Puncture resistant tan wall commuter tyres?

prhymeate
prhymeate Posts: 795
edited August 2017 in Road buying advice
I'm on the lookout for some good 28mm tan wall commuter tyres around the £20-30 mark. I've ready quite a few good things about panaracer pasela pt but also that they don't always measure quite as wide as they should. not sure how they compare to the panaracer gravelking either... any suggestions would be appreciated.

Comments

  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Most tyres offer some degree of puncture resistance - how much do you need?
  • prhymeate
    prhymeate Posts: 795
    Imposter wrote:
    Most tyres offer some degree of puncture resistance - how much do you need?

    They vary though, so some recommendations as to which offer good puncture resistance or experience that suggests tyre width or puncture resistance isn't as good as advertised would be helpful.
  • mercia_man
    mercia_man Posts: 1,431
    Paselas would be a good choice, I reckon. I used them in 32mm on my tourer and they came up full size - wider than Conti Top Touring and Schwalbe Marathons. Puncture resistance is pretty good but the thin sidewalls are a bit vulnerable to scuffs on kerbs. They roll well for a fast touring tyre. I have also used them in 26x1.75 on a tandem and they worked well on that as well.

    I remember that Paselas were originally undersized some years ago (must be back in the 90s) as were touring tyres from Continental and Specialized but Panaracer later changed the sizing to make them accurate.
  • prhymeate
    prhymeate Posts: 795
    Mercia Man wrote:
    Paselas would be a good choice, I reckon. I used them in 32mm on my tourer and they came up full size - wider than Conti Top Touring and Schwalbe Marathons. Puncture resistance is pretty good but the thin sidewalls are a bit vulnerable to scuffs on kerbs. They roll well for a fast touring tyre. I have also used them in 26x1.75 on a tandem and they worked well on that as well.

    I remember that Paselas were originally undersized some years ago (must be back in the 90s) as were touring tyres from Continental and Specialized but Panaracer later changed the sizing to make them accurate.

    Thanks for your reply. I am wondering if 32's might be too wide for quickish commuting, I'm used to 25's and was planning on getting 28's..although I've seen the 32's on sale for £20 each which might sway me in that direction.
  • w00dster
    w00dster Posts: 880
    What is your commute distance?
    I notice very little between my 25s and 32s for my commute, actually very little between my 33 knobbly and my 25s.
    I only have a 5 mile each way commute, I'd say the 32s would be absolutely fine and wouldn't make a noticeable speed difference. My commute is a mix of road and about 1 mile of loose gravel path around a lake.
    On longer rides (>30 miles) using 32s I still average within a very close range of my 25s as well. There is very little in it - I would estimate as a mean average my 25mm tyres I average just over 20mph and on 32s that are a lot cheaper and heavier I would estimate the mean average as 19.5mph. (25mm tyres I'm anywhere from 19 to 21.5 mph and on the wider tyres I'm anywhere from 18mph to 20.5 mph with the majority being mid to late 19mph)
    My commuter and bad weather bike will be set up this winter with Bontrager R3 32mm tyres (tubeless). I'm hoping to get through the winter without any visits from the puncture fairy. This will be used for commuting, training rides and club rides (approx. 170 miles a week).
    I wouldn't use the 32mm tyres for fast club rides in the summer, but for a quickish commute I would say they will be fine. And if you do get overtaken by someone in the "silly commuter race" thread you can always blame the "slower" rubber.

    I currently have 28s on one of my bikes, Vittoria Corsa G+ with the Tan Side Walls. Using these tyres for commuting the Tan Walls now look grotty and they quickly lose the appealing aesthetic. (Oil and muck from being used in all weathers - so back to all black for commuting)
  • mercia_man
    mercia_man Posts: 1,431
    For commuting, I'd consider 32s if you have the clearance and they are a good price. You would have just that bit more comfort and grip and I doubt you would notice any speed difference. But 28s would also be fine. I've toured with full camping gear on 28s (Vitoria Randonneurs) with no issues.
  • nicklong
    nicklong Posts: 231
    Conti Grand Prix Classic are pretty decent and have brown, rather than tan, sidewalls - probably better for a commuter.

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/continental-gra ... road-tyre/
  • prhymeate
    prhymeate Posts: 795
    Thanks for all the replies, really helpful. I took the plunge and ordered the Panaracer Pasela 32mm. I figure if my bike will be used for commuting 90% of the time (8miles) then 32's should be ok. I think I would have chosen 28's if the price was the same, but they would have cost an extra £30. Also, that way, if I don't get on with them for whatever reason then I'm not too out of pocket.
  • graeme_s-2
    graeme_s-2 Posts: 3,382
    I commute on 38s these days (and did a sportive last Winter on the same bike with 36s). The biggest difference I've actually noticed is acceleration feels a bit sluggish with heavier tyres on. Other than that I've found them to be great.

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