First set of winter tyres

Jameshill247
Jameshill247 Posts: 15
edited October 2013 in Road beginners
After taking my bike to evans for a service they recommended that i look into winter tyres

I have the pinnacle dolomite 2 2103 and the tyres are std slick ones 700x25c

The back one has some wear that they said would be best to replace

I don't ride long distance at the moment just really commute to work but i do go along a cobbled path full of trees so lots of leaves on the floor and the cobbles are all over the place with lumps bumps and a hill also cobbled....

So looking at the continental 4 seasons on wiggle i can get 2 tyres and 2 inner tubes as a package for around the 70 mark

This seems a pretty good price as evans were like 45 each or 37 online

They do them on wiggle with a combination of 700x23 front and 700x25 back

Anyone used these and get on well with them?

And would the 23 front 25 back combo be a good choice or should i just got 25 25

Comments

  • Wooliferkins
    Wooliferkins Posts: 2,060
    The 4 seasons are good winter rubber. May I make a personal bid for the Vittoria Open Pave CG. They are expensive but really sure underfoot in the wet and a very flexible carcass over the lumps and bumps
    Neil
    Help I'm Being Oppressed
  • Jameshill247
    Jameshill247 Posts: 15
    Thanks i will take a look them

    Is there any benefit in having the combo of 23 front 25 back wiggle said it was added due to popular demand
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    I ride 25mm GP 4 Seasons front and rear all year round. They come into their own in winter when the compound does really give good grip in the wet / cold.

    Can't think of a compelling reason to choose a narrower front tyre.
  • kajjal
    kajjal Posts: 3,380
    keef66 wrote:
    I ride 25mm GP 4 Seasons front and rear all year round. They come into their own in winter when the compound does really give good grip in the wet / cold.

    Can't think of a compelling reason to choose a narrower front tyre.

    Is it more the compound of the GP 4 Seasons that gives the better grip in the wet ?

    Reason I ask is this is the first year I am using a road bike as a winter training bike and wanted to know also if there is a big difference in grip changing from the tyres that came with my Trek 1.5.
  • Jameshill247
    Jameshill247 Posts: 15
    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/continental-gra ... and-tubes/


    "We have added a 23/25 combo as a winter alternative for all you lovers of the Force/Attack set."

    This is the set I'm looking at and the apparent reason for the 23/25 above

    Would you keep these on year long then or would it have a negative effect when the ground is dry in summer

    From the reviews they are light weight and the tread doesn't seem to have much effect with the rolling resistance
  • antfly
    antfly Posts: 3,276
    Winter tyres tend to be tougher which usually means less grip in the wet, in reality. Softer tyres are grippier in the wet but more likely to p~ncture and wear quicker. The open paves are good though.
    Smarter than the average bear.
  • TommyEss
    TommyEss Posts: 1,855
    I like the 25C reflex flavour of Conti GP4000 tyre (not the GP4000S)

    These have the normal black compound, not the faster "black chilli" of the "S" version, but also include a fantastically useful reflective strip around the whole circumference of the bead. Great for visibility. Not the best out and out winter tyre in terms of compound, p******** resistance, but I think for visibility on a 700C road bike you'd be hard pushed to better it.
    Cannondale Synapse 105, Giant Defy 3, Giant Omnium, Giant Trance X2, EMC R1.0, Ridgeback Platinum, On One Il Pompino...
  • Jim C
    Jim C Posts: 333
    Have never ridden a winter tyre. Conti 4 season are good tyres tho. Gatorskins ditto, although not used them for a while. I tend to use whatevers on the bike till it wears out. Then swap for The cheapo Schwalbe Lugano or Vittoria Zaffiro - which are decent enough. If these aren't robust enough, id be looking at a Schwalbe bulletproof tyre- can't remember the name.

    He sidewall reflective is a red herring, in my eyes. It will only stand out when your sideways on in headlights- that isn't a common collision scenario. Yes a car could pull out on you, but if he hasn't seen you by the time your in front of him, then he's not looking. Bright front light and maybe something head mounted is your friend. And ride both defensive and offensive- as required
    jc
  • Jameshill247
    Jameshill247 Posts: 15
    think i have decided on the conti 4 seasons due to all the good reviews and seems a lot of people have had good experiences from them

    soon find out!
  • meagain
    meagain Posts: 2,331
    I always reckon that best winter tyres are those that are easy to get off/on. Even the most resistant WILL succumb at some time and are often the most difficult to remove with cold, wet, hands.
    d.j.
    "Cancel my subscription to the resurrection."
  • kajjal
    kajjal Posts: 3,380
    Jameshill247 wrote:
    think i have decided on the conti 4 seasons due to all the good reviews and seems a lot of people have had good experiences from them

    soon find out!

    Just ordered some myself.
  • Wirral_paul
    Wirral_paul Posts: 2,476
    I'm ordering these too. Cant see the point of the 23mm front option though - rather have the extra width / grip that comes with the 25mm version at 5 or 10psi lower pressure.
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    Wirral_Paul wrote:
    I'm ordering these too. Cant see the point of the 23mm front option though - rather have the extra width / grip that comes with the 25mm version at 5 or 10psi lower pressure.
    +1 - same here. What, exactly is the point of the 23 front? Not sure of the advantage there ...
  • mozzer2906
    mozzer2906 Posts: 23
    meagain wrote:
    I always reckon that best winter tyres are those that are easy to get off/on. Even the most resistant WILL succumb at some time and are often the most difficult to remove with cold, wet, hands.

    A lesson I learnt the hard way yesterday, when after a year of puncture free riding my gatorskin succumbed to some thorns in the middle of a torrential downpour. Somewhat challenging to get off/on with hands like soaking blocks of ice.
  • KINGGARY
    KINGGARY Posts: 89
    4 season tyres are great, I've just ordered a new rear one myself as I noticed I had worn it through to the canvas. 3500 miles and not one flat.
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    Conti did some Grand Prix 24mm folding for a little while and loads of places sold them for like £12-15 now they've revised the model to 25mm and they cost twice as much but if you can find someone selling them, buy ...buy them all ASAP.

    I've used every make of Conti road tyre as these are the perfect balance of all weather, performance hardwearing tyre
    http://www.conti-tyres.co.uk/conticycle ... prix.shtml

    PS. check the German sites the bike24.com & bikediscount.de
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • Pepperoni Man
    Pepperoni Man Posts: 41
    Jim C wrote:
    If these aren't robust enough, id be looking at a Schwalbe bulletproof tyre- can't remember the name.

    Marathon Plus or Durano Plus?
  • ddgracing
    ddgracing Posts: 31
    Personally I like to have same tyres size on both wheels.
    I think that it's more important the quality and compound than the section of 23 or 25.
    I would suggest you to try the Continental GatorSkin for winter, but also Vittoria tyres are good quality

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