Tyre recommendations (road bike)

t4tomo

So my non commuting bike (Bianchi) which is just for pleasure at the weekends came shod with Panaracer stradius sport. 2 out of thelast 3 rides I've had a visit from the well known fairy - one front one rear. First time I hit a pot hot disguised as a puddle so understandable, yesterday the front just deflated. Looking on line I don't think the panaracers are big on puncture protection - is that the case or have I just been unlucky?

Should I be investing in something with a bit more protection? If so what?
It doesn't need t be a mega winter tyre - if it rains I probably won't be out riding, but I want something that isn't going to slow me down too much and offer a decent protection and grip.

Conti gatorskins get decent right up don't they - anything else I should be thinking of?

cjcp

Some folks seem to like Conti 4 Seasons, although not used them myself. I've got Cont GP4000Ses on my weekend bike, but must admit that if I'm heading into the Surrey lanes, and it's wet or been wet, I often use my Duranos.

Gussio

Also running GP4000Ss on the weekend bike (fitted this month) and they are noticeably quicker than the Vittoria Open Corsa Pave's that they replaced and the Conti Gatorskins that are on the commuter.

Good price to be had at Ribble (just under £60 for the pair).

rolf_f

I've got through Autumn and early winter on the lighter Duranos - the S version. Seems to be fine and not too heavy. I suspect that for road use, the Durano Plus at least is overkill.

phy2sll2

Light, grippy (even in the wet), available in a variety of colours and only one puncture since September.

http://www.shinybikes.com/vredestein-fortezza-tricomp-folding-tyre.html

t4tomo

How does the colour work on the vredestein - is it singlem coloured contcat area or two stripes down the side?

Also anyone any thoughts on Michelin Krylion Carbons - ribble have then at £23 a pop which seems adecent deal?

Koncordski

Another vote for the Conti 4 Seasons. If the road is wet then Gatorskins have a tendency to lose any real connection with the surface. The 4 Seasons have the same puncture resistance, they're just more grippy.

SimonAH

I've said this before, but I really rate the Halo TwinRail Courier (Berlin edition). Grippy, light and roll really well as they sit up on a raised strip. Best thing though is the puncture protection;



I've not yet met the fairy since I fitted them. The one I sectioned for the photo had a sidewall failure due to a manufacturing issue - and halo replaced it FOC without quibble when this happened.

cjcp

t4tomo wrote:

Also anyone any thoughts on Michelin Krylion Carbons - ribble have then at £23 a pop which seems adecent deal?

I got through a couple of pairs a few years ago. They gripped well, and they were a good training tyre for the local Park, but they used to cut up too easily and I got too many visits for my own liking.

t4tomo

Have pulled the trigger on some 4 seasons. Wiggle have them for just over £60 for a pair plus tubes

FoldingJoe

Another + for 4 seasons.

Been running them on my Kona since September and not had a visit yet, although they have cut up slightly over the last few weeks, but not overly so that I have replaced them.

cyclingprop

Gussio wrote:

Also running GP4000Ss on the weekend bike (fitted this month) and they are noticeably quicker than the Vittoria Open Corsa Pave's that they replaced and the Conti Gatorskins that are on the commuter.

Good price to be had at Ribble (just under £60 for the pair).

+1 for these. 1 visit in the last year; in around 3-4000 miles (you watch later this week now!).

Note if you don't want to wait, Evans will pricematch Ribble...

tailwindhome

cjcp wrote:

t4tomo wrote:

Also anyone any thoughts on Michelin Krylion Carbons - ribble have then at £23 a pop which seems adecent deal?

I got through a couple of pairs a few years ago. They gripped well, and they were a good training tyre for the local Park, but they used to cut up too easily and I got too many visits for my own liking.

IIRC Cycling Plus rated the Krylion as the winner in a winter tyre test last year.

I quite liked Rubino Pros

t4tomo

TailWindHome wrote:

IIRC Cycling Plus rated the Krylion as the winner in a winter tyre test last year.

problem with Magazine tests, it depends on who supplies the most freebies to the maagzine in question and the testers personal preference. Also its never a "we ran these tyres for 3 months over winter" scenario, its a best a quick blast around richmond park with each tyre.

At least the general concensus of the (wo)man on the commuting chat forum has real world experience and a bit of science to it.

BTW if the 4 seaons are no good I'll hunt anyone down who recommended them and put chilli powder in your chamois creme.

velohutts

hi , also considering some new tyres with a bit more grip in the wet slippery roads , can you let us know how you rate the 4 seasons ?

thanks

t4tomo

certainly will,

although if its wet and slippery I'm more likely to be out on the moutain bike or indoors fettling something and certainly not seeking out the limits of grip. I'm too old / got too many family responsibilities / see no need to shed my skin for that.

UndercoverElephant

TailWindHome wrote:

I quite liked Rubino Pros

Rubino Pros for me too. I've tried other tyres and always thought they felt like I was mired in molasses when riding.

tgotb

After extensive research and discussions on this forum, and a lot of testing miles, I've ended up with:
Racing/weekend riding: GP4000s - fast, and the grippiest tyres I've ever used. Not durable enough for commuting (PF resistance better than most, but I've had multiple sidewall failures)
Commuting: 4 Seasons - Most of the grip of a GP4000, with most of the puncture resistance of a Gatorskin. Feels as fast as a Gatorskin, but not scary in the wet
TT: Various tubs - light and fast, lovely to ride (especially the Vittorias) but visits from the PF were way too frequent last year. Anyone got a clincher TT wheelset they want to swap for my tubs? (Or just a clincher disc, swap for my HED)
CX: Recommendations welcome. Schwalbe CX Race seem fine, though definitely not immune to the PF, but I have nothing to compare with...

meanredspider

I hear all of this grip stuff about Gators but I've never once had an issue. Does that mean I'm a complete wuss when it comes to cornering or is it that grip is a function of downforce and that my significant muscle mass means I stick to the road like a limpet?

Gussio

meanredspider wrote:

I hear all of this grip stuff about Gators but I've never once had an issue. Does that mean I'm a complete wuss when it comes to cornering or is it that grip is a function of downforce and that my significant muscle mass means I stick to the road like a limpet?

Likewise - never had a problem with gatorskins and grip. They are *way* grippier than the armadillos that were their predecessors on the commuter.

clarkey cat

I find GP 4 seasons grippier than Gatorskins. I've had a couple of moments with Gatorskins... but then I corner like this guy:

tgotb

clarkey cat wrote:

I find GP 4 seasons grippier than Gatorskins. I've had a couple of moments with Gatorskins... but then I corner like this guy:

You hit the nail on the head. Ride too much with 4000s and you end up cornering like that just because you know you can (even in the wet). Switch to something like a Gatorskin and you have to adapt your riding style and slow down more for corners. However if you were riding sensibly in the first place you might never notice the difference...

cjcp

TGOTB wrote:

CX: Recommendations welcome. Schwalbe CX Race seem fine, though definitely not immune to the PF, but I have nothing to compare with...

I've got 30mm Michelin Mud 2s. I've got nothing to compare them against, but I like them. I've had three deflations in two races (two in one race at Herne Hill). The other was at Hillingdon. But I've used them on the commute a good few times and only had one PF visit. So far (*touches wood*), no visits during my laps of the RP trail.

So, my conclusion is that it comes down to the PSI I run during races and that I ride like a headless chicken; I think two of the deflations were due to impact.