Hey everyone, please excuse my English as I am using a translation tool.
I live in Europe and am looking to replace the heavy Schwalbe Marathons on my Brompton C Line (H6RN) to reduce rolling resistance and get more comfort. Right now, the bike feels too heavy and slow. I bought it secondhand as a full-option model, but I do not need the rear rack. The hub dynamo also adds a lot of drag. In hindsight, a simple 4-speed without the rack or dynamo would have been perfect. I also own a Dahon Curve D3 and absolutely love riding that bike, so I want to get closer to that comfortable ride feel.
To offset the weight and drag, I want to change my tires. Here are the options I have looked into so far:
- Schwalbe Marathon (Current tire, great protection but very stiff and harsh)
- Schwalbe Marathon Plus (Indestructible tank, but very heavy and zero comfort)
- Continental Contact Urban (Smooth city slicker, light, fast, and good grip)
- Schwalbe Billy Bonkers (Knobby gravel tire, tan wall, comfortable at lower pressure)
- Schwalbe Marathon Racer (Standard factory option, average all-rounder)
- Schwalbe One / Kojak (Very fast performance slicks, but fragile for daily use)
- Panaracer Minits Tough (Premium Japanese tire, supple ride, but harder to find in Europe)
Please feel free to suggest other options if I missed any! Which of these would you recommend to bring some life back into a heavy Brompton? Please share what you are running and why!
by Lorien93
2 Comments
Continental Urban Contact on all my Bromptons
The Racers came stock on my C-Line Utility and have performed well for a city bike in that I’ve had no punctures or flats in over 4 years. However, they’re low on tread and the sidewalls are looking in poor shape. I’m actually heading to the shop this morning to pick up the Continentals. I’m curious to try something new that might give a little more performance, and the other Schwalbes look like they sacrifice puncture resistance a bit too much for my taste.