Tyre upgrade

[AndyW]

Happy New year All!

I have a Trek Fx3 (Hybrid) and I use it for exercising on the local paved bike paths, as well as occasionally bringing my kids on the back to parks and playgrounds.

I wanted to get some advice on some possible options to upgrade the current tyres Bontrager H2 Hard-Case Lite 700x32, which I've had for around 3 years now.

My main requirement is something that has less rolling resistance but still durable, as I'm looking to ride further distances in the upcoming year.

A few queries I had:
1). Normal or go tubeless?
2). Shall I stick with the 700 x 32 configuration too?
3). What tyres would you guys recommend?

P.s. Have read that continentals, pirelli and schwalbe
are decent brands to consider.

Cheers Andy

[warthog1]

Different riding style for me, but I have gone tubeless. Prompted by gravel to some extent but I did go tubeless on the TCR prior to gravel. Perhaps "confirmed" by gravel is more accurate. It has almost eliminated punctures for me.
However it is not maintenance free. If you have multiple bikes, some of which are ridden infrequently, or you are an infrequent rider, perhaps it is not for you. The sealant does dry out over time.
Currently a 32mm Michelin power road on the rear of my Reacto with a 30mm Schwalbe pro one on the front. Nice to ride, grippy, good rolling resistance and feel.
Hard case tyres are bad for that ime.

[Andy01]

Happy New year All!

I have a Trek Fx3 (Hybrid) and I use it for exercising on the local paved bike paths, as well as occasionally bringing my kids on the back to parks and playgrounds.

I wanted to get some advice on some possible options to upgrade the current tyres Bontrager H2 Hard-Case Lite 700x32, which I've had for around 3 years now.

My main requirement is something that has less rolling resistance but still durable, as I'm looking to ride further distances in the upcoming year.

A few queries I had:
1). Normal or go tubeless?
2). Shall I stick with the 700 x 32 configuration too?
3). What tyres would you guys recommend?

P.s. Have read that continentals, pirelli and schwalbe
are decent brands to consider.

Cheers Andy

Regarding tubeless - how many punctures have you had in the last 1 year, 3 years etc ? How much mileage do you do in a year ?

For what appears to be somewhat low-key usage (perhaps the wrong assumption ?) I am not sure I see the need or benefit in going tubeless, unless you are actually doing heaps of kms and getting lots of punctures. Not all rims & tyres are tubelss-ready - maybe your rims are, but if not, you might be up for extra cost.

I have a Giant Roam 1 (I think very similar to the Trek FX3) and when my OEM tyres were worn I fitted a pair of Schwalbe Marathon Almotion tyres in 700c x 50 (the actual size is listed as 28" x 2"). I have been using them for just over 12 months now, done about 3,300km on them and they look like new. I tried to measure tread depth with my vernier, and the rear tyre appears to have worn from a new depth of 2.65mm to 2.41mm in that time, so I expect a good long life from them. They are not light tyres (in road bike terms), but also not excessively heavy like the bulletproof Marathons. About 700g each (the 50mm tyres, not 38mm) according to my scale.

They roll well and are nice and quiet due to the "smooth" tread in the centre, and have some side "knobbles" for going through rougher stuff. I just use regular tubes in them.

https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.co ... tion-addix

https://www.pushys.com.au/schwalbe-mara ... kPloS3Rr0s

Check if they fit for your bike though. A 20 second Google seems to indicate that your bike can take up to 38mm, and I seem to remember that the smaller Almotions are 38mm (see link above) ? Generally the wider the tyre the more comfortable the ride will be on rougher surfaces like some paths and tracks.

[blizzard]

I would consider the Continental Contact Urban if you plan to stay almost exclusively on paved or well maintained dirt/gravel paths.

[Retrobyte]

For paths, roads, and smooth dirt I wouldn't bother with tubeless. That's essentially my commute, and I'm now over 2 years without a puncture on 35mm Pirelli Cinturato Velo - they're been a good tyre for me in all weather conditions.

[Mr Purple]

To me the key with tubeless is not the surface but your wheelset and how often you ride the bike.

If it is a current FX3 it's probably worthwhile because it'll have the wheelset with the plastic strip so no taping required. Once you work out how to bead the tyre and add sealant it's no harder in maintenance than with tubes - and it'll ride a lot more comfortably at lower pressure and puncture less.

The exception of course would be the occasionally used bike. You'll need to change sealant once every 2-3 months or so and it's not worth it unless you're riding the bike frequently. My cunning plan is to destroy rear tyres faster than the sealant dries out, so it's not an issue for me.

[karpedal]

For your use case, I'd recommend sticking with 700x32 or going slightly wider if your frame allows, as it will give you a more comfortable ride on mixed surfaces.

As for tubeless, I agree with others that it depends on how often you ride and whether punctures are a recurring issue for you. If punctures haven’t been a big problem, standard tyres with tubes might be the way to go for simplicity and cost-effectiveness.

The Schwalbe Marathon Almotion in a slightly wider size, as mentioned, seems like a great option for durability and lower rolling resistance. Alternatively, you might also look into the Continental Gatorskin or Pirelli Cinturato tyres, which are well-regarded for similar reasons.

Good luck!