The definitive guide to choosing 700c tyres for your commute
Craft Cadence is a UK based cycling bags and pollution masks brand that helps commuters stay organised and breath clean air. This is part of series of blog posts covering a cycle commuter's essential gear and equipment.
Commuting on your 700c bike often means you are riding in busy urban areas, which means you are likely to face debris on the road and uneven road surface. Most commuter bikes are designed for tough urban conditions, although many people commute on road bikes and/or MTB. We take a look at the best 700c commuting tyres from numerous brands. These are the best tyres that take into account puncture prevention, speed, grip in the wet and road surface control.
Most specific tyres designed for commuting are made for these types of conditions and made to handle numerous weather conditions. These tyres typically have a high volume than normal road tyres which helps provide comfort and grip. Commuting tyres typically have a slick, or semi tread pattern because you typically want to travel at a fast speed.
Tyre diameter
A typical commuter bike uses 700c wheel size, which is the same size as a road bike wheel. This is chosen because of the rolling efficiency and handling. While typically the dimension of the wheel stays the same, the width of the tyre can affect many things such as pressure, comfort, road control, puncture proof and cornering grip. Most widths are available from 700c(622) x23 up to 700c(622)x42. With the common size of commuting tyres sitting between 700x25 up to 700x35c. Anything larger than a 700x35c typically affects the speed and rolling resistance outweighing the positives of comfort.
We have broken down the best performance based commuter tyres for 700c Road or hybrid wheels. We have split the two groups into different sizes. Typically as you go up in tyre width, you will naturally find most tyres start to incorporate more grip into their tyres. Since the wider tyres (used on a hybrid) can also be used for riding on gravel and rougher conditions that an mtb is not needed for.
700x23-32
Continental Gator Hardshell - http://conti-tyres.co.uk/commuting-touring/gator-hardshell - £37
A long life tyre, designed for mileage and puncture protection. The Gator Hardshell is based on their award-winning Gator skin model from previous years. The Gator hardshell is developed with their sidewall gator skin technology, which helps protect the sidewalls from tearing and punctures. Although not the most puncture proof tyre I have ridden, it develops a good all round tyre based on speed, cornering and puncture resistant.
Weight 700x28c: 410grams
Puncture proof: (4/5)
Cornering: (3/5)
speed: (3/5)
Specialized All Condition Armadillo Elite - https://www.specialized.com/us/en/allconditionarmadilloelite/105836 — £35
The armadillo is one of my favorite tyres. Although being an almighty slow tyre, it has been one of the best puncture proof tyre I have ever owned. With the rubber being such a hard density, the tyre lacks speed through corners but over delivers on puncture protection and has an excellent all-weather traction through the newly designed tread pattern.
Weight 700x28c: 340grams
Puncture proof: (5/5)
Cornering: (3/5)
speed: (2/5)
Continental Grand Prix 4-Season - https://www.continental-tires.com/bicycle/tyres/race-tyres/grand-prix-4-season - £32
Using the same technology, duraskin in the sidewalls as the Gator hardshell. The grand prix 4 season offers a faster ride and softer compound than the Gator Hardshell. Designed as a typically all year training tyre for the road cyclist its a fast rolling tyre in all conditions, but lacks the puncture resistant of the Hardshell
Weight 700x28c: 280grams
Puncture proof: (3/5)
Cornering: (4/5)
speed: (4/5)
Maxxis Refuse - http://www.maxxis.com/catalog/tire-256-re-fuse - £37
Maxxis tyres top of the line all weather training tyre, Re Fuse provides excellent traction and durability, while being able to handle plenty of road miles in any condition. Lacking the puncture protection of the armadillio and Continetial Hardshell, it performs on par with the grandprix 4-season
Weight 700x28c: 280grams
Puncture proof: (3/5)
Cornering: (4/5)
speed: (4/5)
700x32-40
Schwalbe Marathon Plus - https://www.schwalbe.com/en/tour-reader/marathon-plus.html - £40
Schwalbes best selling tyre, the Marathon plus offers superior puncture protection and grip in all weather conditions but lacks slightly in the speed department. The schwalbe is a great all round tyre for rough road conditions and a tyre that can be used all yeah round and in all weather conditions.
Weight 700x37c: 900grams
Puncture proof: (5/5)
Cornering: (5/5)
speed: 4/5)
Continental contact plus - http://conti-tyres.co.uk/commuting-touring/contact-plus - £33
Based on their touring line of models. The continental contact plus is a common hybrid 700c road tyre. Providing plenty of grip and wide enough platform to run lower pressure. The contact plus is one of the most solid performing tyres on the market for both commuting and touring for all road and weather conditions
Weight 700x37c: 935grams
Puncture proof: (4/5)
Cornering: (4/5)
speed: (4/5)
Overall
We recommend a slightly wider tyre for both comfort and puncture protection if being used all year round. Allowing to run lower pressure in the wider tyres offers better grip and a tyre such as the Schwalbe Marathon plus hits everything you want in a commuting tyre. Puncture protection, Corning control in both wet and dry conditions, a tread pattern that allows you to tackle any road surface on your commute. If speed is something you are looking for on your commuting bike but doesn't fit a 700x35 tyre. You can't go past the Specialized All Condition Armadillo, which is one of the best puncture proof tyres under 28c on the market.
Picking the right commuting tyre all depends on road conditions you are commuting on. Rougher roads perform better with a wider tyre, while smoother roads work better with a tyre under 700x30, but again this depends entirely on your choice of bike and whether your frame can handle the tyre width.
