'Fast' 26 inch rims and tyres

[Polar Bear]

I'm considering once again building a pair of lighter, faster wheels for the tourer so that I can use it all year round for general duties as well as the fully loaded tours.   Does anybody have any suggestions on lighter rims and fast 26 inch tyres?

The hubs I have for the builds are 36 spoke if that makes any difference to rim choices.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

There are the usual tyre suspects, Schwalbe Kojak, Marathon Supreme, Panaracer Pasela. Go folding as you want to reduce rotating weight. Narrower is usually lighter, unless you get really spendy (Compass). HK uses Conti Grand Prix 559 on her trike but you might prefer something a little wider.

Most lightweight 559 rims are 32 hole but there are bound to be some light 36 hole rims about.

[Bolt]

For wide robust touring tyres I would recommend Vittoria Randonneur or Voyager hyper folding.  For comfort, handling and speed on lighter tours I would recommend Schwalbe Kojaks.  I've also recently bought a pair of Specialized Fatboys in 26 X 1.25 but haven't rode them yet, though they appear very similar to the Kojaks.

[Torslanda]

Durano DD is available in 28-559, might be a little skinny but fast with good faerie protection.

Also available as Durano with folding bead in the same size.

Kojak is available both wired and folding in 35-559

Blodwyn likes Schwalbe Spicers (albeit in 700c) and they're only available in 40mm for 559

If you desire you can use the schwalbe website to compare specs of all five in one table...

[Polar Bear]

OK I like Durano plus 700c so there might be a winner.   

Now for rims...

I will be keeping a pair of touring wheels btw.

[Kim]

There's a 28-559 Durano on the back of the Baron (and a 28-406 one on the front).  It's a tyre, it seems reasonably quick and not overly fairy-prone.

[Brucey]

OK I like Durano plus 700c so there might be a winner.   

Now for rims...

I will be keeping a pair of touring wheels btw.

FWIW I think durano plus is a little dead-feeling. Why not standard durano, these are not commuting wheels...?

rims;  36h 559mm for rim brakes, right?

cheers

[Polar Bear]

Not commuting, leisure and pleasure.   Not particularly fast either but touring wheels with marathons are noticeably sluggish when unladen. 

Just looking at options to move to just one machine.

Oh yes, rim brakes.

[fuaran]

You can get the Schwalbe One in 25-559 (26 x 1.0), should be pretty fast.

[dim]

Schwalbe Marathon Supreme are OK .... but get the new version. I had a 2" wide pair on an old Bridgestone MB-2 that I converted with drop bars and bar end shifters. I rode over 1200km with no punctures and when I sold the bike, the tyres still looked brand new with very little wear

Compass Tyres are very good aswell:

https://www.velovitality.co.uk/collections/26-tyres

I was going to get a pair of Compass Rat Trap Pass for my Surly LHT but never got that far, as I sold the bike. Lots of excellent reviews from people who use them. A little expensive though

[tiermat]

I really like the Bontrager H2(I think they are H2s) that I have on the single speed mtb. Cheap, fairie proof and fast rolling.

[toestrap]

For rims, a quick look on Spa Cycles -

Mavic XC717 420g
Exal LX 17 575g
Sputnik 690g

The Mavic at £40 is twice the price of the others. I can't vouch for this as rim or the Exal, I've only used the Sputniks which are bomb proof, but heavier.

[trekker12]

+1 for standard Duranos for general leisure use. I've got Durano Plus (in 700C form) hanging in the shed and didn't like them as much, as above found them a bit dead.

I've just bought some on offer from Spa
http://www.spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s121p1550/SCHWALBE-Durano-HS399-Folding

There's a lighter newer one on there as well but I went with the tyre I liked last time (you can also get it in Yorkshire TDF version with ETAPE written on it for two pounds less).

[Brucey]

plenty here

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/rims-26-559/?holes=36

440g XM117 is cheap enough.  I'd use one on the front and maybe something a bit stronger on the back. Since I would wear the front out before the back I'd probably buy a spare front rim too.

cheers

[Moultonaught]

PB,

I'm about to put my Muddy Fox Sorcerer up for sale as part of my fleet / garage clear out.

It's currently wearing Compass 26″ x 2.3″ Rat Trap Pass tyres which have done about 5 miles!

I'd planned to sell them on the bik,e but could perhaps sell them separately if one was interested?

cheers
Nick

[Polar Bear]

Moultonaught,

Thanks very much for the offer but I'm going for a pair of Duranos.

Hoops are sorted thanks to Torslanda.   A slightly different and unexpected solution.   

[Moultonaught]

PB - do tell!

[Polar Bear]

Ah, ok.

A couple of years back I disposed of a pair of 26 inch wheels, XT hubs, Mavic D521 rims to Torslanda of this parish.   They were sitting in the 'never used' pile so I swapped them for a pair of Marathons.

Torslanda's project has not come to fruition so they're coming home again.