On Sun, 2010-08-15 at 15:08 -0700, Jim Cloud wrote:
> Steve,
> I guess this discussion merits another on the subject of the
> availability of 700C size tires that are designed around the
> parameters of the Gran Bois Hetre or Pacenti Pari-Moto (wide
> [38-42mm], supple sidewalls, lightweight and with fine herringbone
> tread patterns). Why doesn't anyone make a tire like this? Looking
> at the availability of 650B tires that have these characteristics is
> quite enough to make a 700C bike owner jealous!
I don't think there's a market for it.
In the first place, the Hetre and the Pari Moto exist because
individuals who care ("I" of I's Bicycle, the owner of Grand Bois, and
Kirk Pacenti) brought them into existence. Nothing like that in 700C.
There's a market of dedicated 650B fans who bought in advance to fund
the development of the Pari Moto (and, come to mention it, the Saluki,
Riv's first 650B offering, as well). You don't have that core of
enthusiasts in the 700C market.
What's more, with 650B it's easy to know and identify the available
tires. There's no forest of similar looking competitors to navigate
your way through, as is the case with 700C. There are plenty of wide
700s, and no individual could ever make their way through that tangle.
There's no Consumer Reports of bike tires, either. So if there was a
diamond out there amongst all the hybrid tires, who would ever know it?
Then there's pricing. The cheap wide 700C tires basically set the price
the market's willing to pay. Could you sell a tire that costs 2-3 times
as much as the competition?
Finally, I think the 700C market has the wide sizes pigeonholed as being
cheap tires for cheap hybrids or super heavy duty tires for heavy duty
utility bikes. There is no 700C bike that's built like a 650B
randonneur, why should there be a tire for one?
> Maybe Jan Heine or someone else (Rivendell?) should approach Panaracer
> or Gran Bois about making a 700C tire with these characteristics. I'm
> sure there would be a market for this type of tire.
Why should they? Those passionate about wonderful supple fast wide
tires are in the 650B arena.
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