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edscoble
@FatManOnAFixie
Having a spare wheelset to hand... inquisitiveness got the better of me and I've purchased a pair of these Aither 1.1 tyres in 700 x 28.
Fitting them was a painful experience even though a tool for doing so is supplied in each package. I had a blister on the palm of each hand (stoppit, I know what you're thinking!) from forcing the locating pegs under the bead into the rim. It took me almost 3 hours to do both tyres. There's a knack I'm sure, clearly I haven't got it. Once fitted they grip solidly on the rim but they don't measure 28mm, closer to 25mm according to Mr Vernier.
I took them out for their 1st proper ride yesterday, I wanted to check out the route to my future place of employ nr St Pancras. I reckoned the 45 mile round trip would get us acquainted well enough, it did.
OK, the ride IS harder than I'm used to riding 32C Gatorskins but isn't much firmer than the 25C 'skins on my other SS bike, that make sense? From the ride yesterday I found they're fine for reasonable road surfaces and ace on tarmac'd Cycle paths but do show up road surface changes more than a noomatic tyres. Also, and this takes a bit of getting used to, negotiating painted lines causes a somewhat 'exciting' feeling in that the bike feels like it squirms a bit. It that funny feeling you get when you've got slightly not enough pressure in the rear tyre and you've attempted to corner sharply, it feels like the rear is following it's own trajectory which catches you unaware and you correct your direction by steering rather than leaning less or summat. I got used to it about an hour into the ride. I'm guessing the tyre profile is deforming under load when a side ways force is upsetting the straight-line travel and thats giving the squirmingnynessisms.
I didn't notice much in the way of increase in rolling resistance at first but it did slowly reveal itself after I decided to 'make a day of it' and ride from St Pancras to Wandsworth then back to Dartford. I was clapped out in short. 54 miles turned out to be too far for my limited leg prowess but the upside is that if I continue to ride these sort of distances I will be able to join a local Shot-put team fairly soon, and ride far and fast on my other bike! Whahey!
I'm going to do a few shorter (sub 50 miler) runs and see how we get on together. Ditching almost all tools and pump was a nice feeling as was riding through anything knowing you're never going to puncture is ace given the number of times I got caught out this winter.
6/10 so far. Will not puncture again (on this wheelset).