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Schwalbe Durano S Tyres w/RaceGuardSchwalbe Durano S Tyre

Schwalbe Durano S Tyres w/RaceGuard

9
by Caven O'Hara
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Aug 8, 2014

1
£34.99
Buy this online

VERDICT:

9
10
Grippy without compromising your rolling speed and perform well in the wet
Weight: 
212g
Contact: 
www.fisheroutdoor.co.uk
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After 1,000km in wet and dry the Schwalbe Durano S Raceguard tyres have provided lots of confidence and grip.

The testing ground was the mountains and valleys of southern Wales for the first foray. There was plenty of mileage and certainly a variety of terrain for the Schwalbes to contend with.

On the climbs the tyres rolled well coping with the varying surfaces without causing any issues. My bigger concern was not the climbs but how would they cope on the long, swooping descents that lasted for several kilometers or on the more technical sections complete with hairpins? I needn't have worried. On a mixture of road surfaces I felt completely in control on every descent regardless of the difficulty. Leaning the bike over through corners was never a concern, more a case of me not pushing the bike hard enough.

During the brief wet spell during the trip, the sense of control didn't waiver. The grip and feel felt assured. Again the lack of speed was rider restricted, not held back by the lack of grip.

The Schwalbe Duranos have also been put through their paces on the shorter commutes to work. This includes wet and greasy roads, I felt secure in their performance, providing enough grip to negotiate roundabouts and other street obstacles without slippage.

Despite the softer rubber used in the construction of them to provide the extra grip, the dual compound tyres have not suffered in terms of durability. There is the odd nick in them but given the debris be it from rain rinsed fields or re-surfaced roads the Duranos have and continue to roll and wear well. In all of this use, touch wood, there have been no punctures either.

Price wise they aren't the cheapest tyres on the market but what they do offer is performance and reliability.

Without racing on them they have inspired confidence on all surfaces and in all weather. There are few signs of wear and tear but nothing out of the ordinary. Their ability to cope well even on wetter roads has been great.

Verdict

Grippy without compromising your rolling speed and perform well in the wet

road.cc test report

Make and model: Schwalbe Durano S Tyre w/RaceGuard

Size tested: 700x23c

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

I haven't raced on the Duranos from Schwalbe but I have certainly put the miles in on them and they continue to ride as well as the first time they were used. You don't want a tyre that offers so much grip as to compromise your speed (unless you're looking for that). You want that special mix of grip and rolling speed that makes riding so much fun. As we can't control the weather, an ability to work well in all conditions and across a variety of surfaces would be good too. The Duranos have proved adept at all of the above.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

The grip is good in both dry and wet conditions so would prove a useful addition to any bike during the UK summer. Weekend warrior or habitual sportive rider, the Duranos would be good shoes for the bike.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

The Duranos were supple enough to fit easily and didn't require and serious man-handling to get on the rims. Once in place they inflated easily and apart from checking the pressure have stayed inflated without suffering punctures. This is with 7 weeks worth of regular riding.

Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

The grip is good but it hasn't effected the speed of the tyres. They roll really well and have coped with the mixed terrain and surfaces that Sussex, Kent and the Breacon Beacons have to offer. In the wet they allow me to ride as per normal without any slippage or cause for concern.

Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10

Seven weeks of continual riding including some long weekend rides have certainly put the Duranos through the mill. Despite all of this they are still holding up well. (Touch wood) there have been no punctures in this time and apart from a few nicks in them have held up better than some previous tyres I have used.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
8/10

At 212g they are not the lightest tyre on the market but this shouldn't detract from all but the racers out there and even they should be taking a glance. Given the road surfaces in a lot of areas are not at their best the Schwalbe Durano S tyres have been a great addition to my bike setup over the last few weeks. If it's extreme lightness you're after you will need to consider others. If it's performance and longevity then look no further.

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
8/10

You will struggle to find any tyre that completely offers an arm chair ride but that doesn't mean to say you can't get decent cushioning. Even at 100-110 psi the Duranos have offered a degree of smoothness.

Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Certainly not the cheapest but for the protection, longevity and performance they provide this represents good value.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Great - the slick profile, the colour variants offer something for all riders but best of all they provide huge amounts of performance.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

No fuss to fit and then continue to perform ride after ride.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

This is a difficult one. The Duranos have been there for weeks I've almost forgotten them, no niggles at all. The softer compound rubber has not effected grip or my confidence in them.

Did you enjoy using the product? Still am.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

The highest praise you could heap on the Schwalbe Duranos would be they are right up there with other leading tyres in that they offer great performance without compromising in other aspects. You get a great ride without feeling out of control.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 45  Height: 178cm  Weight: 80kg

I usually ride: Currently riding a Pinnacle Evaporite Three  My best bike is: As above

I've been riding for: Under 5 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, commuting, sportives, mtb, Not yet but looking to dip my toe in the world of TT

 

Schwalbe Durano S
Schwalbe

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1 comments

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banzicyclist2 | 10 years ago
0 likes

I fancy a pair of them for this winter. I've got Schwable tyres on a couple of my other bikes, they do seem bomb proof, if a little heavy. But the lack of punctures is great, I don't that at all.

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