Highly protective road bike tyre
This competition is now closed
By Robin Wilmott
Published: February 23, 2023 at 1:00 pm
Schwalbe’s robust Durano road bike tyre has proven its durability over many years, and this latest version continues the theme.
With a construction focused on puncture protection and grip, it makes a great fit-and-forget winter road tyre and an ideal option for commuting.
However, as is so often the case, that robust practicality means it’s not the quickest and the ride feel is far from thrilling.
The Durano Plus clincher tyre is available in folding and wire bead constructions, and 700 x 25c or 700 x 28c widths.
It includes a SmartGuard puncture-protection layer beneath its Addix rubber compound.
The Addix compound used in this model should offer a performance upgrade over earlier versions of the Durano.
There’s a 0.2mm reduction in central tread depth, which is still generous at 4.6mm.
It’s all-black, with a reflective strip on the sidewalls, and is built on a 67 TPI (threads-per-inch) carcass.
Schwalbe recommends running the tyre between 85 and 115psi, and not exceeding a load of 70kg per tyre.
The 700 x 28c folding bead Durano Plus clincher tyres tested here weigh in at a not inconsiderable 480g each.
Despite feeling stiff and quite inflexible in my hands, the Durano Plus tyres were straightforward to fit to my test wheels.
Once inflated on a rim with 20mm internal width, the 28c Durano Plus measures 30mm wide and 28.5mm tall.
The tread profile is an almost perfect semi-circle, with alternating triangles of inward-facing grooves along its shoulders. These are interspersed by longer and deeper single grooves angling from the tyre’s centre to the base of each triangle.
Compared to a more ‘standard’ road bike tyre construction, the puncture-resistance layer for the Durano Plus is obvious immediately.
Acceleration is dulled a little by the tyre’s additional rotational mass, and feel is reduced by the thicker, more rigid centre of the tread (under which lives the puncture-resistance layer).
Stiffer sidewalls also lessen handling feel when compared to lighter rubber. However, despite all of this, the Durano Plus grips impressively well.
Although it’s certainly not race-tyre fast, the Durano Plus rolls quite efficiently. Once up to speed, it doesn’t give too much away to the competition.
The speed shortcomings feel far stronger on longer, steeper inclines than on false flats. I needed to put noticeably more effort in to maintain momentum than I usually would.
However, the consistently positive grip helped me to sustain speed in the corners, and gave great confidence under braking in both dry and wet conditions.
Schwalbe’s recommended lowest pressure of 85psi is fairly high for 28mm-wide tyres, especially when they inflate to 30mm. This may be down partly to their clincher-only setup.
Depending on your weight and favoured type of riding, you might be minded to drop the tyre pressures. I found doing this a small amount yielded a little more feel, grip and comfort.
I’m a 74kg rider, and felt more comfortable with 75psi in these tyres. This proved sufficient to protect the rims and enable them to conform better to the road surface.
However, despite my positive experiences experimenting with pressures, it’s worth reinforcing that doing so was against Schwalbe’s recommendations.
All-in, the well-regarded durability of the Durano Plus lineage was proven throughout testing.
The test tyres shrugged off washout grit from rain storms, countless hedge cuttings and rough roads without so much as a cut, boding well for longer-term use.
I also found the reflective sidewalls a reassuring presence. On an early morning/evening commute or dim day’s ride, added visibility is always a bonus.
Schwalbe prices the Durano Plus at £43.49 (in the UK), aligning it with other similar tyres, such as the Continental Gatorskin.
Extremes of speed and puncture protection are usually mutually exclusive, as are high-mileage longevity and road feel.
The Durano Plus doesn’t manage to confound these expectations – its heavy construction largely sees to that. However, it does a fine job of giving a good amount of weighty resilience without completely sacrificing speed and ride feel.
For winter training rides or commuting, where practical reliability trumps performance, the Durano Plus is a safe pair of boots.
Contributor
Robin Wilmott is a freelance writer and bike tester. He began road cycling in 1988 and, with mountain bikes in their infancy, mixed experimental off-road adventures with club time trials and road races. Cyclocross soon became a winter staple and has remained Robin's favourite form of competition. Robin has always loved the technical aspect of building and maintaining bikes, and several years working in a bike shop only amplified that. Robin was a technical writer for BikeRadar for nearly a decade, and has tested hundreds of bikes and products for the site. He has also written extensively for Cycling Plus, Velonews and Cyclingnews.
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