New Tires for Allant +7S

[Shogun7s+]

Anyone replace the tires on their Allant +7S (or similar bike)?

Unfortunately I managed to tear the sidewall on both of them (my fault, not the tires) and although I was fine with them, I found that 1) I got a lot of flats (I eventually put in tire liners) and 2) they seem pretty pricey for what doesn't seem to be anything all that special.

I ride my bike on pavement 90%+ of the time, but would like tires that can handle the occasional ride on dirt/gravel if possible/it makes sense. I am not too worried about the weight since it is an ebike.

I saw some good reviews for the Continental Contact Plus and they would be my top choice, but they seem to be a good bit skinnier at 1.5inches wide and I am not sure how well that would go with a heavier bike like the Allant +7S.

The schawlbe marathon e-plus is a little skinnier at 2inches, but seems like it would be a good fit for a bike that is primarily used on the road and the tires are reinforced (although that is not a requirement for me since I have liners I can use).

The schawlbe hurricanes are the right size for a good price, but not sure if that is the right type of tire for me.

Any thoughts/help/experience/things to consider/etc is greatly appreciated!

 

[fooferdoggie]

the marathons are good puncture resistance but a harsh ride they are really stiff. I bet they are a fair amount smaller in reality.

 

[Sparky731]

On my 7s I went tubeless with Panaracer Gravelkings and love them. Great grip and quite a bit quieter than the G-Ones, although @ 3,300 miles the G-1s were hardly worn. Downside is I had to replace the rear Gravelking after 2,500 miles due to wear. But I do like to slide the rear tire a lot. But no flats vs. 4x flats with tubes and the G-1s.

 

[Shogun7s+]

On my 7s I went tubeless with Panaracer Gravelkings and love them. Great grip and quite a bit quieter than the G-Ones, although @ 3,300 miles the G-1s were hardly worn. Downside is I had to replace the rear Gravelking after 2,500 miles due to wear. But I do like to slide the rear tire a lot. But no flats vs. 4x flats with tubes and the G-1s.

I actually came across those after posting my initial post. I put a thousand miles on my bike last year and that is likely more than I will put on it in most years so 2,500 miles should probably still last me at least 3 years. Definitely in my consideration bucket.

How are they with getting on and off? One of the other things that I forgot about the G-ones until I tried to get them off just a little while ago is how hard it often is for me to break the bead. Getting them on usually isn't too bad, but man oh man breaking the bead has been quite the challenge on several occasions. The last time I had to resort to breaking out a hairdryer to get the metal to expand and that eventually did the trick, but nothing else that I tried worked. I carry a spare tube with me, but I dont think it would matter with those as trying to do a field change would likely not be an option.

I also found out that continental makes a contact city plus which seems like a decent option, but looks it won't do as well on dirt/gravel.

 

[Sparky731]

You identified a major nemesis: breaking the bead on a flat. Definitely a major concern on the trail. Carrying an extra tube becomes moot. Especially in the AZ desert where I spend my winters.

Slime works well as long as the puncture is relatively small, but you definitely need a pump to replace lost pressure before Slime can plug the hole. (I carry a CYCPLUS electric pump).

My objective with the Gravelkings is to reduce punctures and minimize the pain when they occur. Tubeless (with a Slime-equivalent sealer), with a puncture kit and a pump gives me the greatest peace of mind.

3K+ miles with tubeless Gravelkings without a flat vs. 4 flats in 3K miles with the G-Ones with tubes and Slime. There is no way I will be able to break the bead on the trail. Start with that limitation.

 

[Nwtravler]

I love my continental top contact tires, they roll fast and smooth.

 

[Shogun7s+]

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions; I would have likely gone with the Continental Contact Plus City tires all things being equal, but every tire I looked at on my own would not arrive until after I needed it.

I ended up having to go with Pirelli GT Urban tires (basically just a smaller version of their motorcycle tire) as they were the only tires the shop could get in for me in time for when I needed to use my bike next (I also needed a new rear wheel which they were able to source quickly). Only one ride on them so far and it was in the pouring rain, so tough to judge them but they at least braked well in the wet which was a concern of mine given their tread.