Road Bike Tyres

prando

A beginners question.

I'm a newbie, aged 62, with my 1st road bike. A Carrera Virtuosa, circa £350. Doing circa 80 miles per week weather permitting. ( bad weather = rain = gym )

Now, all the reviews say it's a great entry bike but upgrade the tyres asap ? Help.

1) Why ?

2) Upgrade to what ?

3) Similar comments made with the saddle. Again why, and to what ?

Remember I'm a newbie, so I need some simple advice.

alihisgreat

Better tyres offer more grip, a better ride, and better puncture protection (and yes all three should be possible with an expensive enough tyre.. considering you're coming from an entry level tyre.)

I'm a big fan of continental tyres -> I'm currently still running GP4000s tyres which have been superb over the last 500 miles or so and are my choice of late spring-> summer -> early autumn tyre.

I'm considering switching to the the GP4Seasons or Gatorskins for proper winter riding though.

You want to look at weight, rubber compound on the tread, and sidewall construction.

Weight -> less rotating weight is better, but there is a trade-off with puncture protection.
Rubber compound -> different compounds for different purposes -> Softer for more grip, harder for more longevity, specific compounds for cold weather grip.
Sidewall construction -> More supple and flexible sidewalls offer a better ride in terms of comfort, handling, and rolling resistance. A trade-off with puncture protection.

lc1981

If you don't have a problem with the tyres and saddle that came with it, then I wouldn't worry too much. These are things that you'll have to replace as they wear anyway, so you can always upgrade them as and when they nee replacing. Saddle choice is very personal. If the one that came with the bike isn't comfortable then look elsewhere, but if it's not giving you any trouble then I wouldn't rush to change it. As for tyres, you might want to think about some winter ones at this time of year, though that might not be necessary if you're not going out in bad weather.

prando

Forgive the simple question.... what do winter tyres offer ? Is it more 'grip' ?

I'm unlikely to go out if it's raining ( retired, so can pick my days !) nor in the snow. But will certainly be out in low temperatures.

It seems good advice to sit tight until things wear out, and then maybe even upgrade the bike itself ?

alihisgreat

Prando wrote:

Forgive the simple question.... what do winter tyres offer ? Is it more 'grip' ?

I'm unlikely to go out if it's raining ( retired, so can pick my days !) nor in the snow. But will certainly be out in low temperatures.

It seems good advice to sit tight until things wear out, and then maybe even upgrade the bike itself ?

You get problems with summer compounds since they become harder and more brittle in the cold... Its the same with car tyres.. you can get winter specific compounds which perform better at lower temperatures.

simon_masterson

lc1981 wrote:

If you don't have a problem with the tyres and saddle that came with it, then I wouldn't worry too much. These are things that you'll have to replace as they wear anyway, so you can always upgrade them as and when they nee replacing. Saddle choice is very personal. If the one that came with the bike isn't comfortable then look elsewhere, but if it's not giving you any trouble then I wouldn't rush to change it. As for tyres, you might want to think about some winter ones at this time of year, though that might not be necessary if you're not going out in bad weather.

Pretty much everything I wanted to say...

I'd see how you get on. If you start getting hundreds of punctures and the ride is terrifying after a drop of rain, consider replacing them.

keef66

+3 to the above.

If the current saddle is comfortable, then count your blessings and stick with it.

If the stock tyres are doing what tyres should do, then use them till they wear out.

Reasons for 'upgrading' tyres:

Comfort: Switching from a 23mm tyre to a 25 will give you significantly more air to ride on and allow you to run lower pressures. If your frame has the clearance, 28mm tyres will be even cushier!

Weight: a cheap tyre with a wire bead will be heavier than a dearer folding tyre

Grip: Generally speaking budget tyres use less grippy compounds. Often this won't become apparent till the weather turns cold and wet. In addition the dearer tyres will be constructed using a more supple carcase, which also helps them deal with imperfections in the road surface

Puncture resistance: Tyres like Gatorskins and Conti 4 Seasons offer improved resistance to punctures by incorporating a layer of Vectran or similar material.

Bling: Some tyres just look better than others!

Sprool

If the current saddle is comfortable, then count your blessings and stick with it.
If the stock tyres are doing what tyres should do, then use them till they wear out.

Totally agree, why upgrade before its needed? Go out and enjoy putting the miles on and dont replace the tyres till they are worn out. PLenty of people manage to ride hundreds of miles all year on the same tyres. This is not track racing or time trials we are talking about here is it?

MrSweary

Cycling Plus have a comparative review of winter tyres in the current issue with Conti 4 Seasons coming out top but they are pretty expensive. Schwalbe Duranos were the recommended budget option.

y33stu

I've got a 2010 Carrera Virtuoso - its now the winter bike/commuter. I did change the saddle as the standard one was too soft. However, the tyres aren't too bad. I actually still have the original front one on, despite over 2000 miles, last winter commuting, and all this year commuting. Never had a puncture in the front....*touch wood*. Rear tyre was changed only after I rode over god knows what and got a massive hole in it. I have a Continental Gatorskin on the rear now.

Htron

y33stu wrote:

I've got a 2010 Carrera Virtuoso - its now the winter bike/commuter. I did change the saddle as the standard one was too soft. However, the tyres aren't too bad. I actually still have the original front one on, despite over 2000 miles, last winter commuting, and all this year commuting. Never had a puncture in the front....*touch wood*. Rear tyre was changed only after I rode over god knows what and got a massive hole in it. I have a Continental Gatorskin on the rear now.

I commute with Gatorskins front and rear. I have never had a puncture, but find grip horrendous in the wet. My next set will be GP4000s as I would gladly trade some puncture resistance for grip during wet days. I had an off recently after both wheels stepping out around a corner. No fun at all!

t4tomo

Htron wrote:

y33stu wrote:

I've got a 2010 Carrera Virtuoso - its now the winter bike/commuter. I did change the saddle as the standard one was too soft. However, the tyres aren't too bad. I actually still have the original front one on, despite over 2000 miles, last winter commuting, and all this year commuting. Never had a puncture in the front....*touch wood*. Rear tyre was changed only after I rode over god knows what and got a massive hole in it. I have a Continental Gatorskin on the rear now.

I commute with Gatorskins front and rear. I have never had a puncture, but find grip horrendous in the wet. My next set will be GP4000s as I would gladly trade some puncture resistance for grip during wet days. I had an off recently after both wheels stepping out around a corner. No fun at all!

go for the Conti GP 4seasons - better wet grip than the GP4000s and decent puncture resistance too