The Wonderful World of Road Bike Tires

[clarkenstein]

so i need new tires for the roadie. my rear tire is getting thin and i would like to avoid blowing out or something mid-ride. so for a change i'm gonna do some preventative maintenance and get new ones now and change them before i NEED to.

however, i am totally overwhelmed by the choices. i don't know what my current tire is for sure, but i think its the Kenda K-176, 700x28, which is the cheap stock tire that came with the bike. it wore out after 1,100 miles - is that too quick?

i don't care about weight a whole lot, so i don't want a paper thin racy race tire but i also don't want something that is a complete tank. any recommendations?

i ride mostly in the sourlands which means i hit dirt roads if that matters at all.

also, so i need a rear tire for the trainer in case it snows a million feet this year? or should i just use a normal tire?

 

[SpartaBard]

If you are not racing and don't care too much about weight take a look at the Continental 4-Season or the Gator Skins.

 

[vlkslvr]

If you are not racing and don't care too much about weight take a look at the Continental 4-Season or the Gator Skins.

2nd on the Gator Skins. I have ridden them for 2 seasons and I am extremely happy with them. Of course I've never really tried anything else. But they offer great flat protection, are quiet and have never given me a reason not to trust them, even descending at 40+ mph.

 

[Norm]

1100 is too quick, IMO

Use the tire that you are about to replace for the trainer. Just grind it to paste, it will be fine. When you flat on the trainer, then just ask someone (me) for another old POS to use for the trainer.

As for what to buy, I like the Vittoria Rubino Pro. Vittoria Pave is the green tire everyone loves but costs too much. These are a great alternative for those who don't want to bay a boat load and yet want some level of quality.

I'm sure you will now get a dozen different tire suggestions. I'm not small, so you know these are durable. I've had very much success with these, probably been running these for 2-3 years and haven't thought about it much at all.

 

[stb222]

I get 2500-3000 miles out of my 23c Conti 4000s and 4-Season tires. The 4000s is the best combo of durability, rolling resistance, puncture resistance and road feel that I have tried. 4-seasons for winter time only on my All-City (never switch over on the synapse and if I do, rear only) as in warmer temps the rolling resistance really jumps up as they are a softer rubber compound than the 4000s.

Also remember, fatter tires wears less (more distance per each rotation), not that much less but I have noticed differences between conti 23 and 25c.

The hardshell gatorskins SAD on wet roads and dont grip that well on turns (harder tire is less supple and does not conform to the road as well). Beware if you ride them on the front wheel on chip seal roads where the the chip has worn off.

Note that many have issues with the sidewalls on conti's and some of the hacks who dont pay attention to the road destroy them. I am not one of dem and ride the f'ers down to the threads.

Also note that apparently 4000s are discontinued and there is now the 4000s II, which I have heard is not as good.

 

[SpartaBard]

I get 2500-3000 miles out of my 23c Conti 4000s and 4-Season tires. The 4000s is the best combo of durability, rolling resistance, puncture resistance and road feel that I have tried. 4-seasons for winter time only on my All-City (never switch over on the synapse and if I do, rear only) as in warmer temps the rolling resistance really jumps up as they are a softer rubber compound than the 4000s.

Also remember, fatter tires wears less (more distance per each rotation), not that much less but I have noticed differences between conti 23 and 25c.

The hardshell gatorskins SAD on wet roads and dont grip that well on turns (harder tire is less supple and does not conform to the road as well). Beware if you ride them on the front wheel on chip seal roads where the the chip has worn off.

Note that many have issues with the sidewalls on conti's and some of the hacks who dont pay attention to the road destroy them. I am not one of dem and ride the f'ers down to the threads.

Also note that apparently 4000s are discontinued and there is now the 4000s II, which I have heard is not as good.

This is good info, I wasn't really aware of all this but am currently running the 4000s on my SuperSix and keep the 4-season on my All-City winter bike.

 

[rlb]

Also note that apparently 4000s are discontinued and there is now the 4000s II, which I have heard is not as good.

That's a bummer. Just recently switched to the 4000s and I'm liking them a lot, maybe I should try to find another pair while I still can :hmmm:

I had a pair of gatorskins that I liked too, but I hadn't ridden much else to compare them to. Wound up taking them off the bike after ~2500 miles due to aforementioned sidewall issues. Haven't noticed an issue yet on the new tires.

 

[soulchild]

Also note that apparently 4000s are discontinued and there is now the 4000s II, which I have heard is not as good.

I have read the same. I ride in and out of Edison, Piscataway, Plainfield area daily and the roads are super shitty. I have run 25c Conti 4000s for the last 4 years. I ordered a set earlier this year (over the II's) but knowing that they are discontinued, I might have to find another set or 2 while I still can and stock up.

 

[Pearl]

another +1 for the vittoria rubino pro. 25c is where its at. feels so comfy. the tire feels like a tubeless mountain bike tire. totally worth the extra cash over crappier tires.

i also ran that 24c pave and have found little to no difference. i ran the pave tires into the ground. zero flats on them until i had a catastrophic one that looks like someone stuck a pencil through.

 

[Norm]

Note that many have issues with the sidewalls on conti's and some of the hacks who dont pay attention to the road destroy them. I am not one of dem and ride the f'ers down to the threads.

I used to ride Contis fairly religiously then I got sidewall punctures in 203 of them in a row and swore off the entire company as a result. I have never had a sidewall puncture on a road tire before nor after. I'm sure it was shitty luck but I was disappointed the sidewall was so quick to give up the ghost.

But that was 5+ years ago. More than likely everything about the tire is totally redesigned & different now.

 

[pooriggy]

Also remember, fatter tires wears less (more distance per each rotation), not that much less but I have noticed differences between conti 23 and 25c.

Yes, I run 25 c on my roadbike and find it to be much more durable and just a bit more stable. I'm running the 4 season up front and the gator skin in the back. I've raced Battenkill 2x on these tires and have just left them on for hassle free road biking. If I was a hard core roadie I would have lighter tires but being a weight weenie requires more time and $$.

 

[Delish]

If 28c's fit on your bike, I'd go with them. Conti 28s, either 4-season or 4000. They run narrow so 28ss are more like 25's.

Rubino 28s are another good, reasonably priced option.

Lower pressure for wider tires, BTW #becausephysics

 

[Pearl]

ive always ran 100 psi in my tires regardless, too scared to drop it anymore

 

[clarkenstein]

If 28c's fit on your bike, I'd go with them. Conti 28s, either 4-season or 4000. They run narrow so 28ss are more like 25's.

Rubino 28s are another good, reasonably priced option.

Lower pressure for wider tires, BTW #becausephysics

ive always ran 100 psi in my tires regardless, too scared to drop it anymore

same here - i have always gone to 100 even though it claims 90 is where i should be. maybe i should try listening to the instructions.

 

[stb222]

I used to ride Contis fairly religiously then I got sidewall punctures in 203 of them in a row and swore off the entire company as a result. I have never had a sidewall puncture on a road tire before nor after. I'm sure it was shitty luck but I was disappointed the sidewall was so quick to give up the ghost.

But that was 5+ years ago. More than likely everything about the tire is totally redesigned & different now.

You are one of the ones I referring too , but that was 5 years ago as well. Let me put it this way, I can ride* specialzed MTB tires with ZERO issues with sidewalls.

*when I rode MTB that is

I rode the Rubino's and found them to slice way to easy/ After like 3 rides my tire looks like I rode it 2000 miles. Maybe it would be ok but it sure isnt a confidence booster.

 

[stb222]

If 28c's fit on your bike, I'd go with them. Conti 28s, either 4-season or 4000. They run narrow so 28ss are more like 25's.

Conti's run narrow? Or just the 28's? I found that the 23 = 25 and 25 is like 27. That is compared to a Hutchinson anyways./

 

[Sandman98]

How about tubeless? Did any of you tried a tubeless road tire set up?

 

[stb222]

How about tubeless? Did any of you tried a tubeless road tire set up?

Meh, not quite there too me. Too few tire choices and I found that the Hutchinson intensive started wearing bad around 1500 miles on two different bikes, which the ride benefit to cost ratio isn't that great. The sector tire looks cool but is stupid expensive right now. Maybe when there are better tires choices....

 

[Sandman98]

Meh, not quite there too me. Too few tire choices and I found that the Hutchinson intensive started wearing bad around 1500 miles on two different bikes, which the ride benefit to cost ratio isn't that great. The sector tire looks cool but is stupid expensive right now. Maybe when there are better tires choices....

I see. Thanks

 

[Patrick]

since we are on the same roads...

2012-2013 BIYF race was all on 23mm (??) gatorskins, which were walter's before - still look great, never flatted - would guess about 1500 miles on them.

running 23mm gp4000s on front & gp4000sii on the rear of the cannondale. so far so good - looks like 1100 on the 4ksii, minimal square off. over 2000mi on the front - np. last tire replacement (also 4ks) was a cut across the center of the tread, but the wear indicators were almost gone, so no issue...

have a couple small block 8s you can have for winter riding...!!