New Tyres?

handsome devil

I am about to replace the Kenda Kontenders on my SCR Ltd and have been wondering which tyres to go for. The Kontenders are 26`s and I am considering 23`s.

Replacements I am considering are Vittoria Rubino Pro & Conti GP4000. I would like the blue edging to match the frame colour. Budget is £50-60 max.

Questions,

1. What difference will I notice with varying widths (26, 23, etc)?
2. What difference will 100g or so make (folding bead v rigid) and what are the general benefits of folders over rigids?
3. Is it worth considering lighter tubes or will this not make any noticable difference over the stock tubes that were originally fitted?
4. Are there any good wheel upgrade options worth considering over the Alex DA22`s that are fitted as standard up to £100 per pair?
5. Should I just buy some Rubino rigids for around £28 cos it`s not worth all the hassle!!!

I ride mainly for fitness/enjoyment so don`t currently participate in sportives, etc and I also weigh around 100kg so not the lightest guy you`ll see on a bike!!

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

aberdeen_lune

23mm tyres are quicker but you may find them less comfortable. I would recommend Conti GP4000 tyres or Pro Race 3. Always better with the folding tyres rather than the wire bead ones. Tyre pressures can also make a big difference to comfort. 120psi is fast but not so comfy 100 is a bit more comfortable.

I would also suggest saving up a bit more before buying wheels. £100 will buy you a basic set which may not be much better than the wheels your bike came with. For £250 you could get a good set of wheels which will really make a difference. See other wheel threads for recommendations.

STEFANOS4784

I would recommend Conti gp4000s's after some hairy/slippery moments with the PR3's........

huuregeil

Both are excellent tyres. I run Rubino Pros on my training wheels. Couple of observations:

1. They're tough, don't collects cuts or punctures, and last ages.
2. They roll pretty fast too
3. They differ from the standard Rubinos not only in the bead (wire vs kevlar folding) but also in the casing - the Pros ride far better and I wouldn't even consider the standards unless on a really tight budget.
4. They can be had for less that £30 for a pair (e.g. ebay, occasional deals on Parker, Ribble, etc.)...

... which is quite a bit less than the Contis, which are more like £50 a pair. Although I'd imagine the Contis give better grip. In other words, the Rubino Pro is an excellent, good value choice for simply chewing miles up. How much is £20 for improved grip worth to you?! (Actually more than £20 once you factor in the per-mile cost - I'd be surprised if the 4000s outlasted the Rubino Pros). There's not a right answer here!

Wouldn't worry too much about inner tubes, unless you go down the latex route, which is probably more hassle than it's worth for the kind of riding you're doing.

Hope this helps!

handsome devil

Thanks for the input guys. Really appreciated. I think I`ll leave the wheels until I can afford £250-300 as advised by Aberdeen. Makes sense as when I checked rim weight the Mavic Open Sport are no lighter than the Alex DA22`s!

I am leaning towards the Rubino Pro`s (23 as 25`s not available in folding bead unless black only) and they appear to be around 100g lighter.

Will this weight loss be noticeable against the Kontenders (rotational mass and all that!)?

Mettan

handsome devil wrote:

Thanks for the input guys. Really appreciated. I think I`ll leave the wheels until I can afford £250-300 as advised by Aberdeen. Makes sense as when I checked rim weight the Mavic Open Sport are no lighter than the Alex DA22`s!

I am leaning towards the Rubino Pro`s (23 as 25`s not available in folding bead unless black only) and they appear to be around 100g lighter.

Will this weight loss be noticeable against the Kontenders (rotational mass and all that!)?

Yes, Rubino Pro folding's are a good choice - get the 23 folding's - good price/performance ratio - and yes, you'll notice a difference over the Kendas. Obviously, you can spend alot more and get something slightly better, but at a mid-level price, Rubino Pro's are unbeatable.

watershed2100

I'm in the same boat my Giro came with Kontender 26`s. I'm looking at the conti GP 4000`s or the Michelin pro race 3`s both 23`s. I have just started with a road bike so still getting used to it so any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Mettan

watershed2100 wrote:

I'm in the same boat my Giro came with Kontender 26`s. I'm looking at the conti GP 4000`s or the Michelin pro race 3`s both 23`s. I have just started with a road bike so still getting used to it so any advice will be greatly appreciated.

GP4000 s have a reputation for durability (as far as race-worthy tyres go) - they're good all-rounders - Pro Race 3's are fast and good quality summer tyres. Don't forget Vittoria Open Corsa 320 TPI's - they're sometimes deascribed as the best current clincher available (but they're expensive). IMO the new Diamante Pro's are excellent summer tyres - lighter than the Pro Race 3's, and fast and supple.

handsome devil

Guys, Thanks for the input, really appreciated. After much deliberation, I have ordered some GP4000`s (23`s - hoping these will not be too different regarding comfort to the 25`s I almost ordered) in Met Blue to match my SCR Ltd frame colour. I took advantage of Ribbles weekend 15% off, free delivery, etc deal (just over £20 each), etc.

Looking forward to fitting them sometime over the weekend, but then again, having read some of the bad stuff about Ribble (stock, delivery, etc), who knows?!!!

handsome devil

Just to update, order took 5 days for delivery and while not quick, price was more than good enough to justify the wait! Fitted today and a great upgrade. Feels marginally quicker and no real differance in comfort to the 25`s.

I`ll give a better test tomorrow but pleased so far (although I should have bought blue rather than metallic blue as these would have been a better colour match for my SCR!!