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Specialized Mondo Tyres - any good???

skyd0gskyd0g Posts: 2,540
edited April 2011 in Road beginners
They're a bit poo (apparently) from others that have had them & reported here - heavy, sluggish & not too grippy.

If poss upgrade to Michelin Pro Race 3's, Conti GP4000s', or Vittoria Open Pave's if you get a good deal. Also Michelin Krylion Carbons if you want some slightly more durable.
Cycling weakly

Posts

  • LagavulinLagavulin Posts: 1,688
    My Allez Sport came with 60tpi Mondos and they were fine in summer on relatively clean roads but come Autumn they were cut to shreds by flints and punctured frequently.
    These (2006) however didn't have Flack Jacket.
    I did buy some Mondo Pros 120tpi with Flat Jacket and these were better but still picked up some nasty cuts seemingly quite easily, didn't find them particularly confidence inspiring cornering in the wet. Personally I wouldn't want to commute on them.

    As per skyd0g, Open-Pave CGs are wonderful tyres, Krylion Carbons are good. While I've a cache of both I'm tempted to try out some of Schwalbe's Ultremo DD.
    2010 Cannondale CAAD 9
    2008 Wilier Izoard
  • EKIMIKEEKIMIKE Posts: 2,232
    My sister got some with her Allez. Took them off straight as we were doing LEJOG and I wanted to make sure she had something that would do her for all weathers. They don't look like the sort of tyres you'd want to commute on. I'm using one on my turbo wheel which they work great for, being totally slick.

    Pave's are great but bloody pricey, especially for a commute tyre. Vittoria Zaffiro's are dirt cheap, grippy and robust. Rubino's are a little more pricey but you get better performance but still a solid tyre. I can only comment on Vittoria tryes because they're the ones i've used but i'm sure there better tyres than Mondo's from the like of Michelin, Conti, Schwalbe and Vredestein.
    Canyon Endurace CF 2014 | Canyon Ultimate CF 2010
  • Rich HcpRich Hcp Posts: 1,355
    I had them on my Alllez, until the inevitable punctures.

    Changed to Vittoria Rubino Pros, much better
    Richard

    Giving it Large
  • MikeWWMikeWW Posts: 723
    Thought they were ok until I put some Michelin Pro race 3's on. Only use them for the turbo now.
    www.lichfieldccc.org.uk
  • dg landerdg lander Posts: 54
    Hi, I'm also getting an allez sport. would specialized armadillo tyres be an upgrade to the mondo sports? reason im asking is because im picking my bike up on saturday and my LBS stocks the armadillos.

    Thanks
  • danowatdanowat Posts: 2,877
    Punctured my Mondo's on my Allez Elite in 3 weeks, needless to say, they are being replaced by some Krylion carbons :)
  • impaler_dizimpaler_diz Posts: 10
    The All Conditions Armadillo Elites are excellent for comuting. Nothing seems to puncture them. They also felt more grippy than the mondos.
  • dg landerdg lander Posts: 54
    edited April 2010
    im a bit apprehensive about the maroon colour of the armadillo's, not sure they'd go well with the all-white allez sport. i notice the elites are black, however LBS hasnt got any of those in stock in which case I'd have to postpone getting my bike (they'll give me £20 for the mondo's if they're new). They do have gatorskins in stock, but again they have a brown sidewall which might look weird. He's also got some Bontrager race X Lite Hardcase tyres. Are these any good? he seemed to think so. All black with white lettering.
  • MrTapirMrTapir Posts: 1,206
    I bought an Allez last july with mondos on as stock. I have had one puncture after riding on a gravelly car park so i wasnt surprised about that.

    Apart from this they have been fine, and also seem grippy despite being slick, ive been out in all weathers and they are actually noticeably tacky in the wet.

    Cant comment on them compared to any other tyres as I havent needed to change them yet.
  • rick_chaseyrick_chasey Posts: 67,631 Lives Here
    Also a spec allez rider.

    Having changed to Conti GP400s, I can say, catagorically, that the mondos have little grip, poor puncture resistance, and seem plenty heavier than the contis.

    Overall: rubbish.
    _
  • skyd0gskyd0g Posts: 2,540
    dg lander wrote:
    im a bit apprehensive about the maroon colour of the armadillo's, not sure they'd go well with the all-white allez sport. i notice the elites are black, however LBS hasnt got any of those in stock in which case I'd have to postpone getting my bike (they'll give me £20 for the mondo's if they're new). They do have gatorskins in stock, but again they have a brown sidewall which might look weird. He's also got some Bontrager race X Lite Hardcase tyres. Are these any good? he seemed to think so. All black with white lettering.

    What colour looks best when you're sat at the side of the road with a tube in one hand and a tyre lever in the other? :roll:
    Cycling weakly
  • dg landerdg lander Posts: 54
    skyd0g wrote:
    dg lander wrote:
    im a bit apprehensive about the maroon colour of the armadillo's, not sure they'd go well with the all-white allez sport. i notice the elites are black, however LBS hasnt got any of those in stock in which case I'd have to postpone getting my bike (they'll give me £20 for the mondo's if they're new). They do have gatorskins in stock, but again they have a brown sidewall which might look weird. He's also got some Bontrager race X Lite Hardcase tyres. Are these any good? he seemed to think so. All black with white lettering.

    What colour looks best when you're sat at the side of the road with a tube in one hand and a tyre lever in the other? :roll:

    I'm not sure. That's why I'm asking :lol:
  • Meirion658Meirion658 Posts: 20
    I had the same situation, in the end i changed my wheels to a set of Mavic Ksyrium Elite and a pair of Michelin Pro rae 3, the transformation is amazing :shock: :shock: the bike feels quicker, ligter and far more responsive, and smoother to ride
  • Spawn3323Spawn3323 Posts: 22
    I bought a spec allez a few weeks ago for commuting and I read reviews and opinions about the mondos that said that they are rubbish so I instantly wanted to change them but can't afford to, but I have had no punctures or slips/locks/falls as of yet but they do look censored . I'm gona upgrade to conti gatorskins after my first puncture.
  • Spawn3323Spawn3323 Posts: 22
    I bought a spec allez a few weeks ago for commuting and I read reviews and opinions about the mondos that said that they are rubbish so I instantly wanted to change them but can't afford to, but I have had no punctures or slips/locks/falls as of yet but they do look censored . I'm gona upgrade to conti gatorskins after my first puncture.
  • ScottiePScottieP Posts: 599
    I had some on my Allez too - they were rubbish - especially in the wet. Changed to Continental GP4000s and it was a big step forward.
    My cycling blog: http://girodilento.com/
  • clarkie28clarkie28 Posts: 134
    Ive just bought a Spesh Allez Sport too, and on Monday, which was my second outing on said bike, i got a puncture on the front! Thankfully i was just pulling up at home!

    Ive got a day off today, so my job for today is.................

    Will probably upgrade tyres eventually by the sound of things!
  • thatkidduffythatkidduffy Posts: 38
    I've got a allez from 2008 that had the red and white mondos. They were awful, especially in the wet. I had absolutely no faith in them for going round corners anything other than bolt upright and slow.

    Replaced with Krylion carbons (and new wheels!!) and I'm as happy as a pig in censored !
  • johnsink79johnsink79 Posts: 1
    I bought the specialized allez double about a month ago with these tyres and have done about 500 miles with no issues at all.
  • PigtailPigtail Posts: 424
    I have an allez with mondo sport tyres. I had a puncture fairly early on and after looking here went to the bike shop intending to get gatorskins. The guy in the shop has the same bike as me and he recommended Specialized turbo elites. They were cheap - about £26 for the pair.

    However after getting them home I began to wonder about replacing relatively new working tyres and decided just to leave them! So I have two new spares to try out when the time comes, and another 300 miles or so on the Mondos are doing fine.

    James
  • CTankCTank Posts: 46
    Dreadful tyres. The benefit felt by changing them far outwighs the cost!
  • nevmannevman Posts: 1,611
    +1 for the Spesh Armadillos-running a pair for 16 months now and never p*******ed despite awful roads here-bah,probably will now....
    Whats the solution? Just pedal faster you baby.

    Summer B,man Team Carbon LE#222
    Winter Alan Top Cross
    All rounder Spec. Allez.
  • bomberharris72bomberharris72 Posts: 44
    Everyone's going on about Mondo's and punctures. What about the fact that you feel like you're riding through treacle on them?

    At first I thought my Allez wheels were just a bit 'sluggish' compared to my Touche which has Mavic Open Pro's with Krylion Carbon's. Swapped the tyres over last week and over the weekend the Allez seemed to fly. I never thought there would be that much difference.

    My poor old Touche now has the Mondo's and the ride in to work this morning definitely seemed slow. Where the bike used to just roll it now seems to slow down and needs more effort to get it rolling again.

    Roll on payday and a new set of Krylion's!
  • Paul EPaul E Posts: 2,052
    Last year me and a couple of friends did the ride around the isle of arran and the only person that punctured was the friend with mondos on his bike.
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