Tire Question

Road Man said:

I have a Trek 610 with 700C wheels using ol' Mavic MA-40 rims. I have
2 questions:

What's the widest tire the rim can mount properly (there's lots of
frame clearance)?

I have used 700x35 Michelin Hi-Lite tours (long discontinued) on a pair
of MA-2s (the silver cousin of the MA-40). I'm not sure that was the
widest tire possible, but I used that combo for many years and many,
many miles. More recently, I have mounted a pair of Panaracer Pasela
700x35 on those rims. Paselas run a bit narrow, so I'm pretty sure the
harder-to-find Pasela 700x37 will fit just fine, too.

Quoted message said:

What high-thread count tires are recommended for light touring and
in-town errand and impulse riding (some unpaved, some rain, not for
perfect roads)?

Ken Freeman said:

I have a Trek 610 with 700C wheels using ol' Mavic MA-40 rims. I have
2 questions:

Quoted message said:

What's the widest tire the rim can mount properly (there's lots of
frame clearance)?

700 x 32 should be no problem if you have enough frame clearance.

Quoted message said:

What high-thread count tires are recommended for light touring and
in-town errand and impulse riding (some unpaved, some rain, not for
perfect roads)?

Panaracer Pasela (127 tpi). These may run slightly narrower that the
label indicates. See:

http://tinyurl.com/omtst

Art Harris

Road Man said:

I have a Trek 610 with 700C wheels using ol' Mavic MA-40 rims. I have
2 questions:

What's the widest tire the rim can mount properly (there's lots of
frame clearance)?

Ascwide as the frame can handle......

Quoted message said:

What high-thread count tires are recommended for light touring and
in-town errand and impulse riding (some unpaved, some rain, not for
perfect roads)?

Conti Top Touring

Quoted message said:

Thanks in advance,

Ken Freeman

Qui si parla Campagnolo said:

Road Man said:

I have a Trek 610 with 700C wheels using ol' Mavic MA-40 rims. I have
2 questions:

What's the widest tire the rim can mount properly (there's lots of
frame clearance)?

Ascwide as the frame can handle......

Quoted message said:

What high-thread count tires are recommended for light touring and
in-town errand and impulse riding (some unpaved, some rain, not for
perfect roads)?

Conti Top Touring

Quoted message said:

If you don't want to spring for the Top Touring, I think WTB
Slickasaurus are almost as good. Contrary to the name, they have a
little tread, enough to get away with on some unpaved surfaces, though
wet grass might be iffy.

They roll very nicely and the 700x37 measures a real-life 34mm when
mounted up on a ~24mm rim.

Nashbar's got that size on sale for $20 when it's labled as a "hybrid"
tire, and $15 when they call it an "ATB" tire. They look exactly the
same, but the weights differ, so I'm guessing the ATB version has more
durable sidewalls or something.

A really nice city, or do anything tire.

http://tinyurl.com/qao9v
http://tinyurl.com/lq6hu

The Top Tour might well last a bit longer, but it's twice the price,
and 150g heavier. Something for a tour of Timbuktu perhaps, but not
worth the cabbage for guys like me that stay within the city limits.

Road Man said:

I have a Trek 610 with 700C wheels using ol' Mavic MA-40 rims. I have
2 questions:

What's the widest tire the rim can mount properly (there's lots of
frame clearance)?

I've run 55mm/2.1" tires on MA-2s, same dimension rims. So if you have
clearance you can run just about any 700c tires you can find.

Greg

--
"All my time I spent in heaven
Revelries of dance and wine
Waking to the sound of laughter
Up I'd rise and kiss the sky" - The Mekons

Road Man said:

I have a Trek 610 with 700C wheels using ol' Mavic MA-40 rims. I have
2 questions:

I have a Trek 510, vintage 1985, with 27 1 1/4 (28mm) specialized
armadillo tires and about 3/4" clearance on my campy triomphe
calipers. If you have similar sidepull calipers and clearance
geometry, you can probably mount 32mm tires without problems.

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA

Ozark Bicycle said:

I have used 700x35 Michelin Hi-Lite tours (long discontinued) on a pair
of MA-2s (the silver cousin of the MA-40). I'm not sure that was the
widest tire possible, but I used that combo for many years and many,
many miles. More recently, I have mounted a pair of Panaracer Pasela
700x35 on those rims. Paselas run a bit narrow, so I'm pretty sure the
harder-to-find Pasela 700x37 will fit just fine, too.

I have also used, loved, and lamented the passing of 35mm Michelin
Hi-Lite touring tire. Do you think that the Pasela is as good as the
Hi-Lite? If not, do you know of a better ~35mm tire? I bought a pair of
Vittoria Randonneur Pro Touring 37mm tires, but have not mounted them
yet. I'm hoping that I'll like them, as well. Unfortunately my memory
of the Hi Lites probable far exceeds the reality, & I'll never find as
good of tire. I am certain that the 38mm Nimbus III now mounted on my
touring bike aren't in a league w/ the Hi-Lites.

Thanks, John

Art Harris said:

Panaracer Pasela (127 tpi). These may run slightly narrower that the
label indicates. See:

http://tinyurl.com/omtst

Paselae are 66tpi.e