Tyre recommendations for my hybrid

doodah

doodah

doodah

Caporegime
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
28,348
Location
London
Loving my Boardman HYB 8.8 but I don't think the supplied tyres are suited for my needs, or I'm just very unlucky. The 1st puncture happened almost immediately after getting it but put that down to it being a display model, and perhaps it been out on the floor for a while. The second was glass but both me and the person who replaced the inner missed the hard to spot glass shard still in the tyre, so my third happened within minutes of going back out. I believe the 4th was just another random one, glass again. And on my way back from Epping Forest last weekend, I got a 5th.

The bike came with Schwalbe Citizen 700 x 35C and I ride on the road mostly but also do trails/light gravel paths. I like the size and profile of the current ones but don't mind going a wee bit bigger in needed. Any recommendations?
 
For a reasonable level of puncture protection and reasonable road/offroad, https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m14b0s122p4645/SCHWALBE-Marathon-Cross-HS470 aren't bad for ~£18 each.

I've had my set ~4.5 years, one puncture I can recall. I typically run them at ~55/70PSI (front/rear) on my hybrid for commuting, with me being as heavy as ~82Kg at my heaviest (like now). ~560g each, far lighter than Marathon Plus, shame they are wire bead as that adds a bit of weight.

Another option would be 28/32mm GP4 Seasons, decent performance/protection balance and lighter than Cross, but you will do well to find them under ~£35 each.

For a cheap multi surface option, which I've not tried since ~10 years ago in 26" form, there's always Schwalbe Landcruiser (or maybe the Plus version for more protection). You might be able to grab them from your local Halfords for not much more than ~£10 each using 10% British Cycling membership discount.

For speed on the road, at the cost of some protection, a pair of GP5000s (maybe TL version if your wheels are tubeless ready, which they may well be) will fly, available up to 32mm (I have a 23 and 25 from summer, will be grabbing either a pair of 32mm or a 28/32 mix soon I think). Matched pair is ~£75 at Merlin with a set of tubes.

How big you can go above 35mm will depend on what real world measurement gives you at least ~5mm clearance to the frame/forks, ideally more if riding offroad. My Voodoo Marasa will just about accept a 2.35" G One Speed up front, but the rear is severely limited by part of the triple chainset front mech that sits between the seat tube and the tyre, it came with 40mm but I'm limited to ~35mm on the rear with a Beavertail XL mudguard because of that mech.
 
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@UTmaniac oh wow, thank you so much for that detailed response. I'm a heavy brute right now, around 95kg. Will have a proper read at lunch :).

Edit - forgot to add along with my bigger weight, I do about 100km a week so durability is definitely a consideration. Still haven't got round to reading your post - babysitting is full on :p!
 
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FFS :mad::p:p:p, another one at the weekend ~30km into a 130km ride (glass again I think). Fortunately I remembered to bring a spare inner tube and no more for the rest of the journey.

Pay day on Friday, ordering the Landcruiser Plus'.

Edit - and another last night :o:o:o, screw waiting for pay day. Edit - turns out this one was because my back tyre had blown through wear and tear.

Edit - I appear to be on a roll, another one yesterday, but it was at least funny. Went off a path for a break which was grassy, bumpy and had a few twigs/branches. After my break I cycled to join the path and a thick branch must have caught in my back wheel, and in less than one revolution got stuck and sheered off the valve clean followed by a big whoosh :p:p:p:o. Using a bog-standard Decathlon tyre on the back until my Landcruisers arrive.
 
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