9/8/23 1:30 PM

I broke out my last Paribas Prologue tire today. After around 20 years in the box, in my garage, it was still as supple as ever. I still have a stash of Paribas Pro Evolutions . . .

9/8/23 2:28 PM

Will you get more, and can you get more? ;) How do the Evolutions differ?

I rode my 85 SLX Saronni Colnago yesterday with the recently acquired Boyd Tubs.

The FMB 27mm cotton Roubaix tubulars are probably the most sublime rolling tire I can recall.

I did 85/90 PSi for no other reason than to try that.

The tires made no noise I could hear on the pavement. And no resonated road buzz made it past them to the bike.

All I could hear was air, ice in my WB sloshing about, and a faint near silent FH ratcheting when coasting from the the Record FHB.

It was a bit surreal. ;)

9/10/23 6:04 PM

Paribas, as a brand, doesn't exist anymore. They were acquired by Vredestein many years ago. The Evolutions are heavier than the Prologues, a little more durable, and black rather than purple.

I was introduced to Paribas by the shyster of the cyclingforum - I've blocked his name from my memory. Nevertheless, they're really nice riding tires.

9/11/23 2:00 AM

I can remember racing on Pariba (pretty sure they were Pariba not Paribas) tyres about 35 years ago. They struck me at the time as being pretty good, but I haven't seen them sold for many years.

I still have an unused Specialized Expedition 27x1-3/8" tyre that must be over 40 years old - we used them on our first tandem in the early 1980s. At the time it was about the best heavy duty touring tyre you could get. We did about 50,000km on that bike, and I can only remember three or four flat tyres over that distance.

We sold that tandem a long time ago, and no longer have any bikes with 27" rims, so I guess the tyre is going to remain unused.