Perfect tires for Clem?

[Richard Rose]

The impossible question, right? And when I read Riv's intro to their website tire offerings "we are not tire snobs" I almost feel guilty obsessing over such things. "Just ride", right? I want the "do it all" set of tires (aren't we all?). I have been quite happy with the Gravelking SS 650 x 48 tires for all road / gravel and mild trail conditions. On a single foray onto a truer singletrack they fell short in loose conditions and sandy corners. So after exhaustive research I am considering a Ultradynamica combo, Mars front / Rose' rear. Other contender  is Soma Cazadero. Naturally RH Untanum are a consideration but lack of side knobs are a concern. I had Fleecer Ridge tires on my Jones 29 and did not think the noise cancellation thing lived up to the hype - they were rather noisy on pavement especially compared to the Gravelkings. Speaking of the Gravelking, check out these pics. I was on a ride recently and felt a "lump" in the rear tire on pavement. It disappeared when the ride turned to dirt but was there again when I returned to pavement. when I got home all I could discern was a slightly raised football shaped bulge and it was worn smooth. Upon removal I was stunned by the amount of structural damage and the fact that I did not flat. I wonder if something like this qualifies as a defect? I will add the pics in a comment momentarily...

[Richard Rose]

Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 1, 2022, at 10:33 AM, Richard Rose <rmro...@gmail.com> wrote:

The impossible question, right? And when I read Riv's intro to their website tire offerings "we are not tire snobs" I almost feel guilty obsessing over such things. "Just ride", right? I want the "do it all" set of tires (aren't we all?). I have been quite happy with the Gravelking SS 650 x 48 tires for all road / gravel and mild trail conditions. On a single foray onto a truer singletrack they fell short in loose conditions and sandy corners. So after exhaustive research I am considering a Ultradynamica combo, Mars front / Rose' rear. Other contender  is Soma Cazadero. Naturally RH Untanum are a consideration but lack of side knobs are a concern. I had Fleecer Ridge tires on my Jones 29 and did not think the noise cancellation thing lived up to the hype - they were rather noisy on pavement especially compared to the Gravelkings. Speaking of the Gravelking, check out these pics. I was on a ride recently and felt a "lump" in the rear tire on pavement. It disappeared when the ride turned to dirt but was there again when I returned to pavement. when I got home all I could discern was a slightly raised football shaped bulge and it was worn smooth. Upon removal I was stunned by the amount of structural damage and the fact that I did not flat. I wonder if something like this qualifies as a defect? I will add the pics in a comment momentarily...

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[DavidP]

I'm thinking of a similar setup for my upcoming 700c Platy build but with a 50mm rear (with tread similar to your Gravel King SS) and 55mm Fleecer Ridge up front. 

A Rose \ Mars combo would certainly be a step towards a more trail oriented setup. I've yet to find any written impressions of the Mars on pavement. The Mars remind me of Continental Race Kings, which I recently put front and rear on a bike and find decent enough on pavement but seem a bit noisier than the RH Juniper Ridge I have on the front of another bike. I'm happy with the Race Kings for mixed use and the Mars was on my short list for the Platypus - they just lean a bit more to the dirt/trail end of the spectrum, which may be perfect for your Clem.

I was waffling on trying to squeeze a pair of 2.25" Schwalbe Hurricanes on the Platypus - that one may work well on the Clem. It's wire bead but a decent weight; and I've seen several reports that it is silent on pavement. It should handle rougher terrain better than smaller tires and possibly have some cornering stability due to the side knobs. Still probably not a tire for hard corners on or off road. Definitely the other end of the spectrum in terms of tire technology/features/price from RH.

Honestly, I don't think any of us expect a multi-surface tire to rail down trails so it's matter of choosing degrees.

- Dave

[Mackenzy Albright]

Im running freebies on my clem at the moment, but I think my fantasy setup would be fleecer ridge front and antelope hill rear. I like knobby fronts and smooth rear. Good compromise for rolling resistance, buzz, and trail versatility.  

[Ryan Frahm]

I have been running the Soma Cazadero 700x50 (they make 650x50) my Clem H for a while now and they have been a very nice all around tire. Just pulled them off to put the studded tire on and they still look new after several hundred miles. I love the Rene Herse tires though and think they are tough to beat. Sand has been the only downfall I’ve encountered on the RH knobby tires, they dig in too much to get any traction. The Cazadero has less overall grip and floats a bit better in those circumstances. 

I will also say that I loved the Ultradynamico Rose I had a few years back. I had the race and never had any issues with them in some really nasty terrain. They were slightly slower on road than the others mentioned. 

[J Imler]

I'm fond of Schwalbe Smart Sams in 55 sizing for all-purpose riding.

[Doug H.]

This doesn't answer your question or help really but I thought I'd share that I run Grand Bois Hetre 42 mm tires on my Clem L. I do road riding almost exclusively nowadays and they roll well. They even work on the wide Cliffhanger rims. It seems a Clem can be set up for many different tasks.

Doug

[Richard Rose]

I forgot about another interesting(?) option - 650b x 55 Simworks Homage. Anyone tried them?

Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 1, 2022, at 7:38 PM, Doug H. <dhansf...@gmail.com> wrote:

This doesn't answer your question or help really but I thought I'd share that I run Grand Bois Hetre 42 mm tires on my Clem L. I do road riding almost exclusively nowadays and they roll well. They even work on the wide Cliffhanger rims. It seems a Clem can be set up for many different tasks.

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[Danny Noonan]

Not quite the same tire sizes, but as far as tread goes, I really wasn't impressed by the Ultradynamico Mars when I ran the 26 x 2.3 (JFF) version on my Velo Orange Polyvalent two summers ago. They were very loud and slow on pavement, and only marginally more capable on light trail than the RH Rat Trap Passes I was previously running (and switched back to). I'm sure more gnarly trails like what Ron rides up in New England these days are a different story altogether, and probably where the Mars shines. But not really an all-road tire.

For what it's worth I do really like the RH knobbies on my Homer, but they're 700c x 42.

[Richard Rose]

The Herse tires have become ubiquitous. I suppose with good reason.

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On Nov 2, 2022, at 1:30 AM, Danny Noonan <noona...@gmail.com> wrote:

Not quite the same tire sizes, but as far as tread goes, I really wasn't impressed by the Ultradynamico Mars when I ran the 26 x 2.3 (JFF) version on my Velo Orange Polyvalent two summers ago. They were very loud and slow on pavement, and only marginally more capable on light trail than the RH Rat Trap Passes I was previously running (and switched back to). I'm sure more gnarly trails like what Ron rides up in New England these days are a different story altogether, and probably where the Mars shines. But not really an all-road tire.

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[Hoch in ut]

I’ve been running RH Untanum on my Romanceur. I’m not sure how aggressive of a tire you’re looking for,  But it had plenty of side knob traction on some single track I rode. Lots of loose over hard. I’m not sure how rowdy you get on the Clem, but these tires have been enough, or possibly too aggressive of a tire for me. I may go with GK SS next time around. 

Another tire that worked well for me was Teravail Ehline. I had the 29” version but they come in 27.5 as well. 

[Wesley]

Hi J,

Will you please tell us about your stem/handlebar combo? Does reversing the stem make the steering unstable? As far as I can tell, you've got a V-brake Albastache single speed setup, and based on the terrain in your photo, it must be geared for climbing. Looks like fun!

-W

[J Imler]

Sure. The bike was up on the Blahg, right after the tube sizing piece. It's a two-speeder that gets me to the trails and then I either pedal in the small gear or walk. I've had no issue with the reverse stem making anything unstable. It feels completely natural and from my eye is right where a 11cm Tallux and Bosco bar would end up. I really like it.

[J Imler]

Oh, and I think it's an 8cm Dirt Drop, not 10 like it says on the Blahg.

[brizbarn]

I like the Terravail Starwood 29x2.2" @30ish psi (durable version) on my Appaloosa, I think they would work well on a Clem. Never let me down on road, gravel and some single track, and they  fit under Velo Orange fluted fenders.  They also have a Supple version with gumwalls.  

I've also wondered about the Schwalbe Hurricane 29x2.25, seems like something Riv would offer, with their non-tire snob attitude.  It seems like it would be a well rolling on road and capable enough off-road tire, and I think it looks pretty great.  Also available without  reflective sidewall. And more affordable than some other options, but maybe not as light and supple.  Anyone have experience riding them?  Pic grabbed from Blue Lug Flickr.