looking for grippier, commuter tyres to replace vittoria rub

World\'s Dump

Hi

Further to my last post, I managed to get the rubinos off with three levers. I am now looking for a new tyre. I have a recently acquired Alex rim R500 (14mm) and the tyre I managed to prize off was a 622-23.

I'm looking for more of a robust, grippier commuter tyre. I saw this on ebay;

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

If I plonked for the 700x28 do you think this might be a suitable option?

Any advice would be really helpful.

Many thanks

majormantra

Going for a wider tire (28 may be around the upper limit btw for your rim) will definitely improve grip but don't get one with a pointless tread pattern. Read this:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tires.html#tread

Out of curiousity why do you feel you need a grippier tyre? Have you lost traction or come off? I've been commuting on some cheapo wire bead Rubinos for a while (in all weather except for the heavier snow, when I used a mountain bike) and have not had any problem with them.

What pressure are you running and how much do you weigh?

World\'s Dump

Hi

Thanks for your reply. To be honest I'm quite a novice to this and I'm more used to riding mountainbikes.

I recently hatched a plan to turn my old racing bike into a fixed gear. I acquired 2 new(ish) wheels the front wheel was tyreless and the rear had the rubino which was rather worn.

My (perhaps misguided) reasoning was that with a more robust commuter tyre I might prevent punctures and damage to the wheels and if necessary use it on a number of surfaces. But to be perfectly honest I have never ridden using the rubino. It was simply prejudice I think.

I weigh about 11st and for the front wheel i am going to use a Continental city Ride tyre;

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Continental-City- ... e1ffe4ae84

as the front wheel differs from the rear; it's an ebay purchase purchase and I believe is from a Kona Paddy wagon:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/kona-paddy-wago ... gon%202011

The City Ride is a 32mm tyre and I've got that at about 75psi. That's why I'm looking for a similar size tyre for the rear Alex R500. I was hoping I could get away with a 28mm tyre.

Thanks

World\'s Dump

so according to Sheldon I must be unsophisticated :-)

World\'s Dump

but that's very interesting what he says!

Monty Dog

IME Rubinos are OK for the money, but grip in the wet can be marginal.

deekreid

IMHO the rubinos are not the best in the wet , Neither are the vittoria diamantes, Also had problems with the tyre splitting , Contacted vittoria( customer service was excellent).

jomoj

I used 700c x 28 conti gatorskins all year on my commuter up until the snow. Since the melt the roads round here have never quite recovered and are still pretty slimy. After a couple of slips and then a slam after losing the front wheel on a roundabout (thanks to the motorist who stopped to check I was ok) I fitted some schwalbe marathons, also in 28 which have more tread and bite through the grime. Heavier than the gatorskins but pumped to 90psi they are still pretty smooth rolling and I'm happy with them. Also seem less prone to cutting up than the contis.

MAX_LT

Have a look at Specialized. They make some nice tires. I have them on all three of my working bikes. And they are all in the style you are looking for.
You would probably have to get them at a bike shop as I haven't seen them for sale online.

bobinski

i have been running Rubino's all winter and find them supple, fast rolling and pretty grippy. no incidents at all with them all winter, no visits from the puncture fairey-i have recommended them to everyone i know.
they replace week old specialised armidillos which i just could not get on with. hard and unyielding but by all acounts practically puncture proof. you can have them both if you want for £30. lots of people swear by them. that said i would get another pair of Rubinos

Yossie

I use Vittoria Zaffiro slicks (23mm) on the commuter/trainer and the Plug Charge - all weathers, be it sleet, rain, sun, whatever. Everything apart from sleet, I run at 125 psi, drop them slightly for sleet. Admittedly I fell off on some ice a few weeks ago but that was a freak - ie the only patch in 20 miles …… - patch that also took out my mate on his Mich' Pro Race 3s (which I think are brilliant).

I've never had any problems at all with fitting, sidewalls, punctures, etc, and get roughly 9 months constant 25 - 30 miles a day use out of them (although the current ones are coming on for a year at the moment because they are fine and I'm too lazy to order any new ones).

My everyday route covers everything from rolling main roads to country lanes covered in farm cack to steep hills to coastal cobbled cycle paths - a bit Paris/Roubaix but with sand and seaweed and fit birds roller blading in the summer. I once got hit by half a brick that was lobbed over the seawall by the sea once, but that's another story.

Added bonus is that when I get on the good bike (Conti Sprint tubs) they make the good bike feel utterly wonderful.

Roll well, grip fine, not too heavy and at £6.99 each an absolute bargain. Normal Continental in the yellow box tubes. They also look pretty cool as well (well, IMHO).

Well recommended, unlike some Ultremos which split both sidewalls on both tyres in less than 100 miles and didn't roll as well as £40 tyres should. Full marks to Wiggle for the no quibbles refund though - very impressive (can I say that about Wiggle on here? ).

I think older Ultremos had a spate of this (after mine split I did some more research and a few people seem to have found this - I think that Schwalbe may have changed their design slightly after these issues so don't take my word as gospel.

Hope that helps!