wet weather tyres.

murphy7
murphy7 Posts: 12
edited November 2007 in Workshop
Hi
Can anyone reccomend a good tyre for wet conditions, had a few to many hairy moments recently, i'm using conti gator skins at the moment which have been very durable but not to impressed in the wet.
Thanks.

Comments

  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Like many, you've found Contis tyres achilles heel. Most of the Michelin range are pretty good - Krylions are a good combination of handling and durability. There's also Vittoria Paves and Vredestein Fortezzas. Worth looking too at 25mm tyres - you can run lower pressures for a bigger 'footprint' without risking impact punctures.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • Ken Night
    Ken Night Posts: 2,005
    murphy7 wrote:
    Hi
    Can anyone reccomend a good tyre for wet conditions, had a few to many hairy moments recently, i'm using conti gator skins at the moment which have been very durable but not to impressed in the wet.
    Thanks.

    Stelvio Rain-quite outstanding in the wet, aid incidentally a good all round tyre
    “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best..." Ernest Hemingway
  • Lagavulin
    Lagavulin Posts: 1,688
    edited November 2007
    I've stuck Monty's recommended Krylion Carbons (albeit 23mm) on me dedicated winter/wet weather wheels. They've been good and what I'm most impressed with is their resistance to cuts. I've been out in some crappy weather, knowingly gone through glass on two occassions when cramped in by a truck and and a bus respectively, and generally been through crap on the exit of the local Tilcon quarry. I haven't got a single nick/cut in the Krylions whereas within a couple of weeks my GP4000s, and in particular the Mondo Pros, the treads were cut to shreds.

    I did however get caught out in the wet on my Fortezza Tricomps and deliberately pushed hard on those (brave or stupid :?:) to see how they behaved in the wet. I was quite impressed and I'm toying with getting another set to sling on the winter wheels.
    2010 Cannondale CAAD 9
    2008 Wilier Izoard
  • Cajun
    Cajun Posts: 1,048
    Panaracer Extreme EVO 2
    http://www.panaracer.com/road.php
    Cajun
  • campagsarge
    campagsarge Posts: 434
    Schwalbe Blizzard get good reports in my local cycling club. Never tried them myself but the guys that ride them are happy enough.
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    I've heard mixed reports on Schwalbe Stelvios - my LBS got a batch in for us to try and response was distinctly mixed - some suffered loads of punctures. After watching the Gerolsteiner riders continually slide around and crash on Schwalbe tyres in M-S-R this year I decided not to bother trying. For a 'race' tyre, Fortezzas are pretty tough and ride a bit softer than a Krylion - I can only fit 23mm tyres on one of my bikes due to a close clearances and the Fortezzas survived a winter of abuse with only one puncture.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • Yellow Cliff
    Yellow Cliff Posts: 231
    I found Schwalbe Blizzards really grippy in the wet, in fact they handled really well in all conditions. However, I also found them poor for puncture resistance.

    I'm now on Michelin Speediums and they haven't been bad for punctures (good in fact) but I find them very skittish in the wet - much worse than the Blizzards. It is a shame because I bought 4 at once on sale and now feel obliged to work my way through them, even though I have to corner incredibly gingerly in the wet.

    My favourite tyres are some old Hutchinson ones - I don't think they make them any more though. Grippy and puncture resistant.

    I also found that many Vittoria tyres handle well in the wet (the twin tread ones), but they just don't seem to last any time for me.
  • Jeff Jones
    Jeff Jones Posts: 1,865
    I like the Hutchinson Enduros for winter. Very grippy but not so fast and not super durable.
    Jeff Jones

    Product manager, Sports
  • Smokin Joe
    Smokin Joe Posts: 2,706
    Another vote for Fortezza Tricomps. Good grip and cut resistance, and at just under £15 from Ribble fantastic value for money.
  • MRS
    MRS Posts: 16
    Conit 4 seasons are great in the wet, i agree that gatorskins are useless. Imho, 4 seasons are the best overall winter tyre out there but they aren't cheap.
  • Colin Nago
    Colin Nago Posts: 27
    Schwalbe Blizzard Sports for me!

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