26" road/gravel tire shortage

[Michael Hechmer]

Our touring tandem has 26" wheels, and yes when we bought the bike ten years ago I got, much to my regret, talked out of 650B.  All water under the bridge.  We rode Schawbe Marathon Racers 1.5"  for 6 years and then switched to Compass 1.75.  The latter have thinner, tan sidewalls which have worn out way before the tread.  Now, in search of tires I am not finding much in the way of 26" tires not designed for mt bike single track.  The Marathon Racers still seems to exist in theory, but we haven't been able to actually find one to buy.    Compass still has  26" tires, but with light weight sidewalls and a $71 price tag.   Any  other leads appreciated.

The opening words on the RBW tire page proclaim that GP would prefer to carry fewer tire choices, but one good medium duty 26" road tire could corner the market. 

Michael

[Edwin W]

Good ol' Pasela... probably would have the same side wall issues (wearing out before the tread), but much cheaper!

https://www.amazon.com/Panaracer-Pasela-1-75-Wire-Bead/dp/B00B01L9GM/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pb_opt?ie=UTF8

Edwin

[Steven Sweedler]

Michael, have you looked at Schwalbe Big Apples in 26 x 2.0 or larger if they will fit. Have worked well for me on a loaded touring bike, though no tandem experience. Steve

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Steven Sweedler
Plymouth, New Hampshire

[Patrick Moore]

I thought Tioga made the Powerblock in 26" but Google says "no." 

Tioga still offers the 26" City Slicker, at least per their website:

https://www.tiogausa.com/city-sliker.html

Me, I just ordered a pair of the Lightweight Naches Passes -- yep, $87 each, near twice what the cheap tires on my car tires cost.

+ 1 for a market leader 26" X 38-to-45 mm tire in the Rivendell product lineup.

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Patrick Moore

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

[Eric Daume]

With everyone refreshing their old bikes this year, the supply of 26” tires has really been strained. It should be a temporary interruption. 

Eric

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[Dorothy Crees]

I have WTB 1.95 inch All terrains on my 45cm Clem. They are knobby but not unpleasantly so for asphalt riding, although I see the WTB website is currently sold out. 

On Fri, Aug 28, 2020 at 3:16 PM Eric Daume <eric...@gmail.com> wrote:

With everyone refreshing their old bikes this year, the supply of 26” tires has really been strained. It should be a temporary interruption. 

Eric

On Friday, August 28, 2020, Michael Hechmer <mhec...@gmail.com> wrote:

Our touring tandem has 26" wheels, and yes when we bought the bike ten years ago I got, much to my regret, talked out of 650B.  All water under the bridge.  We rode Schawbe Marathon Racers 1.5"  for 6 years and then switched to Compass 1.75.  The latter have thinner, tan sidewalls which have worn out way before the tread.  Now, in search of tires I am not finding much in the way of 26" tires not designed for mt bike single track.  The Marathon Racers still seems to exist in theory, but we haven't been able to actually find one to buy.    Compass still has  26" tires, but with light weight sidewalls and a $71 price tag.   Any  other leads appreciated.

The opening words on the RBW tire page proclaim that GP would prefer to carry fewer tire choices, but one good medium duty 26" road tire could corner the market. 

Michael

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[Jack K]

Michael,

If you liked your Marathon Racers then you may be happy with the Marathon Supreme, but opt for the high-zoot Evo version. If you're used to paying Compass/RH tire prices then even the spendy version of the Marathon Supreme is bargain priced. Despite the name, Marathon Racers were never a particularly fast tire and are now an old design.The Marathon Supreme EVO uses Schwalbe's latest tire technologies and does extremely well in testing and real world reporting for efficiency, durability, flat shrugoffability, road grip, etc...  Can be run tubeless, if that's your thing and the black sidewalls with reflective band are durable and surprisingly visible at night. I'm running the 26x1.6" EVO version and am quite pleased with them, but they're available wider (2"?) if you need more meat. I've ordered several sets over a couple of years from EU-based mailorder shops (usually Bike24, Starbike or Bike-Discount.de) and never paid more than $40 / tire for the most expensive folding EVO version.

If you'd like links to credible instrumented testing of this tire I can look that up for you. Record setting Velomobiles often use a 26" tire out back and every watt is precious to those guys, so there's been more than a little lab testing and real world experience with 26" road-going tires. Being part of Schwalbe's Trekking tire line the Marathon Supreme isn't the lightest, fastest 26" road tire out there, but for everyday use I find it a great combination of zippiness and toughness.

-Jack K.

[True Golden]

Riding 26x2.10 Tioga  Powerblocks this morning. 

Paul in Dallas 

[RichS]

Michael,

Panaracer ProTites could be an option for you. A versatile multi-surface tire. I've used the 1.75 size on my Atlantis. Priced right; $45 or so.

Also, I'd give a nod to Edwin's suggestion for the Pasela.

Best,

Rich in ATL

[Patrick Moore]

Paul: What is the actual width of the Powerblocks on your rims?

Thanks.

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[Addison Quarles]

Michael, 

One of my distributors seems to have a stockpile of 26” tires at their warehouse in Indiana, including 20 pairs of marathon racers in 1.5”. 

If you’re interested in getting a pair I could have them drop shipped to you. Email me if you’d like: bicycler...@gmail.com

After Jack’s Review of the Supreme EVO I wish I could get some of those! 

[True Golden]

Hey Patrick and all.

Been out riding.

10 miles out..several hours visiting a 95 YO friend.

Then the 10 mile return trip!

Very tolerable early but dang, about 1:30 this afternoon it was blazing. Mercy! 

Glad to be in the AC now.

Its egg frying on the sidewalk time!

I have Sun Rhyno-Lite rims that I measured outside width at 27mm on this particular bike, a made over Trek 950.

The Powerblocks in a 26x2.10 are measuring 52mm width.

I think they are a very decent smooth rolling,  not too heavy, not many flats tire.

Paul in Dallas 

[True Golden]

Also  I'm looking forward to trying a pair of 

Continental Contact Speed Bike tires in 26x2.0 

with the 'basketball' tread like Riv Bike was selling in a 700c, possibly other sizes.

I have 2 pair of them in a 700x42 and like them.

If you can find them they might be a worthy alternative.

Paul in Dallas 

[True Golden]

I have also been quite pleased with these Maxxis DTH tires.

https://www.modernbike.com/product-2126217584

I think they are about a toss up with the Tioga Powerblocks in terms of weight, rolling resistance, and flat resistance.

Both are folding and come in at the 550g give or take weight range.

They also make a fatter DTH in a 26x2.3 that's about 200g heavier. 

Paul in Dallas 

PS: DTH stands for 

'Drop the Hammer'

My dropping the hammer days are long gone.

[Nick Payne]

You can get the Schwalbe Marathon Supreme in 26 x 1.6 and 26 x 2. Bike24 carry both.

Nick

[Patrick Moore]

Thanks, Paul. 52 cm, so, theoretically (which means, imagining things without actually looking at them) I might get a 2.1 Powerblock and no fenders into the new Matthews frame build for 45s + fenders.

I hope things don't come to that, but should Rene Herse tires (Elk Pass and Naches Pass) and the 26" X 1.25 and 1.75 Paselas disappear, then I'd have recourse.

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[Michael Hechmer]

Thanks everyone for the responses.  The Marathon Supreme does look like an interesting option.  The tandem currently has 1.75 and I'm pretty sure I could fit 2.0 under the fender, but it might be tight.  However we have decided to put the tandem up for the rest of the season and just ride singles for awhile.  I'm guessing the supply and options will be better next April.

Michael

On Sunday, August 30, 2020 at 2:48:11 PM UTC-4, Patrick Moore wrote:

Thanks, Paul. 52 cm, so, theoretically (which means, imagining things without actually looking at them) I might get a 2.1 Powerblock and no fenders into the new Matthews frame build for 45s + fenders.

I hope things don't come to that, but should Rene Herse tires (Elk Pass and Naches Pass) and the 26" X 1.25 and 1.75 Paselas disappear, then I'd have recourse.

On Sat, Aug 29, 2020 at 2:11 PM True Golden <trueg...@att.net> wrote:

Hey Patrick and all.

Been out riding.

10 miles out..several hours visiting a 95 YO friend.

Then the 10 mile return trip!

Very tolerable early but dang, about 1:30 this afternoon it was blazing. Mercy! 

Glad to be in the AC now.

Its egg frying on the sidewalk time!

I have Sun Rhyno-Lite rims that I measured outside width at 27mm on this particular bike, a made over Trek 950.

The Powerblocks in a 26x2.10 are measuring 52mm width.

I think they are a very decent smooth rolling,  not too heavy, not many flats tire.

Paul in Dallas 

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[Michael Hechmer]

Thanks everyone for the responses.  The Marathon Supreme does look like an interesting option.  The tandem currently has 1.75 and I'm pretty sure I could fit 2.0 under the fender, but it might be tight.  However we have decided to put the tandem up for the rest of the season and just ride singles for awhile.  I'm guessing the supply and options will be better next April.

Michael

On Sunday, August 30, 2020 at 2:48:11 PM UTC-4, Patrick Moore wrote:

Thanks, Paul. 52 cm, so, theoretically (which means, imagining things without actually looking at them) I might get a 2.1 Powerblock and no fenders into the new Matthews frame build for 45s + fenders.

I hope things don't come to that, but should Rene Herse tires (Elk Pass and Naches Pass) and the 26" X 1.25 and 1.75 Paselas disappear, then I'd have recourse.

On Sat, Aug 29, 2020 at 2:11 PM True Golden <trueg...@att.net> wrote:

Hey Patrick and all.

Been out riding.

10 miles out..several hours visiting a 95 YO friend.

Then the 10 mile return trip!

Very tolerable early but dang, about 1:30 this afternoon it was blazing. Mercy! 

Glad to be in the AC now.

Its egg frying on the sidewalk time!

I have Sun Rhyno-Lite rims that I measured outside width at 27mm on this particular bike, a made over Trek 950.

The Powerblocks in a 26x2.10 are measuring 52mm width.

I think they are a very decent smooth rolling,  not too heavy, not many flats tire.

Paul in Dallas 

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[masmojo]

I'm a champion of good obscure tires and 26" really opens you up to this, because it's a common size in so many corners of Cycling.  BMX, Mountain bikes, Etc.

Here's 3ish that I have or have seen others use

From Left to right:

DMR Bikes - Supermoto - These are really cool tires I bought off a buddy who had them on a Riv'd out MB-3

Maxxis - DTH - 26" X 2.15 Again similar to above, popular with Riv's out Mountain bike conversions (but, generally not Cheap)

Vee Speedster - 26" X 2.125 Here labeled as an Eastern Growler, but also sold by other companies in the BMX realm like SE. It's available in a variety of sizes; I am currently running some 27.5's on my Crust Evasion.

Have fun!

[Gabriel Bruguier]

Hello all, I wanted add another option to the pile-- the new Simworks Super Yummy 26".  They measure just under 2.2" on a Rhyno Lite rim (2.16") and apparently have reinforced sidewalls.  They're awesome on both gravel and pavement.  I've been running them for about 2 weeks now, think I'm going to leave them on for a while. 

The observations about shortages apply to these tires-- they sell out quick.  But Simworks seems to be restocking them pretty quickly.  

[marshmonster]

don't they make Gravel King slicks in 26 now?