# Touring on Maxxis Grifters?



## ciquta (Nov 26, 2015)

my next long-distance trip ( ~1300 miles) will be mostly on pavement and light gravel

my bike clears 29+ tires on 35mm rims so I'm looking for the biggest available slick tires 

the long-avaited Surly Extraterrestrial 29x2.5 aren't yet available here in Italy so I was thinking to get a pair of Maxxis Grifters 29x2.5"

unfortunately they come only in 60TPI and no puncture protection... do you think they might do the job? 
Big apples 2.35" are next in queue but not big enough for my likings


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## dh024 (Dec 11, 2010)

I have a set of Grifters that I used for commuting on my ECR, but I was getting too many flats with them. I ended up replacing them with Extraterrestrials for commuting and all-surface touring (pavement, gravel, trails, tracks), and so far, they have been fabulous, albeit one flat - a big carpenter's staple,. The Grifters rolled a bit better on pavement, but the ETs roll well on anything hard or packed, and they seem competent in sand or a bit of mud.


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## ciquta (Nov 26, 2015)

dh024 said:


> I have a set of Grifters that I used for commuting on my ECR, but I was getting too many flats with them


with tubes?

do you think going tubeless may serve the job?


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

I use the geax tattoo's in 29 x 2.3 on 35 mm rims, just don't get the light version.


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## dh024 (Dec 11, 2010)

ciquta said:


> with tubes?
> 
> do you think going tubeless may serve the job?


Yes, I was using tubes. Tubeless might be better - I wondered that, too, but ended up going with the ETs when I saw how much more rugged and durable they felt in the hand. Plus, the ETs have a kevlar liner, which cinched it for me.

I do recall someone else here mentioning that they had good luck with Grifters and found them capable on gravel, so maybe they would be fine for your purpose.

Have you tried sourcing ETs from an international online retailer? I still think they are a far superior tire for touring.


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## ciquta (Nov 26, 2015)

dh024 said:


> Have you tried sourcing ETs from an international online retailer?


yes and there's no way I can put my hands over them before my trip start

so either "skinny" big apples or tubeless Grifters


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## dh024 (Dec 11, 2010)

Hard to choose, but I bet either setup will work out just fine. Honestly, I didn't mean to suggest that the Grifters were a bad tire. I bet that if you run them tubeless, you will love how they roll on the pavement and not think twice about flats.


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