Tyre upgrade - Will I notice it?

Colinio

Hi,

I have had my Giant Defy 1 for about 4 months and I now wish to upgrade my tyres.

The bike currently has Giants P-R3 tyres.

I bought the bike following good reviews here and in the mags. Overall I am happy with it despite the odd squeak now and again but usually these get ironed out quickly.

My budget isn't huge as I still regard myself as a beginner, but I am thinking I may benefit now from a tyre upgrade.

I am thinking of upgrading to the Schwalbe Ultremo ZX Tyres. These have good reviews and people often comment on better feel and speed.

My question is how much noticeable will the difference be? Do tyre upgrades make a difference.

Though I am quite new to road cycling, I am fit and can usually keep up with more experienced guys on my rides.

Should these new tyres improve my times a little? For example my 15 mile training rides which have a few very steep hills on them usually take me about 51 minutes.


Thanks,
Colinio

the_fuggler

Tough question to answer. Yes new tyres make a difference. I upgraded the stock Luganos on my Cannondale to some Michelin Pro 3s. I did notice the difference in terms of grip and feel - both of which are hard to quantify exactly - the bike did feel better. And I was a bit quicker around my local 15 mile loop, but only by 30 to 60 seconds. So, yes, a worthwhile upgrade, but don't expect too much.

passout

You may well notice it on climbs.

lawrences

far less likely to puncture aswell.

rowlers

I upgraded fro vittoria rubinos to schwalbe durano s. Massive difference, not so much speed but smoother seem to soak up the road better.. I was quite astonished thb!

Bordersroadie

lawrences wrote:

far less likely to puncture aswell.

Don't mention the P word. . .

I just ditched my newish ZX's for a pair of Gatorskins.

ZX's: lovely tyres, fantastic cushioned ride, fast, great road feel, poor p******** performance (in my experience)

Gatorskins: much harder ride, feel slower (although Strava says not) superb p******* protection (2,000 miles per p******** on my winter bike)

bisoner

If you don't have much cash I wouldn't get the ZX's. They don't last too long and aren't the most puncture resistant - in my experience of course. They are fast and smooth in between though.

I've recently started using Open Pave tyres along with latex tubes - 24mm tyres too. Seems very smooth to me but definitely not the cheapest combo. I'm certainly one who's been around the houses on tyres but as the important contact point with the road, it's worth using good ones which are recommended by other riders.

Pro Race 3's can be had fairly cheap as they are end of line. They do cut up with flints way too easily but I do find them fast, very fast. On the plus side, even though they cut they don't puncture easily.

The issue you have is the tyres which are probably going to be more comfortable/faster are probably going to need replacing quicker.

In summary, two things worth considering are:

1) 25mm tyres - plenty of pro's use this size tyres now - roll better and more comfortable.
2) Latex tubes - not cheap but ride (and sound) so much better.

alihisgreat

bisoner wrote:

If you don't have much cash I wouldn't get the ZX's. They don't last too long and aren't the most puncture resistant - in my experience of course. They are fast and smooth in between though.

I've recently started using Open Pave tyres along with latex tubes - 24mm tyres too. Seems very smooth to me but definitely not the cheapest combo. I'm certainly one who's been around the houses on tyres but as the important contact point with the road, it's worth using good ones which are recommended by other riders.

Pro Race 3's can be had fairly cheap as they are end of line. They do cut up with flints way too easily but I do find them fast, very fast. On the plus side, even though they cut they don't puncture easily.

The issue you have is the tyres which are probably going to be more comfortable/faster are probably going to need replacing quicker.

In summary, two things worth considering are:

1) 25mm tyres - plenty of pro's use this size tyres now - roll better and more comfortable.
2) Latex tubes - not cheap but ride (and sound) so much better.

The pros are using tubulars though... so there isn't the same weight penalty as with clinchers.

thinbo

I replaced the stock tyres on my Defy (Kenda Kriterium I think?) with Continental GP4000Ss. I instantly noticed the difference in terms of comfort and they felt a lot more reassuring in the corners. I'm not sure I really noticed much difference in terms of speed and climbing though.

FWIW the Kendas were 25mm and the Continentals 23mm and the Contis were so much more comfortable - size is not the only factor for comfort. (I'm sure there's an innuendo in there somewhere)

rob13

Noticed a big difference switching from Conti Ultra Sports to GP4000s as they soak up the bumps better and also seem to roll quicker.

cougie

GP400s are excellent tyres. Fast and very P resistant. You won't regret it.

ScreaminWargasm

cougie wrote:

GP4000s are excellent tyres. Fast and very P resistant. You won't regret it.

My Cannondale came with some cheap Schwalbe tyres and I too was debating over spending £50 + on new rubber.

After a bit of research I opted for a set of GP4000S tyres and it was the best upgrade I've done. The ride is much smoother and I knocked a good few seconds off of my usuall ride which is also noticeably easier due to having less resistance.

I'd definately recommend a tyre upgrade and the Continentals get fantastic reviews

ShutUpLegs

Thought you'd notice improvement more on cornering and descents

stueys

cougie wrote:

GP400s are excellent tyres. Fast and very P resistant. You won't regret it.

Ditto, big difference compared to my stock's