The Wonderful World of Road Bike Tires

stb222

Love Drunk
Jerk Squad
Mounted up the new contis and after I installed the front wheel I noticed I didn't have to release the air it fit between the caliper.So I measured the rear tire width and it was 28mm, tire is a bontrager R1 wire bead 700 x 25c but mesured 28mm.The new Continental 4000s 2 700 x 25c is exactly 25mm.
I recently picked up 4000s II's, 23 for the front and 25 for the rear. 23 measured actually 23 and the 25 measured 24, however the 25 tire is visibly a larger diameter, where in theory they should all be 700 on the outer diameter. In any case, it looks like conti has address their "always bigger" than the printed size, at least with the 4000s II.

From Sheldon Brown with some insight.

Traditional Sizing Systems
The traditional sizing systems are based on a measurement of the outside diameter of a tire. This would usually be measured in inches (26", 27", etc.) or millimeters (650, 700, etc.).

Unfortunately, evolution of tires and rims has made these measurements lose contact with reality. Here's how it works: Let's start with the 26 x 2.125 size that became popular on heavyweight "balloon tire" bikes in the late '30's and still remains common on "beach cruiser" bikes. This size tire is very close to 26 inches in actual diameter. Some riders, however were dissatisfied with these tires, and wanted something a bit lighter and faster. The industry responded by making "middleweight" tires, marked 26 x 1.75 to fit the same rims. Although they are still called "26 inch", these tires are actually 25 5/8", not 26". This same rim size was adopted by the early pioneers of west-coast "klunkers", and became the standard for mountain bikes. Due to the appetite of the market, you can get tires as narrow as 25 mm to fit these rims, so you wind up with a "26 inch" tire that is more like 24 7/8" in actual diameter!

A second number or letter code would indicate the width of the tire. (26 x 1.75, 27 x 1 1/4...650B, 700C...)


Dishonesty in Sizing
Competitive pressures have often led to inaccuracy in width measurement. Here's how it works: Suppose you are in the market for a high performance 700 x 25 tire; you might reasonably investigate catalogues and advertisements to try to find the lightest 700-25 available. If the Pepsi Tire Company and the Coke Tire Company had tires of equal quality and technology, but the Pepsi 700-25 was actually a 700-24 marked as a 25, the Pepsi tire would be lighter than the accurately-marked Coke 700-25. This would put them at a competitive advantage. In self defense, Coke would retaliate by marketing an even lighter 700-23 labeled as a 700-25.

This scenario prevailed throughout the '70's and '80's. The situation got so out-of-hand that cooler heads have prevailed, and there is a strong (but not universal) trend toward accurate width measurements.
 

Robson

Well-Known Member
I have Continental Grand Prix on my bike this year. After 2000 miles rear one still look decent. Grip is great. Recommended:)
 
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Pagliacci

Well-Known Member
You guys guilted me into swapping my front tire.

20150813_161834.jpg
20150813_161339.jpg


This tire has looked like this for the last 2000 miles. It's a Bontrager Race Lite Hard Case.

Early last year, I sliced the sidewall of my rear tire. I walked about 2 miles to a shop and bought his only 28 in stock, which was an Armadillo. Dude was like "I don't think you're gonna make it home with that front tire, but if you do, you'd better replace it before your next ride"

A couple of weeks ago, that Armadillo gave up the ghost (maybe 1500 miles on it). But I was still putting 120 psi in that front and beating the hell out of it with no problems.

Again, the lbs had only 1 28 in stock (some newer, all weather version), so I took it and had them order me one for the front.
Like 3 rides later, the new tire took a metal shard (on the last ride of 31/31), but that front has rolled along all this time with no flats.

I'm really bummed that Bontrager discontinued these tires.

I'm sure I'm gonna jinx myself by going with a new tire before the old one fails, but you guys spooked me.
 
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Delish

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Dishonesty in Sizing
[snip]This scenario prevailed throughout the '70's and '80's. The situation got so out-of-hand that cooler heads have prevailed, and there is a strong (but not universal) trend toward accurate width measurements.

Except that in the '70s and '80s, dudes were running 19c tires at like 12 bar. Stiff tire on flexy bikes & rims. Nowadays, bikes are stiffer and tires are softer. Go figure. Or maybe it's just that the people softer are softer now than the hard men of the Merckx Hinault era.

France apparently hasn't gotten the memo. Just put on some 25c Michelin Pro4 that measure almost 27 on Archetypes and I'm a happy garçon.
 

rlb

Well-Known Member
Bring out yer dead

Anything new in the world of road bike tires? I've kept on with a set of GP 4000S, but after killing my front on some road debris yesterday I had to purchase a new tire, which is a 4000S II. Haven't put a ride on it yet, but compared side by side with the og version the II feels harder and is not as wide (both are 25).

Maybe I'm talking out of turn but I'm thinking I might not like the IIs as much.
 

jdog

Shop: Halter's Cycles
Shop Keep
https://www.schwalbetires.com/bike_tires/racing_tires/pro-one

These can be run with or w/o tubes.




Bring out yer dead

Anything new in the world of road bike tires? I've kept on with a set of GP 4000S, but after killing my front on some road debris yesterday I had to purchase a new tire, which is a 4000S II. Haven't put a ride on it yet, but compared side by side with the og version the II feels harder and is not as wide (both are 25).

Maybe I'm talking out of turn but I'm thinking I might not like the IIs as much.
 

stb222

Love Drunk
Jerk Squad
Bring out yer dead

Anything new in the world of road bike tires? I've kept on with a set of GP 4000S, but after killing my front on some road debris yesterday I had to purchase a new tire, which is a 4000S II. Haven't put a ride on it yet, but compared side by side with the og version the II feels harder and is not as wide (both are 25).

Maybe I'm talking out of turn but I'm thinking I might not like the IIs as much.
Please send me that tire, I will fix it Ride it.

TheII has been out for 3-4 years? Anyways, it is the same great tire and a good compromise of rolling resistance and durability. If you can tell the difference on the bike, I'd be surprised. I have put roughly 15,000 miles on the II. The only clinchers with less
Rolling resistance are the specialized turbos, but they will only last 1,000 miles compared to the 3000 I get out of II.
 

rlb

Well-Known Member
Maybe I'm talking out of turn but I'm thinking I might not like the IIs as much.
Guess I should have kept my mouth shut until I actually rode the tire. Feels good, but I did notice a little different feel at the bars. I'm guessing that was due to the size difference, but I was over it by the end of my 10 mile leisure ride.


Interested, how's the durability on these? My rims are tubeless ready but the front has a pretty good ding in the bead, so I'm not sure it'll actually hold.

Please send me that tire, I will fix it Ride it.

TheII has been out for 3-4 years? Anyways, it is the same great tire and a good compromise of rolling resistance and durability. If you can tell the difference on the bike, I'd be surprised. I have put roughly 15,000 miles on the II. The only clinchers with less
Rolling resistance are the specialized turbos, but they will only last 1,000 miles compared to the 3000 I get out of II.

Gonna fix it! I needed to get back on the road ASAP.
 

jackx

Well-Known Member

The info on the Schwalbe website from your link above indicates that the "DOC Blue Professional puncture protection liquid is "Produced by Stan's No Tubes!"

Does anyone know if anyone else is just using the Stan's No Tubes protectant we all use for MTB tires? Are there compatibility issues?

Also What about using Stan's yellow tape? Thanks!
 

Soundguy

#SenditGuy
Team MTBNJ Halter's
This has probably already been discussed here... but can somebody point me towards some good “mildly wet” road tires? Currently have Continental Gatorskins (25c) and almost died today trying to brake for an asshole driver that cut me off. These also came on a 16 year old bike I just picked up...so no telling how long the rubber has been on there. Love the smoothness overall but have zero confidence with it in wet. I don’t want to go too extreme.... if roads are that bad I’ll just hop on the mountain bike.
 

shrpshtr325

Infinite Source of Sarcasm
Team MTBNJ Halter's
This has probably already been discussed here... but can somebody point me towards some good “mildly wet” road tires? Currently have Continental Gatorskins (25c) and almost died today trying to brake for an asshole driver that cut me off. These also came on a 16 year old bike I just picked up...so no telling how long the rubber has been on there. Love the smoothness overall but have zero confidence with it in wet. I don’t want to go too extreme.... if roads are that bad I’ll just hop on the mountain bike.


those tires are almost certainly aged out, just replace em, i been running maxxis detonators on my road bike with good luck.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AO7L6W/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 

Ian F

Well-Known Member
Funny thing about road tires is finding a comfortable pressure. For years I generally ran about 100 psi. But I was also usually running 23c tires. The last set I installed are 25c, which is about as large as my mid-90's Colnago can take. 100 psi is not comfortable. Finally settled on around 90 psi. Of course, now the tires are nearly worn out and I'll get to start the process all over again...

This reminds me the wheels for that bike are really due for a rebuild with new rims. The current build are at least 20 years old and are finally starting to get a bit wobbly. I need to drop these off at Halters and see if any tubeless options are available.
 
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