Avocet Touring Tires

I'm looking for a good touring tire. One that will be puncture resistant,
especially in the rain. I've tried the Specialized Armadillo and was pretty
happy with it, I may buy it again. The other tire I tried was the
Continental Top Touring. I found this tire to ride a bit harsh.

I would prefer a slick tire (without a tread pattern) because I think the
inverted tread actually catches debris and may lead to more flats. I also
don't believe that tread pattern does anything to improve wet or dry grip on
the road. And I don't use my touring bike off-road.

Right now, I'm considering the Avocet FasGrip Duro Plus. Probably in a
700x32. Anyone have experience with this tire?

-Don

I use the road and crit versions of the FasGrip and find them to be
excellent. I would expect the 32mm to be also.

David

On Thu, 29 Jul 2004 01:53:20 GMT, "Don DeMair"
wrote:

I'm looking for a good touring tire. One that will be puncture resistant,
especially in the rain. I've tried the Specialized Armadillo and was pretty
happy with it, I may buy it again. The other tire I tried was the
Continental Top Touring. I found this tire to ride a bit harsh.

I would prefer a slick tire (without a tread pattern) because I think the
inverted tread actually catches debris and may lead to more flats. I also
don't believe that tread pattern does anything to improve wet or dry grip on
the road. And I don't use my touring bike off-road.

Right now, I'm considering the Avocet FasGrip Duro Plus. Probably in a
700x32. Anyone have experience with this tire?

-Don

I use the road and crit versions of the FasGrip and find them to be
excellent. I would expect the 32mm to be also.

David

On Thu, 29 Jul 2004 01:53:20 GMT, "Don DeMair"
wrote:

I'm looking for a good touring tire. One that will be puncture resistant,
especially in the rain. I've tried the Specialized Armadillo and was pretty
happy with it, I may buy it again. The other tire I tried was the
Continental Top Touring. I found this tire to ride a bit harsh.

I would prefer a slick tire (without a tread pattern) because I think the
inverted tread actually catches debris and may lead to more flats. I also
don't believe that tread pattern does anything to improve wet or dry grip on
the road. And I don't use my touring bike off-road.

Right now, I'm considering the Avocet FasGrip Duro Plus. Probably in a
700x32. Anyone have experience with this tire?

-Don

Don DeMair wrote:
Right now, I'm considering the Avocet FasGrip Duro Plus. Probably in a
700x32. Anyone have experience with this tire?

i've used the duro version (28mm) quite a bit in the past 2 years & and i have
mixed feelings about it. it's a *NICE* tire, but it nicks up rather easily
and somewhat less than half have worn out before i couldn't boot 'em. that
may have been a bad batch, got me. they also don't do well against the
dreaded goathead thorn but then again, nothing does. i'd forego the kevlar
(it made no difference as far as i could tell and i used both). off-hand
i'd say less than average for flat resistance.

i hate conti tt2ks and the avocet cross iis i liked allright (rode those on a
5400 mile tour). fwiw, i'll be touring on the 28mm duro later this summer
for a couple of weeks (they're letting me have a vacation this year!).

i don't have to quit for time off!!

!!!!

!!!!!!!!
--
david reuteler

Don DeMair wrote:
Right now, I'm considering the Avocet FasGrip Duro Plus. Probably in a
700x32. Anyone have experience with this tire?

i've used the duro version (28mm) quite a bit in the past 2 years & and i have
mixed feelings about it. it's a *NICE* tire, but it nicks up rather easily
and somewhat less than half have worn out before i couldn't boot 'em. that
may have been a bad batch, got me. they also don't do well against the
dreaded goathead thorn but then again, nothing does. i'd forego the kevlar
(it made no difference as far as i could tell and i used both). off-hand
i'd say less than average for flat resistance.

i hate conti tt2ks and the avocet cross iis i liked allright (rode those on a
5400 mile tour). fwiw, i'll be touring on the 28mm duro later this summer
for a couple of weeks (they're letting me have a vacation this year!).

i don't have to quit for time off!!

!!!!

!!!!!!!!
--
david reuteler

"Don DeMair" wrote ...
I'm looking for a good touring tire. One that will be puncture resistant,
especially in the rain. I've tried the Specialized Armadillo and was
pretty
happy with it, I may buy it again. The other tire I tried was the
Continental Top Touring. I found this tire to ride a bit harsh.

I would prefer a slick tire (without a tread pattern) because I think the
inverted tread actually catches debris and may lead to more flats. I also
don't believe that tread pattern does anything to improve wet or dry grip
on
the road. And I don't use my touring bike off-road.

I use the Avocet Cross Kevlar for commuting on my mountain bike for years ..
works great .. never got a puncture.

While a slick tire would certain improve traction on dry roads ... I don't
see why you think a tread won't improve wet road traction ... unless your
tire "contact point" is so small and your speed is so slow that you would
not hydroplane in puddles. In the automotive (and motorcycle) world the
main (if not the only) reason for tread in a street tire is for wet weather
use.

Richard in Boston, MA, USA

"Don DeMair" wrote ...

I would prefer a slick tire (without a tread pattern) because I think the
inverted tread actually catches debris and may lead to more flats. I also
don't believe that tread pattern does anything to improve wet or dry grip
on the road. And I don't use my touring bike off-road.

Richard Amirault wrote:

While a slick tire would certain improve traction on dry roads ... I don't
see why you think a tread won't improve wet road traction ... unless your
tire "contact point" is so small and your speed is so slow that you would
not hydroplane in puddles. In the automotive (and motorcycle) world the
main (if not the only) reason for tread in a street tire is for wet weather
use.

Hydroplaning is an issue for cars and motorcycles (though a rare one: in
my 44 years of driving, I've only experienced hydroplaning once.)

However, hydroplaning is impossible for bicycles, so this is a non-issue.

See: http://sheldonbrown.com/gloss_h.html#hydroplaning for a detailed
explanation of this.

Sheldon "Baldy" Brown
+--------------------------------------------------+
| Cynic: A blackguard whose faulty vision sees |
| things as they are, not as they ought to be. |
| --Ambrose Bierce |
+--------------------------------------------------+
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

Sheldon Brown wrote in message ...

Hydroplaning is an issue for cars and motorcycles (though a rare one: in
my 44 years of driving, I've only experienced hydroplaning once.)

However, hydroplaning is impossible for bicycles, so this is a non-issue.


Aquaplaning is the term, and certainly has happened to me riding a bicycle.
Speed of about 40mph downhill, sheet of water over the road, bucketing it
down. Apply brakes to slow to negotiate parked car, bike drifts towards
gutter maintaining speed, look down, front wheel locked so release brakes.
Balance was retained with slow response to steering efforts. Rare but
possible.

TJ

On Thu, 29 Jul 2004 20:46:27 +0100, Trevor Jeffrey wrote:


Sheldon Brown wrote in message ...

Hydroplaning is an issue for cars and motorcycles (though a rare one: in
my 44 years of driving, I've only experienced hydroplaning once.)

Really? I've experienced it more than that. Scary.

However, hydroplaning is impossible for bicycles, so this is a non-issue.


Aquaplaning is the term, and certainly has happened to me riding a bicycle.

Hydroplaning is a perfectly reasonable term for the phenomenon, and it has
not happened to you riding a bicycle.


--

David L. Johnson

__o | "It doesn't get any easier, you just go faster." --Greg LeMond
_`\(,_ |
(_)/ (_) |

David L. Johnson wrote in message ...

Hydroplaning is a perfectly reasonable term for the phenomenon, and it has
not happened to you riding a bicycle.

I am also certain that the above respondent was not with me on the said
journey of which I bear testament. The respondent has no knowledge of my
experience other than what has been presented to this newsgroup. Ignorance
of the facts, whether with intent for the purpose of callous jibes or
otherwise, cannot in any way whatsoever be termed as evidence. The
repetition of falsehoods does not bring them any nearer to fact than the
infinitesimal distance that they stood fifteen years previously.
I experienced aquaplaning whilst riding a bicycle. The speed was
approx. 40mph, on a decline with 20-25mm standing water. Tyre section was
25-28mm, pressure 90psi tyres were most probably Michelin HI-LITES 700x25c
rim Super Champion Mixte.
Treaded tyres of the same construction and materials have an enhanced
grip, in the wet, over their otherwise similar non-treaded brethren. The
raised portion of the tread gives a higher pressure contact patch than is
possible with a bald tyre. The regions of high pressure force the water
between the road surface and the tyre to migrate to the areas of low
pressure thus allowing the tyre to contact the road and provide stiction.
Directional stability of the wheel is assured in usual wet conditions due to
the tyre contact patch being of good length.
In order for a bald tyre to function in the wet, extreme inflation
pressure is required to attempt to match the penetrative qualities of a
treaded tyre with its associated regions of high pressure. The extreme
inflation pressure shortens the tyre contact patch to a length where
insufficient lateral stability of the tyre is available resulting in
skittish behaviour in the dry and sideslip in the wet though corners. The
above is assuming a nominal wheel diameter of 27", riders of 48" wheels and
above may find adequacy in bald, hard and narrow tyres.
Lower inflation pressures are also more comfortable, which translates
to less rider stress, which allows greater mileage and speed per ride, per
period, per season.
TJ