[road]

I am looking to set out on an adventurous cycling tour with friends in a month or two. The problem is that both the tyres of my bike are pulled down and have negligible grip now. We are heading to some distant location with unfamiliar trails and I don’t want to get in trouble or bother my fellow bikers away from home. So, I was wondering what good options are out there? My requirements include grip and duration both! 8} 8}

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[gmac101]

I’ve had two punctures in my
I’ve had two punctures in my marathons – both large chunks of flint that got stuck in the sipes. I do about 50 miles a week and the back one after 2 years use is looking worn but the back end is quite heavy (flat bar steel bike, hub gear, panniers etc)

[gazza_d]

Marathon plus all the
Marathon plus all the way…

Just replaced the back one after 4000 miles of heavy commuting and shopping duty without a single puncture.

A bugger to get on and off but minefield proof once on. Keep them inflated and they are not really any slower than anything else

[Rod Marton]

Two clear options, Conti
Two clear options, Conti Touring Plus of Schwalbe Marathon Plus. I have done 7000 miles of expedition touring on a pair of the Contis, two punctures and still tread left at the end. However this was largely road, they cut up quite badly off-road. Don’t have quite the same experience with the Marathons, but they are on their second year on the winter bike and look like new – no punctures yet.

[Forester]

Marathon Plus for me too,
Marathon Plus for me too, just remember to pick out the flints from the tread before you ride; my only puncture was from a flint that might well have been a Neolithic arrow head!

[Shades]

Is this on road or, at worse,
Is this on road or, at worse, ‘light’ trails. I just did a CTC tour and was joined by someone I know who does some ‘eye-popping’ cycle touring (fully loaded up). She was on a Surly Long Haul Trucker with ‘fat’ Schwalbe Marathons (not MTB grip but there are a number of options in the Schwalbe range). She just spent the summer cycling with someone who was on a round the world trip. He needed a new tyre so she brought one out for him…Schwalbe again. I use Schwalbe Marathon Pluses on a commuting bike and they’re ‘WMD proof’.

[Author]

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