Tyre recommendations

turnerc99
turnerc99 Posts: 61
edited June 2007 in Commuting chat
I know this one comes up regularly, but I thought I'd see what the latest thinking was. I'm sick of getting punctures in my Conti GP3000s so I'm going to put some new tyres on and see if that makes any difference. I don't commute as often as I'd like to, but it is 35 miles each way. I weigh 16 stone at the moment (hoping to get that down!) and I ride on 700c x 23mm. Does anyone have any recommendations? I'm thinking of going back to Armadillos, but I'd welcome any thoughts or suggestions.

Cheers,
Chris

Comments

  • domtyler
    domtyler Posts: 2,648
    edited February 2011
    I have just fitted Conti Sport Contacts 700 x 28 to my winter bike, which I am using a lot at the moment due to all the rain. They are really quick and come with a one year no puncture guarantee. If you puncture they will reimburse your money. And they come with free tubes. Being 28 mm they are more forgiving than 23s too but you lose very little in speed, none that I could notice without doing some kind of lab test.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Porridge not Petrol
    ________
    MONTANA MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Porridge not Petrol
  • I tried the Sports Contacts - they punctured, and I couldn't be bothered to send it back to Wiggle for the guarantee - so I gave up and changed to Spesh All Conditions Pro - they just don't puncture (roll nicer too).
  • joebe
    joebe Posts: 333
    Bontranger Racelite Hardcase everytime. No contest.

    <hr noshade size="1">
    <center>
    <i><b><font size="3"><font color="violet">
    pink is the new black</font id="violet">
    </i></b></font id="size3">
    <font color="red"><font size="2">Doris hanging out by the river </font id="red"></font id="size2"></center>
    pink is the new black
    Doris hanging out by the river
  • <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by joebe</i>

    Bontranger Racelite Hardcase everytime. No contest.
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">Seconded. I read someone, and I don't remember who sadly, recommended these on here a few months ago. Great tyres for commuting on.

    But an absolute b*gger to get on!
  • dondare
    dondare Posts: 2,113
    Schwalbe Marathon Plus.
    Heavy, and even harder to get on than Bontrager Hardcases, but roll well and simply don't puncture.

    This sig is under construction.
    This post contains traces of nuts.
  • alecstilleyedye
    alecstilleyedye Posts: 1,170
    vittoria rubinos. bombproof, but if you get them from lbs it's worth paying a few extra quid to have them put on as they are impossible to get on first time round (but once on are ok to come off after a day or so and go back easily).
    and in colours to match most bikes.

    if i had a better signature, i'd use that instead
    riding on my bicycle, i saw a motorcrash…
  • peterbr
    peterbr Posts: 2,076
    At 101kg, riding a 23c, unless that's all you can get on isn't really a good idea.

    If you look at say the inflation guide for say a pro race, you'll see that the maximum rated pressure is reached at 85kg. Therefore it follows you'd have to run over the maximum pressure for the tyre to work properly. I do this as I'm 90kg. In order to for the tyre to run properly, you'd have to run it even further over the rated pressure which could be dangerous (but probably is OK) both for the tyre and the rim, or as you are probably doing, you are running it on the sidewalls, underinflated, which isn't efficient and makes you prone to puncture.

    You'd be better off with a 25c or probably 28c in terms of rolling efficiency.



    <hr noshade size="1">
    "Europe's nations should be guided towards a superstate without their people understanding what is happening. This can be accomplished by successive steps, each disguised as having an economic purpose, but which will eventually and irreversibly lead to federation"
    Jean Monnet, founding father of the EU.
    <hr noshade size="1">
    "Europe\'s nations should be guided towards a superstate without their people understanding what is happening. This can be accomplished by successive steps, each disguised as having an economic purpose, but which will eventually and irreversibly lead to federation"
    Jean Monnet, founding father of the EU.
  • Uncle Mort
    Uncle Mort Posts: 1,124
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by dondare</i>

    Schwalbe Marathon Plus.
    Heavy, and even harder to get on than Bontrager Hardcases, but roll well and simply don't puncture.

    This sig is under construction.
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    +1

    __________________
    <font size="1">In his mid forties and still unusual</font id="size1">
  • Buster49
    Buster49 Posts: 42
    Schwalbe Marathon Plus

    +2
  • timmins
    timmins Posts: 40
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by andyp</i>

    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by joebe</i>

    Bontranger Racelite Hardcase everytime. No contest.
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">Seconded. I read someone, and I don't remember who sadly, recommended these on here a few months ago. Great tyres for commuting on.

    But an absolute b*gger to get on!
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    Thirded. I gave up on expensive tyres after a blow-out on a two-week old Vittoria. Stopped at the nearest bike shop, got two cheesy/cheapy Bontranger Racelites. Not one p*nct*r* since i got them about 600 miles ago.
  • Hairy Jock
    Hairy Jock Posts: 558
    Ultra GatorSkin are the way to go...

    A hirsute Scotsman.

    **************

    Best advice I ever got was "better get a bike then"
    Cycle commuting since 1994. Blog with cycle bits.
    **************
    Best advice I ever got was "better get a bike then"
    Cycle commuting since 1994. Blog with cycle bits.
    Also with the old C+ crowd at Cycle Chat.
  • <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by domtyler</i>

    I have just fitted Conti Sport Contacts 700 x 28 to my winter bike, which I am using a lot at the moment due to all the rain. They are really quick and come with a one year no puncture guarantee. If you puncture they will reimburse your money. And they come with free tubes. Being 28 mm they are more forgiving than 23s too but you lose very little in speed, none that I could notice without doing some kind of lab test.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Porridge not Petrol
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    Totally agree. I have the 700 x 28 on my road bike and 26 x 1.3 on my mtb and they are excellent. 5 years and 6000 miles now since my last p*ncture


    My e bay bargain œ 31.05
    http://tinyurl.com/366awv

    My commuting bike
    http://tinyurl.com/366awv
  • goo_mason
    goo_mason Posts: 148
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by dondare</i>

    Schwalbe Marathon Plus.
    Heavy, and even harder to get on than Bontrager Hardcases, but roll well and simply don't puncture.

    This sig is under construction.
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    +3

    You can ride over broken glass with impunity with these on !

    Cheers !

    Grant
    Three From Leith podcast
    www.threefromleith.com
    Cheers !

    Grant
    Three From Leith podcast
    www.threefromleith.com
  • dubnobass
    dubnobass Posts: 337
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by timmins</i>

    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by andyp</i>

    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by joebe</i>

    Bontranger Racelite Hardcase everytime. No contest.
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">Seconded. I read someone, and I don't remember who sadly, recommended these on here a few months ago. Great tyres for commuting on.

    But an absolute b*gger to get on!
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    Thirded. I gave up on expensive tyres after a blow-out on a two-week old Vittoria. Stopped at the nearest bike shop, got two cheesy/cheapy Bontranger Racelites. Not one p*nct*r* since i got them about 600 miles ago.

    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
    Fourthed. I switched over to these about 800 miles ago, no punctures so far. They were quite tricky to get on the rims, though, so I hope I don't puncture on-the-go.

    <font size="1">If I had a baby elephant, I'd re-enact THAT scene from Blue Peter, with John Noakes, on a daily basis. Wouldn't you? <i>"Ooh, gerroff me foot!"</i></font id="size1">
    Only so many songs can be sung with two lips two lungs and one tongue
  • Wolf04
    Wolf04 Posts: 51
    <i>Originally posted by Hairy Jock</i>

    Ultra GatorSkin are the way to go...

    A hirsute Scotsman.

    Have to agree, one visit from the P fairy and that was 3500 miles ago, much lighter than Schwalbe Marathon+s too. Can get a little interesting in the wet though.

    They told me to take up cycling, they said I'd save money. They lied
    They told me to take up cycling, they said I\'d save money. They lied
  • tstegers
    tstegers Posts: 300
    <font face="Verdana"></font id="Verdana">I weigh more than 100kg, I have been using 23mm Michelin Prorace for the last five years. I have practically forgotten how to repair punctures.

    They first came to my attention on the train home to Sevenoaks with a much lighter friend mine, he's about 75kg. On the train II observed his rear Michelin was full of flints and glass. Any one of these objects would have done for me in a few hundred yards had they been in my tyres. Shocked I dug out all the rubbish with a small knife. On the way down Hubbards hill, I routinely touch 85kph down this hill, he rolled faster than I did. By then I knew they didn't puncture and here they were faster than whatever I was running, most likely Vittoria or Vredesteins. I fitted a new pair to do the PBP in 2003 - it can be a struggle but you can get them on and off without levers btw. A couple of years later the rear was completly shot to the point you could see the carcass construction through the tread. I did not have a puncture with that tyre. It is the first time I have thrown a tyre away never having punctured it.


    Theo Stegers
    Theo Stegers
  • Hackbike 6
    Hackbike 6 Posts: 3,116
    That's not a bad record with p*nct*r*s.Perhaps I should give them a try.

    <font color="green"><font size="1">Hackbike 8 Commuting Debut 09/09/2006</font id="green"></font id="size1"><font size="1"><font color="blue">Dawes Audax 2006</font id="blue"></font id="size1"><font size="1"><font color="green"> New 20/09/2006</font id="green"><font color="red"> </font id="red"></font id="size1">
    <font color="blue">
    <font size="1"><font color="red"> Cycle Commuting since 1981 </font id="red"></font id="blue"></font id="size1">
    <font color="blue">
    <font size="1">Cycling Proficiency Test 24 May 1977</font id="blue"><font color="red"><font size="1"> (30 years ago)</font id="size1"></font id="red"></font id="size1">

    <font size="1"><font color="red"> Ride to work part 1 of 8 http://tinyurl.com/ypjapc</font id="size1"></font id="red">
    <font color="red"><font size="1">Ride to work part 2 of 8 </font id="size1"></font id="red"><font size="1">http://tinyurl.com/2jfagu</font id="size1">
    <font color="red"><font size="1">Ride to work part 3 of 8</font id="red"></font id="size1"><font size="1"> http://tinyurl.com/2jcldv </font id="size1">

    <font size="1">Most Sickening Car Advert 2007</font id="size1"> <font size="1">http://tinyurl.com/36nq2e</font id="size1">