32mm tyres for Audax Mk3?

[chris edie]

Can anyone recommend a 32mm tyre that they use under mudguards of an Audax Mk3?


(Looking for puncture protection &  grip in the wet rather than all out speed.)

Thanks

Chris

[Danneaux]

Hi Chris, and welcome to the Forum!

Others will no doubt have their own ideas, but I'll go out on a limb here and suggest visiting a Trek (!) dealer to check out the available Bontrager tires. Most are pretty inexpensive as tires go, and I've found them to run true and round, (de)mount easily, and to have lots of grip and puncture protection regardless of price. They're inexpensive enough to play with if you want to try something without making too much investment in rolling stock.

I've had exceptionally good luck running Bontrager Select K4 (Kevlar-belted) road slicks in 700x32C on my rando bike. Essentially a slick, (there's some small, shallow "character lines" on the shoulders), they grip well when cornering deeply on wet city streets. I paid about USD$22 each at my LBS for the wire-bead model. Unfortunately, this particular model is no longer available; Bontrager have overhauled and renamed their line for this Spring.

The T2 looks to be the replacement for only USD$2 more, if you wish to experiment on the cheap: http://bontrager.com/model/08861

They don't last too long under heavy touring (the rubber wears "square" on the center tread under very heavy loads), but last a good long time when riding unladen or with day-ride loads and resist broken glass particularly well.

Just another data point if cost is a prime factor; they work as well as many more expensive tires.

Best,

Dan.

[rualexander]

Mk3 is only designed to take up to 28mm tyres with mudguards.

[triaesthete]

Hi Chris
I run mine with the recently discontinued 700x30 Schwalbe Marathon Racer. These measure a real 28mm wide on my rims.

They fit under 35mm sks mudguards with realistic but not generous clearances.

On the practical side they can be removed/inserted easily without need for deflation. Tightest clearance is the lower rear mudguard to frame mount bolt when inserting the rear wheel. A taller tyre would need forcing in or deflation. I have a tiny button headed allen screw here so there isn't much scope for increasing this dimension.

I would love to know if 700x32 Marathon Supremes fit. I suspect they would be just workable if they are actually 30mm across, but I think a true 32mm width might just be too much.

Please let us know what you end up with.
cheers
Ian

[chris edie]

Mk3 is only designed to take up to 28mm tyres with mudguards.

Well that's what I have always been lead to believe.
However when I emailed SJS re fitting my mudguards and happened to ask what was the maximum size I could fit.
Steve replied "32mm max tyre size (only certain brands) with mudguards 35mm without."
He did say "Only certain brands will fit though you need to look for a narrow profile tyre."

I have the narrower mudguards (SKS?) over my rather old 25mm Michelins (came with an old bike) and I am less than impressed with the tyres. Whilst replacing them I thought I'd try for the Holy Grail of a wide tyre with lots of puncture resistance and lots of road holding, hence my question.
Winter is arriving here in Tasmania and I need to keep on the bike if I am to lose enough weight to do my first serious season of Audaxes, so wider tyres are going have to be bought.

[chris edie]

I was wondering if anyone uses Continental Gatorskins or Grand Prix 4 Seasons on their Audax Mk3.
If so, how do you find them ?  and what is the largest you can fit under mudguards?

Chris

[leftpoole]

Chris,
I use 28mm 4 Seasons. There is loads of room to fit 32mm.
John
www.pbase.com/leftpoole

[jags]

John just looking at your audax in your photo gallery stunning looking bike and my favourate colour.
did you have a square taper or outer bearings bottom bracket .

[chris edie]

Thanks John, I can now go shopping

Shame they don't do the 4 seasons in 32, best of all worlds.
I have also been recommended Schawlbe Marathons as a bullet proof commuter,
but no idea if I can cram a 32 under the guards.

Chris

Chris,
I use 28mm 4 Seasons. There is loads of room to fit 32mm.
John
www.pbase.com/leftpoole

[JimK]

There is an ETRTO search function on the Schwalbe website.. the North America site, anyway. Grand fun for hunting tires.

This might work on an Audax. It's wire bead so not super-light. But it ought to be decently tough.

http://www.schwalbetires.com/node/3821

oops, sorry, I see these were mentioned above. Seems like the North American Schwalbe still has some stock.

The Supremes come in a 28:

http://www.schwalbetires.com/node/3498

[chris edie]

Well I can safely say that 32mm Continental Gatorskins don't squeeze under 35mm mudguards.
The wheels turned fine but once I was on on it they rubbed (at the edges) and I had to remove the mudguards.

Has anyone managed to fit wider guards on their Mk3?

Chris

[Danneaux]

Hi Chris!

Sorry to hear the disappointing news about the 32mm Gatorskins interfering with the 'guards, but hang onto both; I may have a solution for you!

Has anyone managed to fit wider guards on their Mk3?

Mmmno, I haven't on a Mk3, but I have solved a very similar fitment problem with surprising ease simply by cutting a scallop on each side of the "too wide" mudguard so it could swell past the fork blade or seatstays and was no longer a point of interference with the tire.

The result worked terrifically well, was virtually unnoticeable (depending on how well the scallops come out) and solved all problems for me.

Perhaps a similar approach would work for your Audax -- providing the tires themselves have adequate clearance wrt to the fork blades, fork crown (and 'guard mounting bolt head), and both sets of rear stays. I used a Dremel Moto-Tool to scallop my mudguards, but a small sanding drum or even patiently carving with a pocketknife or sanding with a piece of sandpaper wrapped around a wooden dowel or pencil would do the trick as well.

Hope this helps.

Best,

Dan. (...who thinks scallops aren't only mollusks)

[triaesthete]

Hey Chris
I have 32mm Marathon Supremes on mine with 35mm  sks longboards.  Fit is a little closer than ideal but not silly. Mind you the tyres actually measure about 28.2mm on Ambrosio evolution rims. (About 0.2mm bigger than 28x30 Marathon racers on the same rim )

The 35mm longboard guards have a radius profile rather than a square one like standard sks guards, so they can sit just a little higher without fouling the calipers.

This is with a steel fork. It won't work with the carbon fork thorn use(d).

Like Dan says, a wider guard would need filleting to fit. The 35s give an elegant fit  because the frame was designed round them. Either way it would exercise your fitting skills...
But the longboards give amazing transmission protection as well.

Ian

[Relayer]

By uncanny coincidence - in the latest Audax Mk.3 brochure (Issue 25 Summer 2013) 32mm Marathon Supremes are offered as an upgrade ...


"Schwalbe Marathon Supreme 32c folding Ultimate in reliability
and longevity - still very quick. Actually measure 30mm will fit the Mk3
frame, with mudguards and either of steel forks but the tyres may need
partially deflating to enable them to be removed from the brake callipers - is
this an issue for you?"

Jim

[honesty]

I run 25mm Gatorskins on mine and the tyre has been fantastic and long lasting. As a wire bead though its quite heavy. I'm tempted to run something like a 28mm ultremo next time. I have the carbon forks though which does reduce the clearance at the front.