tires

[floyd]

I'm new to the touring scene having ridden mostly on racing oriented bikes.  What are the sweet tires for a touring bike?  Are any foldable?

[ATSFfan]

I've done some research and found the Panaracer Pasela to be one of the better tires. Available in both wire and kevlar beaded (non folding/folding) and kevlar belt (puncture prevention, and a variety of sizes (700 x 32, 35, and 37 widths). For some reason the tread design on the 37 width is different from the 32 & 35mm widths.

I've used Panaracer tires for almost 20 years and think they're some of the best quality tires made for touring.

Richard Pace

[pmspirito]

May I recomend tires reinforced with Kevlar, Velox rim tape, Tuffy liners, and thorn proof tubes.  Over the years this set up has never let me down.  I just gave my EZ racer a tune-up and picked out glass embedded in the tread so deep that I know I would have had a flat if not for the combo I use.

Peter Spirito

[biker_james]

The Continental Top Touring 2000's are great tires in my book, and for a lot of others. I alos run Mr Tuffy tire liners to minimize the flat issue( I think its about 3 flats in 4 years for 2 bikes with this set up). I did try a set of Schwalbe Marathons when my first set of Conti's started to wear out. I really disliked the difference in handling with the new tires. I also skipped the tire liners since the Marathons have a Kevlar belt, and got a flat in pretty short order. The Marathons are now in the garage, and a new set of Conti's is on the bike.
There does seem to be an issue with supply of Continentals at least here in Canada-several times shops have tried and just been unable to get them for us, so shen we find some we just grab them.

[Lucky13]

Some choices...

Schwalbe Marathon
Continental Top Touring 2000
Continental Travel Contact
Avocet Cross II K

I've had good luck over the years while running on 700x35  Avocet Cross tires.

[Joferd]

Don't know if anyone still reads this thread, but here goes...  I like to use Ritchey Tom Slicks... Never have flat problems.

I think, therefore I am uncertain....    

[rootchopper]

I have been using Avocet II's (with kevlar belt) on my Sequoia for years.  They come in 700 X 38 which gives a nice cushy ride.  I use a Chengling kevlar belted tire (700X35) on the rear of my tour easy recumbent.  

My experience with tire liners was very negative.  I had no conventional flats, but did experience side wall blow outs.  Give me regular old flats anyday.  (I took the tire liners out.)  For a complete blow by blow (pun sadly intended, see www.indc2003.crazyguyonabike.com, and click on the seventh day of my trip into Rockwood, PA.)

I know Conti Top Touring tires are very popular but I thought they didn't roll as smoothly as the Avocets.  Still they are extremely popular with tourists and commuters.  

[JayH]

I have a set of the 26" Avocets IIKs (1.5") that I used for a loaded bike trip to the Berkshires for 2 weeks, no flats, very smooth ride, no problem with traction on the road in the rain. Even did some fireroad riding to a covered bridge without a problem. My Avocets have a Kevlar belt but not a kevlar bead so they're not foldable.  

Jay  

[davesiskind]

I have used over hundreds of  tires in 45 years and
the Conti Top Touring 2000 700x32's are the best.  
I have also gotten high mileages on IRC Duro II's.  
My new book has reports on these:

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USA and the ‘70’s to ‘00’s Minnesota, a retro
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[bentrider]

I've used Vredeseien Road Slicks on my recumbent. This is the only company I know make a 1.3" x 26" road slick that is foldable. It's a Dutch company and they use them on racing recumbents as well. They travel very well on pavement but they wear very quickly which is probably a major draw back. I use another slightly heavier,non-foldable(Kenda's)tire as my main tires and use the roadslicks as emergency spares as they take less space in the bags when touring. My problem on a 26" wheel is finding good touring tires as most tour bikes seem to be 700cc size.

[DaveB]

Two Comments/Questions:

1. Why the insistance on * when you spell pass?  Are you that worried about sounding "obscene"?

2.  Doesn't this posting belong in the "Classified" section?  It's obviously an ad for your book.

[Dan]

I used a Performance city st (26 X 1.5) on the rear
and a Ritchey Tom Slick (26 X 1.0) on the front
while on a 3600 mile west to east cross country
tour and had 3 flats the whole trip.  Two on the rear
and one in the front.  I also used slime tubes.  If the
slime didn't completely fill in the puncture it let the
air escape much slower so I could ride a mile or
two farther to a preferable/safer place to apply a
patch or install a new tube.  I will add that all 3 of
my flats occured because of that thin piece of steel
wire that come from car tires after they blow out.