Okay, I'm shopping for a new set of tires for the year. I've used various Michellin, Specialized and Continental tires... liked some better than others, but now that I'm becoming educated in the vast world of cycling I'd like to try using a tire with a high TPI rating. So far I've found the Vittorias with 320 TPI. Does anyone know of any others?
Oh yeah, some helpful info... I live in southeast Michigan, the roads here are TERRIBLE!!! I'm thinking of the Vittoria Open Pavé Evo CG's or perhaps the Continental Ultra GatorSkins.
I currently weigh about 195 lbs so I'm thinking of going with something that offers a 25c (I know the Open Pavé Evo CG's only come in 24c).
FYI, Continental anything isn't high TPI. DedaTre's RS Corsa "open tubular" (clincher) has 300 TPI. Veloflex's clinchers are all 320 TPI. Vredrestein has some clinchers with 220 TPI, as well as some with 290 TPI.
Keep in mind that high TPI tires are almost always race tires. As such you shouldn't expect neither long life nor great puncture protection.
I've used Vittoria Open corsa 290TPI for several years, and I am satisfied with them in terms of performance, life, and puncture resistance. They also go on the rim easily (Bontrager rim). My next replacement would be the 320 TPI.
If you are not racing and only riding on [censored] roads then you are wasting your money on expensive thin-wall tyres. They are nice, I grant you, but they will not last long. Gatorskins might feel a little dead by comparison with the awesome Vittoria CX but they last for ever and are much cheaper.
I've used Paves and they are nice too but they still won't outlast the Contis.
... Oh yeah, some helpful info... I live in southeast Michigan, the roads here are TERRIBLE!!! I'm thinking of the Vittoria Open Pavé Evo CG's or perhaps the Continental Ultra GatorSkins. ...
Look for heavier-duty training tires, definitely 25mm, nothing less.
I was once looking at the gatorskins, but reviews seemed to tell me that they weren't much better than some other comparables (tho maybe lighter?). Given your conditions, I'd go with a heavier tire.
Thanks for the advice. I've read some reviews on the Conti Grand Prix 4000S's that sound pretty good. I'm not too concerned about sidewall punctures... never really had an issue with that. The only thing I don't like is that they only come in a 23c, but tread wear and durability sound pretty good and they're supposedly 330 TPI.
...but tread wear and durability sound pretty good and they're supposedly 330 TPI.
You have to be really careful with TPI numbers. True TPI is a value for a single ply. Continental's TPI, at least for the GP4000s, is 330 TPI total for 3 plies, meaning 110 TPI for a single ply. Physically this would be easy to feel if you flexed a GP4000 with your hands and then flexed a Vittoria Corsa Evo "open tubular" which has 320 TPI per ply.
The GP4000S's stick to the road like dog sh1t on the bottom of your shoe on a hot day.
I tried the latest Michelin's and had nothing but punctures but no extra grip over the Conti Attack/Force that they replaced. I tried the Vittoria Open Sphincter with 3,323,562 TPI - so named by me because they handled like bananas on a greased metal floor when the weather got really hot around here.
Wear on the 4000S's aint too bad. A little quicker to show signs of wear than the Attack/Force but not much. Pleasantly resistant to cuts and picking up road garbage like small glass pieces and thorns.
The GP4000S's stick to the road like dog sh1t on the bottom of your shoe on a hot day.
I tried the latest Michelin's and had nothing but punctures but no extra grip over the Conti Attack/Force that they replaced. I tried the Vittoria Open Sphincter with 3,323,562 TPI - so named by me because they handled like bananas on a greased metal floor when the weather got really hot around here.
Wear on the 4000S's aint too bad. A little quicker to show signs of wear than the Attack/Force but not much. Pleasantly resistant to cuts and picking up road garbage like small glass pieces and thorns.
That "chilli" compound rubber is great...
I went through two sets of Conti Sprinter Gatorskin tubies. For a while I thought they were the bee's niece, but both ended up being killed by sidewall cuts. Cut sidewalls is a problem I've really only had with Conti's, GP4000's included. That's just my experience though, and it has to be said that I live in tire hell. You want long pointy things? We got 'em by the truckload. Most of the desert plants have got pointy things on 'em. The monsoons give a beating to roads. A perfectly good road can be torn all asunder by just one flash flood. Those same monsoons wash the pointy things in the desert onto the roads.
At any rate, in terms of practicality a high TPI tire probably isn't the wisest choice for day to day riding. If though, you really enjoy the love a nice supple tire gives, well, do what you have to do. There is no wrong answer. The most reliable tire I've found to date is the Maxis Re-Fuse. It's got great puncture resistance; it sticks well to the tarmac, both in the rain and in the dry; and they're not to expensive.
Great information guys... thanks for the help. I've still got a couple weeks before my new wheel set comes in so I'm continuing to review different tires. Keep hearing mixed reviews about the Conti's, but hear that the "black chili" compound is suppose to be pretty good. I'll look into the Maxis Re-Fuse and any others you guys recommend. Again, thanks for the advice and suggestions. It's all very helpfull
The Conti GP4000S is a 330TPI tyre, yes it does have 3 plys it has a 330 tpi casing, a Vectran breaker layer and then a Black chilli compound layer. Are you saying that the rubber layer is a 110 TPI Rubber ? Last time I checked the rubber layer is rubber which is vulcanized onto a casing which features a patented Vectran layer.
It's easy to say to talk down on a product because you don't like it or you didn't find it to be as good as another in your opinion. But don't suggest an analogy which is not correct please. Why don't you try flexing a Vittoria tyre next time and then a GP4000s, you will be surprised.
Okay, I'm shopping for a new set of tires for the year. I've used various Michellin, Specialized and Continental tires... liked some better than others, but now that I'm becoming educated in the vast world of cycling I'd like to try using a tire with a high TPI rating. So far I've found the Vittorias with 320 TPI. Does anyone know of any others?
Hi jarodwinn, the Conti Attack/Force are very nice, but if you want a really comfy tyre then the Velofex 24c Pave is excellent (especially with latex or Rair tubes) but not as puncture resistant and the Kenda Kaliente is very puncture resisant but not as comfy as either. All 3 roll well, with the Kaliente wearing the best and the Veloflex wearing the worst. All 3 grip well with the Attack/Force possibly the best :-)
5-1/2 seasons on Vredestein Fortezza Tri-comps...mostly training with some racing. Fronts last forever, rears are shot in 1200-1500 miles. Fast rolling, great turning/sticky, fairly light weight and over a year and half now without a puncture. Sidewalls are flexible and some of the best cut-resistence I've ever seen.
Currently halfway thru (guessing) chewing up a set of Mich Pro 3's and I've been pleasantly surprised. It's hard to make a call on half a set of one brand/model, but the horror stories of cutting/flatting have not proved true...SO FAR. Nice ride, good stickum...time will tell.
forget the Maxxis Re-Fuse tyres if your going to ride in the wet,a better option would be the Maxxis Columbiere,great grip great durability and stick to the road
forget the Maxxis Re-Fuse tyres if your going to ride in the wet,a better option would be the Maxxis Columbiere,great grip great durability and stick to the road
Well, I guess the great luck I've had with Re-Fuse tires in the rain wasn't great after all. Thanks for helping me reinterpret my experience based on your claims.
Keep in mind that high TPI tires are almost always race tires. As such you shouldn't expect neither long life nor great puncture protection.
Interestingly I used to get a few flats on the Vittoria CX 290 tpi tire - when I moved to their 320tpi tire, notta one. Could be that I started running latex inners exclusively when I made that move, or I've just been lucky. Too bad they're only good for a few hundred miles.
