New tyres

joelsim

by Joelsim » Sun May 12, 2013 11:22 pm
I need a new set of tyres, my requirements in order are:

Puncture proof - most important thing by far
Comfort
Grip
Speed

What would you recommend? I have some ultra gatorskins at the moment which haven't given me any problems, but they aren't the most comfortable or grippy.

paul1000

Conti gp4000s, end of.

joelsim

If I was to revise my list of priorities to the following, would you still say the same?

Puncture proof
Puncture proof
Puncture proof
Puncture proof

thegreatdivide

If that's your priorty then give up looking. It's a rubber tyre.

joelsim

Yes I know, and if I get a puncture whilst out and about with my kids that's fine. If I get one on my commute then it is a pain in the arse. My new bike doesn't have quick release wheels. I carry a spare tube for eventualities but this is by far the most important thing, minimising visits from the puncture fairy.

gabriel959

Schwalbe Marathon Plus - the smallest they come is 700x25c but I guarantee you will never get a puncture!

pkripper

If not gp4000s, then gp4 seasons might be more applicable in the 25mm guise

northpole

Conti 4 Season are more robust than GP4000s however, neither should be considered pun**ure proof.

The Marathon and Spesh Armadillo tyres are the extreme bullet proof contenders. Harsh ride quality is likely but pun**ures are likely to be fended off.

A friend runs with Schwalbe Durano Plus tyres and rates them extremely highly for durability and resistance to the deflationary pixies - they are likely to provide an improved ride quality, but I am only surmising when saying this. The same person tried GP4000s and threw them in the rubbish bin after a few months tube replacement intensive activities! I don't think he has suffered any such issues with the Duranos.

Peter

bisoner

There must be a similar thread somewhere in the forum archives which repeats what we are all saying. Still, here is my input.

There are plenty of tyres which will be more puncture proof (Durano's spring to mind) but after going from a basic Conti tyre to a Michelin PR3 there is no going back in terms of ride quality. I could waffle on but I'd always go for something like a GP4000s as a compromise tyre (I know some people call it a race tyre) or if I am feeling brave, a set of Veloflex Masters, which are lovely to ride. I would also add I ride much lower pressures nowadays, around 95-100psi, rather than 120psi and that has certainly helped with the volume of punctures and ride comfort. We have flints a plenty in Hampshire so that can savage any tyre but I have to say I don't get too many punctures on the whole.

Oh, and get 25mm tyres if you can.

southdownswolf

I've gone back to 25mm Durano's as I got fed up of punctures on Conti's.

warrerj

If your main concern is puncture proof run any tyre you want and add some stans fluid to the tube ;-)

pippi_langsamer-2

Michelin Pro 4 Endurance

Sprool

can't you get slime inner tubes for road bikes? I know they're a MTB thing and they add a lot of weight but they will help endure punctures better if that's your number one priority.

W12_Lad

Only a beginner but I share your views on punctures so stuck Durano plus' on my first road bike since a kid, in November. About 750 miles - Zero punctures. Decided to go a bit more "sporty" on my new "summer" wheels and pumped for GP 4 seasons - Zero Punctures in about 300 miles. Unfortunately I don't have enough experience to give a proper review on ride quality suffice to say that the new ones feel better but they are better wheels and placebo will be lurking anyway.
Hope that helps a bit.

W12_Lad

I may as well add, I started riding my mountain bike for fitness (mostly on the road) about 4 years ago and, after too many punctures, put marathon plus' on, and after maybe 1500 miles, I've had no punctures.

asprilla

I run Marathon Plus on my station hack and my Alfine hubbed bike. The former because I don't want to do any maintenance and the latter because changing a tube with an Alfine is a pain. I've never had a puncture with either, although they are my least ridden bikes.

M+ are bombproof. Immediately following WW3 it's what the surviving cockroaches will put on their bikes. However, they are heavy, the hard rubber can be sketchy in the wet and they can feel like you are riding wooden wheels.

Durano+ are the road bike equivalent. Lighter and better grip (also slick) but they are still heavier and more wooden than other tyres, but a massive improvement on the M+. I used to have them on my fixed. Again, no punctures in the winter I used them (approx 3,000 miles) before I sold the bike.

joelsim

I've got Gatrorskin Hardshells on my commuter, which *touchwood have been stunning for 2 years. I was just wondering whether there was anything a little more comfortable and grippy with the same level of protection from the pixies really. Otherwise it is another set of Gatorskins.

I know what you mean about wooden wheels...and my new bike is a single-speed which doesn't have quick release wheels which makes it even more important to minimise the number of p*******.

antonyfromoz

get some Stan's tape, convert your wheels to tubeless and use some proper tubeless tyres after adding some Stan's or another latex to the tyre. Schwalbe have just released some tubeless tyres that are meant to be much nicer to ride on than the Hutchinson ones that have almost been the only option up to now. Why compromise ride quality if you don't have to? http://www.notubes.com/Road-Tubeless-C78.aspx

asprilla

I ran tubeless for a year; Fulcrum Racing 1 with Hutchinson Fusions. Got to say that I found it disappointing.

I didn't have any less punctures that I did normally and the tyres weren't great. Bit of a faff really.

Also, the blow back when inflating the tyres meant that it completely gummed up my track pump with sealant.

lostboysaint

If you're desperate to avoid punctures at all costs then the Gatorskin Hardshell is ideal. However the GP4s is a nicer tyre and seems to be just as impervious (and yes, I realise I've just roused the puncture fairies by saying that!)

joelsim

I went for some Rubino Pro in red (yes I know). As it's my leisure bike rather than my commuter!

ademort

gabriel959 wrote:

Schwalbe Marathon Plus - the smallest they come is 700x25c but I guarantee you will never get a puncture!

+1
and no they will never puncture.
Ademort