Tyres, tubes and looking silly

mossychops
mossychops Posts: 262
edited July 2011 in Commuting chat
I have a Focus Variado in darkish red and white with a puncture. I am also very poor at the moment (as everyone is). I need to get a new inner tube for it (and a couple spare). The bike came with Schwalbe Lugano tyres which I quite like and the puncture protection seems to work very well (most of the time).

I do quite quite the idea of some spanky looking red tyres, has anyone spotted any good deals at the moment for some inner tubes and for some good tyres in darkish red with puncture protection (hopefully about £10 a tyre) and will they look stupid and a bit over the top having red tyres on a red bike?

Thanks again for your time and suggestions guys.

focus-variado-08-med.jpg

Comments

  • iPete
    iPete Posts: 6,076
    For £10 a tyre I'd stick with what you have, buy some patches and check there at the right psi to reduce the risk of more.. cheapest option!

    If you want to pimp regardless, get red Schwalbe Lugano, seem to fit your budget!

    If your feeling flush and don't want winter use, some Michelin Pro3s would look nice and roll even better..
    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Michelin-Pro- ... 0263338983?
  • outcastjack
    outcastjack Posts: 237
    CRC have Michelin tubes at £2 a pop at the moment.

    they also have Michelin Spedium tyres which come in a range of colors for £7 each.
    They are not bad tyres, I have only had one puncture in 1000 miles or cycling and that was thanks to me running them at stupidly low pressures.
    rolling resistance seems pretty good when inflated to 100-110 psi.

    However I imagine you would be dissapointed if you are coming from good tyres.
  • mossychops
    mossychops Posts: 262
    iPete wrote:

    If you want to pimp regardless, get red Schwalbe Lugano, seem to fit your budget!

    If your feeling flush and don't want winter use, some Michelin Pro3s would look nice and roll even better..
    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Michelin-Pro- ... 0263338983?

    Nice looking tyres, do they have puncture protection? WIll think about saving up for them if I don't get them now (hopefully have some more money soon). Is the rolling resistance actually noticeable?

    Has anyone seen the red Luganos in real life? I think they used to be solid red but now are black down the middle, does this look better than solid red or not so good? I am very impressed with the Lugano I have, although there is quite a few chunks missing from the tyres now (so they should really be replaced), it was only when I got lost and had to roll it off-road over thorns and all sorts for a while that I had a puncture (even 110psi I don't think anything will survive my trip).
    outcastjack wrote:
    CRC have Michelin tubes at £2 a pop at the moment.

    Spot on for the tubes, will order some rather than patch em (never had much luck with repaired tubes). Will check out those Michelin too.

    Would I notice any advantage in folding tyres if they are always kept on the bike?
  • will3
    will3 Posts: 2,173
    if you[re feeling poor, why don't you just mend the pucture?
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    The pro3's are essentially race tyres, while the Lugano that you have are training tyres.

    it is unlikely and unrealistic for the Pro3's to offer the same durability.
  • richVSrich
    richVSrich Posts: 527
    wiggle has your tyres for a tenner each, and you can see what they look like band new ;)

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/schwalbe-lugano-road-tyre

    surely 'nuff said?
    Boardman Hybrid Commuter Workhorse
  • richVSrich
    richVSrich Posts: 527
    ...and my signature works! yay! :)
    Boardman Hybrid Commuter Workhorse
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Basically, try not to spend money you don't have making your bike look crap! This advice, applied more generally, will improve your quality of life no end :lol:
    Faster than a tent.......
  • iPete
    iPete Posts: 6,076
    The Pro3s roll very nicely but as said won't offer much puncture protection, mine live on my dry day weekend wheels, they feel very nice and smooth. I'm not sure how much protection £10 tyres give but you seem to have done ok. If it ain't broke and your broke, don't fix it...
  • mossychops
    mossychops Posts: 262
    will3 wrote:
    if you[re feeling poor, why don't you just mend the pucture?

    I don't mind spending £2 on a tube, I never seem to repair tubes so well and they seem to fail so £2 to save changing a tube on a ride is ok for me.

    Still would like some advice from someone who has seen red tyres on a bike, do they look ok or a bit much? My existing tyres are cut up pretty badly so will need replacing at some point.
  • richVSrich
    richVSrich Posts: 527
    mossychops wrote:
    will3 wrote:
    if you[re feeling poor, why don't you just mend the pucture?

    I don't mind spending £2 on a tube, I never seem to repair tubes so well and they seem to fail so £2 to save changing a tube on a ride is ok for me.

    Still would like some advice from someone who has seen red tyres on a bike, do they look ok or a bit much? My existing tyres are cut up pretty badly so will need replacing at some point.

    if you want red tyres, then go for it!

    did you see my earlier reply? your tyres cost £10!
    Boardman Hybrid Commuter Workhorse
  • Mr Plum
    Mr Plum Posts: 1,097
    I wouldn't ride on Michelin Speedium 2s if someone paid me. Over about 300 miles I had 4 punctures. The last 3500 miles I've done on Continental Supersport Plus tyres and not had a single puncture.

    Get the red Luganos in Rich's link...
    FCN 2 to 8
  • mossychops
    mossychops Posts: 262
    richVSrich wrote:

    did you see my earlier reply? your tyres cost £10!

    I did mate thank you; apologies for not acknowledging your help, I am thinking for £10 it's worth getting some, been quite happy with the ones that came on the bike, but as its my first road bike I don't really have anything to compare them to.

    Shame they don't show the tyres on a bike (the pics actually look like they are computer generated for most tyres) and shame they're not red all over instead of striped, but £10 I reckon is a goer. Some very expensive bikes have red tyres and look great in pics, but I have not seen any in real life - maybe I'm just having flashbacks to my bmx I had as a child.

    Puncture protection is essential for me, but I am interested in also reducing resistance as I'm planning to do my first century soon.

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