Tyre widths on your touring/bikepacking bikes

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)

What is the tyre width on your main touring/bikepacking bikes?

25mm or less
4
4%
26-30mm
10
9%
31-35mm
36
32%
36-40mm
39
34%
41mm or more
16
14%
Mountain bike tyres (2.0 inches or more)
9
8%
 
Total votes: 114

Carlton green
Posts: 3645
Joined: 22 Jun 2019, 12:27pm

Re: Tyre widths on your touring/bikepacking bikes

Post by Carlton green »

PH wrote: 2 Jun 2023, 5:18pm
Carlton green wrote: 2 Jun 2023, 4:44pm Why would I say the above? Well, in times past...
Fair points, but in times past there wasn't the same choice of wider tyres we have now, or the bikes that would take them.
I’m not disagreeing with you but rather saying what’s adequate and perfectly capable (as proven by the ‘hero’s’ of times past) is narrower than what’s popular now. Folk have become both soft and obsessed with going wherever they what and whatever pace they want. Of course YMMV / will vary, I just make my own observations and seem to get by just fine for virtually all of the time - surely I can’t sensibly want for more than that. If the going is too rough or too steep then do I sometimes get off and walk? Yes of course I do, but it’s usually only short stretches and I don’t mind either doing that or going a bit slower here and there. Life is full of compromises, but the 700c x 35’s have made life better for me (than did the job 27 x 1&1/4”) and I can comfortably ride at my pace in pretty much any place that I choose to go - they’ll do.
Don’t fret, it’s OK to: ride a simple old bike; ride slowly, walk, rest and admire the view; ride off-road; ride in your raincoat; ride by yourself; ride in the dark; and ride one hundred yards or one hundred miles. Your bike and your choices to suit you.
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foxyrider
Posts: 6044
Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 10:25am
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Re: Tyre widths on your touring/bikepacking bikes

Post by foxyrider »

I am the solitary 25mm vote and the reason is less obvious than pure bloody mindedness!

Indeed, my CX/tourer when it was/is extant normally has 28 or 32mm fitted. However, my current and long time touring bike is my Airnimal Chameleon with 520c (24") wheels for which currently the widest tyres available are 25mm so i'm stuck with that. Its not ideal but it hasn't stopped me riding unpaved routes, bridleways and so on, the other bikes i ride are generally shod with 23/25mm rubber so i'm used to the 'limitations'. That said it has to be particularly gnarly or soft to deter me from riding and i do get some funny looks from the wide tyre brigade :lol:
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
Jdsk
Posts: 24639
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Tyre widths on your touring/bikepacking bikes

Post by Jdsk »

Both of the upright solos are on front 28-622, rear 32-622 Schwalbe Marathon Plus.

Mostly on metalled surfaces but a fair sprinkling of bridleways etc.

Jonathan
cycle tramp
Posts: 3532
Joined: 5 Aug 2009, 7:22pm

Re: Tyre widths on your touring/bikepacking bikes

Post by cycle tramp »

Both loaded and unloaded I tended to use 26"x1.75" when I was touring. I've always toured in the UK so whilst others may claim I was robbed of certain efficiencies on clean dry roads, on wet and muddy canal paths and unsurfaced cycle ways, my bike felt secure and planted.
Motorhead: god was never on your sidehttps://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=m ... +your+side
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plancashire
Posts: 545
Joined: 22 Apr 2007, 10:49am
Location: Düsseldorf, Germany

Re: Tyre widths on your touring/bikepacking bikes

Post by plancashire »

I used to use 25mm 700C but that was too narrow for gravelly parts of German bike routes. I then had Schwalbe Marathon Racer 35mm 700C on two bikes; those were much better. I now have Marathon Supreme 37mm 700C, which are slicker than the Racers but have enough tread off the centre for all the riding I do off tarmac / blocks, which is on typical hard-packed hoggin, packed gravel, dry forest trail or disintegrating asphalt. I don't ride in mud. The Supremes are faster rolling on the vast majority of the surfaces, which are smooth. I can't fit anything bigger to my bike, unfortunately, unless I change the wheels, which would mean transferring the hub gear and dynamo - disc brakes are OK. My wife has 50mm 26" and is very happy with them.
I am NOT a cyclist. I enjoy riding a bike for utility, commuting, fitness and touring on tout terrain Rohloff, Brompton M3 and Wester Ross 354 plus a Burley Travoy trailer.
francovendee
Posts: 3148
Joined: 5 May 2009, 6:32am

Re: Tyre widths on your touring/bikepacking bikes

Post by francovendee »

cycle tramp wrote: 3 Jun 2023, 3:45pm Both loaded and unloaded I tended to use 26"x1.75" when I was touring. I've always toured in the UK so whilst others may claim I was robbed of certain efficiencies on clean dry roads, on wet and muddy canal paths and unsurfaced cycle ways, my bike felt secure and planted.
It's the size I ended up with. Started with 1.95" then tried 1.5". The 1.95" felt overkill for roads and the 1.5" a bit sketchy on muddy tracks.
For me the 1.75" works well on and off road.
markjohnobrien
Posts: 1037
Joined: 4 Oct 2007, 8:15pm

Re: Tyre widths on your touring/bikepacking bikes

Post by markjohnobrien »

On my bike with older 26 mountain bike wheels, I use 26x 1.75 as well. Plenty of volume for comfort on terrible roads.

On my more traditional tourers, I used to use 700 x 28 for years but have used larger tyres for 20 years or more and have 35mm Marathon Supreme tyres on my Raleigh Randonneurs and 40mm Marathon Supreme on the Kona Sutra.

35mm is very comfortable but the difference in comfort between 35mm and 40mm on good, supple, tyres is astounding.

All frames have tyre limits, but I always try and use the largest tyres that will fit due to atrocious roads that can fell like being on a bone shaker if smaller tyres are used - 28mm and below.

And I say this in the full knowledge that many touring bikes used to be fitted with 28mm tyres and people happily used them for years.
Raleigh Randonneur 708 (Magura hydraulic brakes); Blue Raleigh Randonneur 708 dynamo; Pearson Compass 631 tourer; Dawes One Down 631 dynamo winter bike;Raleigh Travelogue 708 tourer dynamo; Kona Sutra; Trek 920 disc Sram Force.
ciquta
Posts: 4
Joined: 2 Jun 2023, 11:58am

Re: Tyre widths on your touring/bikepacking bikes

Post by ciquta »

I toured with everything from 38mm up to 70mm and I find to sweet spot for a heavyset guy like me (210lbs) around 55mm.

I don't understand people afraid to go bigger, I really don't see how touring on a 32mm could be a better choice vs 42mm in any of tour I've completed, also well-paved Eurovelos.
bohrsatom
Posts: 807
Joined: 20 May 2013, 4:36pm

Re: Tyre widths on your touring/bikepacking bikes

Post by bohrsatom »

I use 32mm Marathon Greenguards, but I'll switch to 35mm when it's time to replace them. I find the 32mm aren't fantastic on some surfaces when heavily laden, but the main reason for swapping is that the rolling resistance of the 32s is worse than the 35s

I started out riding on 28mm Gatorskins - I used them on a 4 month tour. They were fine on compacted gravel and tarmac but handling was very unstable on less solid surfaces.
Carlton green
Posts: 3645
Joined: 22 Jun 2019, 12:27pm

Re: Tyre widths on your touring/bikepacking bikes

Post by Carlton green »

markjohnobrien wrote: 4 Jun 2023, 8:47am On my more traditional tourers, I used to use 700 x 28 for years but have used larger tyres for 20 years or more and have 35mm Marathon Supreme tyres on my Raleigh Randonneurs and 40mm Marathon Supreme on the Kona Sutra.

35mm is very comfortable but the difference in comfort between 35mm and 40mm on good, supple, tyres is astounding.

All frames have tyre limits, but I always try and use the largest tyres that will fit due to atrocious roads that can fell like being on a bone shaker if smaller tyres are used - 28mm and below.

And I say this in the full knowledge that many touring bikes used to be fitted with 28mm tyres and people happily used them for years.
My italics.

Useful post of the week goes to the above. Food for thought.

My own road bikes are limited to 35mm and I’m very pleased with the practical gains that 700 x 35C have given to me. However, it’s also good to learn from the path that others have taken. I still think that getting past 32mm and to 35mm brings you into the right area, but there’s always a time to recognise the experience of others too.
Don’t fret, it’s OK to: ride a simple old bike; ride slowly, walk, rest and admire the view; ride off-road; ride in your raincoat; ride by yourself; ride in the dark; and ride one hundred yards or one hundred miles. Your bike and your choices to suit you.
m-gineering
Posts: 254
Joined: 23 May 2015, 12:01pm

Re: Tyre widths on your touring/bikepacking bikes

Post by m-gineering »

Bicycles started out with fairly wide tyres to cope with the road conditions BITD. When roads improved tyres got narrower. But we now see that the good roads are very busy and not very pleasant to ride on, and with GPS we can find the quiet roads & tracks which are much nicer to ride on but not very smooth. Modern touring bikes reflect the local conditions and customs and the UK (and USA) are pretty far behind in the bigger tyre trend compared to Germany, Netherlands etc.
Marten

Touring advice for NL: www.m-gineering.nl/touringg.htm
Carlton green
Posts: 3645
Joined: 22 Jun 2019, 12:27pm

Re: Tyre widths on your touring/bikepacking bikes

Post by Carlton green »

m-gineering wrote: 4 Jun 2023, 6:50pm Bicycles started out with fairly wide tyres to cope with the road conditions BITD. When roads improved tyres got narrower. But we now see that the good roads are very busy and not very pleasant to ride on, and with GPS we can find the quiet roads & tracks which are much nicer to ride on but not very smooth. Modern touring bikes reflect the local conditions and customs and the UK (and USA) are pretty far behind in the bigger tyre trend compared to Germany, Netherlands etc.
Fascinating. Back in the day is apparently circa 1900 and indeed tyres were much wider at 1&1/2” and 1&3/4” (38 and 44mm). One lives and learns… https://onlinebicyclemuseum.co.uk/fitti ... -bicycles/

Apparently 28 x 1&1/2” was the popular UK size and that’s ETRTO 40-635.
Don’t fret, it’s OK to: ride a simple old bike; ride slowly, walk, rest and admire the view; ride off-road; ride in your raincoat; ride by yourself; ride in the dark; and ride one hundred yards or one hundred miles. Your bike and your choices to suit you.
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Tyre widths on your touring/bikepacking bikes

Post by simonhill »

As an aside, as Supremes are so popular, why have they been discontinued.
PH
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Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 12:31am
Location: Derby
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Re: Tyre widths on your touring/bikepacking bikes

Post by PH »

simonhill wrote: 4 Jun 2023, 8:55pm As an aside, as Supremes are so popular, why have they been discontinued.
Made way for the new Efficiency, a tyre Schwalbe claim to be their fastest touring tyre to date, something the recent review in cycle agreed with. And to bring it right on topic - that Schwalbe haven't offered it in a width under 40mm in 700c and not at all in 26" could be seen as the way they'd vote in this poll and also their opinion on 26" continuing as a popular touring size.
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Tyre widths on your touring/bikepacking bikes

Post by simonhill »

Yes, I noted the newly hailed, 'best ever', Efficiency, not available in 26".

I recently bought a cheapo Chinese tyre as an emergency replacement. It's only 1.5, but very deep. Given volume of air is comparable to a much wider tyre how does low profile v deep profile relate in the width debate?
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