Tyre choice for newbie ladies doing coast to coast...!

pilot_pete

Ok

My wife has decided that her and a bunch of friends are going to do another coast to coast. I say 'another' because three of them did one last year, now there will be six of them. None of them are experienced cyclists; for example my wife borrowed a friends husbands 'old banger' of a bike to do it last year, the gears didn't work properly, it didn't fit her and she refused to even ask me for any advice because she thought I would take it all too seriously! :roll:

Anyhow, bought her a lovely Giant Defy disc for crimbo, which she still hasn't ridden, but she has released this years 'plans' to the group so route, accommodation etc is all sorted! Although she still doesn't want to accept any advice from the BC coach who does 150 miles a week (Lord knows why), a few of the group have started asking about a few basics. So, I will be holding a puncture repair class next week, which really is a must so that at least one of the group can fix a puncture.

They are going to be riding a Sustrans route which my wife says is predominantly off road. I have ascertained what she means is predominantly dedicated cycle paths as opposed to single track! But some bits are a bit 'gravel trail' type off road surface, which brings me around to the reason for the post. Her bike came with standard (I am guessing cheap and cheerful) tyres which I guess will offer little in the way of puncture protection so am looking to put on something a little more robust to try to prevent them having to practice their new found puncture repair techniques!

So, question is, what tyres? Schawlbe Marathon Plus seem indestructible from the reviews I have read but an absolute bitch to get on the rims, so perhaps not the best choice for a bunch of ladies should they be unlucky and actually suffer a puncture.

What about their Marathon Touring Tyre with GreenGuard? Anyone with experience? How easy or difficult to get on and off the rim are they? CRC have them for £13.99 each and I can get 10% off with BC discount (as long as I buy a Garmin 1000 at the same time to take it to over £100 spend!!! )

Am I over thinking it? Are OE fit Giant 25mm tyres up to the job? Do I just teach them to fix punctures, get them a box of cheap tubes and some levers and let them get on with it? Or maybe one of these http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/var-tyre-levers-prod27539/

Thoughts welcome

PP

mrb123

25mm road tyres are going to be pretty uncomfortable on gravel cycle tracks and she'll risk pinch punctures if she drops the pressure too low.

Have a look at Vittoria randonneur pro tyres which are basically a touring tyre. I run them in 35mm on my winter bike. Eminently suitable for a mix of road and gentle off road. Never had a puncture with them yet.

pilot_pete

Cheers MrB

doubt she could fit 35mm tyres in her forks...28mm maybe pushing it...

PP

mrb123

Fair enough. I assumed she might have a bit more clearance on a disc braked bike. I think the narrowest Randonneur Pros come in at 32mm.

How about Panaracer Gravel Kings? I believe they're available in 26mm and 28mm sizes.

markhewitt1978

Some of the off road parts of the route are really very off roady indeed, the climb to Rookhope for example. You're looking at 35mm at minimum I would say. If you can't fit those you need to start researching the route and surfaces carefully.

e.g This is Rookhope, wouldn't fancy it on 25mm

Personally I would go around to Stanhope and climb Crawleyside which is tarmac then pick up the route at Parkhead Station which is then 25mm compliant all the way to Sunderland, but depends how set on the route they are.

fenix

I've done far worse than that on my marathon pluses. I'd really not worry about flatting. So long as they pump them up at the start - they will be fine all the way through. Mine have done 1000s with no 'you know whats'.

noodleman

Just a tip for extra puncture protection. Get some stans and pre-seal the tubes. Could save them having to worry about punctures. It's saved me a few times in the past.

ugo.santalucia

I think your wife needs my wife's bike, but she's not going to have it...

viewtopic.php?f=40044&t=13059193

However, if you have clearance, those Panaracer Pasela tyres are lovely for the job... these are 32, but they also come in 28

arthur_scrimshaw

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I think your wife needs my wife's bike, but she's not going to have it...

viewtopic.php?f=40044&t=13059193

However, if you have clearance, those Panaracer Pasela tyres are lovely for the job... these are 32, but they also come in 28

I've run paselas in 25 and 28 and found them very puncture prone around here (lots of flints though)

disquieting_museeuws

Just my thoughts:

I've walked that Rookhope bit, there is no way I would tackle it without a mountain bike.

There is an alternative road bit parallel to this section, joining back to the Waskerley Way (which is OK-gravelly for a sturdy road bike).

markhewitt1978

disquieting_museeuws wrote:

There is an alternative road bit parallel to this section, joining back to the Waskerley Way (which is OK-gravelly for a sturdy road bike).

There is and personally I would choose the road here even on a MTB as it's awesome. The rest of the C2C from Parkhead to Sunderland is fine I've done it many times on my road bike.

No clue as to what lies to the West.

mikenetic

Vittoria Randonneur ii tyres are available in 25, 28, 32 & 35, and I'd definitely take a look at them.

They are a bit heavier than the Pro version, but are excellent all-round touring tyres. Not too slow, but very robust. They also size up pretty accurately, and are cheap. In addition, they aren't too hard to install either. A 28mm would probably be fine.

debeli

Enjoy your cycling by all means - indeed I would urge you to!

But every indication in the language of your OP is that these people want no guidance or advice or anything similar.

A coast-to-coast ride among friends is not a Polar Expedition. It doesn't sound as if they're treating it as one.

I'd strongly advice you (since you sought advice) to enjoy your own cycling and let those who seek no advice enjoy theirs in their own way.

Even the crappiest of OE tyre on a modern road bike is superior to the better stuff on the market a couple of decades ago. When you first cycled, did someone hover around you telling you how you ought to do it, on which bike and with which equipment?

If so, I'm sorry. I imagine they did not.

Let her and her pals do what they want, as they want and at the pace they want. I hope this counsel helps, but I fear it may not.

Moonbiker

Yeah just let em get on with it they don't want advice, i've tried the giving advice thing before & now i don't bother unless asked.

Iv'e done many roads like that pic on a normal 23mm tyes without punctures - rubino pro. Not comfortable though......

fatdaz

We did it a couple of years ago, all on roadies, predominantly 23mm road tyres (GP4000 type) although 2 of the guys ran Gatorskins. We had 2 punctures between 10 riders and one of those was a Gatorskin. The other puncture was when I hit a raised drain cover on a Tarmac road.

We did do Stanhope / Crawleyside rather than Rookhope though

markhewitt1978

fatdaz wrote:

We did it a couple of years ago, all on roadies, predominantly 23mm road tyres (GP4000 type) although 2 of the guys ran Gatorskins. We had 2 punctures between 10 riders and one of those was a Gatorskin. The other puncture was when I hit a raised drain cover on a Tarmac road.

We did do Stanhope / Crawleyside rather than Rookhope though

What's the route through the Lakes like? As I keep saying that I'm going to do the C2C at some point, but I only have a road bike.

trek_dan

markhewitt1978 wrote:

fatdaz wrote:

We did it a couple of years ago, all on roadies, predominantly 23mm road tyres (GP4000 type) although 2 of the guys ran Gatorskins. We had 2 punctures between 10 riders and one of those was a Gatorskin. The other puncture was when I hit a raised drain cover on a Tarmac road.

We did do Stanhope / Crawleyside rather than Rookhope though

What's the route through the Lakes like? As I keep saying that I'm going to do the C2C at some point, but I only have a road bike.

Do the roadie route via Whinlatter and Hartside, done it many time. And once there and back in a day. One of the most enjoyable routes you can do

milemuncher1

If it was me, I'd go for the Schwalbe marathon deluxe, 700*28c, with the folding bead. Every bit as good as the Marathon plus, Double defence protection, and a folding bead to reduce the weight, and make them easier to get on the rims.

keef66

Debeli wrote:

Enjoy your cycling by all means - indeed I would urge you to!

But every indication in the language of your OP is that these people want no guidance or advice or anything similar.

A coast-to-coast ride among friends is not a Polar Expedition. It doesn't sound as if they're treating it as one.

I'd strongly advice you (since you sought advice) to enjoy your own cycling and let those who seek no advice enjoy theirs in their own way.

Even the crappiest of OE tyre on a modern road bike is superior to the better stuff on the market a couple of decades ago. When you first cycled, did someone hover around you telling you how you ought to do it, on which bike and with which equipment?

If so, I'm sorry. I imagine they did not.

Let her and her pals do what they want, as they want and at the pace they want. I hope this counsel helps, but I fear it may not.

Wise words indeed. I've taken to offering advice only when it's sought now; it's more efficient that way.

“A man convinced against his will Is of the same opinion still” - Dale Carnegie

markhewitt1978

trek_dan wrote:

Do the roadie route via Whinlatter and Hartside, done it many time. And once there and back in a day. One of the most enjoyable routes you can do

Whinlatter and Hartside is a given. It was mostly the route out of Keswick to Penrith I was wondering about.

If I was to do it it would be Whitehaven to Sunderland in a day, getting there is the issue.

trek_dan

markhewitt1978 wrote:

trek_dan wrote:

Do the roadie route via Whinlatter and Hartside, done it many time. And once there and back in a day. One of the most enjoyable routes you can do

Whinlatter and Hartside is a given. It was mostly the route out of Keswick to Penrith I was wondering about.

If I was to do it it would be Whitehaven to Sunderland in a day, getting there is the issue.

If sticking to roads you need to do a small section on the A66. If doing it off road you've got some gravel cycle paths to do which are just about passable for a road bike during the summer.
Get a train to Whitehaven and stay in a cheap BB the night before, most are really accommodating for cyclists.

mrb123

It's worth noting that the cycle path between Keswick and Threlkeld on the old railway line is out of action for the foreseeable future due to a couple of the bridges being taken out by the floods.

If sticking to the road, the only section of the A66 that is unavoidable is a short stretch between Threlkeld and the White Horse, and even then there is a cycle path running alongside the road.

butcher of bakersfield

markhewitt1978 wrote:

Some of the off road parts of the route are really very off roady indeed

...

e.g This is Rookhope, wouldn't fancy it on 25mm

All of the major off-road bits are 'alternative' options to the main route, and I'm pretty sure they're indicated as so. I'd recommend staying off any of them on a road bike, and just sticking to the regular route. Most people seem to take Rookhope because they see the sign pointing up, and off they go without thinking. There's actually two alternatives, both on road.

The Rookhope incline in the picture is actually quite do-able on 25mm tyres, though it gets worse over the top, and you'd absolutely have to take the shortcut to the road further up...which you're not supposed to do (though the sign appears to have gone missing recently 8) ), as the final bit of singletrack I wouldn't want to do on anything but a mountain bike.

All of the railway paths which make up most of the route are fine. I did it on 25mm tyres. 28s or 32s would suite these sections better, and a novice rider may prefer a CX style tyre for more stability in places. But I've ridden worse roads. Some of it used to be bad...it's improved a lot in recent years.