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Re:
What 50g for an aramid folding saving?
Schwalbes do 2.25" 26" knobblies down at 400 to 450g and lighter
What 50g for an aramid folding saving?
Schwalbes do 2.25" 26" knobblies down at 400 to 450g and lighter
Tyres for winter, but not 'winter tyres'
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You can get mildly spiky studded tyres you know.
I have some monster crappy/300+ stud nokians the base tyre is a 10 quid BSO tyre, crap in all conditions, plastic tread. Weight is knocking on 950grams each end, in 26×2". I hate riding with them on, it's bad enough that I'd prefer to use the turbo.
On the other hand, the wife has a pair with 100 studs, based on a top end kevlar beaded loose condition race tyre, mid/soft compound. About 600 grams each.
You can barely tell the difference to her normal race tyres.
I have some monster crappy/300+ stud nokians the base tyre is a 10 quid BSO tyre, crap in all conditions, plastic tread. Weight is knocking on 950grams each end, in 26×2". I hate riding with them on, it's bad enough that I'd prefer to use the turbo.
On the other hand, the wife has a pair with 100 studs, based on a top end kevlar beaded loose condition race tyre, mid/soft compound. About 600 grams each.
You can barely tell the difference to her normal race tyres.
Osella
Senior Retro Guru
I'd highly recommend Schwalbe Nobby Nic / Racing Ralph combos.
Newer Schwalbe tyres are the correct size these days, so measure rear clearance properly! They're also better constructed, which means sliiightly heavier but much better grip as the tread stays in its pattern better.
I've used this combination in 2.35/2.2 but with RR front NN rear in the snow before (trails and tarmac, nothing too gnarly) and on icy roads & found it to be totally solid. Also used RR 2.4's front & rear, same conditions and no slippage (and this includes riding up hills down hills, 90 degree corners, pavement-hops, etc - such a fun way to get to work when there's no cars on the roads!) If you get Schwalbe Trailstar (slightly softer) compound they are exceptional, just up the pressures when it's dry for good rolling resistance and drop when off road/it snows/ices up.
Sammy Slicks are exceptional '3-season' commuter/gravel tyres, but no way would I trust my life to them in snow. The knobbles don't wear out on tarmac when the pressures are set right (high), but any semi-slick with edge knobs will by its nature snap more suddenly than a rounder tyre when it loses grip - this is why Ralphs work well as they're rounded and Nics in the softer compound grip exceptionally well if you keep upright and if you lean they lean downward through the square edges more. Ralphs will slide sideways when it's icy, but won't snap out. Nics seem to dig down better into the snow/mud/etc.
The older Schwalbes were very thin, and they still make these (the lightest weight constructions) but these do get damaged and torn easily. Anything under 500g per tyre is likely to be this very thin carcass and give no puncture/damage resistance (you can literally stab through the tyre with a Biro!).
Most of the 2.2"-2.4" tyres are 530-580g for folding bead, which is very reasonable.
Rocket Rons are fine if it's dry, but clag up at the first sign of dirt, leaving you with a slick.
I'm assuming you can't fit 2.5" tyres...? That's another bundle of soft-compound fun in the snow & ice
Newer Schwalbe tyres are the correct size these days, so measure rear clearance properly! They're also better constructed, which means sliiightly heavier but much better grip as the tread stays in its pattern better.
I've used this combination in 2.35/2.2 but with RR front NN rear in the snow before (trails and tarmac, nothing too gnarly) and on icy roads & found it to be totally solid. Also used RR 2.4's front & rear, same conditions and no slippage (and this includes riding up hills down hills, 90 degree corners, pavement-hops, etc - such a fun way to get to work when there's no cars on the roads!) If you get Schwalbe Trailstar (slightly softer) compound they are exceptional, just up the pressures when it's dry for good rolling resistance and drop when off road/it snows/ices up.
Sammy Slicks are exceptional '3-season' commuter/gravel tyres, but no way would I trust my life to them in snow. The knobbles don't wear out on tarmac when the pressures are set right (high), but any semi-slick with edge knobs will by its nature snap more suddenly than a rounder tyre when it loses grip - this is why Ralphs work well as they're rounded and Nics in the softer compound grip exceptionally well if you keep upright and if you lean they lean downward through the square edges more. Ralphs will slide sideways when it's icy, but won't snap out. Nics seem to dig down better into the snow/mud/etc.
The older Schwalbes were very thin, and they still make these (the lightest weight constructions) but these do get damaged and torn easily. Anything under 500g per tyre is likely to be this very thin carcass and give no puncture/damage resistance (you can literally stab through the tyre with a Biro!).
Most of the 2.2"-2.4" tyres are 530-580g for folding bead, which is very reasonable.
Rocket Rons are fine if it's dry, but clag up at the first sign of dirt, leaving you with a slick.
I'm assuming you can't fit 2.5" tyres...? That's another bundle of soft-compound fun in the snow & ice
Osella
Senior Retro Guru
Yeah, I have a lot of fun on 2.5's.. only fit on 2 bikes properly tho, and even that I have to watch rim width..
I'm just mindful of the fact that where we usually get between 1-4 days of winter snow, you guys get a lot more so can perhaps 'get away with' less from tyres.
Snow tyres are one thing, winter tyres in places with tarmac are a totally different ballgame. Where I live they don't salt/grit the roads, so day 1 is snow - fun; day 2 is ice - fun but a lot more care needed; days 3-4 are either more ice, or just slush, or maybe fresh snow on top of ice - and I guess you're pretty much dealing with 'day 3' a lot depending how much they grit.
My biggest problem is that everyone's scared to drive when it's snowing, so the roads are empty* but you're constantly listening out for that 'shsss' sound of a car locking up behind you at a downhill stop line... That and dodging everyone walking in the middle of the fecking road, not looking behind them for bikes FFS...!!
*and anyone who is driving isn't looking out for anything, let alone bikes - but bonus: No 23mm tyre'd clipped-in 10mph commuter roadies!!
Schwalbe Ralph 2.2 / Nic 2.35 combo got through this days 1-2 a few years back:
I'm just mindful of the fact that where we usually get between 1-4 days of winter snow, you guys get a lot more so can perhaps 'get away with' less from tyres.
Snow tyres are one thing, winter tyres in places with tarmac are a totally different ballgame. Where I live they don't salt/grit the roads, so day 1 is snow - fun; day 2 is ice - fun but a lot more care needed; days 3-4 are either more ice, or just slush, or maybe fresh snow on top of ice - and I guess you're pretty much dealing with 'day 3' a lot depending how much they grit.
My biggest problem is that everyone's scared to drive when it's snowing, so the roads are empty* but you're constantly listening out for that 'shsss' sound of a car locking up behind you at a downhill stop line... That and dodging everyone walking in the middle of the fecking road, not looking behind them for bikes FFS...!!
*and anyone who is driving isn't looking out for anything, let alone bikes - but bonus: No 23mm tyre'd clipped-in 10mph commuter roadies!!
Schwalbe Ralph 2.2 / Nic 2.35 combo got through this days 1-2 a few years back:
Sketchyxup
Retro Guru
Re:
Iv been using the 'vittoria randonneur trail' for a few years and been mega impressed, its heavy but seems bomb proof. The central ridge means you can zip along on the road yet it seems to grip off road like a proper knobbly, iv done some seriously wet and muddy climbs offroad and wondered how the hell I'd made it up.
They come in a variety of sizes, im currently running a 35mm on a 700c wheel but they come in 26" too.
Review:
http://road.cc/content/review/15534-vit ... trail-tyre
Iv been using the 'vittoria randonneur trail' for a few years and been mega impressed, its heavy but seems bomb proof. The central ridge means you can zip along on the road yet it seems to grip off road like a proper knobbly, iv done some seriously wet and muddy climbs offroad and wondered how the hell I'd made it up.
They come in a variety of sizes, im currently running a 35mm on a 700c wheel but they come in 26" too.
Review:
http://road.cc/content/review/15534-vit ... trail-tyre
You know, when I said I didn't want 'bulletproof touring tires that weigh a kilo each and last twenty years', I was looking at my wife's All-City Space Horse, which is fitted with Vittoria Randonneurs...
I'm sure they're great tyres, just not what's required this time around. Pretty close to making a decision, I just need to go and look at a few more tyres in the flesh, so to speak.
I'm sure they're great tyres, just not what's required this time around. Pretty close to making a decision, I just need to go and look at a few more tyres in the flesh, so to speak.
Just to update this;
I bought a pair of Continental Race King ProTection 26x2.2s. They have the shallow-knob 'cyclocross'-style tread I was after and don't weigh too much even in ProTection guise. The quality seems stellar, and the centreline of the tread looks like it should roll nice and fast on rough tarmac.
I also bought Continental MTB Light tubes to keep the rotating mass down.
I bought a pair of Continental Race King ProTection 26x2.2s. They have the shallow-knob 'cyclocross'-style tread I was after and don't weigh too much even in ProTection guise. The quality seems stellar, and the centreline of the tread looks like it should roll nice and fast on rough tarmac.
I also bought Continental MTB Light tubes to keep the rotating mass down.
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