Panaracer RiBMo review:
I have now done 100-150 miles on the new 26 x 1.75 tyres, including one 40 miles ride, so I thought I would post my findings. Due to the time gap between using these and the previous tyres, some of the comparison may be weakened by memory and a reduction in fitness in the intervening period.
Rolling resistance
As far as I can judge, I do get slightly more rolling resistance from these than the previous Continental Grand Prix 26 x 1s. Given I am running these at around 70 psi as opposed to the 110 psi I had in the GPs, the difference doesn't really feel that great and I wouldn't expect the resistance of the GPs to be less running at the same pressure. With the current gearing I still easily spin out on the flat and on my 40 mile ride home from York I only had to get off and run on two of the hills. 7/10
Weight
I am sure I weighed them before I put them on, but I didn't record it. Panaracer claim they are 580g per tyre, which sounds about right. The GPs were around 350g each and I think, so given the increase in size, that's a reasonable increase. They're not lightweight, but certainly not what I'd call heavy. 6/10
Shape
The have a weird profile, which is quite pointed in the centre. Given this is not a particularly flexible tyre, with a low thread count, that profile is maintained under pressure. I would expect that to make the tyres feel like they turn into corners quickly, but actually the turn in feels a bit slower compare to the rounded profiles of tyres such as Schwalbe Marathons. In comparison, the GPs seemed to turn in a little too fast, making them feel a bit unstable. However, what the profile does seem to do is provide a good contact area while cornering and maybe help to reduce the rolling resistance in a straight line.
Grip
I haven't used these in the rain - and generally I will avoid doing so, given my single speed has not mudguards. In the dry, I have been very impressed with the grip. The feel in corners is really good and reassuring, meaning I take sharper corners quicker with these than either the GPs or any of the other various road tyres I use/have used. In a straight line on the road, I haven't yet had any loss of traction either braking quickly or grinding my single speed up hills where it would have been quicker to get off. I also did a few miles on what I thought from the maps was an unclassified road, but turned out the be a track which actually had some wet mud on it. They coped admirably and didn't lose grip in a few mm of softer mud on top of a harder packed surface. So far, 9/10
Cushioning
Given these are bigger volume and lower pressure than the GPs, they offer proportionally more cushioning as would be expected. However, at 70 psi they don't contribute hugely to comfort and given their fairly rigid structure I would say they might offer slightly less than Schwalbe Marathons. It is hard to compare, as the other tyres I have used have been on other bikes and this frame is quite light steel which feels quite springy and is surprisingly comfortable for me, despite it being on the small side within my stable of bikes. 4/10
Puncture protection
150 miles isn't really enough to make a good judgement. So far, not punctures or pinch flats, which is a big step up from the GPs which regularly got pinch flats due to their small width. Testing so far has involved back lanes with some hedge cuttings and a wooded track, but I can't confidently say they will be as good as my Schwalbe Marathons, which have done over 10,000 miles without a puncture (aided by reinforced Hutchinson innertubes). 7/10
Overall
This is based on my needs for this bike. I am really happy with them, keeping a fairly low rolling resistance whilst not adding too much weight. Most importantly, they have reduced the number of punctures (so far) and provide a better level of grip, which makes riding more fun and quicker through corners, even if I am losing a little on the straights. 8/10