Tyres

dinyull

I know this is a regularly asked question; so apologies.

Been plagued by punctures the past 2 weeks on the daily commute. Have checked the rear tyre (where I've been suffering) and it's cut up quite badly so gonna replace.

Tyre's are Michelin Pro 4 Endurance and have covered 2500 outdoor miles and quite a bit of turbo use too - are these still seen as the best tyre for trade off between speed/durability - or is there something else out there to rival them?

Wooderson

I found that my similar Michelin ProRace 3s were a very soft compound that cracked and tore easily and let little splinters of stone and glass get wedged in. Eventually they'd force themselves through the carcass. Perhaps get into a weekly habbit of inspecting and using a pick or tweezer to flick them out.

I've more recently used a more durable 25mm Swalbe Durranos, which, for me, strikes a pretty good balance of puncture resistance, mechanical grip and fast(ish) rolling.

Hinaultscrapcousin

Firstly, stop using your road riding tyres on the turbo. It can be a pain changing it over but it's worth it. If you're part of a club ask around and see if someone has an old wheel you can have cheap/free. My club and mates regularly give out knackered wheels for turbo use and then you can just swap the wheel. If not you can probably pick up a wheel for 20-30 quid that you could use.

I've always found Michelin tyres to be soft. Brilliant for when you're looking for that extra bit of grip and a nice, supple ride, but they don't last at all well. The Continental Grand Prixs (not the 4000s!! too many torn sidewalls) I've found to be excellent. The only difference I notice between them and the 4000s is they last longer. This means I've not had to swap tyres for my commuting and my club/road riding at the weekend which is a big plus. If you are just using them for commuting then I'd go for a harder wearing tyre.

ayjaycee

Personally, I've not seen any reason to go for anything other than Continental GP 4 Seasons for a lot of years now. I use them all year round on all my bikes and see very few punctures (having said that, I'll probably get a couple when I go out later today!). IMHO they also handle very well in both wet and dry. Some people say they are expensive which is, of course, a matter of perspective but I think they are very good value if you look at their cost over the expected life.

That said, others will be along recommending their personal favourites in a minute.

Hinaultscrapcousin

ayjaycee wrote:

Personally, I've not seen any reason to go for anything other than Continental GP 4 Seasons for a lot of years now. I use them all year round on all my bikes and see very few punctures (having said that, I'll probably get a couple when I go out later today!). IMHO they also handle very well in both wet and dry. Some people say they are expensive which is, of course, a matter of perspective but I think they are very good value if you look at their cost over the expected life.

That said, others will be along recommending their personal favourites in a minute.

I've heard very good things about GP 4 Seasons from everyone I know who rides them. I just went with standard GPs as they were cheaper and have the black chilli compound I know works. I'm considering moving to 28c 4 Seasons, just for a change...

fat daddy

ITs more of a marmite tyre but for commuting I have settled for the Gatorskin Hardshell in a 32c

Bristol roads are awash with potholes, cobbles, broken glass, bits of tree ... and as much as Racing Ralphs on my CX are the more comfortable tyre, the gatorskins roll a lot quicker

being 32c I can run the pressure a lot lower which means I can keep the speed up over the bad road surface and cobbles in a way that my 25mm GP4 IIs never do.

the hardshell works as well, its probably not as grippy but a low pressure 32c I haven't had any close moments with them and commute in all weathers at speed ..... but its resistance to objects is praise worthy, where as I picked the odd bit of glass or thorn out of the GP4s and the Ralphs, the Hardshall has not got so much as a split in the rubber.

mrb123

Dinyull wrote:

I know this is a regularly asked question; so apologies.

Been plagued by punctures the past 2 weeks on the daily commute. Have checked the rear tyre (where I've been suffering) and it's cut up quite badly so gonna replace.

Tyre's are Michelin Pro 4 Endurance and have covered 2500 outdoor miles and quite a bit of turbo use too - are these still seen as the best tyre for trade off between speed/durability - or is there something else out there to rival them?

What size can you go to?

If you can fit a 32mm on there then you've got the option of looking at a "proper" commuting/touring tyre such as Schwalbe Marathon Supreme or Vittoria Hyper Voyagers or Randonneur Pros. You won't have too many puncture problems using any of them and something like a Hyper Voyager won't lose you much speed.

milemuncher1

Dinyull wrote:

I know this is a regularly asked question; so apologies.

Been plagued by punctures the past 2 weeks on the daily commute. Have checked the rear tyre (where I've been suffering) and it's cut up quite badly so gonna replace.

Tyre's are Michelin Pro 4 Endurance and have covered 2500 outdoor miles and quite a bit of turbo use too - are these still seen as the best tyre for trade off between speed/durability - or is there something else out there to rival them?

Have a read of this.

http://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/

It's got some good scientific data / graphs etc. to help
You decide.

cycleclinic

2500 miles from a tubed clincher. Never got close to that before holes got them. I'd say your doing O.K.

GP 4 seasons have been the most short lived tyres I have ever tried and that was over 6 pairs or so.

Gator skin hardshells are pretty tough but again I managed to murder the front in under 2000 miles.

simply the problem is tubes I find all tubed tyres to be a problem either really heavy and feeling slow or fast and grippy but the die quickly. If you are sticking with tubes the maraton sprememes are not bad option.

It really depends on your route. If you are using cycle/pedetrian paths get back on the roads.

I went tubeless to solve my punctures woes and its worked.

dinyull

Route is all road and although I am commuting, it's a commuter/winter bike so don't want anything to slow me down at the weekend.

Will be running 28c.

I've used Gatorskins in the past but had one or 2 off's in the wet due to their lack of grip - puncture resistance isn't a doubt but lost confidence in their handling.

Something I should have mentioned.....I have the option to go tubeless. Not something that I've really though about - is it wortht it and more importantly going to be reliable enough commuting day in day out?

step83

I was close to that on my Pro4 endurance's before I put them away for winter carcass is a bit marked but nothings gone through. It may be the case with the turbo riding you have crated a flat profile to the tyre.
As said your best off getting a spare rear wheel and using that with a turbo tyre even my annoying frameset it doesn't take long to swap the wheels round.

cycleclinic

As the case with all things some tyres are more reliable than others. I find the tyres I use very reliable. Other find other brands good too but some find issues. the main problem is people get a puncture that wont seal and then expect a tyre worm to sort out the problem and then put a tube in and think damm what is the effing point. They have forgotten about flexible superglue. I keep repeating this because the tyre worm and flexible superglue together will fix the hole that wont seal. Also you have to top up the sealant every so often. Stans goes watery as the latex comes out of solution and that does not work. Other brands of sealant to work well too but dont last forever. I use stans or zefal sealant. I dont have tubeless issues. For reference I use IRC tubeless tyres. You could say I am biased as I am a retailer also but there is a reason why I go to the trouble of importing these. It would be easier to buy hutchinson, schwable or one of the others with UK distribution. The Hutchinson Sector tyres are generally liked but many of the others are ok for some but lacking in some way for others.

I ride nearly every day on tubeless tyres nearly 7000km on the current set and this is all commuting miles on suffolk/essex country lanes and all is well. The rear tyre has been patched twice has a tyre worm fixing a third hole and after an off road excursion flexible superglue is holding together a side wall cut. Somehow the tyre keeps on trucking. the front does not even look worn. This is what a tubeless tyre can be like. bike is 9kg 7kg of load min and me 85+kg.

so yes go tubeless but do your self a favour carry some superglue and keep the sealant topped up regardless of what model of tyre you have.

pippi_langsamer-2

If you're cutting up P4 Endurance tyres, you're doing well! In my experience, they're the most robust, yet nice riding tyre I've ever come across in about thirty years of riding! I use them all year round, and have raced on them too when my Conti tubs were out of action due to a puncture. I suspect the turbo has compromised them somewhat.....coupled with pretty high mileage!

milemuncher1

Pippi Langsamer wrote:

If you're cutting up P4 Endurance tyres, you're doing well! In my experience, they're the most robust, yet nice riding tyre I've ever come across in about thirty years of riding! I use them all year round, and have raced on them too when my Conti tubs were out of action due to a puncture. I suspect the turbo has compromised them somewhat.....coupled with pretty high mileage!

The rolling resistance graphs, and reviews. With comparisons to other tyres.

http://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com ... ce-v2-2015

Here.

and here.

http://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com ... ition-2016

pippi_langsamer-2

Milemuncher1 wrote:

Pippi Langsamer wrote:

If you're cutting up P4 Endurance tyres, you're doing well! In my experience, they're the most robust, yet nice riding tyre I've ever come across in about thirty years of riding! I use them all year round, and have raced on them too when my Conti tubs were out of action due to a puncture. I suspect the turbo has compromised them somewhat.....coupled with pretty high mileage!

The rolling resistance graphs, and reviews. With comparisons to other tyres.

http://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com ... ce-v2-2015

Here.

and here.

http://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com ... ition-2016

Marvellous tyres. I'm surprised to learn from that tech garb', that the P4E's actually have the same RR as my "race", Conti Competition tubulars :shock: Both are 25mm, although the P4E's are renowned for being more voluminous than their size suggests.

So sure, not as good as some of the more "racey", tyres in regard RR, but not a bad figure at all, and I'll take that with their superb cut resistance and puncture protection. I say this everytime, and each time consider myself cursed, but I'll say it again anyway. "I've had two punctures on P4E's in the last 5 years riding". That's a sets on my winter bike and sets on my summer bike training wheels.