Your Road or Road-ish Riv Rubber Radius (tire width)

[Eric Marth]

Hello people — What size tires do you all run for riding pavement and doing brevets and such? My Hillborne is set up with 44mm Snoqualmie Pass tires from RH. They are slick, I run them at around 37psi. Went with these seeing no downsides. I have clearance for maybe even 48s. Standard casing but I have a set of used extra lights heading to me soon from Vermont which I'm excited to try. 

Curious to know what others think about tire sizes for long paved rides. 

[Damien]

Hey Eric, I'm on a 51 Sam (650b) so keep that in mind as I run through my experience. I started with 42 Paselas and those felt good on long road rides, then moved to 43 rock 'n' roads for some more bite on trails. I wanted to go bigger yet as I was riding more on gravel and trails so I now have 48 gravel king slicks. I like the tread on the gravel kings, but as I find myself riding road more I'm finding the ride is a little bit bouncy, sluggish and heavy on the road at that size, and I find the handling a bit funny. As you're on a larger Sam, your experience might be different, but I feel that on my Sam in that size, 42 in 650b felt to be just about right for road and I'm planning on moving to Rene Herse Babyshoe Pass tires at some point, or even back to the Paselas. 

Hope that's helpful (even though I can't speak to the brevet side of your question)

BTW, your Sam is lovely and the Snoqualmie Pass' look just about perfectly proportioned on it

Damien

[Eric Marth]

Thanks for the notes, Damien! Nice to hear your takes on a series of tire treads and widths. And thanks for the nice words about the bike!

I didn't plan this but Jan Heine just posted a blog about riding a 400km paved brevet on 2.3" Rat Trap Pass tires. He liked it! 

https://www.renehersecycles.com/too-much-tire-a-road-test/

[Richard Rose]

Well, I am running 27.5” x 48mm Panaracer Gravelking SS tires on my Clem Smith Jr. I run them between 35 - 40 psi most of the time. They are silent & plush on pavement & just a blast on smoother gravel / hardpack. And they are very nice on mild singletrack. Very happy with these tires (tubeless) suggested to me by Analog Cycles. To be honest I had 29” x 55 RH Fleecer Ridge tires on my Jones (sold) and these are quieter & just as plush for a lot less $$.

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 9, 2022, at 8:23 AM, Eric Marth <eric...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hello people — What size tires do you all run for riding pavement and doing brevets and such? My Hillborne is set up with 44mm Snoqualmie Pass tires from RH. They are slick, I run them at around 37psi. Went with these seeing no downsides. I have clearance for maybe even 48s. Standard casing but I have a set of used extra lights heading to me soon from Vermont which I'm excited to try. 

Curious to know what others think about tire sizes for long paved rides. 

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/cfe3c3e9-343b-4264-9061-4697ae2b5920n%40googlegroups.com.

[Richard Rose]

Forgot to mention; “long” paved ride for me is 50’ish miles. Buy planning longer…:)

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 9, 2022, at 8:23 AM, Eric Marth <eric...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hello people — What size tires do you all run for riding pavement and doing brevets and such? My Hillborne is set up with 44mm Snoqualmie Pass tires from RH. They are slick, I run them at around 37psi. Went with these seeing no downsides. I have clearance for maybe even 48s. Standard casing but I have a set of used extra lights heading to me soon from Vermont which I'm excited to try. 

Curious to know what others think about tire sizes for long paved rides. 

--

[amill...@gmail.com]

Call me old school but for strictly road I’m happiest with 700x38. And when I say strictly road that means I reserve the right to try and ride anything else I find enticing. 

I’ve come to that conclusion after riding many miles on various widths of 26, 650b and 700c tires. 

I did read Jan’s blog this morning. It was interesting. I’m glad he noted that regardless of speed, feel plays a large role in which tires we pick for a ride. I like the way 700x38 feels on my 57cm road oriented frames. 

Best,

Aaron in El Paso 

On Aug 9, 2022, at 07:33, Richard Rose <rmro...@gmail.com> wrote:

Forgot to mention; “long” paved ride for me is 50’ish miles. Buy planning longer…:)

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/B589A924-4EAF-4BD7-8FDE-060636627640%40gmail.com.

[Steven Sweedler]

I’ve been riding (and touring ) on RTP’s for a few years now  and Jan’s post this morning makes it pretty clear thats not the reason I am as slow as I am. Also nice to see such an endorsement for 26” wheels. Steve

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/06030D51-882B-4A39-A1DA-D299BFFBAFCB%40gmail.com.

--

Steven Sweedler
Plymouth, New Hampshire

[jamin orrall]

Beautiful Sam! here is my homer on 38mm paselas, very narrow rims so they only measure out to about 36.  It feels great on the road but I definitely want to go wider, thinking about rebuilding the wheels with wider rims and fancy 42mm tires.  I was going to suggest Jan's blog post this morning as well.

Jamin

[Brian Turner]

This doesn't really speak to tire width, but I continue to be impressed by the RH knobby offerings. I love feeling confident that I can ride all day on pavement, gravel or even singletrack and the tires perform admirably on all surfaces. They're surprisingly fast, quiet, and feel great. I have 650b x 48 Juniper Ridge on one bike, and 26" x 2.3" Humptulips on another. Typically I run down to 24 psi for gravel or off-roadish stuff, and 30-32 psi if I'm going to be primarily on asphalt.

[Eric Marth]

Thanks for all the takes. Glad to see everyone's into going for plump tires :) 

Jamin, love that maroon bar tape and the general setup of your Homer. Lugged stem and seatpost! What's size rings do you have on your crank? Looks like a SunXCD. I'm considering putting Suntour barcons on my Hillborne, I have Suntour Cyclone derailers. 

[Mike Godwin]

35 Gravel King slicks on the Roadeo, 38 Gravel King slicks on the BMC Monstercross, 38 SOMA Supple Vittesse (measure 35, but tall) on the Bob Jackson, 35 Bontrager somethings on the Poprad. Sometimes the GK tires on the Roadeo seem wide because the front end handling seems to change a bit depending on the coarseness of the road surface. But I really like the smooth ride in the cushion of air the wider tires offer.

Mike "fat and happy" Godwin in SLO CA

[Jason Fuller]

I find 38-44mm to be the sweet spot for me for road (and road-ish) riding, including brevets but certainly not including crit racing. I can see wanting narrower if you need that razor-sharp handling and instant power transfer for fast, tightly packed peloton racing but otherwise the only argument that makes sense to me for narrower road tires is that one simply prefers the road feedback of a higher pressure, lower volume tire.  I find 38-44mm at ~40psi gives me the balance between feeling the road but also smoothing out the bumps.  Bigger than this and I feel that I'm giving up more in feel (slower, less precise steering; disconnected from the road) than I'm gaining in comfort. Of course, this is much bigger than popular road riding belief, but I chalk that up to trickle-down from racing, which doesn't actually represent what makes sense for most riders.  

[Corwin Zechar]

I generally go as big/wide as the bike will accommodate. For some bikes (e.g., my Hubbuhubbuh) this is 75mm. For others (e.g., my Quickbeam) it is 44mm. I recently came into a Ram. It arrived with 28mm Ruffy Tuffys. I was surprised at how good they felt. Reminded me of the sew-ups I rode as a younger man.

The Ruffy Tuffys eventually encountered road hazards (a fact of life in the San Francisco Bay Area) and we moved to 35mm Schwalbe G-Ones. Still have lots of room. No reason to ride with fenders since rain in the drought plagued Bay Area is as scarce as hens teeth.

Regards,

Corwin

[RichS]

Well Eric, I've been locked in to 38s on my 650b Sam in the seven years I've owned it. Soma B-Lines and Gravel King slicks. Ditto for my 650b Johnny Coast rando bike but Grand Bois offers a 650b x 36 that I'd like to try on the JCoast. Alternatively, my Mercian uses 650 x 32 Grand Bois Cypress. It feels like this particular frame (Reynolds 725 tubes) was made for these tires. A delightful ride:-)

Thumbs up to your Sam and Jamin's Homer!

Best,

Rich in ATL

[Ted Durant]

On Tuesday, August 9, 2022 at 7:23:03 AM UTC-5 eric...@gmail.com wrote:

What size tires do you all run for riding pavement and doing brevets and such?

My Heron Road (the original Heron prototype) rides on Rene Herse 700x28C ultralights. I did a 200km ride recently on that, and did my PR for the distance.

My Waterford ST-22, which was ordered as a "what I wish we'd done with Heron" is almost identical to the Heron Road (including the round blade fork crown), but with more tire clearance and more fork rake/lower trail. It rides on Rene Herse 700x32C ultralights, which are about as much as you can stuff into the Heron fork crown with fenders. I did 85km today on that bike, at 28.5kph which is fast for me. A few of those kms were on gravel (hard packed, some washboarding). My 2nd fastest 200km was on this bike.

I used to have a Rivendell ATB that I set up for road riding on Rat Trap Pass tires. Based on that, I ordered a Breadwinner G-Road that rides on RH 650x48B ultralights, which are now set up tubeless. I have done a couple of 200km rides on it, neither particularly fast. The most recent one was in May, and I've built some fitness since then. It seems from the data I keep that I am slightly slower on this bike than the others, but it's not by much, and it's impossible to tell whether that's because of the tires.

My Rivendell Road rides on Grand Bois 700x26C tires. I did 31.5km in exactly an hour recently, which is pretty much max effort for me. A few years ago I did a charity 100 mile ride on that bike and it was plenty fast. Lots of climbing on that ride, with a 39x25 smallest gear, so I was grinding up the steep ones.

For any long ride where I want fenders and lights, if it's going to be good pavement, the Waterford on 32's is my go-to. If there is any less than perfect pavement, it's the G-Road and its huge tires. Mostly that's because I have a choice, though. The Waterford is extremely comfortable even on rough roads, thanks to the fork and the 32mm tires. Even the Heron on 28's, thanks to the fork, is very comfortable on bumpy stuff. It's mesmerizing to watch the front hub flexing over the bumps. The G-Road has a very beefy fork, so it relies on the big tires for comfort. I have also done a lot of brevets (up to 600km) on 650x38B and 42, which in many ways are ideal sizes, but not quite enough width if I get into any softish gravel. I have not felt that the 48's come with any penalty on pavement. 

Also, FYI, Jan Heine just wrote up his experience riding his Unbound XL bike (Rat Trap Pass tires) on an all-pavement 400km (>4500m climbing) brevet. Some of it sounds like rationalizing, but I'm certainly happy with my fatties on pavement.

https://www.renehersecycles.com/too-much-tire-a-road-test/

And, FWIW, I am a very light person.

Ted Durant

Milwaukee, WI USA

[jamin orrall]

Thanks Eric!  It is a sun xcd with 44/28 rings, suntour cyclone up front and 9 speed ultegra in the back.  The lugged stem makes me so happy every time I ride.  I bought the bike from a list member and rebuilt it with parts I had been saving.  I was deep into the old riv readers while putting it together as you can probably tell from the general vibe. The suntour barcons are my favorite shifters of all time, and I have tried many bar ends.  Aside from their smooth shifting and durability they have a smooth top, most others have an exposed joint which I find uncomfortable.

Jamin

On Tuesday, August 9, 2022 at 8:40:36 AM UTC-7 eric...@gmail.com wrote:

[ascpgh]

Good things come from wider tires until they don't. 

I've had 700x32 under fenders on my Rambouillet for years after arriving with 28s.  The OE 28s felt zippy but I attribute that to hysteresis mentioned by Jan H./BQ tire testing. It has clearance for up to 38s without fenders since I replaced the Shimano long reach brake calipers with really exceptional Paul Racers but its handling becomes affected by the pneumatic trail of those biggest tires that'll fit. I later read that despite the maximum clearance for them, the Ram design was optimized around 32s to which I agree in my years of practical riding experience on it. 

A conclusion I formed after decades and miles of riding the 700x32 Rambouillet was that on overnight trips with my Carradice Nelson Longflap, the rear tire pressure had to be increased to account for the 15-20# addition (front inflation upped proportionately for handling too) to prevent snakebite rim pinches and reduced teh ride comfort I enjoyed while riding unloaded. I knew in that use I would like more tire but I had been very hesitant to pursue that because of the effect on the rest of the bike (Q-factor that big tires, stays that provide clearance and cranks that don't hit them). I'm slow to act on ideas and had 20 years to form my thoughts about how to get all of these objectives. A 650B conversion of the Ram introduced too much that would change the character of the bike I already like a lot.

Like Rich S., my other bike is a Johnny Coast rando. He took my observations and intentions to design for 650Bx 42 under fender. I however do not imagine any attributes getting better with 38s on my Coast. I haven't tested Johnny's design around 42s to see if it has a tire width sweet spot like my Ram's 32s or its how much tolerance of pneumatic trail it has but the low Q-factor with the RH crank is excellent, even better than the Rambouillet and itsTA Zephyr. 

On the road unloaded I love the isolation from the road surfaces. However rewarding that buzz when on smaller higher pressure tires may be to the perception of velocity and return on effort, I find greater satisfaction from the feeling that more of my tire is on the surfaces I ride and can be depended upon for cornering traction. I don't push that envelope on purpose but it comes into consideration prior to every turn or curve in some way. Nice to have a bike with big enough tires to handle all of your riding with by adjusting pressures a little and not having limitations or degradation of performance come from them in other facets of riding. 

Andy Cheatham

Pittsburgh

[Garth]

For road riding on a compliant frame a 32-33mm feels "just right". Even a liitle more narrow is good. My favorite tires these days is a Schwalbe Marathon Racer 35mm which measures 32-33mm on a Mavic A719 @37-42 PSI. I don't notice them, and that's the point. This is with my Franklin road bike. While it can take a 38, it's actually worse with a wider tire. It's a matter of feel, of detail, of precision and handling. A .3mm mechanical pencil feels and writes a whole lot different than a .9mm. A bolder font doesn't make these letters any easier or better to read than they are presently.

In contrast, I ride my Bombadil on the road and no matter the tire, be it 38mm or 50mm, it feels overkill to me. I think it has more to do with the nature of the frame and it's handling though. Ironically, even on primitive, broken up hole ridden roads I prefer the ride and handling of the Franklin road bike. It tends to glide over everything, while the much stiffer and wheelbarrow-like steering can be a bit jarring and ragged feeling on the same surfaces. 

Within the confines of this group it may appear a certain number may prefer wide-r tires, isn't it funny how one tends to focus on that which agrees, and ignore/dismiss that which does not. In reality "everyone" rides "everything". Take a look at bicyles/riders all around the world and you'll find such variety you quickly realize there is a certain silliness to any and all claims of this or that tire as "best" or even "required" for this or that surface.

[Toshi Takeuchi]

My custom Riv--designed for long rando rides uses a 650b x 42 mm tire (currently Grand Bois Hetre EL).  I love them.  My Roadeo uses 700c x ~31mm Grand Bois Cypres EL. It is not as smooth riding as the 42 mm tires, but I am still very comfortable and don't feel like I "need" wider tires.  I've done up to 300 km brevets and double centuries with the Roadeo.

On my custom I do not see a need for wider tires on asphalt, but could see a use for gravel/mixed terrain riding...

On my 700c Ram, I did feel like there was degradation of handling if the tire size was too high because of the increased BB height, but that was my own personal anecdotal experience.  If you are loving the ride with the wide tires, then you can definitely go with that and ride great long rides.

Toshi in Oakland.

[Chris Halasz]

Recently placed some 35mm (33mm measured width) Schwalbe Marathon Supremes on my Sam, and am surprised at how nicely they ride at 35-40 PSI. 

Was riding 43mm GravelKing SS (not SS+, and not SKs), which were also nice. But I didn’t need the side mini-knobs, as I do not ride off-road, and the road I most often ride is recently very nicely re-paved. 

I am on the lookout for 36-40mm lightweight smooth and lightweight tires, and may move to 36-40mm Challenge Strada Biancas or GravelKing slicks, or maybe Shikoro 38s. All are pricey. Maybe I'll just look for some 37mm Paselas. 

Recently tried 55mm Antelope Hill tires on a bike, they felt heavy and bouncy and sluggish on the uphills, and unsure on twisty descents. The first part of my typical ride is a half hour of climbing, gradually increasing, and any relief is welcome! 

Like others here, found 32mm Paselas very nice for ride and handling on the Rambouillet, and 38-42mm on our Bleriots, and 30mm Avocet slicks on my Riv Road Standard.

Anyone else surprised at how (relatively, I know) thin are the tires mentioned by everyone here? I expected everything to be in the 42-48mm range, but it's more like 10mm less! 

I read the referenced online article. Anyone else wonder if there was a mea culpa on the “Rather than worry about ‘too much tire’ for an event, maybe we should think about ‘too much handlebar’” statement to Lennard Zinn’s recent posting? I wondered how the writer arrived at the conclusion, “…the wide tires felt a little bouncy at first. This didn’t slow me down…” I’d think there’d be skepticism if a cyclist wrote the same about a full suspension bike. I sometimes miss Jobst and the days of wreck.bikes.tech. 

Cheers, 

Chris

SB, CA

[Ben Adrian]

I just put the 700 x 35 Rene Herse slicks back on my Rambouillet. I had them on before, but the wider tire and a loaded front rack started to feel weird. Plus, I wanted to put on fenders and the fenders I have were too small for 35s. Anyway, I'm shifting the load to the rear and I've removed the fenders, so I put the 35s back on. What a fantastic ride now.

I just got some 700 x 44 tires like yours above for my Salsa Warbird. I've not had a chance to do a serious ride on them, but they look like they are going to be very nice.

Also, what's the stem length on your Hillborne?

Cheers!

Ben

On Tuesday, August 9, 2022 at 5:23:03 AM UTC-7 eric...@gmail.com wrote:

[Ben Adrian]

Just watched your assembly video again, Eric, and I see it's a 7cm. Love the videos, especially as eye candy to see different build configurations close up.

Cheers!

[Eric Marth]

Thanks everyone for sharing info on builds, your tires and your takes! Fun reading along. 

Like Chris I am a little surprised by all the tire sizes in the 30s. 

Thanks for the kind words about the videos, Ben. Yep, it's a 7cm. 

[aeroperf]

I’ve run Continental Speed Ride tires for 5 years.  I haven’t had a flat with them, though that's probably just luck.

They only come in one size - 622 x 42.  I run them on my Sam at 55 psi.  They cost about $25.  The last set went over 5000 miles.

I tried the Schwalbe Marathon 622x37 at 65 psi for a year.  It was like riding through mud - they weigh a lot more than the Speed Rides, but if I were doing touring, they would be my choice.

[Patrick Moore]

I have to say that the 559 labeled-32 but measure-27 (skinny rims) RH Elk Pass tires are the nicest 26" road tires I've used and, in fact, the nicest road tires of any size I've used, gauging by "feel" of speed* and feel of smoothness.

* I personally have never associated buzz or harshness with speed; in fact, just the opposite: I associate smoothness with speed. Besides smoothness, the EPs just seem easier to pedal at given cadences in given conditions at given gears.

I wish they plumped out at 5 mm wider, but I don't want to change my rims.

At 55/60 they feel as smooth over high freq/low amp bumps as the 559X42 mm (41 mm actual) Naches Pass extra lights at 35/40, and they seem easier to pedal as defined above, though not by a great deal.

One benefit to the narrower tires is that they do make the bike's handling feel more nimble -- "crisper." OTOH, the 622X61 mm actual Big One ELs at 18 to 21 psi on the earlier Matthews feel as easy to pedal ("as fast" -- similar gearing, conditions, cadences) as the Elk Passes; but very different bikes and 175 mm vs 170 mm cranks. And these fatties don't feel all that smoother over small pavement bumps than the EPs or the NPs. It seems that if you put sufficiently minimum air pressure into very supple, light tires of any width, the feel over small bumps remains about the same. I do like bashing over the 5" wide expansion cracks in our streets with the BOs or the NPs, though; I have to be more careful with the EPs.

Btw, all 3 frames relatively light tubing. In fact, the 1999 gofast that has the EPs has the stoutest tubing of the bunch, I think.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/086cd5ef-744e-48ad-8575-c1c1694d232fn%40googlegroups.com.

--

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

[Andrew Turner]

I'm a light rider and have run Rene Herse tires in 26, 28, 32, 35, 38 and 48mm widths over the same terrain which is mostly paved roads. Starting at either end of the spectrum, the 26's felt like ice-skating in the best scenario but would flat if I even looked at a gravel road. I wasn't willing to pump them up past 80psi to avoid flats so those got the boot pretty fast. The 48's on the other hand were what I'd call idiot-proof. I would aim for the potholes on pavement and they were disconcertingly confident (and fast!) off-road. 

32's and 35's were probably the goldilocks widths for paved rides longer than 70 miles while carrying stuff. If I weighed more, carried more, or the bike was over-built, 38's would be right there too. These days, my rides rarely go past 60 miles so a couple candy bars and 28mm tires on a road bike is all I need.  

If I were more of a masochist with my riding and knew sleep deprivation and all-road conditions were on the horizon, I'd go with the widest tire I could fit. But if I want to feel quick and nimble, 28-32s do the best for me.  

- Andrew

[MoVelo]

My Rambo is currently running Panaracer Pari-Motos 650bx42's actual width on Velocity A23's. I love these tires on this bike and it has become my gravel/all-rounder. I have the Tektro 559's set so I can easily switch over to 700c and usually run 35mm in that size. Although it will take 38 the fender clearance gets a little sketchy.

On the Legolas I am currently running RH 700cx38's although I have found 35's feel a bit firmer with better handling. I do like the cush of the fatter rubber.

My two Bridgestone MB's are running RH Rat Trap Pass 26x2" which I love on the loose gravel we have around here. They are a bit narrow erthan the stated width but still super comfy and confidence inspiring.

The Bridgestone T700 is currently running Panaracer Gravel Kings in 700cx38 and will fit fenders. 

My Paramount is currently running 700cx35's but I am still trying to decide if 32's are a better fit for that bike.

I have a Kona Kapu with 650bx42 RH Baby Shoe Pass' which barely measure out to 40mm on Grand Bois rims.

I mainly go for comfort over speed these days. So the wider the better.

James Poulson

Centralish NE

[Nick Payne]

On Friday, 12 August 2022 at 6:06:48 am UTC+10 aeroperf wrote:

I tried the Schwalbe Marathon 622x37 at 65 psi for a year.  It was like riding through mud

There are multiple different models that Schwalbe call Marathon. Have a look here: https://www.schwalbe.com/en/city-tour - there are a dozen different models that are Marathon <something>, and there's quite a difference between those models. And even within the one model, they make different versions intended either for tubeless or tubed use. For example, I have Marathon Plus on my commuter, which are extremely puncture resistant but very stiff and don't give a very pleasant ride, whereas I have Marathon Almotion on my touring bike, which are a much nicer feeling tyre to ride on.

Nick

[Chris Halasz]

James 

Curious if you find any significant difference in durability for road riding between the GravelKings and the RH 700x35s or 38s. 

Not many (if any) goats head thorns where I live, and pretty smooth paved roads. 

I'm looking for something in the 35-40mm range, and correspondingly 350-400g mass. 

Thanks, 

Chris 

[Bikie#4646]

Eric, like many others who replied to your inquiry, I also land between 35 mm - 38 mm on my two Rivs. Admittedly, they both are used on mixed surface rides, not exclusively on pavement. The 57 cm Homer Hilsen is mostly a fast country bike, taking in fire roads with paved connections. The 55 cm Sam Hillborne is my dedicated touring rig. 

Some years ago, I fell in love with the lightweight, comfy and  supple - combined with a thin puncture resistant layer - of the now-discontinued Vittoria Voyager Hyper. I bought a stash that is still lasting me. 

I use the 38 mm on the Hilsen and the 35 mm on the Hillborne, both with VO fenders. Inflation figures vary but I  find my 165 lb. body feels best around 35-38 psi on the 700c wheels and my mind would be a bit ill at ease with much less.

I must say, while I love the black & cream on my own Hillborne, yours looks much like a dapper fellow out on the town!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bikecrazy-paul/52122315564/in/album-72177720299529947/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bikecrazy-paul/51845031765/in/album-72177720296237851/

Paul Germain

Midlothian, Va.

[J S]

42 on my Saluki, 48 on the Hillborne 

[J S]

I forgot to mention I run all at 35psi. 

[Ben Mihovk]

I have Gravelking Slicks in 38 on my Sam and I really like them but want more width the next time I buy tires for it. 

I JUST put on Snoqualmie's on my Atlantis and already prefer them over the Shikoros I had used for two years. I can see getting another pair for the Sam when the GKs are worn down 

Ben in Omaha 

[Eric Marth]

Thanks again to everyone for sharing specifications and philosophies. 

Putting in a nice ride this weekend on plenty of unpaved stuff my 44mm Snoqualmie Pass extralights were comfortable and suited for the ride. 

Now that I've heard from a lot of people running tires in the mid to high 30s I'd be interested to try some out if it was a very easy, low friction, low cost situation. Like borrowing or finding a beat pair of 38mm Barlow Pass or 35mm Jon Bon tires for comparison. 

[brendonoid]

I love the Rene Herse options but if the conditions aren't perfect, Panaracer Paselas are just so good on damp/wet roads for confidence braking and cornering.

I run the biggest (38s) on my two mainly road bikes, the Homer and the Holdsworth. If they made a 42-44 in the Pasela I probably wouldn't go back to the much more expensive Jan Heine creations.

[greenteadrinkers]

Hi Eric, currently I have 700c 48mm Oracle Ridge standard casing tires (tubeless) usually around 24 psi on my 54cm Sam. My local roads are a mix of smooth to broken pavement, gravel, double track, and some single track. I've found the 48's are smooth, quiet, and confident. Aside from road, can you speak to the 44mm Snoqualmie Pass tires on mixed surfaces? I'm considering swapping out the rear Oracle Ridge with a slick Hatcher Pass 48mm, I like the idea that you can mix and match.

Thx!

Scott - Amherst MA

[Andrew Turner]

Scott, I've swapped between both Hatcher Pass and Oracle Ridge tires on my Monstercross and can confidently say both do surprisingly well off-road. Where I live, when things get really rough, they're often really wet as well so the Oracle Ridge tires had slightly more grip in those slippery conditions but truly slightly. Having both on the same bike honestly seems like the way to go since I couldn't ever make up my mind of which tire I preferred.  

Andrew 
TN

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this topic, visit https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/P_SFevAzqxQ/unsubscribe.
To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/03f2ba84-ad56-4b7a-abb8-630dd07986dan%40googlegroups.com.

[greenteadrinkers]

Hi Andrew - thanks for the insight! 

There was a review someplace about the benefit of mixing a smooth with a knobby, just can't remember exactly what the benefit was!
Scott - Amherst MA

[Eric Marth]

Hi Scott — I don't have any relevant experience to share from riding off road. I love the idea of knobs and slicks together on one Sam. Certainly there's a good bit of writing out there somewhere explaining the nuances. 

[Adam]

I accidentally ended up trying Hurricane Ridge front with Snoqualmie Pass rear--as a way to salvage the two front tires from worn pairs.

I really like the setup. I find the handling on-road closer to what I had with the 38 slicks, but there's more grip and float, esp in wet stuff.

I'm not sure how the combo will be on wet pavement or road only rides, but I like it for what I've done so far 

Adam

[Chris Dedinsky]

Has anyone tried out the 36 Challenge Strada Bianca's as featured on the Roadeo in the last e-blast—and if so, thoughts? 

[Chris Buzzini]

Hi Chris -- the Roadeo from the last Riv blast is headed my way very soon! I'll let y'all know how they ride. 

[Alexander Chalmers]

Chris, I rode on 27mm Strada Biancas on an old Nishiki for a while and loved them. Would have gone bigger but didn't have the clearance. Now I have some 40mm Challenge Getaways on my CX bike. They probably the fastest feeling tires I've ever ridden. If I end up getting the Quickbeam I am hoping to buy soon, I plan to put some Strada Biancas in 36 or 40mm on it

[Will Boericke]

On pavement, I see no need for anything beyond 32.  I'm light, I like to go fast on pavement, and despite what JH says, I know that the bigger tires are not as fast.

[Fullylugged]

Eric:

I have 38mm Pari Motos on my Riv Road (compact double for low to moderate climbing). They handle chipseal well, are quick, and have good grip in turns. Kevlar bead and lightweight but not long wearing or great on punctures if you ride where goatheads abound. I'll be doing a RUSA Populaire on it next Saturday. My Waterford RS-12 (XD-2 triple for taller and steeper climbing) is set up exactly like a Riv (it has the extended HT and same geometry) but has Continental Top Contact Speed in 32mm.  RBW sells or sold these tires for Clems in particular and called them "basketball tires." Not as plush at the Pascentis but tougher and longer lasting.

Tailwinds..

Bruce

[Patrick Moore]

I agree with your choice for pavement riding -- I don't need anything fatter than 32 mm (in fact, if the 32mm-labeled Elk Pass was a true 32 mm on my admittedly narrow rims, I'd rise from 26" tire Paradise to 26" tire Nirvana (both Buddhist), but even at 28 mm on 19 mm OW rims, they're heavenly (generic metaphorical sense) except on our 5" wide pavement expansion cracks.

But: You say that you "know that the bigger tires are not as fast." How do you know? 

My own experience is that the tire width to speed relationship is all over the place for tires of similar construction (and cost), what with all the variables in speed involved (and also by the fast that I haven't measured anything except seat-of-pants ease of given cadence in given gear in given conditions). To wit: 622 X 60MM Big One ultralights feel as fast as the Elk Passes and both feel faster than extra light 42 mm Naches Passes. But again, variables, variables.

[Chris Dedinsky]

I'm glad to hear it Alexander. I'm pretty set on getting a 36mm pair for my Heron touring bike, which is kinda the max clearance I think to get in there and keep my fenders. Did your 27s and or 40s measure fairly true to size? The other tires I've been leaning towards are the 38mm SOMA Shikoro's and or Supple Vitesse. I guess all this to say, 700x~35 feels good for a road and road-ish rubber radius.

[Chris Dedinsky]

That's very exciting—it is a gorgeous build! Yes, please let me know your impressions.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/dc07e430-3785-488f-a089-cea1b09b5d7dn%40googlegroups.com.

--

Chris Dedinsky

E: h...@chrisdedinsky.com

P: 778.988.5429

[Alexander Chalmers]

Never measured the 27s and the bike they were on was stolen a few years back unfortunately. I'll have to check the 40s and get back to you.

I've only very briefly ridden soma shikoros. They were nice too, though I have to say i didn't like them as much. They were on wildly different bikes though and the shikoros were at much higher pressure so not a great comparison.

In that same size I have a set of mavic all road tires in 35mm to go on some future build as well. Haven't ridden the 35s yet but i had the same tires in 30mm that came with a mavic wheelset I bought, and they felt great too actually. Mavic is definitely not my first thought for tires but they were a pleasant surprise 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/5949bec8-bacc-43c8-90e7-5b6e192b9896n%40googlegroups.com.

[Andrew Turner]

I'm going to retract my statement and say these XL Snoqualmie's are the bee's knees. They feel every bit as fast as the 28's but I can tell they won't beat me up as much when the mileage starts ticking. It should be noted that they're mounted on some very narrow Mavic Open 4 CD rims so they actually only measure around 37/38mm.  

I'd take things a step further and also recommend a lightweight wheelset if the goal is spirited riding with a light load. Nothing too crazy light, but putting super supple tires on stout touring wheels just seems a little backwards. 

[Ben Mihovk]

I have a Sam with 700x38 Gravel King slicks. Pretty good, decent price. Smooth and snappy on pavement and fairly stable on gravel. Being over 200lbs, I'm hesitant to run them lower than mid 40s PSI, so I think at some point I'll switch to the Snoqualmies so I can run a lower PSI. 

Ben in Omaha 

[Slin]

I was shopping around for some higher volume slick-ish tires and just saw that the UD Cava will come in 650b 55mm this fall!! 

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch7v1hMOhW8/