Soma Grand Randonneur or Hetres or Compass Babyshoe Pass

[RJM]

Time to start shopping new tires for the Sam Hillborne and I've been thinking of going a little wider than the 38 Pari Motos. Is anybody using the Soma Grand Randonneur tire and have any opinions on them?  I know the Hetres have been the tire to go for but was thinking of purchasing from Riv since I have a few more things to pick up and they don't carry it. I appreciate the lighter/faster tire on the 650b for many rides that I do with the bike so I would like to keep the tire lighterweight, which would mean the green version of the Soma tire. Any experiences with the Babyshoe Pass?  I use the Stampede Pass on the Roadeo and like them; I would imagine the Babyshoe would be much like it but wider/cushier.

 

Thanks,

Ryan

[Tim Gavin]

All these tires are fantastic.  Here's how I understand the situation:

Hetres are the standard.  $60, 412g, skinwall, available with black, red, or white tread (if that's your thing.

Babyshoe pass are the next-gen Hetre.  Jan has said they have multiple improvements over the GB tires.  $60, skinwall, 392g.

EL Babyshoe pass are lighter with higher thread count.  $80, 355g, skinwall or blackwall.

Soma GR greens are competing with the Babyshoe EL (thin and light).  $80, 300g, skinwall.

Soma GR blues are kinda unique in comparison.  Tougher rubber, thicker tread.  $80, 610g, red skinwall.

So, pick the characteristics that are most important to you.  

Price?  = Babyshoe pass (improved, lighter Hetre for the same price)

Color?  = Hetres for tread colors, EL Babyshoe for blackwall

Weight? = Soma GR greens win, but EL Babyshoe is close

Strength? = Soma GR blues, or a different, more stout tire.

I have personal experience only with Grand Bois tires; Lierre on my Riv Road and Cerf blue on my gofast.  They're great tires that really transform the speed and handling of any bike.

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[ted]

I have a pair of the light Soma GRs from RBW on my AHH. I have only been on one ride since getting them so not much experience yet. They seem like very nice tires. Prior to the GRs I had Cypres tires on that bike. Just looking at them the size difference is very noticeable. I haven't noticed a big difference in cush/comfort going to the much wider tire. I think the handling of the bike is a bit less responsive/more stable with the bigger tire. The GRs seem more audible than the Cypres were. I have not ridden Pari-moto, Hetre, or Bayshoe Pass.

I think these are all fine tires, and you won't go far wrong with any of them.

Keep in mind the GRs are slicks. I kinda like that, but others may not. 

[Anton Tutter]

Ryan,

I've only experenced standard Hetres, extralight Hetres, and the extralight Babyshoe Passes. I noticed a slight improvement going from standard Hetres to the extralights, but then a more significant improvement from the Hetre extralights to the Babyshoe Pass extralights. With the Hetres, the only difference between standard and extralights  are the casings.  With the Babyshoe Pass, you get the extralight casing and an all new tread, which is thinner on the shoulders and therefore lighter and even more supple.  Makes noticeable difference.  Here's a picture of a typical road surface the Babyshoe Passes ride on.  Imagine screaming down this at 30-35 mph:

Anton

[Bill]

At 35 mph on that path yes, indeed, I would be screaming!

Bill

[Goshen Peter]

Someone tell me the cut I booted in my Hetre last summer means I need new tires this summer, I mean that boot is failing rapidly, right? :) I really would love to try the Babyshoe pass extra light. I need more suppleness for the not so hardpacked fire roads around here.

On Mon, Aug 11, 2014 at 11:27 AM, Bill <web...@gmail.com> wrote:

At 35 mph on that path yes, indeed, I would be screaming!

Bill