Touring Tyres / Touring Tyre Size

Simple, and possibly stupid question, couldn't find it asked elsewhere though it may have been.

I'm having a tourer built in the new year. I've never had one before. In fact, I've never been bike touring before so will be sorting a few weekend trips in the spring.

Given my complete lack of knowledge on the subject, and that I need to know before I specify the frame and that none of my current bikes have the clearance to try anything bigger than a 23c, is there a consensus on an 'average' tyre size for weekend type jaunts.

Simple, and possibly stupid question, couldn't find it asked elsewhere though it may have been.

I'm having a tourer built in the new year. I've never had one before. In fact, I've never been bike touring before so will be sorting a few weekend trips in the spring.

Given my complete lack of knowledge on the subject, and that I need to know before I specify the frame and that none of my current bikes have the clearance to try anything bigger than a 23c, is there a consensus on an 'average' tyre size for weekend type jaunts.

Depends on how much you are carrying. (more weight means moving to the upper part of a tyres recommended PSI, so skinny tyres quicky become uncomfortable)

But I think 28mm tyres plus full mudguard clearance is pretty standard for a touring frameset.

anywhere between 28 mm to 50 something mm. Depends on weigh you want to carry and road you want to ride. I would not limit yourself to 28 mm + guards, leave room for 32 + guards and you can always run 28 mm tyres but have the option of upping the tyre size if needed.

I would not limit yourself to 28 mm + guards, leave room for 32 + guards and you can always run 28 mm tyres but have the option of upping the tyre size if needed.

I did'nt really mean max 28 + guards TBH. Just that, thats who you'd likely buy an OTP. One massive bonus with having room for 32mm tyres, is number of tyres you can choose from. Especially if you want a lot of puncture protection.

I'd consider anything upwards of 32 as trekking tyres (IMHO).

I run 35mm on the Surly. It can cope carrying me (16stone) and all of my stuff, plus without a full load they're still pretty nippy for day to day riding.

On another related note: Get Marathon plus's, accept no imitations.

OK - thanks a lot chaps, that's really helpful; and slightly larger than I was originally thinking (I had 28's as the max).

Just looked at the Marathon pluses - are they very heavy?

32c Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase, as much puncture protection as the Marathons but weigh less and smoother rolling, imo.

or conti touring plus (i use 32c), have similar puncture protection to marathon pluses, but have a much better ride quality. i always found mar pluses a bit soft, even at higher pressures, whereas the touring pluses roll much smoother but still maintain a good grip on the road. been using them through this snow and had loads of fun!

I was fine riding with 20kg of equipment on a 25mm front and 28mm rear conti gatorskins doing John O'Groats to Lands End. To guys with us were running 25mm on the rear as well with no problems.

+1 to maxxis refuse (25mm) as well, the guy using them (Stallion) was the only person not to get a puncture for the enitre 1100 miles

I was fine riding with 20kg of equipment on a 25mm front and 28mm rear conti gatorskins doing John O'Groats to Lands End. To guys with us were running 25mm on the rear as well with no problems.

+1 to maxxis refuse (25mm) as well, the guy using them (Stallion) was the only person not to get a puncture for the enitre 1100 miles

That's fine but if you were getting a bike built like the op would you have it built to only take 25 mm tyres? You can still run 25 mm tyres but if you give yourself room for 32 mm tyres you have some flexibility built in.

32c Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase, as much puncture protection as the Marathons but weigh less and smoother rolling, imo.

Are you sure?

I'm running 32c vitorria randonneurs front and back and am very happy with them. +1 to what Tommy says, you defo want to make sure you have room to increase the size if you want to. I'd have thought your frame builder would suggest this if they are used to building touring frames.

Wow - loads of answers - thanks very much, that's all incredibly useful.

The framebuilder def won't let me do something stupid, they just said that when I go in in the new year to have an idea of how much weight I want to carry and what size tyres I want to use.

Flexibility is obviously key, as to be honest most of the miles I do on it will likely be commuting miles.

Are you sure?

no, it's my opinion based on a complete lack of punctures, which could be luck or could be because they're good tyres

Nobody will ever agree on the Marathon vs everything else topic but that's my 0.02 on it, they work for me, I trust them, I sometimes recommend them.

32c Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase, as much puncture protection as the Marathons but weigh less and smoother rolling, imo.

Wanted some of these for summer commuting. Cant stand the rough ride of most 32mm commuters.

That's fine but if you were getting a bike built like the op would you have it built to only take 25 mm tyres? You can still run 25 mm tyres but if you give yourself room for 32 mm tyres you have some flexibility built in.

Totally agree.
I think a frame built for max 32mm with guards, would still look fine running 25mm's. Its just a couple of mm each side. The height doesnt matter so much as you're going to want longer chainstays for stable handling, and to avoid catching your feet on the panniers anyway.

conti tyres sidewalls always go before the tread wears out. that said, i do still use them on my trekker bike and they are great and not too heavy..

I've wondered, does the Fatties Fit Fine slogan thing on Surlys refer to tyres or to people? It makes sense for both really

I run 35mm on the Surly. It can cope carrying me (16stone) and all of my stuff, plus without a full load they're still pretty nippy for day to day riding.

On another related note: Get Marathon plus's, accept no imitations.

Both!

Most recent tour I ran 37 on the back and 28 on the front.
In retrospect 37 may have been a bit too large, could have got away with 32 I reckon.
Although it did do 2000 fully loaded miles without a puncture or wheel becoming untrue.

Is there a rationale for having the different sized tyres, or was that just what you had

I had all of my weight over the back and nothing on the front. Im not a big fan of front/low rider panniers, like to have the front free plus it looks like your riding a nippy road bike rather than a sluggish mule.

Hibell has the right idea.

Need a bullet proof but low rolling resistance tyre for some cross continental adventures this summer - mainly road use.

What what you recommend?

marathon

plus, you forget the pluses.

end of.