What are Pro Race 3's like for P**cture Protection?

chris_bass

I have been using Pro Race 4 Endurance on my daily/commuter bike and been really pleased with them but got a pair of Pro Race 3's when they were in the sale for a stupidly low price, I'm a sucker for a bargain!

does anyone know how their p**cture protection compares? Don't want to be stopping all the time on my way to work swapping tubes over!

passout

Not used 4s but had 3s for years. For a performance tyre I think they are very good. I'm only really likely to puncture when they start to get worn. Great tyres. Only down side is that they are relatively fast wearing but you can't have everything.

CiB

I run them and have found them to be excellent for not getting punctures. On the odd occasion I've lapsed and bought another tyre I seem to have an increase in flats over the same route, and when I bought a pair of wheels with tubes & tyres included recently I was having flats virtually every ride. I'll stick with the Pro 3s - they seem pretty puncture resistant to me. Out of 10? 9 maybe. I'm sure there are better tyres that stop flats, but these do the job pretty well and are a good tyre on top - I never get the sense that I've sacrificed something by running 3s.

Velonutter

As Passout says when they start to get worn then the number of punctures increases.

I've switched to Pro 4's in black only as they wear better, (I think because of an increase in Carbon) grip better as well, I won't go back to Pro 3's now.

Tom Dean

Compared to what? They are lightweight race tyres. Maybe not the best choice for commuting on.

skellator3

pro 4 endurance is the replacement for the krylion carbon, which is a long life puncture protected tyre, pro 3 race is a lightweight race tyre, not really what i would use for a commuting tyre

CiB

Tom Dean wrote:

Compared to what? They are lightweight race tyres. Maybe not the best choice for commuting on.

skellator3 wrote:

pro 4 endurance is the replacement for the krylion carbon, which is a long life puncture protected tyre, pro 3 race is a lightweight race tyre, not really what i would use for a commuting tyre

Why not? My ride to work is the majority of my miles and I like to do it on something that's good to ride a few miles on. I don't grasp how the 20 miles going to work is somehow different to a 20 mile run out on a Saturday morning. Same roads, same speeds more or less.

ugo.santalucia

they are shxt... for puncture protection

Bozman

They're the same as any tyre because it's all down to luck.

passout

ugo.santalucia wrote:

they are shxt... for puncture protection

Have to disagree with this; I had less puntures with Pro 3s than with Gotor skins - although the Gators did last longer.

Tom Dean

CiB wrote:

Tom Dean wrote:

Compared to what? They are lightweight race tyres. Maybe not the best choice for commuting on.

skellator3 wrote:

pro 4 endurance is the replacement for the krylion carbon, which is a long life puncture protected tyre, pro 3 race is a lightweight race tyre, not really what i would use for a commuting tyre

Why not? My ride to work is the majority of my miles and I like to do it on something that's good to ride a few miles on. I don't grasp how the 20 miles going to work is somehow different to a 20 mile run out on a Saturday morning. Same roads, same speeds more or less.

Because puncturing on the way to work is more of a pain than when you are just out enjoying the ride? It sounds like puncture protection is a priority for the OP., in which case these tyres are a poor choice.

pippi_langsamer-2

Bozman wrote:

They're the same as any tyre because it's all down to luck.

Correct!

(but for longevity and grip, I can vouch for the P4 Endurance)

Tom Dean

Bozman wrote:

They're the same as any tyre because it's all down to luck.

So all tyres are the same? of course not.

Tom Dean

passout wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

they are shxt... for puncture protection

Have to disagree with this; I had less puntures with Pro 3s than with Gotor skins - although the Gators did last longer.

You got lucky/unlucky! These tyres are in no way equivalent in terms of puncture protection.

CiB

Tom Dean wrote:

CiB wrote:

Tom Dean wrote:

Compared to what? They are lightweight race tyres. Maybe not the best choice for commuting on.

skellator3 wrote:

pro 4 endurance is the replacement for the krylion carbon, which is a long life puncture protected tyre, pro 3 race is a lightweight race tyre, not really what i would use for a commuting tyre

Why not? My ride to work is the majority of my miles and I like to do it on something that's good to ride a few miles on. I don't grasp how the 20 miles going to work is somehow different to a 20 mile run out on a Saturday morning. Same roads, same speeds more or less.

Because puncturing on the way to work is more of a pain than when you are just out enjoying the ride? It sounds like puncture protection is a priority for the OP., in which case these tyres are a poor choice.

I did 3471 miles to work & back last year and had 2 flats on the Pro 3s. One was rolling out of the office car park and hitting some glass; the other was getting home on bin day and failing to spot the shards of glass that our bin men had carefully laid at the end of our drive where the glass recycling box had been lobbed back from where it came.

I reckon that's not a bad return. Granted it's a 100% rural commute (except for the last 200 yards maybe) and that city life is different apparently, but OP didn't specify where he is. I'll stick with the Pro 3s thanks, and maybe migrate to the 4s when I wear these out.

jimmurray

Was getting a puncture on almost every long ride using Pro 3's even with brand new tyres. Moved to Krylions then Pro 4 Endurance and not an issue anymore.

Bozman

Tom Dean wrote:

Bozman wrote:

They're the same as any tyre because it's all down to luck.

So all tyres are the same? of course not.

P******** are purely down to luck!
I generally use Vittoria corsa cx(1 in over 18mths) but I've tried pro 3, conti 4000s, rubinio pro and 4 seasons. I've had punctures in all of them but not one stands out, I used Michelin pro a few years back and these cut up like soft cheese, but I bought some pro 3s on offer in the autumn and used them on a set of wheels this winter...... Not one p*******. Luck

Tom Dean

CiB wrote:

I did 3471 miles to work & back last year and had 2 flats on the Pro 3s. One was rolling out of the office car park and hitting some glass; the other was getting home on bin day and failing to spot the shards of glass that our bin men had carefully laid at the end of our drive where the glass recycling box had been lobbed back from where it came.

I reckon that's not a bad return. Granted it's a 100% rural commute (except for the last 200 yards maybe) and that city life is different apparently, but OP didn't specify where he is. I'll stick with the Pro 3s thanks, and maybe migrate to the 4s when I wear these out.

:? no-one suggested you shouldn't use them, just that they do not have as good protection as other tyres.

Bozman wrote:

Tom Dean wrote:

Bozman wrote:

They're the same as any tyre because it's all down to luck.

So all tyres are the same? of course not.

P******** are purely down to luck!

Are you really saying the type of tyre used has no bearing on the chance of puncturing? Sorry if I'm not getting the joke here.

Bozman

Tom Dean wrote:

CiB wrote:

I did 3471 miles to work & back last year and had 2 flats on the Pro 3s. One was rolling out of the office car park and hitting some glass; the other was getting home on bin day and failing to spot the shards of glass that our bin men had carefully laid at the end of our drive where the glass recycling box had been lobbed back from where it came.

I reckon that's not a bad return. Granted it's a 100% rural commute (except for the last 200 yards maybe) and that city life is different apparently, but OP didn't specify where he is. I'll stick with the Pro 3s thanks, and maybe migrate to the 4s when I wear these out.

:? no-one suggested you shouldn't use them, just that they do not have as good protection as other tyres.

Bozman wrote:

Tom Dean wrote:

Bozman wrote:

They're the same as any tyre because it's all down to luck.

So all tyres are the same? of course not.

P******** are purely down to luck!

Are you really saying the type of tyre used has no bearing on the chance of puncturing? Sorry if I'm not getting the joke here.

It doesn't matter what tyre you use if you ride over a shard of glass you'll get a puncture, I got a puncture in a set of 4 seasons, the thorn that I pulled out would've killed any tyre.
You could ride around on tyres with the puncture resistance of an inner tube and fail to get a puncture, then you could buy your Michelin endurance and get one rolling off your drive.
It may help slightly with the odd piece of flint, but how many flats do you get from flint? I can't remember getting one, I do remember getting a flat from a thorn and a shard of glass though.

Tom Dean

There are objects that will go through any tyre and there are those that are too small. There is also everything in between. Yes you do get punctures from flint.

More protection means less chance of punctures. I don't know what is difficult to understand about this.

gabriel959

If are so bothered about punctures and you can run 25c go for Marathon Plus. I had no punctures in 2 years.

passout

Tom Dean wrote:

Bozman wrote:

They're the same as any tyre because it's all down to luck.

So all tyres are the same? of course not.

Agreed. Luck is only part of it.

DavidJB

Continental GP4000s...end of story.

giant_man

Been running ProRace 3s and 2s before that, for years now, very few punctures. Great all round tyres imo, no reports of excessive cutting up as I have heard lots of others say, just great tyres. Will be going for PR4s very soon ...

chris_bass

i think, seeing as I have them anyway and they were cheap i'll put them on this weekend, i generally do over 300 miles a week so i'll report back on how i get on!!

exlaser

gabriel959 wrote:

If are so bothered about punctures and you can run 25c go for Marathon Plus. I had no punctures in 2 years.

+1 or if you want something in 23 and lighter, try durano plus.

gabriel959

DavidJB wrote:

Continental GP4000s...end of story.

Sorry but no, I have them on my good bike. They are amazing tyres but I wouldn't call them durable or puncture resistant.