The Wonderful World of Road Bike Tires

grilledcheeseking

Well-Known Member
Ok, now that I have a few hundred miles on the rubino's and everyone failed to mention that the rubino's roll about as good as I imagine my dick stretched around my wheel would. The rolling resistance is like if you covered your tire with tubbie glue and went for a ride. And this is compared to conti 4 seasons, which I thought was a slow tire.

Not to mention, already have this in the tread. Could be the lock of the draw, but....


So far not impressed but I guess the cost of admission is lower, so that is a plus.

Now the EVO's, that is a different story, now that is a nice tire and at 27c, nice and fat. Peeps complained about the price but I found them for $100 for the set, which is the same price the rubino's were. Anyone want to buy some rubino pro techs with 300 miles?

Top notch sales pitch.
 

extremedave

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Looking for suggestions. My Bontrager R3 which is light, quick, and rides nice has a couple nasty cuts in a fairly short period of time. Reviews seem to back this trait up. Looking for something still fast and supple but a little more durable. I don't put the miles on that some of you do, so I'd err on the side of a quicker tire. Ideas? Thanks. 700/23c if it matters.
 

stb222

Love Drunk
Jerk Squad
Looking for suggestions. My Bontrager R3 which is light, quick, and rides nice has a couple nasty cuts in a fairly short period of time. Reviews seem to back this trait up. Looking for something still fast and supple but a little more durable. I don't put the miles on that some of you do, so I'd err on the side of a quicker tire. Ideas? Thanks. 700/23c if it matters.
Conti 4000s II's. Very durable, low rolling resistance, excellent puncture resistance.

Vittoria CX III's are excellent and are an "open tubular" clincher design. They are very supple with good rolling resistance however at the cost of durability, expect less than 2000 miles out of these.
 

jmanic

JORBA Board Member/Chapter Leader
Staff member
JORBA.ORG
Team MTBNJ Halter's
And what about size recommendation?
Seems like everyone in the air pressure thread was suggesting 25c's.
 

rlb

Well-Known Member
Conti 4000s II's. Very durable, low rolling resistance, excellent puncture resistance.

You seem to be the only one who can make this tire last. My rear Conti 4000s has a bunch of micro cuts all around, to the point where it's coming off the bike because I don't trust it. There's also a bigger gash from a few months ago that I taped up. This is the 3rd that I've gone through in less than a year.

Picked up another Rubino to replace it, though I trashed the sidewall of my first Rubino within 100 miles so my "final selection" is still up in the air. Plus these are not as wide as the Conti 25s, so that's really strike 2.

Might wind up trying the 4 seasons too.
 

clarkenstein

JORBA Board Member/Chapter Leader
JORBA.ORG
Might wind up trying the 4 seasons too.

i think the 4 seasons are a good tire for the masses. i have put enough miles on my 4 seasons to say i like them. whats nice about them is i trust them. i have barreled down Montgomery in the Sourlands at a real good clip multiple times now and my 4 seasons are still in fine shape.

i recommend them if you want a tire you can rely on. if you can't mentally or emotionally handle being slower than other people, i think you should look for a different tire.
 

stb222

Love Drunk
Jerk Squad
You seem to be the only one who can make this tire last. My rear Conti 4000s has a bunch of micro cuts all around, to the point where it's coming off the bike because I don't trust it. There's also a bigger gash from a few months ago that I taped up. This is the 3rd that I've gone through in less than a year.

Picked up another Rubino to replace it, though I trashed the sidewall of my first Rubino within 100 miles so my "final selection" is still up in the air. Plus these are not as wide as the Conti 25s, so that's really strike 2.

Might wind up trying the 4 seasons too.
4 seasons are good tires and very durable and I have found 4000s to be the same durability.

There are two things to make tires last:

Open your eyes
Ride Light

I can't teach these things but it isn't like I just ride nice roads.
 

rlb

Well-Known Member
if you can't mentally or emotionally handle being slower than other people, i think you should look for a different tire.

If this were a problem I would have given up a long time ago. Or yesterday, same difference!
 

rlb

Well-Known Member
4 seasons are good tires and very durable and I have found 4000s to be the same durability.

There are two things to make tires last:

Open your eyes
Ride Light

I can't teach these things but it isn't like I just ride nice roads.

I try to ride as light as I can, but there's always the inevitable moment. Wait, I'm supposed to have my eyes open for this?
 

jackx

Well-Known Member
There's also a bigger gash from a few months ago that I taped up. This is the 3rd that I've gone through in less than a year.

Just wondering, is that taped-up gash in the sidewalk or in the tread? Are you using that as a rear tire?
 

rlb

Well-Known Member
In the tread, but close to the sidewall. It's not a gash all the way through, its a split in the tread on the outside, doesn't go through the casing but its quite deep. It's on the rear, should be coming off tonight if I find the time.
 

stb222

Love Drunk
Jerk Squad
In the tread, but close to the sidewall. It's not a gash all the way through, its a split in the tread on the outside, doesn't go through the casing but its quite deep. It's on the rear, should be coming off tonight if I find the time.
Just put a tire patch on the inside of the casing where the gash is for peace of mind. You also use a piece of tire boot but they are thick and sometimes you can feel them as you ride.
 

rlb

Well-Known Member
Just put a tire patch on the inside of the casing where the gash is for peace of mind. You also use a piece of tire boot but they are thick and sometimes you can feel them as you ride.

Maybe what I should really be asking is how much is too much when all of these little nics start adding up? The one in question is similar to the pic you posted of the Rubino, not quite as bad, but I also have a bunch more that are smaller.
 

stb222

Love Drunk
Jerk Squad
Maybe what I should really be asking is how much is too much when all of these little nics start adding up? The one in question is similar to the pic you posted of the Rubino, not quite as bad, but I also have a bunch more that are smaller.
Until you start getting flats. I have ridden 4 seasons and 4000s's down to the threads, so I am probably not the best guide for that. Some people say when the tire has a flat spot in the middle but I have gotten 1000 more miles after that happens, so who knows. But yeah, that is why I like the conti tires, because the tread seems less susceptible to cuts than the vittoria, hutchinson and Michelin tires I have tried.
 

rlb

Well-Known Member
Until you start getting flats. I have ridden 4 seasons and 4000s's down to the threads, so I am probably not the best guide for that. Some people say when the tire has a flat spot in the middle but I have gotten 1000 more miles after that happens, so who knows. But yeah, that is why I like the conti tires, because the tread seems less susceptible to cuts than the vittoria, hutchinson and Michelin tires I have tried.

So you keep riding them when you get those little cuts in the tread? I think this thread needs more pics.
 

stb222

Love Drunk
Jerk Squad
So you keep riding them when you get those little cuts in the tread? I think this thread needs more pics.
I had a set of rubinos 4 opr 5 years ago that within 10 rides looked like I rolled over a mile glass shards. While it doesnt boost confidence: no flats no care
 

Glenn Rides After 4 PM CST

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Just got a pair of conti 4000s 2's to replace my bontrager r1 tires.I think a cased a pot hole trying to bunny hop it.Tube didn't pop rode it home 10 miles.
IMG_20150802_202857042.jpg
 
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Glenn Rides After 4 PM CST

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
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.
 
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