Panaracer Pasela/Pasela TG Tires - Clincher Reviews

Price Paid:  $63.00 at ebay

Favorite Ride:
Bucks County

Bike Setup:
Soma San Marcos with VO crankset and VO sprung saddle, Shimano 105 rear and Sora front derailleurs, Dimension flat top road bars with Shimano bar end shifters

Summary:
This is actually a review of the Kevlar bead TG in 28c and the basic Pasela in 25c. The Pasela 25c tires have terrific road feel and smooth out bumpy pavement very well. About 80% of the ride feel of Challeng Triathlons for 40% of the cots. They also wear very well; the front tire shows very little wear and the rear shows some tread wear but not a lot after 1000 miles. They are a true 25c wide and very comfortable. I just purchased the Pasela TG in 28c to get a little more width. While they seem to be a good tire, you lose a little bit of road feel with the added flat protection. They have a slightly deader feel than the basic paselas. I was also a little dissappointed that the 28c TGs are only about 26.5mm wide, even with the foldable bead. They're both good tires but the basic Paselas ride better and cost less. I'd recommend them both and I'd recommend the plain Pasela over the TG.

Strengths:
Ride feel and value for the money

Weaknesses:
None that I can find, I've had no problem with the side walls but I ride recreationally, not to commute so maybe I don't run across as much crap in the road.

Similar Products Used:
Vittoria Randonneur, Vittoria Zaffiro, Challenge Triathlon

Price Paid:  $28.00 at JensonUSA

Favorite Ride:
San Francisco

Bike Setup:
Trek 610 Reynolds 531cs lugged steel
Suntour Super 7 front and rear derailleur
Suntour Power Shifters (stem-mounted)
Dia-compe safety levers and side pull brakes.
Ultegra 6500 hubs with Mavic CXP33 rims.
Sakae-Ringyo stem, bars, and seatpost.

Summary:
I have been riding with 27" wheels on my commuter for quite some time. I built these wheels myself, and they were really heavy with 36 spokes. They had 1 1/4 inch tires mounted.

I recently stuck some 700c wheels on the same bike, but I didn't have any suitably pothole friendly tires to accompany them.

After going for months with some worn out 23c slick tires, I finally thought it might be good to get some bigger tires before the rain sets in.

I have a friend who really likes Panaracer tires, so I thought I'd give these Pasela Tour Guard tires a try.

I started out at 90psi and the front tire felt kind of floppy in the turns. There was a sudden oversteer in the front that I was not used to. I upped the tire pressure to 95psi and things were much better. The sidewall recommends 105psi, but that seems extreme on a 28c tire.

Out on the road, these tires really smooth out this sometimes brittle feeling lugged steel frame. Road seams and minor pavement imperfections are muffled very admirably. After I figured out the tire pressure, the handling was easy and smooth.

On the bike, I gained the road-ability of the 27" inch wheels and 1 1/4" tires, without all of that weight.

I'll have to see how they work when the rain comes.

Strengths:
handles all types of road well (in the 28c)
can go fast and smooth
gum sidewalls really look nice & old-timey

Weaknesses:
on a rain bike/commuter, those sidewalls are going to get dirty fast.

Similar Products Used:
Continental Gatorskin

Price Paid:  $150.00 at Recycled Cycles in S

Favorite Ride:
Norco Monterrey

Bike Setup:
70's or 80's steel frame 12 speed. It is pretty heavy, but as it is my preferred all-around transpo, I need something tough and versatile.

Summary:
I have the Tourguard version with kevlar belting. I hate having to go around stuff and tend to ride "guerrilla style"- on and off sidewalks, trails, and roads, through ditches, traffic, flower beds, or whatever. I got these because the anti-puncture belt and because I wanted a tire that would roll like a road tire on pavement but had some tread for cornering in slippery conditions.

I ride anywhere from 2 to 10 or more miles a day under varied urban conditions for about a year and they have mostly lived up to expectations. Compared to a traditional road tire they vastly improve traction and handling in poor conditions without sacrificing feel or increasing rolling resistance.

I pinched a tube after hitting a huge pothole at high speed with the tires under-inflated (my fault really). A heavy duty staple in another pothole punctured my rear sidewall, so one tire had to be replaced. The fact is, no tire is going to save you if you ride like an idiot (and I do!) or fail to maintain it properly (guilty again!). If you take care of this tire, however, I believe it will take care of you.

Strengths:
great combination of traction, feel and speed. extremely flat resistant tread surface. very reasonable price for the quality and available in tons of sizes. I highly recommend it for those with 27" wheels, which are available in 1", 1-1/8", and 1-1/4" widths

Weaknesses:
Thin sidewalls. Outstanding performers at the rated 105 psi, with a significant drop in performance below 90psi. I don't recommend them if you intend to vary the pressure under different conditions or prefer a softer feel.

Similar Products Used:
A Schwalbe Marathon replaced the tire with the punctured side wall. This tire has a bulge, which was a major disappointment, but defects happen. I am going back to the pasela (which it replaced) not because I got a defective tire as much as size issues. for 27" wheels Marathons only come in 1-1/4" widths, which doesn't fit well in my fenders (I ride in wet conditions too often to take those off!) They have more traction and thicker sidewalls, but are heavier and have a softer feel. I think they'd be a great tire for randonneuring, commuting, or even trail if they fit your bike since from all accounts they are as near to bullet proof as a pneumatic tire gets.

Price Paid:  $20.00 at FeeBay

Favorite Ride:
All of them

Bike Setup:
Surly Pacer 2X9, more touring than road racer with a mountain riser bar.

Summary:
I bought these back in Feb. 2010 because they were getting fair reviews and I liked the look of the gum sidewall for my Surly Pacer. I figured that, since they were touring tires, they'd be built pretty nicely. Although I've only experienced one flat with them (pinch flat), I couldn't get the darn rear to seat properly and I had to ride home with a gigantic hop.

This flat was a result of falling into a rut. Given that I cyclocross and mountain bike more than road ride, I didn't think anything of it until I felt the back go squishy. The sidewall was seriously compromised.

If they didn't mount up so horribly and have thin sidewalls, I'd probably still have them. I just don't want to be stuck out in the middle of nowhere with a busted tire. Other than that, I've put a couple thousand miles on them.

Strengths:
Price, looks.

Weaknesses:
Weak sidewall, poor mounting.

Similar Products Used:
Continental Gatorskins

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I bought the Panaracers based on very positive online feedback and word-of-mouth. I've come to the conclusion that these are the worst tires I've ever owned. After two months without problems these tires started going flat at least twice a week due to small shards of glass on the road. The tires offer absolutely no resistance to glass. If you live in the city and use your bike often steer clear of this inferior product.

Strengths:
Smooth ride.

Weaknesses:
Any small sharp objects will tear through these like a butter knife through crisco.