Which tires to buy..?

sneill

Schwalbe Durano Plus, Continental Gatorskin or Specialized Armadillo's?

Gatorskins are currently £10 cheaper than the other two at evans, so I'm tempted to get them. Is there any reason why I should spend the extra money? Im looking at this tire for winter conditions and the obvious puncture resistance for commuting.

Thanks,

Sam.

freebs

Gatorskins for me. Great tyre.

leeefm

I really like durano pluses. I've been using them for years and they seem to last a long time, roll relatively quickly and don't puncture (within reason - nothing is puncture proof). Only drawbacks are the ride feels less comfy, and they are a pain to fit (literally). Once they are on though, they don't come off very often!

You might be able to get some "london" durano plus tyres that Schwalbe were promoting during the olympics. They have a wire bead but were selling a *lot* cheaper than the standard ones, and also have some reflective paint on the sidewall that act as reflectors.

Horns

I just swapped from Gatorskins to Durano Plus. The Gatorskins were quick, but the ride was harsh and the grip a bit sketchy in the wet. They held up well from punctures for the first 1000 miles or so, then started picking up regular punctures from shards of glass - eventually one got gashed so badly the tube was bulging out.

I'm hoping the Duranos will last longer, but it's too soon to say. They're a touch slower than the Gatorskins, but not enough to be a big deal, and the improved comfort and grip is worth it.

jonomc4

Go to say you are missing a trick with not thinking of the continental GP 4 seanson tyres (£38 for a pair at cycle surgery I hear) - they are a great all year tyre and excellent on wear and puncture resistance and fast for a 4 season tyre.

I think Bike radar rated them the best recently in a test - so it is not just me saying it. I have used them for about 3k miles - no punctures and loads of life left.

here's a link to the test (posted 22 november) for "best training tyre and commuting"

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/b ... ng--35814/

sneill

Thanks, just checked and £33 from wiggle and evans. May well get those, sound very good.

rolf_f

Never see much reason to go Schwalbe Plus - the lightest Durano (the S) is fine for me. Even the standard Durano seems a bit excessive but there is a big weight penalty for the Plus version.