I have been talking with the great folks at Merry Sales about bringing a new 700x38mm tire to market fora while now. IMO the best platform is to use the existing Soma New Express mold and casing from the 700×37 tire they currently sell and have a batch made up without the hypertex casing. This has worked with great reception on the 650b version of the tire. Having put many miles on both versions of the 650b tire as well as the relatively new 700×37 New Express I am convinced that a “C Line” would be my Goldilocks tire.
At this point I need your help in picking a color for the first run
[polldaddy poll=”7161169″]
As with all projects of this nature there will be one color for the first batch, once consumer reception is felt out we can move to have batches made up in more than one color.
I totally would have voted for terra cotta and black/black if I could. I hate tan sidewalls though, they don’t hold up to high altitude sun as well as black walls usually.
Ride more so your wear out the tread first? Just kidding, but I do hear you. The same sort of feedback comes from guys living further inland in California. Much like the R&R there will be a Black/black but probably not in the first run.
I have experimented in the past with latex coatings similar to what the cross guys use on their tubulars. I started with thinned out theatrical latex on some Jack Browns that saw way more trail duty than they should. It really did well enough at keeping minor nicks and cuts to the sidewalls at bay. I am thinking a similar mix either dusted with or mixed with a little titanium dioxide powder could help in special cases like yours
ha ha, definitely a ride more issue when you have too many bikes. I have had bad luck with side cuts over under biking tan walls as well, I am hoping the rocknroads will be immune…
I’ve been riding the 37mm non-TG Pasela’s for a few months. They seem to roll pretty fast and have a beefier tread than the 35mm and smaller sizes. Even Jan’s roll down data shows they are almost as fast as Hetres.
I’m not sure, other than 1mm of width, that they would be much different than the “C-line” you are proposing?
Just to be sure we are clear, you found a set of 700×37 non TG Pasela with folding beads? I know they used to exist, even with tan side walls, but have been hard to find for years now
No, mine are wire beads. So the C-line will be foldable? I guess I’ve never noticed much difference, but maybe a few grams will help.
Yes, I should probably update the post. The folding bead shaves a little over 50g per tire. I have been running UL tubes with good luck as well. I have thought about tubeless, but at my personal weight, and thus tire pressures, it does not make it really a viable option. I have a A23 wheel set in the works too, chasing the grams, kidding there.
I like all the color options. It’s a ride quality question for me so color is less important but I’d say create a bigger distance from the black/tan that’s already available in the 35mm Pasela. So creme or terracota. Colored tires are definitely underrepresented, even more so than quality rubber, in this size range. I have some creme Schwalbes in 700/35 on my girlfriends bike, which look great but they are sloooow!