More Tired

     Since I've been on the subject of tires, I had an opportunity yesterday to really test the effectiveness of Rene Herse tires against the crowd.  It started innocently enough with a group of old guys hanging around a park in Michigan.  It's really not as creepy as it sounds, a bunch of vintage bike freaks (old by any definition)

got together to ride their vintage steel bikes along the White Pine Trail for a 40 mile get together.  They do this on a kinda regular basis, global medical crises permitting.  

     A beautiful selection of bikes from the 60's, 70's and 80's can be found at these events and they generally tolerate me on my faux vintage Rivendells.  I was a bit worried about keeping up on this trip since I brought my Hunqapillar which is like 15 lbs heavier than the rest, but it's not a competitive bunch and I figured I'd play the role of involuntary sweeper like the past.  In the past I was riding on Schwalbe Big Ben tires, which are really fast for 50 mm tires, but this time The Hunq was sporting 44mm Rene Herse Snoqualmie Pass tires. 

     It's a rail trail so there are no "real" hills, only inclines.  We rolled out together and to my surprise I found myself tooling along quite comfortably with the ride leader, Gordy Vader, who was on his 60's Peugeut PX 10.  

It wasn't long before we found ourselves cruising 15+ miles per hour and having to soft pedal stretches to let the others catch up.  What the hell!  I was rolling along with him while he rode traditional skinny sew ups and 100psi, while the Hunq rolled upon 44mm with 50psi.  Now we weren't racing but Gordy used to and he doesn't slow down until he's afraid of losing the group, and we had to on several occasions.  I don't think it's a testimony to my skill, I am not what anybody would call fast, but to the tires.  It was really quite effortless to keep up or ahead of the crowd with their skinny tired crit bikes all day.  I've heard people rave about the Herse tires for their comfort and speed in the past, but now I am convinced.  These are simply the quickest clouds I have ever ridden.