\tyres??

fallingoff
fallingoff Posts: 332
edited November 2010 in Road beginners
Picking up my Allez on tuesday and was wondering with the worsening weather should I change the tyres for"better" ones or are they of good usueable quality standard(sorry I don't know what they are yet!!!).
Is it normal to change slicks for a road treaded version in the winter or does it make little difference?
Sorry for the silly questions but it's my first roadeeee... :D

Comments

  • balthazar
    balthazar Posts: 1,565
    Road tyres work best with a fully slick tread, regardless of weather. Knobbly tyres might grip better in snow or mud, but are much worse on clean-ish tarmac (dry or wet). Tread patterns that mimic car tyres, with water sipes and so on, are only decorative.

    You may feel happy riding wider tyres in bad weather though- I do. (Mind you I choose the widest tyres I can fit in my frame year-round).
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    As above, unless you're going for a full, fat knobbly, adding tread is ineffective on bikes. Tread on motorbikes and cars tyres is simply to prevent the vehicle from aquaplaning whereby a cushion of water builds in front of the tyre ultimately causing it to slide around. Tread allows water to be dispersed effectively. Because bike tyres are so narrow, you would need to be travelling at several hundred miles per hour to bring about aquaplaning so tread on 700x23c (or any) bike tyres is simply decoration and only there because people expect it to be there... I would simply use up the new tyres and then invest in some decent puncture proof jobs like amardillos or GP4000 or something
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  • Berk Bonebonce
    Berk Bonebonce Posts: 1,245
    Keep the tyres. Instead, spend your money on a couple of Slime tyre liners to reduce punctures. Be sure to get ones the right size.
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    Or just burn the money in honour of the PF, would probably work better than slime...

    Generally bikes come with RUBBISH tyres, heavy and with a hard compound. Personally I'd change them for a tyre based on your riding, although in the cold weather I'd always prioritise puncture protection over weight. Something like a conti GP400s would be ideal, although the best thing is to ask in the local bike shops for what works well around your local area, some tyres are better against flit and glass, others offer more against thorns etc.
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  • fallingoff
    fallingoff Posts: 332
    Cheers for the help..I guess the 23/25 is the width/size?
    I was looking to swap to Bonti' Hardcases they seem to get good reviews..
  • AndyOgy
    AndyOgy Posts: 579
    The stock tyres that came with my Allez were paper thin and magnets for glass and thorns. I was getting at least 1 puncture a week.

    Changed to Conti Gatorskins and (touch wood) have not had a problem. I've heard good things about the Bontis too though.

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