Bike Tires galore

I've been fortunate enough to check out a bunch of different tires over the past year or so.  Some have been given, but most have been purchased outright.  One caveat - I won't ride or flak something I don't like. I won't wear even a t-shirt for a brand I don't like. And this holds true to things I write about.  If I don't like it, I'll say it.  I want my friends to ride and use good gear.  So this is about the rubber on which you ride.  

Foundry Auger+ with Challenge Gravel Grinders and HED Belgium C2+ rims.  It was a really good day!

For those who haven't seen these yet, Compass is making the very best 'big road tires' on the market. Their heritage is the Randonneur style ride (like 300-800km). I'm still in love with my Challenge Gravel Grinders for off-pavement, but I've been riding the Compass Barlow Pass Extralight (38mm) all summer on-road. They also make a 32mm (Stampede Pass) and 35mm (Bon Jon Pass) for those who don't have clearance on their CX or gravel/touring bikes. The weight is pretty decent - Barlow Pass extralight is around 320 grams, and the feel is very supple. I rode these on my Foundry Auger for RAGBRAI this year, and found that concrete expansion joints (miles of them in Iowa) and rumble strips were no big deal - unlike my Ridley, which told me about every pebble, bump and crack.
One important note - these are definitely 'boutique'. Don't look for a deal - Compass is a small bike company in Seattle who really does live for the sport.
Jan also puts out a magazine called the Bicycle Quarterly that can only be described as 'bike porn'.

Get your subscription today!  And check out this issue for some very interesting reading on tires.  I don't agree with everything here, but it's a great discussion

A couple of thoughts. Bigger tires means significantly less air pressure due to the higher volume. Plusher ride without being 'squishy'. A little different sound when rolling over loose stuff. Instead of 'ping', they go 'pong', but less often.  When buying performance tires, go for the high TPI option when it's available.  You'll feel the difference!

And here are my tire choices for various widths:

23mm - Michelin Pro 4 Service Course

25mm - Michelin Pro 4 Service Course
Lots of good tires in the 23 category, a few in 25mm.  The Pro4 is my reference standard against which I measure road tires.  Supple, sticky, they wear well.  Excellent road feel and a decent price.

27mm - Challenge Parigo-Roubaix
Not a common tire, but with a latex tube, they stack up well against good tublars.  Mate these up with a set of HED Ardennes, and you'll be ready to ride the cobbles - or the streets of Minneapolis.

28mm - Continental GP4000 Sii (not actually tested!!)

I am taking these on faith.  I've ridden a lot of Continentals over the years, and have generally loved them.  Well, maybe not the Gatorskins - that's more of a respect than love.  Gators are great bulletproof commuter tires, but the ride quality suffers badly.  I have high hopes that the GP4000Sii has the typical Conti feel.

30mm - Michelin Jet (hard pack & gravel)

There are a number of really good tires out there like the Vittoria XN, Challenge Chicane, and Clement LAS, all designed for cyclocross hardpack racing.  The Jet has just a little more tread, and hooks up on hard packed gravel like a dream. 

32mm - Compass Stampede Pass Extralight (road)
35mm - Compass Bon Jon Pass Extralight (road)

38mm - Compass Barlow Pass Ultralight

See up page for a my comments on Compass.  You *will* like these tires!

32mm - Challenge Almanzo (gravel)

Another outstanding "open tublar" offering from Challenge.  They do exactly what you expect. Tread life isn't super, so I'd recommend saving them for those days you expect to be mostly off pavement.

35mm - Continental Cyclocross Speed (gravel)

I killed a set of these before I moved to the 38mm tires from Compass and Challenge.  They are fairly supple, grip well, hook up well, roll well, and like most of the CX tires, don't last forever.  If you can't fit the Gravel Grinders, this is a darn good substitute.  Note - this tire has been 'relaunched'. I have not ridden the new version, but it looks like it might be an improved version of the old!

38mm - Challenge Gravel Grinder (gravel)

Soft, supple, wears quickly, so I just bought 2 spare sets.  I've ridden gravel pacelines at 25mph, Almanzo gravel downhills at 40+, and even slippery river bottoms.  No pinch, no problem.  Extremely comfortable tire!

Tubes - I'm having great success with Challenge Latex tubes, but they are not for everyone. They're expensive, a little more difficult to work with, and you *will* have to pump them up every ride. On the plus side, they are much more supple, which contributes to a great road feel and may help cut down on flats.

Challenge Gravel Grinder tires - after the St Paul Box 'o frogs ride.  It was a very good day.

I've also had good luck with Schwalbe ultralight tubes (BikeTiresDirect, Amazon, Wiggle). Good feel for a butyl tube.