Road Plus...

[DrMekon]

Or the marketing name for what Jan Heine has been banging on about for ages.  Anyone tried some? I've got 700*44mm Compass on my tourer,  and 700*35mm on my "gravel bike" which I guess was cheap in the sale because this was on a boat

http://www.planetx.co.uk/c/q/bikes/gravel-adventure-bikes/space-chicken



They have the wheel sets really cheap so I'm tempted to grab some and throw some 48mm tyres on.  Anyone else tried really big road tyres? The  44mm Compass felt really good at 50psi

[sojournermike]

My Spa Audax has 32s that are about 35 feet installed. I run them at 55/60 psi. Also got some compass Bon Jon Pass 35 or bigger. Both ride nicely.  The spa at about 60 rear and an it less at the fronf

Regards

Mike

[DrMekon]

How wide are your rims? I've got Grails at  21mm internal on the  gravel bike.  Am hoping for a chunky settlement from my rta and fear I'm talking myself in to Enve SES 4.5AR at 24mm internal - which is clearly ridiculous... 

[sojournermike]

'Only' 19mm internal. Still road rather than mountain rims. Everything is tubeless though and works well.

Mike

[citoyen]

I'm convinced that wider tyres are the way forward. The Domane I rode for LEJOG last September was a joy on 32mm tyres and I see no reason not to go wider still, if you've got the frame clearance.

M'colleague did the Poor Student 200 on a Sequoia with 42mm tyres and they didn't seem to slow him down.

I would definitely appreciate the freedom to go off-road on a whim.

[Cudzoziemiec]

The stock tyres on the Sequoia are great off-road. If you live in California and off-road means gravel, rocks and dust. In Northern European mud they're merely ok. The biggest problem though is mudguard clearance – not clearance to get mudguards in, but between mudguards and tyres to stop them clogging in said mud. Though that's probably partly down to my particular, voluminous and slightly wobbly, mudguards. I'm considering going narrower; from the stock 42s down to 40 or 38. The Compass Somethingorother Pass look good, but might start out with humble Paselas (if I can find some with black sidewalls) as proof of concept.

[sojournermike]

The other thing is get geometry that you like. It's easy enough to fit big slick tyres to a cross bike, but the steering can be a bit ponderous on the road even though it comes alive on gravel and soft stuff. The genesis datum and Planet X chicken thing look sensible in terms of trail, as does my Spa Audax with the 50mm offset surly fork.

I still have a soft spot for 25s though.

Mike

[vorsprung]

Jan Heine would say 650B not 700   

In the past I've aimed to have 28mm tyres on my road bikes but the most recent new bike will take even bigger tyres and it is currently running tubeless 30mm ones, Schwalbe S-One which are racing tyres not touring tyres.  Also used Strada Bianca on the same bike, they are wonderful tyres.

I did try 50mm Marathon Supremes on one bike and found them to be a bit draggy and heavy.  Even though they are the fastest/lightest version of the Marathon.  Currently trying 35mm tubeless Marathon Supremes

[DrMekon]

That space chicken is 650b, as is the "road plus"  thing wtb are pushing

[fuaran]

650B with fat tyres gives a similar overall diameter to 700C with skinny tyres. So it shouldn't affect the geometry too much.

[zigzag]

nicely designed frameset, i wish they'd provisioned a mount for a front derailleur and drilled the fork crown at the front (as an option) to attach lights

[DrMekon]

I've emailed them to ask whether the Bish Bash Bosh will take 650*47 - speculation is that it will but I can't find an example of someone testing it. The BBB can take guards and 700*40mm tyres. Will post pictures when built up

[Cudzoziemiec]

I'm convinced that wider tyres are the way forward. The Domane I rode for LEJOG last September was a joy on 32mm tyres and I see no reason not to go wider still, if you've got the frame clearance.

M'colleague did the Poor Student 200 on a Sequoia with 42mm tyres and they didn't seem to slow him down.

I would definitely appreciate the freedom to go off-road on a whim.

Out of interest, what mudguards – if any – does y'colleague have on his Sequoia? I'm still not entirely happy with the Velo Orange Zeppelins I've got; though they do look smart. 

[citoyen]

Out of interest, what mudguards – if any – does y'colleague have on his Sequoia? I'm still not entirely happy with the Velo Orange Zeppelins I've got; though they do look smart. 

No mudguards - but luckily it didn't rain.

It was a test bike anyway, so has now gone back to Specialized.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Thanks for the info. Even if it doesn't help. 

[JamieD]

I'm convinced that wider tyres are the way forward. The Domane I rode for LEJOG last September was a joy on 32mm tyres and I see no reason not to go wider still, if you've got the frame clearance.

M'colleague did the Poor Student 200 on a Sequoia with 42mm tyres and they didn't seem to slow him down.

Given the example of the Sequoia would you go for 700x42c or 650x47b (or even larger). This is the exact question I'm currently considering.

[Jacomus]

I've run Schwalbe SuperMotos for yonks now, and love them. 62mm of cushiony goodness.

[BrianI]

My Spa Audax has 32s that are about 35 feet installed. I run them at 55/60 psi. Also got some compass Bon Jon Pass 35 or bigger. Both ride nicely.  The spa at about 60 rear and an it less at the fronf

Regards

Mike

Lol, my Dawes Horizon is shod with 32mm marathon greenguard, which i tend to run at 85psi front and rear. Thatd probably explains the harsh ride. I may drop them down to 55/60 psi. What tyres are ob your spa Audax

[sojournermike]

My Spa Audax has 32s that are about 35 feet installed. I run them at 55/60 psi. Also got some compass Bon Jon Pass 35 or bigger. Both ride nicely.  The spa at about 60 rear and an it less at the fronf

Regards

Mike

Lol, my Dawes Horizon is shod with 32mm marathon greenguard, which i tend to run at 85psi front and rear. Thatd probably explains the harsh ride. I may drop them down to 55/60 psi. What tyres are ob your spa Audax

The Spa is on Vittoria Voyager Hyper, cheap comfy and fast from Planet X. I currently weigh a fraction over 13 star be and 55 to 60 psi is plenty in the back tyre. The Hypers are probably the best value tyre I've ever bought in terms of niceness for cost.

Mike