the standard tyres but alot better grip and the ability to go off road. Plus they are alot more comfortable running at between 60-70psi. Being only 30 wide you don't loose any speed and basically don't get puntures

Steven2529

HELP!!

I have just this week purchased a Boardman hybrid comp and also feel the ride uncomfortable. When i purchased the bike through Halfords i bought Marathon Plus online as they don't stock them. They advised the biggest tyre it would take was 32 so i bought some. When they tried to fit them, i was told they kept popping off the rim.

the rims are 4 disc 4D/XR and i can't find any information on them or manufacturer to allow me to find out what the internal rim size is and thus buy the correct tyre size.

Can anyone help with this please

apreading

Might be worth reading this thread: viewtopic.php?f=40052&t=12893219

As I understand it, the spec sheets say you should have Alex DP17 rims - with a 17mm internal width, they should be able to take 35s, certainly the 32s should be OK.

Having said that, I bought a pair of 32s when I got my Hybrid Team as I came from mountain bikes with big tyres and wanted more comfort, but after a couple of weeks of not getting round to swapping the tyres, I got used to the 28s that came on it and have never bothered - the 32s are gathering dust, unused.

What pressures do you have in the 28s that came on the bike? you should be able to run them quite low, like 75-85 PSI which makes a massive difference compared to over 100PSI that many roadies with skinny tyres use. Well worth checking that.

I wonder if your 32s were popping off the rim because Halfords were trying to put too much pressure in?

Having said that, I think the Marathon plus is supposed to have a very firm ride, due to their rigidity and puncture protection, so may not be any more comfy, even though they are wider than the stock tyres...

Steven2529

Thanks apreading!

The rims are actually 4 disc 4D/XR and you can actually see them on the bike in the thread you sent me. However, when you go onto the Boardman website they state they are fitted with Alex DP17 as you say.

I will try dropping the Psi to 85 as i think they are at 120 at the moment and have no doubt that will help with the comfort.

The roads around my area are notoriously bad and would prefer a tyre that would give me some puncture resistance hence the reason for Marathon Plus but as i am new to this i am open to alternatives

Thanks again!

apreading

It all seems to be a compromise between grip, rolling resistance, weight, puncture resistance and comfort - doesnt seem possible to have all, so everything is about choosing the best compromise.

I believe (and have just bought some to verify for myself!) that the Continental GP 4 Seasons may be the best compromise of all. Good grip, even in the wet, not too heavy but good puncture resistance and not paper thin sidewalls like some, but still supple enough not to sacrifice too much comfort.

As I understand the Marathon Plus are the best for puncture resistance but very rigid, harsh ride which feels a bit dead and heavy. Seem very much to be a jack of ONE trade - albeit if that is really important maybe a good option.

The 4 Seasons seem almost as good for puncture resistance but lighter and more comfortable.

The Conti GP 4000S seem to be better for rolling resistance, weight and suppleness but not necessarily comfort as they dont go wider than 25s.

I am currently trying a 25mm 4000S front with a 28mm 4 seasons rear (although the 28mm 4 seasons looks more like a 26mm in reality!). Seems as comfortable as the original Zaffiro 28mms that I had despite the narrower width and do roll and grip better.

If you are running at 120PSI then going to 85 will be a REVELATION!!! (capitals intended)

You might find this tyre pressure calculator useful - it tells you what you should be running based on 15% tyre drop:
http://www.dorkypantsr.us/bike-tire-pre ... lator.html

It uses the graph from the "Bike Quarterly" publication: http://www.bikequarterly.com/images/TireDrop.pdf , on the basis that a 15% 'drop' is ideal when the tyre is under load. Whether the whole 15% thing is absolutely right or not is a matter of debate(!), but it's a good starting point. The most useful calculator on the page is the second one down.

Dont know if any of the tyre advice helps, but I am quite sure that dropping the pressures will.

Dave Shaw

Hi, I have a Kona Jake the Snake CX bike. I recently tried Durano Plus 700x28 tyres but found I had lost all the comfort from my ride. I have put a new set of Sammy Slick 700x35s on the bike and all is well again. I did use some Bikehut 700x38 puncture resistant tyres; these were actually really good just too heavy for my hilly commute. They were very strong and comfortable; giving a plush and safe ride in any weather.

Steven2529

Thank you all.....great help!