Bike Setup: Co-motion Nor'wester touring Co-Pilot (the bike packs down into a suitcase) with Velocity rims.
Summary: Perhaps this is too soon to review the tire, after only around 100 miles.
The tire has a high rolling resistance (as mentioned in earlier reviews). However, the plush feeling of the 28 mm tire almost makes up for that, as the bike (steel) kinda rolls over root-lifted asphalt as if they were no more than some little ripples in the street.
As to its resistance to punctures, well .. a piece of glass took the rear tire down, chewing up the tube.
The surprise was how quickly that wire-bead tire came off the rim, and went back on.
However, trying to replace the smaller tube with a larger one at home was a chore. First, I realized I had screwed up the directionality of the tire, as a result I had to dismount and remount the tire.
Strengths: Great training tire as its high rolling resistance on a steel-framed touring bike increases effort in the climbs.
Tread looks good.
Weaknesses: Punctured after 50 miles.
Always have to be mindful of rotation direction of tire.
Silly tread (prevent hydroplaning?)
Tire seems too large (700) for its rim. It kept flopping off rim.
Similar Products Used: None. Until this bike/tire I rode a Giant TCR using Hutchinson 700X23 tires.
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Summary: No punctures in >1000kms, rolls nice, 28c tires soak up bumps good grip in dirt, just a bit slippery cornering. Could benefit from softer shoulder compound or something to provide better grip around corners.
Strengths: Nice high volume
not too heavy
tough, stands up to daily city use without punctures
Works great with heavy touring loads
tread handles well in dirt
Weaknesses: slippery cornering on the road
Not cheap
Similar Products Used: Specialized armadillo Turbo
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Bike Setup: 2005 Cannondale T800 w/ Arkels rear and Ortliebs front. Stock rear rack and Tubus Tara front. Cannondale QR HB bag. My tank!
Summary: The tires are great as far as durability. Flat resistance is king. My gf and I rode 1840 miles this summer without a puncture. She has the 27x1.25 and I have the 700x37 that came with my Cannondale T800. I ended up rotating them after 1100ish miles and they are still going for commuting. Probably have 2300 miles on them total with majority of it under a 190lb rider, 30lb bike and 45ish lbs of gear. Heck, one day I had to carry the load in my gf's rear panniers and they still held up (with my stock Cannondale wheelset).
They are also pretty plush, if you keep them to their recomended inflation.
Stability/traction on dirt is good if you set them up correctly - rear 'reversed'.
I have noticed the sidewalls cracking, but I started out my tour overinflating the tires to 90lbs - what my rim said it could take for a 37c tire. It doesn't look as bad as what others are describing though. I've had much worse sidewall tearing on my Specialized Armadillos.
Strengths: Durability, high volume, long life, puncture protection and smooth ride. The best tire I've used so far.
Weaknesses: Price; if you buy them off the shelf. Mine came with my ride. Availability is also poor, so it pays to keep one on reserve and have someone ready to ship it out. Heavy?
Similar Products Used: Specialized Armadillos (25s and 28s), Specialized Nimbus (very nice - a close second). That's it for the porkier non-race tires.
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Summary: I´ve used the conti TT2000 for several years...mostly for commuting and light touring. I thought they were really the best tires for carrying loads. Now I am doing some extended loaded touring and I´ve had three sidewall blowouts normally close to the bead. I´ve checked my brakes, I´ve checked the rim, and I cant find any cause except I think the tires themselves just cant handle it. I am carrying a full touring load, but its still less than what many other cyclists carry esp since I myself am a lightweight cyclist. Some of the roads are bumpy and the distances are long. I emailed conti to ask for advice, but I did not hear anything back.
Strengths: Tread wear is good. These tires are excellent for medium or light duty. Good puncture resistance.
Weaknesses: Weak sidewalls make this tire unreliable for long distance loaded touring. I´ve seen this problem mentioned in other posts. This weakness it bad because it always results in an irrepairable blowout.
Similar Products Used: Im switching to the Schwalbe marathons to see if I can get better luck.
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Summary: Excellent worry-free winter/long distance tyre for use on bad roads, although heavy and high rolling resistance. Side walls maybe too thin and fragile for full-on loaded touring. Extremely durable.
Strengths: Never punctured with this tyre. They laugh at bad roads, mud, glass, gravel, thorns etc. Tread wears only very slowly. 28C size squeezes nicely on to an MA3 for a very economical and bombproof winter mile-eater that will hack some modest off-road as well. Good value if you shop-around online.
Weaknesses: As mentioned by other reviewers, sidewalls are thin and the rubber tends to crack after ~100o miles. This is only cosmetic however. Quite heavy (as expected for a 'touring' tyre) and fairly high rolling resistance. The complicated zig-zag tread pattern looks a little silly aswell. *VERY* difficult to put on rim - bead is tight.
Similar Products Used: Conti Top touring pre-2000 : much more desirable for loaded touring
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