25mm tyres not GP4000's!

opusver21

Been looking for some 25mm tyres as an alternate to my GP4000's

Seem to be going around in circles. Don't want to go to heavy, ideally lighter than the 230g conti's with adequate protection not to stop every ten mins with a blow-out. I find the conti's good in a straight line and so far in the last 2 months of getting back on the road just one flat.

Personally feel the conti's are too stiff and lack a bit of feel. All my riding is rural country lanes, gravel and stuff falling from tree's is the worst of it.

Looking at spec s-works turbo 24's but they might be too far race day only, Ideally looking for something in between....

Thoughts?

caedev

Michelin Pro4 Service Course. I haven't found a better all round tyre and the 25s are fantastic.

opusver21

caedev wrote:

Michelin Pro4 Service Course. I haven't found a better all round tyre and the 25s are fantastic.

Are the 25's nearer 28?

caedev

No idea, never felt the need to measure them.

DiscoBoy

opusver21 wrote:

caedev wrote:

Michelin Pro4 Service Course. I haven't found a better all round tyre and the 25s are fantastic.

Are the 25's nearer 28?

More like 27 on my RS80s.

The 23s are less than 24mm, though, so you can't just get the 23s to get 25s

passout

Yeah - Michelin Pro Race 25mm - nice.

cycleclinic

Vittoria Open corsa or the Open Pave. I really like Vittoria tyres and the Open Pave while arround 250g has it all. I have used them through the winter and I cannot find fault.

Crashs2k

Vittoria Open Pave or Michelin Pro 4 Service Course - good puncture resistance and feel lovely to ride particularly the Pave's (my favourite tyre).

lawrences

I like vittoria. Their cheaper stuff is very hit or miss but the rubino pro tech 25mm is awesome for winter work. Little heavier than you want but it rides nicely and punctures rarely.

meanredspider

I like this thread - I don't like GP4000S but I'm currently using Open Paves, Pro4s and Rubino Pros in 25C suggested above - happy with all of them

iPete

meanredspider wrote:

I like this thread - I don't like GP4000S but I'm currently using Open Paves, Pro4s and Rubino Pros in 25C suggested above - happy with all of them

What do you find the raciest?

Thinking the Pro4 Service course is a good move..
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/michelin-pro4-s ... road-tyre/

drlodge

meanredspider wrote:

I like this thread - I don't like GP4000S but I'm currently using Open Paves, Pro4s and Rubino Pros in 25C suggested above - happy with all of them

GP4000S & Pro4 SC - much the same as each other, slightly prefer the Pro4 SC but don't ask my why. Both give good performance, are reasonably hard wearing and puncture resistant. (using 23c)
Vittoria Open Pave - a much nicer and more expensive tyre, but cut up much more easily. Am currently using the older (24c) version of this tyre in the summer months only, then will switch back to the Pro4SCs.

meanredspider

drlodge wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

I like this thread - I don't like GP4000S but I'm currently using Open Paves, Pro4s and Rubino Pros in 25C suggested above - happy with all of them

GP4000S & Pro4 SC - much the same as each other, slightly prefer the Pro4 SC but don't ask my why. Both give good performance, are reasonably hard wearing and puncture resistant. (using 23c)
Vittoria Open Pave - a much nicer and more expensive tyre, but cut up much more easily. Am currently using the older (24c) version of this tyre in the summer months only, then will switch back to the Pro4SCs.

I've had loads less punctures on the Pro4 than the GP4000S

Personally I wouldn't use the Paves in the summer as their prime capability is wet weather grip - the Open Corsa is the better-weather tyre. I find the Pave a bit slower than the Pro4 or Rubino Pro.

My selection goes a bit like this:
- Ride for speed/pleasure: Pro4
- Ride for distance/reliability: Rubino Pro
- Ride in the wet (especially with cobbles of which there are quite a lot around here) Open Pave.

I actually use Paves in the 27C on my SS commuting bike. Despite Amsterdam being littered with glass of a morning, they're still in good shape.

lawrences

^ It's funny you say that because I found my Rubino Pro slicks not all that reliable (in 23c). That said they provided an incredibly enjoyable ride when ran at the right pressures gave great feedback.

If you rate the Pro4 (which I haven't tried) above them then that is one for my shopping list.

drlodge

I rate the ride quality and speed of the Paves above any other tyre I've tried. I undestand they are designed for Pave/cobbles/wet but they do cut up more easily in wet conditions. The Pro4 SC is probably the best all round tyre of the bunch.

racingcondor

@meanredspider - Open Corsa are very nice but the Pave's will last twice as long (mileage wise assuming no terminal punctures). Personally I tend to use Pave and GP4000S pretty interchangeably when I'm on clinchers.

pirnie

Ultremo DDs are worth a look. Good puncture protection and roll well. (I don't know how the weight compares though)

meanredspider

racingcondor wrote:

@meanredspider - Open Corsa are very nice but the Pave's will last twice as long (mileage wise assuming no terminal punctures). Personally I tend to use Pave and GP4000S pretty interchangeably when I'm on clinchers.

Blimey - my Paves have been my fastest-wearing tyre ever. I was expecting them to wear quickly because I expected the compound to be soft in order to provide wet-weather grip. If Corsas are worse, I'll be throwing a pair away every couple of months (well, the rear at least)

@drlodge - I simply couldn't develop the average speeds on the Paves that I could on the Rubino Pros - again, I assumed that was down to the compound

northpole

My only experience of GP4000s 25mm front tyres came to a rapid halt when I discovered that whilst there was adequate clearance to the sides, the top of the tyre fouled my frame very very slightly such that there were scratches to the underside of the forks. Replaced with a 23mm tyre which works fine - didn't appreciate the sheer volume increase moving from 23 -> 25mm! The rear was fine.

Pro 4 Service Course are great tyres. I could not get on with the Open Pave which cut up on me in no time with numerous p*nctures. I managed to get away with Conti Attack(22mm)/ Force(24mm) without problems other than noting the back tyre wore a bit quicker than others. Nice tyres though.

Peter

cycleclinic

Conti GP4000s tyres come up large I like that and I like the tyre as much as the Pave and the Corsa. I have been riding Pave tubs and clinchers since january with only one punctured tub on Belgian cobbles. I have have alot more miles though on the GP4000s and those have not cut up at all.

Which shows one person experience is no reliable guide to what yours will be. You just have to try them all.

meanredspider

When it comes to tyres (and quite a few other products) I find Wiggle's reviews reasonably representative provided there's a significant number. You can normally see the flaws in the product if there are any. The only downside is that many reviews are written soon after purchase ("zero hour") and often don't represent longer term issues quite so well so you have to bear that in mind.

And I would encourage you to review products on the large sites. Companies pay a lot of attention to reviews and have a ratings target which is often part of the performance metrics of key individuals in the business. It really is your chance to influence the quality of products.

opusver21

Thanks for all the comments guys, I'm tempted by the Vittoria's but might go with the pro4 as you can pick them up quite easily/cheap. Not sure about sizing though 23 or 25. I was a pro2 user a lifetime ago and got on with them quite well.
I do like the straight line performance of the GP4000's but they do seem stiff, more so than the 23's? and some of the cornering i do, i just feel no flex and the tyre is kinda fighting against me, although can't really fault the weight/puncture resistance.

I've used a cheap Vittoria before and wasn't that impressed, I honestly can't remember which model it was part from being red/black!