Another tyre thread. This one has a spreadsheet.

Apologies, another tyre thread, but I don’t think anyone’s covered my specific requirements.

I’ve read the previous 146 discussions and unfortunately most contain opinions. Hoping to get something more scientific here, ideally from people who agree with my shortlist.

Planning a fairly demanding mixed-surface expedition next Sunday, weather permitting. Approximately 74 miles of tarmac, 1.8 miles of trail and whatever distance I cover looking for somewhere to turn round.

Bike weighs 247kg before accessories. I’m 94kg without kit, although working on that. Panniers will contain waterproofs, tools, compressor, lunch and my existing tyres’ paperwork.

Riding style: cautious but potentially dynamic.

I need confident motorway manners, complete wet-road security, aggressive mud clearance, minimal noise, excellent mileage and a tread pattern that makes sense when photographed outside a café.

Ideally no compromises.

CURRENT SHORTLIST:

• Continental TKC 80: Visually the correct level of commitment. Concerned about tread-block movement during the faster parts of the journey, particularly the bypass. Can owners describe the movement in millimetres rather than saying “never bothered me”?

• Continental TKC 70: Potentially sensible, which worries me. Would I always wonder what the missing ten could have achieved?

• Michelin Anakee Wild: Strong contender, but how wild? I’m after controlled wildness within a fairly rigid itinerary.

• Michelin Anakee Adventure: This is an adventure, so the naming checks out. Need confirmation that their definition of adventure includes damp agricultural access.

• Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR: Very interested, although I’d like someone to explain which aspects are Scorpion, which are Rally and what proportion of the experience is STR.

• Bridgestone Battlax Adventurecross AX41: Probably the most reassuring number of syllables. Concerned I’ve been influenced by that.

• Dunlop Trailmax Mission: I do have a specific mission, namely reaching the pub without putting a foot down. Would that suit its intended use?

• Dunlop Trailmax Raid: Is Raid above or below Mission? Please don’t answer “different tyres”. I’m trying to establish a hierarchy.

• Heidenau K60 Scout: Several people say they last ages. Useful, but if I choose incorrectly I don’t want to be trapped in a long-term relationship.

• Mitas E-07: My spreadsheet liked this one until someone commented “wooden”, which has required a completely new tab.

• Shinko 804/805: Attractive price, although I’m concerned saving money might undermine the amount of research I’ve done.

I’m also considering mixing brands front and rear, provided both manufacturers are comfortable with each other.

My main concern is the transition from dry gravel into damp gravel and then, potentially, actual mud. I don’t want a tyre that performs brilliantly in the first two phases only to abandon me during the third.

Has anyone measured the point at which damp becomes wet? Preferably in British soil. Reports from Portugal aren’t much use unless you’ve corrected for sunshine.

I’ve prepared a weighted scoring system:

Wet tarmac: 22%
Dry tarmac: 18%
Gravel: 17%
Mud evacuation: 16%
Longevity: 14%
Noise: 8%
How they look with aluminium luggage: 5%

My wife suggested adding “actually going for a ride”, but there isn’t room without compromising the model.

Pressure recommendations welcome, but please state ambient temperature, altitude, breakfast weight and whether your gauge has been independently verified. “I run mine at 30” tells me nothing about your relationship with accuracy.

Also, when people describe a tyre as 50/50, is that by mileage or time? Because I expect the 1.8 miles of trail to take approximately as long as the motorway section.

Please include your bike, tyre sizes, mileage, load, riding experience and whether your confidence comes from training or simply having survived previous decisions.

No “just ride what you’ve got” comments. What I’ve got is almost new, which makes this decision especially difficult to explain at home.

EDIT: I’ve postponed Sunday. Two recommendations have come in since I thought we’d reached a consensus.

EDIT 2: A local says he regularly does the route on a delivery scooter. Does anyone know what tyres those come with?

The photo shows the level of extreme conditions I’ll be riding in. You can’t really appreciate the moisture gradient from the picture.