Tyres £50 budget

brearley

To cut a long story short I bought some Schwalbe Lugano tyres for £20 the pair.
I've ridden them for a week and had 2 punctures from things that with other tyres would be insignificant.
I'm setting a budget of £50 for a pair as I imagine I'll go through at least one pair this winter.
What are my options? I'm not a fan of gatorskins as they ride crap.
25mm is probably favoured.

Big_Ring_Rider

If you can stretch the extra fiver, Merlin selling Conti 4000's at £55 the pair. Fantastic offer.

brearley

it's a good offer but my experience with the 4000 is they go flat in the middle and start cutting up. They're a nice rolling tyre and I didn't have a puncture using them but this was summer riding. I doubt their durability for winter purposes.

brearley

anybody used these?
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-t ... utctyrf730
Seem good, light and hard wearing with puncture protection belt. previous bikerader review on previous model said sidewall was vulnerable however, any reviews?

trek_dan

Vredestein Fortezza Tricomops are very good in all weathers, not had any issues with mine cutting up on bad roads. They aren't the longest lasting but you'd get a winter out of them. I think Ribble have them on special but only in 23c.

brearley

the Vredestein Freccia was another I noticed, it's more of a specific winter tyre than the fortezza.

Crozza

http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/k770/a ... -of-2.html

coming up at £38 for me, but I am in Channel Islands so VAT free. should still be under £50 though

ugo.santalucia

Fresh from the press

http://paolocoppo.drupalgardens.com/con ... nter-tyres

Tom Dean

Good puncture protection, good ride, cheap. You might have to decide which two of these are most important to you. The first two may not be compatible at all.

wishitwasallflat

I've just gone from running GP4000s to Michelin Pro4 Endurance (both 25mm) (long story but it wasn't due to any problem or dissatisfaction with the GP4000s) and am pretty impressed with them so far. They don't feel any different (either in how they roll or grip) and their rep is for very good wear rates. Before that I has Vittoria Open Pave and I still hanker after that green stripe and the ride on those was marginally better I think but they seemed to cut up a wee bit more than the GP4000s.

buckles

I've used Luganos and Blizzards (came installed on a new bike). I think they're terrible!

As I keep telling everyone: Bontrager Racelite Hardcase! They seem far more puncture resistant (been using them for a year and zero punctures) and they seem to grip much better in the wet than Luganos.

brearley

decided on the Vredestein Fortezza tricomp having read the 5 star reviews. Also they're £20 each from ribble and if you spend over £50 they end up at £18 each

chris_bass

wishitwasallflat wrote:

I've just gone from running GP4000s to Michelin Pro4 Endurance (both 25mm) (long story but it wasn't due to any problem or dissatisfaction with the GP4000s) and am pretty impressed with them so far. They don't feel any different (either in how they roll or grip) and their rep is for very good wear rates. Before that I has Vittoria Open Pave and I still hanker after that green stripe and the ride on those was marginally better I think but they seemed to cut up a wee bit more than the GP4000s.

I thought they only did the Pro4 Endurances in 23mm? I use them and have tried a few other tyres but always come back to them.

wishitwasallflat

yeah they do them but only with the grey stripe e.g.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mich ... -prod81155

unixnerd

Can't say enough good things about Specialized Roubaix Pro tyres. 240g, easy to get on and off without tyre levers, never had a puncture and good in bad weather.

dwanes

Continental GrandPrix GT (only sold as 25mm) from Bike-Discount.

philbar72

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Fresh from the press

http://paolocoppo.drupalgardens.com/con ... nter-tyres

very true about the 23/25mm tyres! got the winter bike out and it takes 28's, might remove my gp 4 seasons 23's!

ugo.santalucia

unixnerd wrote:

Can't say enough good things about Specialized Roubaix Pro tyres. 240g, easy to get on and off without tyre levers, never had a puncture and good in bad weather.

I was curious and had a look where Avienmore is... no wonder you don't puncture, there are probably more red deer than human beings up there. Nature is normally benign to decent tyres, whilst built up areas with morons spreading broken glass around are the real tyre killer

brearley

I've bought 23s because the 25s weren't available. When the weather gets really crappy I'll get my cross bike out with 33s on. My tyres are used for commuting and training. The area I work in means I have to go through big manufacturing areas which lends itself to bits of glass and other crap, this does allow me to miss all the major roads back into the city centre though. As much as the idea of a totally puncture proof tyre is appealing I have used them and they have such a demoralising feel I'd rather just not bother riding a bike.

ugo.santalucia

brearley wrote:

I've bought 23s because the 25s weren't available. When the weather gets really crappy I'll get my cross bike out with 33s on. My tyres are used for commuting and training. The area I work in means I have to go through big manufacturing areas which lends itself to bits of glass and other crap, this does allow me to miss all the major roads back into the city centre though. As much as the idea of a totally puncture proof tyre is appealing I have used them and they have such a demoralising feel I'd rather just not bother riding a bike.

clearly you have never tried a Vittoria Randonneur PRO... it's not your usual brick-like Conti or Schwalbe. German tyres are typically very dull, bit like their food really...
I physically can no longer buy Continental tyres...

brearley

frozen hosepipes springs to mind with contis.
michelin, schwalbe and most others cut too easily.
The only tyres I seem to get on well with are open tubulars because they are that much more supple.

ugo.santalucia

brearley wrote:

The only tyres I seem to get on well with are open tubulars because they are that much more supple.

Yes, but you can't ride those now, so you have to be sensible... what's the next best? As you have a CX bike, try some fast rolling touring tyres as above... they NEVER puncture as opposed to RARELY and they give you a smooth and lively ride.

milese

I quite like the Michelin Lithion 2's, and they are only £25 a pair.

Just bought another pair for winter.

Lanterne_Rogue

wishitwasallflat wrote:

I've just gone from running GP4000s to Michelin Pro4 Endurance (both 25mm) (long story but it wasn't due to any problem or dissatisfaction with the GP4000s) and am pretty impressed with them so far. They don't feel any different (either in how they roll or grip) and their rep is for very good wear rates. Before that I has Vittoria Open Pave and I still hanker after that green stripe and the ride on those was marginally better I think but they seemed to cut up a wee bit more than the GP4000s.

I've done around 2000 miles on my Pro4s without a single puncture so far, pretty much exclusively commuting on crappy roads with plenty of grit and whatnot. Decent grip, as you say.

rickeverett

Vittoria Rubino Pro Folding. Best tyres I have used in a long time! Use them all year round. done 2000 on this set and not one puncture. I go down some pretty nasty country roads with grit and ripped up surfaces + headges have been cut too!.

Vittorias roll well, are pretty light, look bling and have good corner grip.

Have recently had a couple of skids however now they are getting on a bit + a couple of cuts in the rear that are s-glued. But I cant fault them!