Panaracer Crosstown

[closetleftie]

Bought a set of these, as the LBS didn't have my usual choice of Schwalbe Marathons for the commuter. I have two questions: one rhetorical and one real:

1. I hope I won't be disappointed by these, and end up on the side of the road after seeing the fairies?

2. They don't appear to have a tread direction indocator. Which way round am I going to fit these things?

Ta!

[clarion]

Are these the black sidewall version of the Pasela?

[Charlotte]

Yeah.  Sort of.  They have a reflective strip on the sidewall, too.  Not sure if they're directional.  I always put the label side on the same side as the chainset.

After seeing them come as OE on Juliet's Cheviott, I used them for a while on my fixers and they were quite good.  But what I will say is that they weren't as long lasting as the Pasalas by half.  They were letting the faeries bite within 2500k which in my book ain't nearly enough.

I'm back on the more expensive Marathon 28s again.

[clarion]

Ah.  OK.  I did love my Paselas, but I'm an M+ boy now.

None of this helps with directionality.  Sorry.

[closetleftie]

Nor with tyre choice. 

Oh well, by the time I've worn them out the Marathons will be in stock again. They do look as if they will be somewhat less skittish in the wet than the Marathons - softer compound, I suppose. Cheaper, too.

[Chris N]

Are these the black sidewall version of the Pasela?

Not quite, no.  The T-Serv for Messenger is the blackwall Pasela.  Some of my CTC chums use the Crosstowns, but they're a couple of hundred grams heavier than the T-Serv.  Tyre direction is probably irrelevant on bicycles, at least on road.