700C rider needs help selecting 26" tires for new Sherpa build

[Danneaux]

Hi All,

I've tendered my order form to Thorn, received my quote, and am about to move ahead with the purchase of a new Sherpa. The problem now is to select the proper 26" tires for me.  Except for my tandem, which seems to do fine pretty much everywhere with 26x1.5" skinwall road slicks, I know nothing about which tire to select.

Unladen, I ride fast and far, with typical day rides being 200km-400km, mostly on pavement using 700x32C or 700x35C road slicks.  Those same tires have always taken me on multi-week, heavily laden tours through dirt, heavy gravel, desert playa, and of course, pavement with no problem.  For examples, see:  http://giantloopmoto.blogspot.com/search?q=Daniel+Wood   My tires seem terribly narrow by today's touring standards, but I recall Ian Hibell used tires the equivalent of 32mm for his world travels and he did fine, to say the least.  I recently tried a 700x35C Schwalbe Marathon Plus.  It was heavy and hard to accelerate, but I was amazed at how fast it was once up to speed, and how well it coasted compared to my same-size Bontrager Select slicks.  It gave a smoother ride with less vibration at the same pressure and yes, that made it feel more "dead" than the Bontragers weighing half as much.  It is nice to have "Plus" protection against goathead puncture-vine thorns.  I also tried some Michelin City Pilot tires in the same size and pressure and felt like I was pedaling through molasses -- I could feel the bike actually slow instead of coast when I stopped pedaling, and I had to pedal a couple gears lower than usual.

I've always figured the best way to select a tire beyond tread design and intended use was by section width/profile and pressure appropriate to the load.  Mounted tires often differ from their stated width (and rims vary in width also), so I go by measured width when mounted.  By that reasoning, my 700x35C would be more than adequately matched by, say, a 26x1.5" as used happily on my tandem.

I am beginning to suspect, however, that a Sherpa's stiffer frame might well need some pneumatic suspension to ride comfortably unladen.

I want to hit a happy medium among Thorn's tire offerings so I can hit as many ideals as possible -- durability, low rolling resistance, and long life while being reasonably responsive and lightweight -- a good all-rounder.  After measuring a number of tires today, I am beginning to wonder if a 2" tire, say a Marathon Supreme or Dureme might fill the bill without feeling like a boat anchor.  Can 2" tires actually be fast?  Thoughts?

Can someone please post the width of their mounted tires and note the rim used?  That would be enormously helpful.

Another question:  I have a Zefal HPX2 pump I'd like to use with the new Sherpa.  Will it fit the pump pegs without interference if I use 2" tires and the wider P55 fenders?  A notation on page 15 of the Thorn brochure makes me wonder if it is impossible.  Any forum members use an HPX with wider tires and fenders?

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.  This is really the last sticking point before I make my deposit.

Best,

Dan.
Eugene, OR USA

[julk]

Dan,
I have ridden a few thousand miles on 2" Schwalbe (folding) XRs and found them just about indestructible, but the ride is slow and heavy.

I am currently on 2" Schwalbe (folding) Hurricanes and find them an excellent compromise of all the things you are looking for - worth considering.

The Schwalbe Marathon Dureme and EX both sound worthy contenders for choice.

What a pleasant dilemma!
Julian.

[JimK]

I have Rigida Andra 30 26" (559) MTB CSS Rims on my Nomad & have been using Marathon Supreme 26x2 tires.

Here is an experience that might give a slightly objective snapshot of performance. A few weeks ago a young fellow on a Kona Sutra caught up to me. I was on my way home on a 32 mile ride that involved a stop at a farm stand, so I had some peaches and sweet corn in my saddle bag. The Sutra rider had front & rear panniers - he told me he'd left Boston a few days before & expected to be in Montana in five weeks. How he found the little road I was on, no idea!

I asked him about his tires... I forget exactly, but they were something like 700x32. The fellow seemed very competent, so I am sure his tire pressure was smart.

We came up to a big downhill and I let him go ahead of me. Easy to get up to 35 mph or so just coasting on that hill and there are some rough spots and curves, so side by side riding is not a good idea. He took it a bit slow - a new road for him, so again evidence of competence.

Anyway, at the end the hill gets lets steep and straightens out, so we were coasting side by side & I passed him.

So that's my little bit of evidence that the Marathon Supremes roll well!


 

[Danneaux]

Julian, Jim,

Thanks very much for your thoughts and input; very much appreciated!

After 35 years spent "cycling with intent", I am new to the world of 26"-wheeled touring bikes.  My last "new" bike was a 1989 Miyata 1000LT.  I feel like I am starting anew, with a lot of advancements to learn about and appreciate -- compact frame designs with short seat tubes, threadless headsets, external-bearing bottom brackets, 9-speed indexed shifting, v-brakes, and smaller diameter, wider rims and tires.  It's a lot of fun...and a terrific growth opportunity.  These are well-conceived improvements and should work better than what I'm used to.  Thanks for the help, guys.

Pondering your helpful experiences and suggestions, I think among Thorn's default and available options, I will go for the 2.0 Duremes.  They're lighter weight than some of their other offerings and I like how Andy Blance describes them as a  "jack-of-all-trades" tire.  Apparently they don't excel in any one area, but do well across the board in a variety of conditions.

Paired with the heavier Andra rim, I should have a pretty good overall setup and a reasonable compromise for my long unladen day rides and my expeditionary work.  I kind of wish I could go with the CSS option, but it is beyond my means and there is the concern about stopping power in really heavy rain (I live in Oregon -- rain will sound familiar, JimK!) and I would want to carry spare brake pads for really extended trips in more remote areas, though both these concerns seem minor for most users.  They surely are nice equipment!

I'm slowly refining my "final build" and feel like a kid waiting for Santa to arrive Christmas morning.  I have to admit to printing out a photo of the bike to post near the computer...purely for reference, you understand!

Best,

Dan.