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What type of tyres for Camino Bike

Time of past OR future Camino
cycled from Pamplona Sep 2015;Frances, walked from St Jean May/June 2017. Plans to walk Porto 2020
One for all those who have actually cycled the Camino Frances. We are starting from Pamplona (in early Sept 21015) and aim to follow the Camino where we do not have to actually get off and walk. One of my guide book does have notes about advising (even mountain bikers) avoiding certain sections of the route. So should I get full knobblies (over 55 mm) or will the 50mm "dirt road/track suitable" be sufficient?? (BTW I have seen most of the videos produced by the cyclists and some took their bikes into areas really not suitable for any bike - these we will definitely aim to avoid. Also where the Camino runs parallel to the road then we will use the road and give the walkers a break from our bells.). :):confused::rolleyes:
 
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Hi Mike, I have not cycled the Camino but I cycle both on and off road during my summer excursions around Europe and for the last few years, on advice from a professional cyclist, I use hybrid tyres. They have cut down considerably the effort in cycling in both conditions and are a good compromise IMO, others may advise differently.
 
Here's what I wrote after cycling the Camino Francis twice:

"The route, bike and tires

I looked all over the web trying to figure out if the Camino was best on road or mountain bikes and what tires to use, and never found a decent answer. There are tour groups and road cycling groups riding the route and the paralleling roads who try to make a case for road bikes but I think it would be a big mistake to use anything but a mountain bike with full size mountain bike tires. The route is not difficult mountain biking, more often it is on a dirt road rather than a hiking trail. There is not much pavement, maybe 10% in the first half and 30% for the rest of it. It is a wonderful ride and it would be a shame to miss it by riding the roads. There are people who ride road bikes on paved alternative routes, but unlike France, where the roads are wonderful, much of the route is crowded with high speed truck traffic. We followed the walker's route 95% of the way, and only walked our bikes about 2 km in the entire trip.

I would use a 1.9-2.2 tire with small to medium knobs in the rear and a 1.9- 2.2 mountain bike racing tire with side knobs and a smoother center in the front. The first year we had a 1.5 rear tire with road tread in the rear and a side knob front tire and bought full sized rear tires halfway through the trip. Last year we had mountain bike racing tires with very little tread and were happy until it rained, when we again bought some knobby rear tires."

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...minos-good-better-and-best.16273/#post-115564

Now, I would say that there are some full mtb tires with remarkably low rolling resistance, such as a Schwalbe Racing Ralph or a Kenda small block 8. These tires have been shown in lab tests to roll better than any hybrid tire, they are really smooth riding, and don't slip around on wet rocks.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I've cycled the VdlP 2014 which is longer and, I guess, more offroad than the Frances. But anyway, I was riding on Geax AKA, foldable MTB-tyres, low weight, really low rolling resistance, silent. At the end of our tour the rear tire was worn down and I had had three flats due to small stone shards.

Mi amigo was riding Schwalbe Marathon, rougher pattern, higher resistance, more weight, but: no visible wear at the end of the tour and NO flats.

Personally I wouldn't go with touring-tires, I'm riding a MTB since I like riding aside the road. :)
 
puncture resistance is worth giving up a bit of speed on a road

We had one flat tire between us in two crossings of the Frances with light mtb tires. If you really want to avoid flats but don't want one of those horrid riding puncture proof tires, consider a tubeless tire with sealant. Any good mtb shop can help. We have not had a flat in three years at home, or touring in the Arizona desert, and with no tube they are light and roll like a dream.

On the via Francigena we rode along a lot of wild rose bush hedges. Tubeless tires would have been great there.
 
We have used Continental Top-Touring and Panarace Pasela TG on our Caminos and as long as it is dry which in September it should be they work well. We kept off the single track stuff in the mountains and used the roads there.

We always carry plenty of tubes but rarely used them, the reverse of sods law.
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
I like Schwalbe Marathons. Not the lightest but tough and good tread pattern for paved or dirt roads or easy trails. Only flat on the way to SDC train station from old town on very last day in Spain.I enyoyed the quiet roads which followed the camino and dirt road meseta sections of the camino where is was easy to coexist with walkers. Cheers, Randy

http://bikeguy32.blogspot.ca/
 

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