Which Tyres?

MarkAshton

I have ridden on many different tyres and for the past few years the conitential GP4000s. My racing days are behind me and I don't want to splash so much cash on a new set of tyres. It feels a bit wasted buying the best tyres.

What is considered a fairly good all rounder at a "good" price.

Thanks :-)

singleton

I had gp4000s and gp 4 seasons, but now I'm using Michelins - pro4 endurance on the winter bike and pro4 SC comp on the summer bike - they have a better feel than the contis and can be found at some good deals, certainly cheaper than the contis.

There is the regular pro4 SC that sits between these.

redvision

I don't think you can beat GP4000s for a clincher tyre tbh.

mcstumpy

In terms of balance between price, durability and performance - Vittoria Rubino Pro?

Tiesetrotter

Rubino pro's for me on the commute and bad weather bike. Open Pave on the other bike with latex tubes.

Started on Conti's ...... some bad side wall issues and after being given an open pave to try never looked back.

chippyk

Michelin Pro4 Comp 4 Seasons on my winter bike, 40 quid the pair in Decathlon. Can't chunter about them.

pastryboy

Tiesetrotter wrote:

Rubino pro's for me on the commute and bad weather bike.

Really, I love the feel of my Rubino Pros but they're cut to bits after approx 1,000 miles. I wouldn't dream of using them for commuting.

redvision

pastryboy wrote:

Tiesetrotter wrote:

Rubino pro's for me on the commute and bad weather bike.

Really, I love the feel of my Rubino Pros but they're cut to bits after approx 1,000 miles. I wouldn't dream of using them for commuting.

I found this. I don't think i had even done 700 on miles them but, when i was fixing a puncture on the way to work (on a wet monday morning i might add) i discovered so many cuts and abrasions that i binned them.
Although tbf i probably shouldn't have been commuting on them. Anyway, I switched back to Conti and never looked back.
I now run GP4000 all year.

mugensi

I've been using Michelin Pro4 SC's for the last 2 years and cant fault them. Not a single puncture in that time. They roll well, have excellent grip and excellent puncture resistance...theyre also very reasonably priced with regular deals on them on the usual websites.

fleshtuxedo

Depends where you live. Another Michelin Man here but i ride in the limestone hills of the Yorkshire dales. If you live somewhere awash in flints, then many say it's Continentals.

step83

Just switched to Pro 4 endurance, have to say impressed so far coming from Conti classics though so not quite the same tyre type

alex222

pastryboy wrote:

Tiesetrotter wrote:

Rubino pro's for me on the commute and bad weather bike.

Really, I love the feel of my Rubino Pros but they're cut to bits after approx 1,000 miles. I wouldn't dream of using them for commuting.

Interesting two bad reports of the Rubino Pros as I have a pair on the winter / commuter bike and have done 2,300 miles with no cuts at all.

Alex99

MarkAshton wrote:

I have ridden on many different tyres and for the past few years the conitential GP4000s. My racing days are behind me and I don't want to splash so much cash on a new set of tyres. It feels a bit wasted buying the best tyres.

What is considered a fairly good all rounder at a "good" price.

Thanks :-)

I've settled on three tyres for different needs: 1) Durano plus; 2) Rubino Pro III; 3) Corsa CX

Rubino Pro III's are good value and are pretty quick. They're my spring to autumn training tyre. Actually, they don't feel a lot different from Corsa CX clinchers. They're not super tough, just a bit tougher than a pure race tyre. So, a good option.

Durano Plus are at the 'super tough' end of the spectrum and are heavy and slow. Great winter tyre, but I look forward to putting something else on in Spring.

Mixed experience with Vredestain Tri comps. They feel nice, but the treads seem to crack up quickly when I tried them.
There are good deals around on e.g. Schwalbe One clinchers. Very nice tyres can be had for £25 each. Many like Conti Gatorskins. They can last a very long time and aren't too slow, but they seem to be a bit scary in the wet at times.

If I was going for one tyre for all year to keep it simple, it would be the Rubino.

lostboysaint

Another vote for Pro 4 Endurance having spent plenty of time on various Conti before settling (for a while) on GP4S. The Pro4 are larger volume, smoother, better grip in dry and wet and have yet to leave me victim to the fairies in the way in which the GP4S did when their wear suddenly accelerated after a few thousand miles.

jrich

A GP4000sII costs what 30 quid?

So you're going to compromise on what is potentially the single most important part of the bike when it comes to ride quality/performance for the sake of a tenner?

Good luck with that...

ayjaycee

As you will gather from above, others have their own favorites but my personal view is that, as an all round tyre, I really don't think you can beat Conti GP 4 Seasons. IMHO, you should never skimp on tyres as they are the only thing in contact with the ground when you are riding and, importantly, they also contribute greatly to you not being in contact with the ground as well. OK, the 4 Seasons might be a bit more expensive than some but, if it helps, work out the cost per mile and they are really, really cheap over their life. In the case of tyres, life is literally too short to worry about an extra £10 every now and then.

AK_jnr

Usually use gp4000's or 4 seasons but decided to try a set of Michelin Lithion 2's at a tenner each, mainly so I wasnt bothered about changing tyres/wheels for the turbo.
No punctures, no problems and I cant feel the difference to more expensive tyres. Maybe I would if I tested back to back though. Oh and I also rode them for a month in Mallorca and had no problems on mountain descents in the dry or wet.

cycleclinic

IRC tubeless tyres give the best ride for a clincher. Schwable ones tubeless a pretty good the same really for ride quality but that tubeless.

My favourite clincher is the challange strada bianca 30mm followed by the the vittoria corsa and Pave. all clinchers cut up and puncture for me. Corsa's oddly enough are the only ones I ever get to wear out.

singleton

jrich wrote:

A GP4000sII costs what 30 quid?
So you're going to compromise on what is potentially the single most important part of the bike when it comes to ride quality/performance for the sake of a tenner?

I agree, dont compromise on tyres for a tenner - but personally I'm not suggesting that anyone does that.

If you think that the GP4000sII is the best tyre then please keep using it. I think there are other, better tyres and if they cost more then I will pay more. But if they cost less then I won't insist on buying something worse just because it costs more.

keef66

Used 25mm GP4 Seasons all year round for 6 years. Like their puncture resistance and cold / wet weather grip. Not the longest lasting though. Now they are on my wet weather / winter bike and I have 25mm Michelin Pro4 SC on the summer bike.

The Michelins feel grippier in the dry, are considerably fatter and hence a bit comfier, and quite a lot cheaper than the Contis. So I'd say the Michelins are a good all rounder at a good price.

The 4 seasons have become stupidly expensive. I think when this set starts to wear out I'll try the Michelin Pro 4 Endurance

singleton

keef66 wrote:

The 4 seasons have become stupidly expensive. I think when this set starts to wear out I'll try the Michelin Pro 4 Endurance

My 4 seasons went very quickly in the end - 4 punctures in 4 rides convinced me to get rid of them.

keef66

Singleton wrote:

keef66 wrote:

The 4 seasons have become stupidly expensive. I think when this set starts to wear out I'll try the Michelin Pro 4 Endurance

My 4 seasons went very quickly in the end - 4 punctures in 4 rides convinced me to get rid of them.

My first set seemed to last for ages, then the council did a load of cheap resurfacing one summer and the chippings quickly shredded what was left of the tread. Big patches of carcass showing through. Still impressively puncture free though.

lostboysaint

Singleton wrote:

keef66 wrote:

The 4 seasons have become stupidly expensive. I think when this set starts to wear out I'll try the Michelin Pro 4 Endurance

My 4 seasons went very quickly in the end - 4 punctures in 4 rides convinced me to get rid of them.

Absolutely, as I said in my post earlier. They seem to last well and then all of sudden just wear drastically and become a puncture nightmare. (My first one was in the middle of nowhere in Portugal, proper split - only saved by some cardboard from my riding mate's fag packet!)

Pro4 Endurance are considerably cheaper and the wear seems to be longer and more consistent.

northpole

Singleton wrote:

jrich wrote:

A GP4000sII costs what 30 quid?
So you're going to compromise on what is potentially the single most important part of the bike when it comes to ride quality/performance for the sake of a tenner?

I agree, dont compromise on tyres for a tenner - but personally I'm not suggesting that anyone does that.

If you think that the GP4000sII is the best tyre then please keep using it. I think there are other, better tyres and if they cost more then I will pay more. But if they cost less then I won't insist on buying something worse just because it costs more.

Yep. Who suggested compromise. I have used GP4000s and I have used Michelin Pro4 SC and Endurance. The only tyres out of all the various ones I have used which let me down in a dangerous way were the Conti's when they're side wall split for no apparent reason other than manufacturing latent defect. Another Conti GP4000s exploded on me when I was waiting for a cup of tea at the top of Box Hill. I'm not suggesting that spending an extra tenner compromised my safety, but inane comments wind me up somewhat. If the Michelins misbehave, which so far they haven't (nor for that matter have GP4Seasons in my experience), perhaps I'll look elsewhere.

Peter

N0bodyOfTheGoat

I had a set of Stelvio Plus that have lasted an age on the Felt, but I have a feeling they are EOL these!

A Durano variant?

iceinbangkok

Rekindling this thread - I wanted to share my experience. I had only used the Rubino Pros (IIs) that came with my Primvera. They are worn now but no cuts to speak of and probably could keep using. 2,000 ks estimate, could be more but o don't keep track consciously. I tried the Durano after bike radar gave them strong review - noticeably slower IMO. I didnt what yo go with Conti GP 4000s because unfortunately a lot of my riding is onba trainer. When I researched everything I decided that Rubino Pro has the right balance of price, low resistance quality and longevity so I ordered another pair. Went back to my old ones while I wait.