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Ashamed to ask as I'm sure the answer will generlly be 'marathons', but here we go. I have a new commuter (Ribble CGR Ti) which is a much nicer bike than what I've previously been using. I want to go a bit quicker and have a bit less weight to carry, but I also absolutely do not want any puncutres. Is there anything other than the weighty and sluggish Marathon in 25mm to consider?
but I also absolutely do not want any puncutres
If you insist on using tubes then Marathon Plus is the only answer to that requirement. It is the only tubed tyre I have never punctured and I used them for 3 years on and off road.
If you want to try tubeless I am finding Hutchinson Challenger TR to be very puncture resistant and much nicer to ride than Marathon Plus
If your commute is tarmac-based, then have a look at the new Hutchinson Challenger tubeless. They do a 32mm version, and it is very durable, with lots of rubber and puncture protection, but pretty comfy and fast too. Very easy to set up tubeless as well, which is a bonus.
Cheers. Hadn't really looked at tubeless but worth considering!
I switched to tubeless for commuting because I absolutely hated Marathons with a pasion. They turned a lovely riding bike into something which rode like it was cheap from Tescos. I've been using Pirelli Cinturato for years, but I would say the quality of the last set I have has dropped so I will be investigating others once I've worn them out.
My commute takes more over a lot of broken glass in the city, and decent setup tubless with a robust fast tyre has done me well.
Continental Top Contact here for 5 years - worn one out, not a single puncture.
IMO it's a more comfy and grippy ride than the Marathons I've tried.
I have a new commuter (Ribble CGR Ti)
Nice! pics?
If your commute is on the road, I'd find it tough to see past Continental GP5000 in whichever flavour you like (Tubeless, width etc). I run 28mm Tubeless Ready (I think) on my older CGR Ti and they're absolutely spot on for fast-ish comfortable road and a bit of light untarmacked road - don't remember the last time I had a puncture either.
anything other than the weighty and sluggish Marathon in 25mm to consider?
You what now? Is the 25mm a typo? What's the commute? 15+ years ago I might have considered 25mm rubber but times have changed. Hell, pro in the peleton are riding 28mm these days. Your bike can handle 45mm or 40mm with guards - edit older generations if that's what you've got maybe less, not sure. Im currently riding bontrager R3 in 32mm tubeless on my commute. It's certainly not the last word in puncture protection like a marathon but it's much much faster with better road feel. Run tubeless it's been excellent with zero punctures in a couple of thousand miles. This is a very rural back road commute. It can handle a little bit of light cycle path gravel if needed too but is definitely meant more for the road.
Btw - that is one lovely frame for commuting.
It's also the older CGR Ti without the dropped seatstays. Lovely bike and hardly used it seems. Ultegra kit, Ksyrium wheels (which I'll probably change before too long for something with a dynamo), carbon bars. I've already picked the naff union jack badge off (I'm pretty sure it wasn't made in the UK!). I've put mudgaurds on and have ordered a pannier rack for it. Seems a shame to load it full of clobber but it was purchased for a specific purpose!
I have GP5000s on my road bike and even riding on nice countryside roads they seem to get a fair number of nicks and cuts. I think they'd be shredded in no time on my glass strewn commute.
You what now? Is the 25mm a typo? What’s the commute? 15+ years ago I might have considered 25mm rubber but times have changed. Hell, pro in the peleton are riding 28mm these days. Your bike can handle 45mm or 40mm with guards – edit older generations if that’s what you’ve got maybe less, not sure. Im currently riding bontrager R3 in 32mm tubeless on my commute. It’s certainly not the last word in puncture protection like a marathon but it’s much much faster with better road feel. Run tubeless it’s been excellent with zero punctures in a couple of thousand miles. This is a very rural back road commute. It can handle a little bit of light cycle path gravel if needed too but is definitely meant more for the road.
Btw – that is one lovely frame for commuting.
The 25mm was as much for weight and rolling resistance - assuming the bigger the tyre, the heavier and slower it'll be! Will have a look at some of these tubeless suggestions.
Yeah it's a nice bike. The commute accounts for 80% of my riding these days so I thought I'd try to make it a bit more enjoyable.
The 25mm was as much for weight and rolling resistance – assuming the bigger the tyre, the heavier and slower it’ll be! Will have a look at some of these tubeless suggestions.
The narrow has less rolling resistance thing is largely debunked now. Wider has so many advantages on a commute - seems to cut up less, you can run a lower pressure for comfort on rough roads (and less bouncing around means better ability to keep the power on), ability to take on a kerb or two and the big one.....chances of surviving an accidental pot hole interface at speed in the dark without trashing a rim are improved massively.
^ wot convert said.
Mrs_oab' Continental Urban in 40mm feels noticeably more sprightly than her and my older, narrower tyres.
Go peek at this and compare - there's some eyebrow raising oddities between 'fast road tyre' Vs a few of the gravel Vs a few touring tyres. Even things like Conti Terra Trail (with knobbles) is faster than my Conti Terra Hardpack (near smooth).
https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/
IME the Marathon's are a solid tyre - literally - and the thickness of the tread and sidewall means they are not as grippy (slower in corners) and batter over rough surfaces (tiring you and slowing bike).
Marathon Almotions are another choice.
The tubed ones are a bit lighter than the tubeless ones .
Commute on mine and ok on gravel too if I extend the commute. Low rolling resistance and backed up on the rolling resistance website.
Not the lightest but very puncture resistant.
I used one on the rear for Frontier 300 last year too.
I’ve used Conti Grand Prix 4 Seasons for this: I wore one to the canvas once without ever puncturing it, and they are grippy enough (though not once the rubber is gone), and quick enough for fun rides too.
If 700*40s will fit then Marathon Supreme. Reasonably fast rolling and comfortable.
Another vote for the Specialized. I've had them for at least a year now. Fast rolling and I've only had 1 puncture so far.
Previously I've had marathan plus in 25 and 28, both terrible. Then gatorskins in 28 and 32. The gatorskins are pretty fast but no grip in the wet.
Mention Marathon tyres, it will suck the life out of you.
Road tyres, see if Durano is still available. They are OK.
Durano Plus was the only road tyre that survived the glass of my 10 mile commute. I'd done the same distance on road using Conti 4 Seasons (expensive), but when I switched to 3 miles of shared use path, they cut up really bad due to glass (student area). Switched to Durano Plus - noticably slower, but they rarely caused any issue.
Different bike now on Wiggle Lifeline Commuter tyres on a 26" MTB - FFS it's not a fast bike, it's heavy, but does the job, and I am rarely passed ... The Wiggle cheap tyres have been great for over 12 months.
As said up there, spesh roubaix pro tubeless are very durable - it's flinty round here and most tyres do puncture but these last aaages
If there's a bit of off-road involved, I like Hutchinson/Donnely MSO on a 27.5 - if they still exist
Been uisng Durano plus tyres on my nice work bike for a few years, they are very good, one level below Marathon Plus in protection so they are lighter and almost as good as Marathon Plus, in 5 odd years ive only had one puncture due to a massive sidewall slice due to a smashed bottle
Currently testing a set of Hutchinson Challenger tyres, 2 months in and ive had one puncture from a large thorn, will give them a couple of more months before deciding to keep them or switch back to Durano Plus
My commute takes me through a very busy city centre, lots of glass, small stones, general debris everywhere etc.. then through a nature reserve with lots of thorns and then back through a busy town so again glass, debris and all kinds of crap
Personally ive given up on tubeless on my road bikes, its great when it works but as soon as it dosent with 70 psi in the tyres the sealant sprays everywhere covering me and the bike and then i have to fit a tube anyway and get even more covered in sealant whislt fitting the tube and then when i get home i have to fix the hole with a plug, refill with sealant and then clean up all the mess and try and get the sealant out of my clothes, its just not worth the faff anymore for me
Conti GP 4 Seasons seem to be a nice compromise between puncture resistance and ride quality, would recommend. Running the 28's here and am yet to puncture them
I like the Continentals Matt OAB mentioned. Ran Contacts for many years often worn out with no punctures and will go back to them when the Bontragers on my current Trek wear out.
I have had Durano Plus and punctured, I have had Continental 4 seasons and punctured (on first ride). If the requirement is "absolutely do not want any punctures" then the only answer is Marathon Plus.
I have run 32mm Spesh Roubaix tyres through that last few winter, I really like them. I recently bought a used bike which had brand new conti gator skins on. Horrible, hard gripless things when I last used them a decade or more ago. One has migrated into my winter bike and tbh nothing bad has happened, they are 28mm and I do miss the volume but the are doing the job.
Just stop being a fanny and get wide tubeless and start living your life in comfy luxury.
I changed the tyres on my winter road bike to Schwalbe G-One Allround in 35mm. I had been using variations on the typical winter roadie gp4000s, Vittoria etc... in 28mm.
I MUCH prefer the schwalbes. The centre knobbles have worn a bit but that's fine as there is still plenty of traction when leaning over on off road sections etc and actually are probably the ideal tyre for winter road/commuting.
I've used the same bike for all my winter commuting this year as well as 50% of my 'normal' for-fun riding and the tyres have been faultless. No punctures. If anything they are faster and certainly more comfortable across a broad spectrum of surfaces and they feel more secure in grim weather/frost/snow compared with slicks. I'm converted.
It’s also the older CGR Ti without the dropped seatstays. Lovely bike and hardly used it seems.
Nice! Same frame as I have, but better spec - mine is 105, some Hunt wheels and a couple of other bits n bobs. Not too heavy either, guessing yours must be not far off 8.5kgs?
Bought some Marathon Supremes autumn '21 in Merlin sale, quite fast and yet to have a puncture (albeit I've done a lot less outdoor riding since Oct '22 due to long covid).
They size small, 40mm is ~37mm and 35mm is ~33mm, still got a 32mm in spares box.
You said absolutely no punctures - then its Marathon Plus. I have had Supremes too, but I managed to cut the sidewall from one and they are not as puncture proof. Duranos can be ok too.
But if you want well rolling light tyres, these have been good so far -
I put these on my commuters last spring - https://int.vittoria.com/products/terreno-zero-gravel-endurance would run tubeless for puncture proofiness though.
I have both the gravel-width Terrenos, and a pair of mtb ones - https://int.vittoria.com/products/terreno-xc-race and these are probably the fastest mtb tyres I have ever had. Tubeless of course, for they are supple and thin casing. Roll really, really well, been riding gravel and pavement with these on my rigid 29.
These look good too and advertise puncture proofness - https://int.vittoria.com/products/ridearmor-tubeless-ready
Have not tried that model.
Currently riding with Marathon Supreme on the rear and Durano on the front, both 32mm. 0 punctures in around 14 months of commuting through the city centre and the bike doesn't feel at all sluggish.