Oh no! Another 'what tyres should I buy?' Post ...

JayKingFunk

Morning all,

Not been a road biker for long and I'm looking to upgrade my tyres.

Got a Boardman Race which came with pretty big standard running gear. Current tyres are Vitoria Zaffiro 700x 25.

I'd like something that roles quicker, am I right in thinking 23 is a narrower tyre?

Any advice on a set of budget to mid-priced tyres for a roadie newbie?

I have been a mountain biker for years but this is all very different!

Thanks in advance, J.

Pedro77

How long have you been riding, how many miles have you done on those tires.

I think if you just took cycling my advice would be to keep those tires and just put some miles on to condition your body to this new activity. 23 are thinner and would roll slightly better at the cost of less comfort but to be honest the differences would be minimal. 25 is becoming the norm these days, particularly in these UK roads... I would stick with those tires for a while...

DKay

Don't let anyone else decide when you should or shouldn't buy new bits. If you want to upgrade, then go for it and 25s have been shown to actually offer less rolling resistance than 23s on top of being more comfy. It's a win, win unless you want the undetectable 15g weight saving.

There are some decent deals on Michelin Pro 4s at the moment, although tyres are pretty much a personal preference.

rc856

Personally, I'd rather pay a bit extra for a quality tyre if you're going to be getting the miles in.
Continental GP4000s are highly regarded along with some Schwalbe.
Something like Conti Gatorskins if you're commuting.

ai_1

As above, changing to 23mm tyres is not in itself likely to equate to "something that rolls quicker".
There's a lot of nonsense talked on these subjects but considering most of us are heavier, less powerful and more pratically minded than the typical pro cyclist, why would we automatically want to use the same equipment? I think 25mm tyres are probably a better option than 23mm for most purposes especially for those of us using less than perfect roads as is often the case in Ireland or UK. I'm sure there are plenty exceptions! However the only advantage of narrower tyres I can think of right now is potentially for aerodynamic reasons depending on wheels being used - even then that advantage is a little questionable.
Bear in mind that in the Paris-Roubaix last weekend most riders used tyres between 25mm and 30mm (but probably all tubulars). They averaged something like 41.5km/h so obviously 30mm rubber isn't just for old ladies on High Nellies.

If you want to roll quicker get more supple tyres. The downside is that they'll be less durable. I use Continental 4 Seasons 25mm tyres as a compromise. They're reasonably light and grippy but still durable. However they're very expensive. The Michelin Pro 4 SC tyres mentioned above also get good reviews as a grippy fast tyre that's reasonably durable and is available at a good price from a few places at the moment. I considered getting some the other day but then realised they weren't available on sale in the 25mm size which I prefer.

holiver

Is it OK if I jump in here too as opposed to starting another thread?

I am currently getting beaten up on Liverpool's roads by running 23c Continental Gator Hardskin tyres on my Kinesis T2, and would like something larger to take the sting out. I'm running guards - theoretically I should be able to get 28c tyres in underneath, but I think the way my lbs put them on means clearance at the back would be too tight for those.

Therefore I am looking at getting some large volume 25c tyres that can handle heavy loads on the back and offer decent puncture protection. I have £30 in CRC vouchers that I need to use at some stage and think I have narrowed down my options to either the Vittoria Rubino Pro,Schwalbe Durano or the Michelin Pro4 Endurance. Thoughts on these? Which might come up the largest and offer the better protection? Are there any others that I should be considering?

Cheers!

adamfo

I would give the new Continental GP 4000 s II a try in size 25c

Forget 23c. 25c generally have lower rolling resistance. I've got a French bike magazine with empirical tests to prove it. Each tyre tested in both sizes.

arran77

I would also suggest getting some decent tyres as the difference to your ride will be huge.

Maybe stick with Vittoria as they're a decent make, I've just gone for the open corsa cx which are excellent.

adamfo

arran77 wrote:

I would also suggest getting some decent tyres as the difference to your ride will be huge.

Maybe stick with Vittoria as they're a decent make, I've just gone for the open corsa cx which are excellent.

That's what I use. The 25c has the lowest rolling resistance of any tyre on the market plus good ride quality.
The downside is it's not the most robust tyre out there in terms of being puncture resistant and having long life.

Tiesetrotter

Vittoria Rubino Pro in 25 is a great tyre and there are always deals around

holiver

I notice there's a 20% off code for those at probikekit.co.uk which gets the price down to £31.82 for a pair. Probably worth a punt!

Semantik

Pretty much ANY tyre will feel more lively than a Zaffiro wired tyre-the Zaffiro is only really suitable to be fitted to a bike such as this: