I think tires are the best upgrade to any bike. I’m wondering: What’s the right set of tires for the tour divide?
list of tires https://bikepacking.com/index/29-plus-tires-list/
Right now: I have a 29″ duro crux on the front, it’s relatively low weight (1015 grams supposedly). It’s VERY wide: 3.25. No word on durability or rolling resistance.
I won’t be going all that fast, and it looks like from the graph below that air resistance becomes a bigger problem as you go faster (or the wind blows harder, but it can come from behind or in front).
I just realized I can use a vibration app to help me figure this out: https://www.cyclingabout.com/vibration-measurement-procedure-outdoor-test-courses/
To consider:
maxxis chronicle
wtb ranger
maxxis recon
teravail oxbow/coronado
Schwalbe/Conti? (I hate to sayh it, but they win opn th num,bers)
characteristics –
- weight
- diameter
- width
- rolling resistance
- durability/protection
- tpi
Weight:
Tires are rotational mass, more rotating mass = more enegry to keep them rotating, so lower is better. Also: lower is better since it’s less stuff to haul up hills.
And… more weight generally means more protection from side wall tears.
The tour divide is not a huge tire sidewall threat, and I have the tools to repair problems.
Insight: go for lighter weight protected, but plan for a problem.
To Do: practice side wall repair.
Width:
I keep wanting to ride wider tires because Jeff Jones said so. Lower pressure, better grip, lower rolling resistance (?), ‘suspension. This page seems to say wider is more comfortable (less vibration)
But: Wider – more rubber = heavier. And I don’t really know how to tell about ‘suspension’. And I’m not really sure lower pressure = better rolling.
Diameter
I am rolling 29 in front, as it seems to handle obstacles better. Plus, that’s the wheel with the dynamo in it.
I am considering switching to 27.5 in the back because:
- reduced weight of tire
- more clearance for wider tires
Rolling resistance
Continental and Schwalbe seem to own the range here. Not so many wide tires in these brands taht aren’t ridiculously over knobbed.
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