Comments on: A Case for the Hardcase

By: Lovely Bicycle!

Lovely Bicycle! — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 20:33:23 +0000

Thanks. We have the Gatorskins on one of our vintage Motobecane roadbikes and Panaracer Tour Guards on the other, both 27″ x 32mm. We have ridden them through the summer and fall 2009 in pretty diverse conditions (city, sand trails, gravel paths, marsh roads strewn with shell fragments, shipyards with metal shards all over, etc.) and they are just fine. The Gatorskins are a tad faster than the Tourguards, but the Tourguards feel a bit cushier and more stable for beginners. I am building up a custom mixte for spring, and am still thinking about the tires (700 x 32c), hence the interest.

By: Lovely Bicycle!

Lovely Bicycle! — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 20:26:25 +0000

Mmm. The Vittoria Randonneur is another tire I would love to try. Wish they made the special edition white ones in 700 x 32c.

By: Keri

Keri — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 16:54:28 +0000

I’ve never used the Gatorskins. I’d be most interested in reports from other readers who have.

I’ve had Panaracer RiBMo tires on my Surly since I bought it and have been puncture-free so far. I don’t have a computer on that bike so I don’t know the mileage, but it is my primary transport bike and carried me on the tour from Richmond to Philly last summer.

By: Chandra

Chandra — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 04:26:35 +0000

i have vittoria rando pro on my co-motion americano and Continental Top Touring 700 x 35c on my cannondale t-800. knock-on-toptube, no puncture in over two years on the contis and none in over 1 year on the vittorias.

By: Lovely Bicycle!

Lovely Bicycle! — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:31:16 +0000

Kevin – My husband and I have the Marathon Plus tires on our Pashleys as well, but we would not dream of putting them on a road or touring bike. They are extremely heavy and slow, which makes them work for a transport bike such as the Pashley, but not in other contexts. Even for city cycling I prefer Delta Cruisers, which also have great puncture-protection, but are zippier than the Marathon Plus.

By: Lovely Bicycle!

Lovely Bicycle! — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:28:02 +0000

The Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase tires sound great!
Any idea how they compare to Continental Ultra GatorSkins?

By: eddie

eddie — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 12:31:10 +0000

I use Hook worms on my pedicabs and they run from 830 am until 4 am, so they hold up. I had them on my peugoutcrazyhorse/xtracycle and I felt like a monstertruck.
great during hurricanes.

now I run pasela tg or the new ribmos.

By: fred_dot_u

fred_dot_u — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:36:19 +0000

If only those hardcase tires would be available in 406×28 (20″x1.10″), I’d be on them in a flash. I’m running Schwalbe Durons, nice and grippy, fast and light and fragile as a butterfly wings.

Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires lasted me 7500 miles with zero punctures, but heavy as lead compared to the Durons and the smallest was 1.35 and they rub in my wheel wells.

Nice photo, Keri, I’d be just as happy as you to see that sort of thing after a ride.

By: Kevin Love

Kevin Love — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:20:40 +0000

My Pashley came with Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres as standard equipment. I’ve never, ever had a puncture. I love them!

In recent years I’ve stopped doing things like mounting my own tires. When I was a younger man I did all my own bike maintenance. Now it is so much easier and convenient to let a bike shop do it. It also helps to have a low-maintenance bike like the Pashley.

By: Rantwick

Rantwick — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:33:44 +0000

+1 for these tires – I’ve been using them trouble-free for almost three summer seasons now. Same experience getting these suckers mounted though.