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Road touring tyres, 700c x 28 - which to buy?

I am replacing my touring bike tyres. In the past I have used Specialized Transition K4, which were excellent but seem to be discontinued, and Panaracer Tourguard 700c, which also seem to be discontinued.

I need about 700c x 28 wide, for long-distance touring (cycle camping, 4 panniers, the full load).

What would be the best modern equivalent including a built-in puncture protection belt?

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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13 comments

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BBLeeds | 9 years ago
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I agree with the Schwalbe Marathon Supreme recommendation, really good grip, takes the weight easy -I have a steel bike, rack etc, and load it up weekly from Leeds market, wearing well after a year,no punctures yet and lighter weight than my previous schwalbe marathon plus and these are foldable, you can't go wrong.

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Adolphe | 9 years ago
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I would recommend Schwalbe Durano 28mm folding.

I used to ride Durano Plus 25mm folding for several years and had only one puncture. I then wanted to switch to 28mm. Durano Plus does not come in 28mm folding flavour, only wired which is heavy, so I got Schwalbe Durano 28mm folding (supposedly a little bit less puncture protection). Did a couple of thousand k on this one already without any punctures. Feels more comfortable and grippier than the Durano Plus, probably due to the absence of the puncture absorbing ridge in the middle.

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Jack Osbourne snr | 9 years ago
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If your frame can take 32mm tyres then I highly recommend Marathon Supremes. If not, then 28mm Durano folding.

I've done 7000 miles on a set of supremes without a puncture. They're relatively light and fast rolling too. The Duranos are lighter still, but are more race-training than touring oriented and therefore have less puncture protection. One thing I particularly like about Schwalbe folding tyres is that they are easy to get on and off if you want to swap... Or in the event that something does eventually make it through the puncture belt.

They can also both be had for £20 from bike-discount.de

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harman_mogul replied to Jack Osbourne snr | 9 years ago
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Jack Osbourne snr wrote:

If your frame can take 32mm tyres then I highly recommend Marathon Supremes. If not, then 28mm Durano folding.

They can also both be had for £20 from bike-discount.de

Sorry did not see this before posting. Agree with all you say about M Supremes, except the price, the 32-622 is on sale now for a whisker over 20 EUR. Buy several sets!

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mike the bike | 9 years ago
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I too like the Durano Plus, but my all time favourite touring tyre is the Vittoria Randonneur. It's tough, really tough and lasts a very long time. And yet it's cheap and doesn't weigh anything like as much as a Marathon.
I detest punctures with a passion that is out of all proportion to the inconvenience they cause. I resent the time wasted and the dirty hands and the invariable lost dust cap. But with Randonneurs I sometimes go a full year without sitting forlornly at the roadside, tyre levers in hand.

Hot tip: They make 'em in several varieties; ignore all the fancy types, such as the Cross, and stick to the plain old Randonneur. It's better and cheaper.

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Forester | 9 years ago
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Schwalbe Marathon Plus very resistant to punctures, if you check the treads regularly for flints/thorns, but expensive and hard to get on to the wheel. Have also used Conti Touring Plus, similar tread to the Schwalbe, went a year without puncture. 28s are more comfortable and gave me more confidence.

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bikebot | 9 years ago
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For slick, Conti GatorHardshell, tougher and lighter than the Schwalbe Durano Plus.

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harman_mogul replied to bikebot | 9 years ago
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bikebot wrote:

For slick, Conti GatorHardshell, tougher and lighter than the Schwalbe Durano Plus.

Don't agree, Durano very good in my experience, esp the S variant. OP could try Marathon Supreme which is just 310 g in 28 x 622. For grip and comfort it has no equal. German discounters have it for as little as €20.

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bikebot replied to harman_mogul | 9 years ago
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harman_mogul wrote:
bikebot wrote:

For slick, Conti GatorHardshell, tougher and lighter than the Schwalbe Durano Plus.

Don't agree, Durano very good in my experience, esp the S variant. OP could try Marathon Supreme which is just 310 g in 28 x 622. For grip and comfort it has no equal. German discounters have it for as little as €20.

Each to his own, I preferred the Conti', but they're both very good tyres and that price is a bargain.

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Simon E | 9 years ago
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Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase is cheap, tough as boots and rolls surprisingly well. Otherwise how about Schwalbe Durano Plus? If you want something with tread them maybe the Schwalbe Marathon.

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srchar replied to Simon E | 9 years ago
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Simon E wrote:

Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase is cheap, tough as boots and rolls surprisingly well.

+1. I have 28s on my foul weather bike, no punctures in 3,000km of wet central London commuting.

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PhilRuss replied to srchar | 9 years ago
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srchar wrote:
Simon E wrote:

Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase is cheap, tough as boots and rolls surprisingly well.

+1. I have 28s on my foul weather bike, no punctures in 3,000km of wet central London commuting.

[[[[[ +2 for Race Lite but 700 x 23. No punc's for 2 years, London streets. One is amazed.

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Derny | 9 years ago
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Tourguard is the puncture-resistant layer. It looks like Panaracer still make the Pasela with Tourguard. The tread looks like the Panaracers I used to tour on, but it's been 10 years since I've seen one. A search for "Panaracer Pasela TG" finds it on Amazon.

I like the Continental GP 4 Season, although the price is a shocker for some. Depending on the distance and road conditions I might want something with more rubber.

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