Bullet proof tyres

Davdandy

Yes i know this thread has been done to death so apologies.You can always ignore it if you wish.

Looking for new tyres for the new season.I currently use Gatorskins and they have done me great last year.No problems and no issues.But many on here seems to hate them,but i am not exactly sure why,they say they ride badly,but what does this mean,are they to hard for the road?

The other question is about folding tyres,some love them others not so.But what do they offer differently than a wired beaded tyre?

And of course,as the title suggests i want a tyre that is tough and puncture resistant.Like i said the Gatorskins have done their job brilliantly but always appreciate other peoples advice.

Oh one other thing,i use 23mm but some prefer 25,any reasons for this?

Thanks in advance.

neeb

Usually the tyres that feel best to ride and are fastest are supple, i.e. they deform easily. When you are riding, the part of the tyre in contact with the road is getting continually "squashed" and also deforming to deal with little bumps and irregularities. Tyres that are supple roll with less energy (so they are a little faster) and they feel smoother. Unfortunately, to make a tyre really puncture proof you usually have to make it harder and less supple in some way, so "bullet proof" tyres tend to roll a little less well and feel a bit less lively. They also tend to be heavier (because they have more rubber and/or puncture proof strips), and this also will make them feel less lively and responsive.

Folding vs. beaded tyres - folding tyres tend to be lighter and higher quality, although this isn't necessarily anything to do with the fact that they are folding. It's just the case that since folding tyres became common, few manufacturers bother to make high quality beaded tyres, because the bead just adds weight with no great advantage. So you tend to find beads in cheaper budget tyres these days. Distribution probably also has a lot to do with it - folding tyres can be transported more cheaply and easily.

There is nearly always a trade-off between puncture resistance and performance. The only way to know if you think the trade-off is worth it is to try some lighter, more race-orientated tyres and see how much you notice the difference and how much more often you get punctures. But probably this isn't the best time of year to do that!

northpole

For bullet proof the concensus seems to be that Schwalbe Marathons are hard to beat.

A friend ran with Gatorskins, changed to GP4000s which lasted a short time before he binned them in frustration at the number of flats he picked up in London commuting and replaced them with Schwalbe Durano Plus which he loves and has recently replaced with the same. Not as hardy as the Marathons but perhaps a better balance between decent quality ride/ grip and longevity. And it would seem from his comments, an improvement on the Gators.

Peter

bendertherobot

For me the list is:

Marathon +. Fit, forget. You could even forget sticking tubes in them altogether they ride that hard and independently of air. You won't puncture one. If you do it's because there's a Zombie apocalypse. If that's the case you should probably be getting a MTB.

Vittoria Randonneur Pro 2. Pretty much as bulletproof as M+. 32c ones run at about 30C imo. Roll very well provided you don't over inflate them.

Durano Plus. Brilliant. Roll very well indeed, supple. Less resistant to punctures but still very very good.

At 25C the choice is really between the D+ and Michelin Pro 4 Endurance. The latter are probably the fastest and most resistant of the really quick tyres.

iPete

I've found most Contis can't cope with either my riding or London roads. All anecdotal though, many people get thousands of miles from them.

Giving a completely different brand a go this winter and so far so good. They seem to compromise nicely between grip, durability and weight. I'll be commuting, training and racing on them and at £22 a go they are great value. I ordered the last one though

Vredestein Fortezza Quattro Tricomp Tyre
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-t ... redtyrf225

Davdandy

Thanks guys,some very good advice there,cheers.

And about 23mm and 25mm,does it make a difference to the ride?

MichaelW

Marathon and Marathon Plus are completely different tyres, the Plus having extra protection, heavier, slower rolling and harder to fit.
Tough tyres are less flexible so work better in wider diameters. If you are looking for a tough tyre, get the widest one that fits your bike. Narrow tyres are aerodynamic and light but not neccessarily better for cruising or winter style long endurance rides.

littledove44

I have had conti 4 seasons 25mm on since September. Lots of miles, no punctures.

That's blown that then.

alanparsons

I have Conti GP4000s 25 mm on.
4200 miles on the rear before 1st puncture, replaced.
6700 miles on front with no punctures, wear indicators still visible.

ugo.santalucia

littledove44 wrote:

I have had conti 4 seasons 25mm on since September. Lots of miles, no punctures.

That's blown that then.

How many miles?

Secteur

My research and non-expert experience over the last few years has made me stick with DuranoPlus from Schwalbe.

Admittedly, my only puncture on these came 50 miles into my first set, but I put that down to darn bad luck!!

Had no problems since.

I change them after roughly every 3000 miles, just because I can, and when they come off they look in very good shape (other than the small Knicks which appear from day 1 but don't seem to cause problems)

simon_e

Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase? A tough tyre that rolls surprisingly well and lasts ages.

http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/.Bont ... 119612.htm

Nick_M

I've done 2,850 miles on 23 mm Conti 4 Seasons from spring this year riding on rural Wiltshire roads. No punctures and nice tyres.

northpole

I use 4 Seasons tyres during the dreary months and, whilst they are fairly robust, I would not place them in the bullet proof camp. They are good tyres, but I think they're planted right in the middle of the range between summer and p*ncture resistant tyres. It's a compromise I am happy to live with, but I didn't think it was what the OP was seeking.

Peter

Bordersroadie

23c gatorskins give a horrible, hard ride. The 25c size are much better.

For my winter bike I wanted "bulletproof" so went with Gator Hardshell 25c. The thing for me that clinched it is that Durano plus and Marathon plus (probably the best two available along with those Vittoroia Randonneur) are not only much heavier but I cannot get them off my rims* on a cold wet night (trust me I've been fixing roadside p's for over four decades) whereas the Gator Hardshells remove and refit easily. For me this is a very important feature - no use having superduper tyres which eventually puncture (they all do) and leave me stranded.

*Mavic Open Pro and Ambrosio Excellight

I also use GP4S and they are fragile compared to Gatorskins - I have had some big cut-punctures in them over the years. GP4000s's are great tyres but for me untested in winter.

Davdandy

Bordersroadie wrote:

23c gatorskins give a horrible, hard ride. The 25c size are much better.

My 23s are a hard ride i fully agree,but its the only size i have used so am used to it.So would you suggest i go to 25s then?

Some great tyres here chaps,so much choice,thanks.

Bordersroadie

Davdandy wrote:

Bordersroadie wrote:

23c gatorskins give a horrible, hard ride. The 25c size are much better.

My 23s are a hard ride i fully agree,but its the only size i have used so am used to it.So would you suggest i go to 25s then?

If you are interested in a more comfy ride, then yes, definitely - it seems a little difference in size but I've done a direct comparison and it's definitely a positive difference. Check that your frame/forks will take them first.

I changed all my bikes to 25c a while back and have no regrets. The other bonus is that if you do puncture you can get a 25c back up to decent pressure (90psi) more easily than a 23c (100psi) with a mini-pump. Cue someone saying they can easily get 100 with a micro pump, but let's leave that for another thread...

ugo.santalucia

I have had many Gatorskin, which typically start disintegrating after 3,000 miles and rarely make it to 4-5,000 without being totally sqared, full of cuts and no longer puncture-proof.

This is a Randonneur PRO 32, which has done over 4,000 miles, half of it on a canal path, often littered with broken bottles. Zero punctures. I'd say it's got another 4,000 to go at the very least

bendertherobot

Yep. Mine look like that. Well better, since they've only been on a couple of months.

I'm amazed that the little side moulding sticky out things (TM) just keep going. I was wondering if they'd ever come off. Answers seems to be no.

bendertherobot

Oh, and great for riding in the dark.

Davdandy

Wow,that tyre looks amazing after 4000 miles ugo.santalucia.

ugo.santalucia

Davdandy wrote:

Wow,that tyre looks amazing after 4000 miles ugo.santalucia.

Yeah, Randonneur also come in 23 and 25 size, but they are the cheap basic wired ones with low TPI count and not the PRO ones with higher TPI count. So dull ride, but same tough and puncture-proof skin

ugo.santalucia

bendertherobot wrote:

I'm amazed that the little side moulding sticky out things (TM) just keep going. I was wondering if they'd ever come off. Answers seems to be no.

Not unless you bend like Casey Stoner!

northpole

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I have had many Gatorskin, which typically start disintegrating after 3,000 miles and rarely make it to 4-5,000 without being totally sqared, full of cuts and no longer puncture-proof.

This is a Randonneur PRO 32, which has done over 4,000 miles, half of it on a canal path, often littered with broken bottles. Zero punctures. I'd say it's got another 4,000 to go at the very least

Do they come in sizes suitable for racing bike wheels ie 25 or less? Seems like an amazing mileage you're going to get out of them.

Peter

ugo.santalucia

northpole wrote:

Do they come in sizes suitable for racing bike wheels ie 25 or less? Seems like an amazing mileage you're going to get out of them.
Peter

Only the basic cheap Randonneur comes as 25, the PRO folding version only comes in 32/37. The basic ones are wired, have fewer TPI, the ride is not as nice, but the double protection belt and the thickness of the thread is the same, as I understand. I suppose for winter and commuting use you can make do with a dull heavy tyre, if that means no punctures...

Have a look, page 41

http://issuu.com/catalogue_online/docs/ ... 74/4345644

jameses

Is the Randonneur Pro an updated version of their Hyper City tyre? Looks very similar. I put about 4500 miles (3500 of that touring with an extra 15kg or so) on a pair of those with a similar lack of wear. Never punctured despite some pretty rough roads. Great tyres.

ugo.santalucia

JamesEs wrote:

Is the Randonneur Pro an updated version of their Hyper City tyre? Looks very similar. I put about 4500 miles (3500 of that touring with an extra 15kg or so) on a pair of those with a similar lack of wear. Never punctured despite some pretty rough roads. Great tyres.

That is a different, lighter tyre, but with the same double shield puncture protection

chadders81

Been well impressed with these...

http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/bontrage ... 40573.html

4k miles and no punctures.

robbo2011

What people should remember is that the Radonneur Pro weighs about twice as much as a normal race tyre, that's why it is so robust. But it certainly qualifies as bulletproof and might just be what the OP needs.

I have had a lot of success with Schwalbe Durano 28mm tyres (not the plus version) on my winter bike. tough and last ages (6000 miles plus)

ugo.santalucia

robbo2011 wrote:

tough and last ages (6000 miles plus)

In Switzerland? I think in England we have the worst road surface I have seen in the Western World. Locally, you can find worse roads elsewhere, but as a whole roads here are much much worse than anywhere else I have been.
Wales and Scotland are significantly better, for what I have seen.
When I lived in Italy I very rarely changed tyres and never bothered to inspect them

robbo2011

ugo.santalucia wrote:

robbo2011 wrote:

tough and last ages (6000 miles plus)

In Switzerland? I think in England we have the worst road surface I have seen in the Western World. Locally, you can find worse roads elsewhere, but as a whole roads here are much much worse than anywhere else I have been.
Wales and Scotland are significantly better, for what I have seen.
When I lived in Italy I very rarely changed tyres and never bothered to inspect them

Partly in the UK and partly in Switerland. My commute to work involves riding on farm tracks with crap and gravel strewn all over the place so they do get a bit of a hard time.