{"id":56029,"date":"2023-11-09T17:00:13","date_gmt":"2023-11-09T16:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/?p=752685"},"modified":"2023-11-09T18:47:25","modified_gmt":"2023-11-09T17:47:25","slug":"oscar-huckle-tanwall-tyres-are-a-waste-of-time","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/oscar-huckle-tanwall-tyres-are-a-waste-of-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Oscar Huckle | Tanwall tyres are a waste of time"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nostalgia isn\u2019t always a good thing\u00a0 <\/p>

By Oscar Huckle\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Thursday, 09 November 2023 at 16:00 PM<\/p>

\n\n

What\u2019s old is new again. Tanwall tyres have increased in popularity over the last five years or so, with seemingly every brand having a tanwall option to sit alongside the ubiquitous black rubber.<\/p>\n

While not a new innovation, tanwall tyres have made a recent resurgence for a number of aesthetic and purported tech reasons.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s common to see riders fawning over tanwall tyres. But I\u2019m going to stick my head above the parapet \u2013 tanwall tyres are overrated, and here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n

Tanwall tyres \u2013\u00a0a brief history<\/h2>\n

The first pneumatic bicycle tyres, introduced by John Lloyd Dunlop in 1888, had tan sidewalls because they used cotton casings.<\/p>\n

The tyre\u2019s tread was simply glued to the top of the casing, allowing the tan cotton sidewalls to be exposed.<\/p>\n

Fast-forward to 2023, and tyre manufacturers are essentially looking to emulate this aesthetic with modern production methods.<\/p>\n

While there are different types and shades of \u2018tan\u2019 casings available now, from bright cotton to darker nylons, I\u2019ll use \u2018tanwall\u2019 in this article as an umbrella term to describe non-black tyres.<\/p>\n

<\/p><\/div> <\/section>

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder<\/h2>\n
\"Miachael\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
The tanwall tyres distract from the striking blue and white frame, in this example.<\/span><\/figcaption> Jack Luke \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

For a lot of riders, tanwall tyres are the cherry on the cake if you\u2019ve got an otherwise murdered-out black bike, providing contrast to the monotone. On busier paint schemes, I\u2019ve even heard someone say tanwall tyres add \u2018another visual layer\u2019.<\/p>\n

Others see tanwall tyres as an opportunity to give their bike a nostalgic throwback to cycling\u2019s bygone heyday.<\/p>\n

The aesthetic appeal of tanwall tyres doesn\u2019t cut it for me, though, and they\u2019re best left in the past.<\/p>\n

\"Vittoria\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
We should be looking to the future, not to the past.<\/span><\/figcaption> Simon von Bromley \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

First, there\u2019s nothing to match them to.<\/p>\n

Unlike saddles and handlebar tape, where the colours are best paired together (although I think they should also be black because anything other than black bar tape looks filthy after a couple of rides), tanwall tyres stick out like a sore thumb.<\/p>\n

With an already busy paint scheme, tanwalls just look tacky, another colour clash where your eye doesn\u2019t know what it should be drawn to.<\/p>\n

On the flipside, while all black bikes are often dull and tanwall tyres may be an option to make a sombre-looking machine \u2018pop\u2019, that will only last until the first ride, when they typically get irreversibly dirty (especially if your bike has rim brakes).<\/p>\n

And don\u2019t get me started on coloured tyres, which are another abomination and have no place in cycling.<\/p>\n

Why tanwall tyres don\u2019t complement modern bikes<\/h2>\n
\"BMC\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
The tanwalls detract from the Team Red paint scheme.<\/span><\/figcaption> Oscar Huckle \/ Our Media <\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Let\u2019s take a look at a couple of examples \u2013 my BMC Teammachine SLR01 Disc<\/a> and Simon von Bromley\u2019s Giant TCR Advanced Pro 2 Disc<\/a>.<\/p>\n

My BMC originally came equipped with tanwall Vittoria Corsa clincher tyres. The Team Red paint scheme (the only colour a BMC should be) is vivid and rich. BMC wisely opts for black-coloured components to highlight the stunning frame at its centre.<\/p>\n

Rather than accentuate the bike, the stock tanwall tyres instead distract from the striking red frameset.<\/p>\n

The BMC Teammachine is a modern frameset, created with contemporary design principles and cutting-edge materials.<\/p>\n

A superfluous nod to cycling\u2019s technological past with some old-fashioned tyres doesn\u2019t suit it.<\/p>\n

Naturally, they were swiftly swapped to black Continental GP5000<\/a> tyres and balance was restored.<\/p>\n

\"Giant\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Simon\u2019s Giant TCR would look even cleaner with some black rubber.<\/span><\/figcaption> Simon von Bromley \/ Our Media <\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Simon\u2019s Giant TCR provides a different flavour from my BMC with its more organic lines and \u2018Gloss Carbon Smoke \/ Chrysocolla\u2019 colourway. It\u2019s gloss black, with graphics that switch between green and blue depending on how you look at them.<\/p>\n

But rather than having my eyes drawn to the elegant Chrysocolla logos, they are drawn instead to those pesky tanwall Specialized S-Works Turbo 2BR<\/a> tyres.<\/p>\n

Simon may disagree, but I think his bike would look infinitely better with some black tyres, which would unite the deep carbon rims with the frameset far better.<\/p>\n

They always look dirty<\/h2>\n
\"Satin\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Gravel and mountain bikes, especially, are not the place for tanwall tyres.<\/span><\/figcaption> Russell Burton \/ Our Media <\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

If you live anywhere like me, there\u2019s no getting around the fact that tanwall tyres get irreversibly dirty the minute they\u2019re used. These are tyres for a showroom, not filthy UK lanes.<\/p>\n

As soon as they see the first sight of rain, road muck or dirt (or even fingers from when you\u2019re fitting them), the look is ruined, no matter how thoroughly you clean them post-ride.<\/p>\n

This is especially true if your bike has rim brakes<\/a>, because all the dirt from the brake track will get transferred to your tyres. However, even disc-brake equipped bikes aren\u2019t immune to this horror.<\/p>\n

At least with white bar tape, you can wrap cellophane over it to attempt to preserve its finish when the bike isn\u2019t in use (as a workshop I previously worked at would do).<\/p>\n

And why should riders bother spending the time cleaning their tyres after a ride to try to rejuvenate their appearance? That\u2019s just extra work, on top of cleaning your bike<\/a> and drivetrain for a result you\u2019re not going to get anyway \u2013 the tanwall is still going to be stained.<\/p>\n

\"Challenge\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Two months into testing and the sidewalls on these Criterium tyres look naff.<\/span><\/figcaption> Simon von Bromley \/ Our Media <\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

In fact, senior technical writer Simon von Bromley recently reviewed the Challenge Criterium RS<\/a> as part of a fast-tyre group test<\/a>. Two months into testing and their brilliant white sidewalls have already faded, possibly in this instance, due to light exposure as opposed to mileage.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, life\u2019s too short to spend it cleaning tyre sidewalls \u2013\u00a0it\u2019s already enough hassle cleaning your bike and drivetrain. Even as a committed mechanic and self-confessed tool nerd<\/a>, I could do with fewer, rather than more maintenance jobs.<\/p>\n

Tanwall by name, not tanwall by nature<\/h2>\n
\"Schwalbe\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Not a true tanwall\u2026<\/span><\/figcaption> Simon von Bromley \/ Immediate Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

As cotton tyres have become less ubiquitous, many tanwall tyres now on the market are essentially black tyres with a cosmetic layer.<\/p>\n

Take the Schwalbe Pro One TT<\/a>, for example. It\u2019s an excellent tyre by all accounts, but the \u2018tan\u2019 sidewalls are simply painted onto its nylon casing.<\/p>\n

This just seems superfluous \u2013 for a performance-focused tyre such as this, why would anyone want a brand to add any extra material that could potentially increase weight and impact rolling resistance (if it makes the tyre sidewalls stiffer as a result)?<\/p>\n

Of course, there have been some other tanwall nylon tyres launched in recent years \u2013 such as the Continental GP5000 S TR, Pirelli P Zero Race TLR and Specialized S-Works Turbo 2BR mentioned above \u2013 which are available with biscuity-brown sidewalls rather than black.<\/p>\n

This doesn\u2019t replicate the bright effect of traditional tanwall tyres, though, because the colour is far duller.<\/p>\n

And since they look so dull, you might as well have black tyres and not deal with the associated hassle of needing to keep them fastidiously clean.<\/p>\n

They may be slower<\/h2>\n
\"Continental\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Might tanwall tyres be slower?<\/span><\/figcaption> Simon von Bromley \/ Immediate Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Although I\u2019d like more data before reaching a definitive conclusion, some independent testing suggests at least some of these tanwall equivalents of black tyres may, in fact, be slower.<\/p>\n

BicycleRollingResistance.com, for example, has tested both the black and tanwall GP5000 S TR<\/a> in a size 700x25c and the results between the two tyres were clear<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The black version required 8.4W to overcome rolling resistance at 29 km\/h (18 mph) when inflated to 120psi, but the tanwall tyre was noticeably slower at 9.6W.<\/p>\n

Although the unmounted casing width and tread were identical between both tyres, BicycleRollingResistance.com found they also measured differently when inflated (24.9mm for the tanwall vs 25.5mm for black).<\/p>\n

Is it really worth sacrificing performance to have a brown tyre rather than a black one? I don\u2019t think so.<\/p>\n

Just stick with black<\/h2>\n
\"FFWD\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Restore order to your bike with some black tyres.<\/span><\/figcaption> Oscar Huckle \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

While aesthetics are subjective, there\u2019s less to go wrong when just sticking with black tyres. Black complements everything and won\u2019t show up the dirt as much either.<\/p>\n

I might be making myself unpopular here, but put simply, tyres aren\u2019t the place for colour customisation.<\/p>\n

If you want to play around with the colours on your bike, buy a frame that does that in the first place \u2013 or, better still, for a more affordable way of adding flair to your riding setup, be bold with your kit \u2013 be it your helmet, shoes or clothes.<\/p>\n

Likewise, if the tan colour is simply painted on, or worse, the changes to casings result in increased rolling resistance, is it really worth it?<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n

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