Which 27inch Road Tyres do I Buy?

[yorkie1956]

I'm looking for advise from folk who are running 27 x 1 1/4inch clincher tyres please.
I've just bought a 1981 Sun Solo. It is in suprisingly nice unmolested condition having been hanging in some chaps garage, unused for the past thirty plus years. It still has what I think are it's original tyres and herein lies my plea.
I'm aware that the bike has very little value, but I've bought it to use it and I am nervous to use it with old tyres and tubes, hence I want to buy new rubber, but I don't know what tyres and tubes to buy!
I'm not sure, but I think the best tyres that I've seen so far are Shwalbe Marathon tyres. The speil kind of sounds like they have a bit of modern technology in them and their recommended pressure is 65-95psi. Lower than the 100psi that I run my Continental 4000's on my modern bike, but slightly higher than the cheaper Shwalbe Active amber wall alternative that I've seen. I prefer the look of the amber wall, but tyre performance and puncture resistance is more important and slightly worryingly, the later and cheaper tyre is described as entry level!!
I would really welcome advise from someone with experience of current 27 inch tyres please.

Many Thanks
Dennis

 

[hamster]

Panaracer Paselas are faster than the bulletproof (if a little slow) Marathons, and come in amberwall too!

 

[Cefnbikie]

It could be worth checking whether your 27 inch rims are hookless, as if they are it restricts the maximum pressure that can be used in the tyres to about 85 psi max. This may help a decision over what tyre to buy, as a tyre with a max pressure of 125 psi could feel a bit flat inflated to just 85 psi.

 

[Bats]

a tyre with a max pressure of 125 psi could feel a bit flat inflated to just 85 psi.

What on earth gives you that idea?

 

[Cefnbikie]

What on earth gives you that idea?

Experience.

If one fits a Continental Gatorskin 27 x 1 1/4 tyre (max pressure 120 psi) and only inflate to 85 psi, it will feel flat especially if fitted to the back, and will roll much slower than if inflated to 120 psi.

If such a a tyre was put on a 27 x 1 1/4 rim without the 'hook' to retain the bead, and it was inflated to even 100 psi, there is a high risk of the tyre blowing off the rim.

 

[Big Block]

if you are running 100 psi in your current tyres I am assuming they are 23 or 25mm. You may not need that in the 27" if you go for the wider tyre
I suggest you read
http://www.bikequarterly.com/images/TireDrop.pdf
I use it.

100psi front/120psi rear for my Continental 4000s on my modern road bike with 23mm tyres gives me the recomended tyre drop.
With the 25mm tyres on my 1983 Gios Torino, I run a little less pressure to achieve the same tyre drop.
Then much less when I use 1 1/4" Panaracer Pasela tyres on the straight sided rims on my 1946 and 1948 bikes.
Using the table I am able to get the required pressure to avoid pinch flats and I don't have the tyres blowing off the rims.

If the rims are without 'hooks' (ie straight sided), then I encourage you to get the wire beaded (aka non-folding) Panaracer Paselas and not the folding type.
no hooks on the rims in 1946 (Conloy Asp rims)

so the tyre I use is the Panaracer Pasela TG 27x1 1/4" Steel Bead

if your rims have hooks on them you can use the folding type.

 

[Cefnbikie]

I looked at the article in Bicycle Quarterly a year or so ago, and it was a very interesting read. The suggestions were similar to the pressures that I use on my road-going rigid MTB with Schwalbe Land Cruiser tyres. As it is used as a utility bike with occasional off-road use I set the tyre pressures at 35 psi front, 60 rear. I do find that out-of-the-saddle riding on tarmac roads feels very soggy at the front, though. Last week I noticed that the bike as feeling sluggish on tarmac, as if the tyres were a touch flat. They were, in fact, just 10 psi lower than normal.

However, the Bicycle Quarterly suggestions are very different to the pressures of my road bike, particularly with tubulars. The Bicycle Quarterly data would indicate me using 105/80 psi (rear/front). My Continental Sprinter tubs recommend a range of 115 to 170 psi, and I usually set them at 130 front 140 rear for reasonable condition dry roads. At that pressure they ride beautifully, and ‘sing’ as one rides along. My 700C clinchers are usually set at 100 front and 110 rear. With my road bike I inflate the tyres before each ride, having slightly deflated them after the previous ride. I inflate them according to the roads I am liable to ride on and the weather conditions.

As my road bike pressures are based on many years of riding, and give me a good balance of comfort and performance, I shall keep to them, especially as they are similar to Vittoria and Continental tyre pressure recommendations.

Getting back to the OP’s query, I hope to get my 1950 RO Harrison back on the road before too long, using wheels with Nisi 27 x 1 1/4 rims (with no hook). As I intend to ride at a maximum pressure of 85 psi, I do not intend getting premium tyres (that could be used at 120 psi) and run them at 85. There would be an increased risk of pinch flats and the ride could be soggy. I will probably get a cheaper tyre such as the Schwalbe HS159 that have an inflation pressure of 50 - 85 psi. They also have a tread that is in keeping with with use on a 1950 bike.

 

[yorkie1956]

I am pleased that I asked my question on tyres. The knowledge level of you guys on here is excellent. Thanks for all your helpfull comments, you've introduced me to things I hadn't previously considered.
I've not previously heard of Panaracer tyres. They look good and have some good reports.
Hooked, or hookless wheel rims! I don't know, but a very important point! and one that I hadn't considered. My bike is an early 1980's cheapy from the Raleigh factory, so I suspect that unless hooked wheel rims were standard fitment in 1981, then my bike won't have them. I'm about 10,000 miles away down under at the moment, but will check the rims when I return home to England very shortly. Meanwhile if anyone has such rims from the millions that were no doubt made, It would be good to know the "hooked" or "no hook" verict on them.
Without hooked rims you guys have made me aware that I'm limited to 85psi air pressure. Over that, my tyres could blow off the rims. This has a major bearing on what tyres to fit!
Tyre drop is something else alien to me and the article in bike quarterly is easy reading and makes perfect sense. Likewise, differenciating between front and rear tyre pressure.

So, If my wheel rims are the no hook type, I could choose Panaracer Pasela TG 27x1 1/4" Steel Bead as Big Block suggests. However, I see that this tyre has a 95psi air pressure limit. Would running it at my 85psi upper limit have a negative impact on the ride quality?
Or, again with no hook rims I can choose the Schwalbe Active HS159 that has a 85psi air pressure as Cefnbikie suggests. So the maximum pressure would suit my rims. My only worry here is that the tread pattern looks a bit block tread-ish and I'm worried that they would be slow rolling as hamster suggests the Marathons are. Does anyone have experience of using this tyre?
If my rims are the hook type, I could use the Panaracer Pasela folding tyre and pressure ceilings are not limited to 85psi.

Just one more thing.
Clearly my rims are designed for 27x1 1/4" tyres. I notice that the Pasela tyre also comes in a 27x1 1/8" fitment. I don't know, but I'm guessing that my rims are too wide for the narrower tyre? Would the rim spread the tyre too much? You see I'm thinking of faster rolling tyre. I would welcome opinions please.

Many Thanks to all
Dennis

 

[Big Block]

the point I was hoping to convey is that the wider the tyre the lower the pressure that was needed.
I ride with 85 psi in the 27 x 1 1/4" tyre and I am no lightweight!, so it shouldn't be an issue.
I doubt I would notice any difference in a 1 1/4" and a 1 1/8" tyre.
So have a look at your rims when you get home and buy the tyres and go riding.
Philip

 

[Jonny69]

I get on quite well with the cheap 27" blackwalls they sell in Wilkinson, which are the same as the budget tanwall ones you see in the eBay shops. They seem like a pretty good quality tyre for the price. I also put about 85psi in mine.