Road Bike Tire Recomendations

"JJ" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

I use my road bike for commuting as well as fast pased rec riding. I
need a tire that will hold up to glass and gravel but want something
light. Any recomendations? I currently have bontriger race x-lites, I
have considered continental gatorskins but would prefer a lighter tire.
Thanks

I've been using Conti GP4000s for a while now, and am quite impressed. Given
that they are a racing tyre, they're extemely durable and cut resistant.
Much better than my previous tyre of choice, the Michelin Pro2 Race.

Quoted message said:

Here is my very limited piece of experience:

Used conti GP3000 and at one point on my commute I saw glass (beer
bootle) on the road and thought that I should not go there but too
late. A few hundred metters later, I had a flat. The tires were
roughly new...

Used Michelin Pro-Race 2 for a few month and about 1000 km (sometimes
under wet weather) and no flat so far. I have been riding a few times
on gravel and on glass (from car glass I suspect). The surface of the
tyre has some small marks (what I would expect from a tiny piece of
glass) of somethings trying to get inside and creating a flat but
apparently the somethings were sent away from the tyre before creating
the flat. The flat rate of the Michelin is rather low for my standarts.

Herve

JJ said:

I use my road bike for commuting as well as fast pased rec riding. I
need a tire that will hold up to glass and gravel but want something
light. Any recomendations? I currently have bontriger race x-lites, I
have considered continental gatorskins but would prefer a lighter tire.

I've been running the Panaracer T-Serv tires for a couple years now,
and think they fit the bill. I'm not sure they're any lighter than
the Gatorskins - though anything lighter won't be up to the "glass and
gravel" challenge, IMHO.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame

After just too many cuts I switched from Mich Pro Race 2's to
Vredestein Fortezas and so far am very happy. They are a little bit
heavier but handle quite well and so far no flats. I swithced on the
rec of a friend who has been running them pretty trouble free for about
a year.

JJ said:

I use my road bike for commuting as well as fast pased rec riding. I
need a tire that will hold up to glass and gravel but want something
light. Any recomendations? I currently have bontriger race x-lites, I
have considered continental gatorskins but would prefer a lighter tire.

The folding version of Continental Ultra GatorSkin isn't that heavy, but
about the same as most 23-mm racing tyres. Also, you can get the Grand
Prix 4-season, which is more or less the same tyre as well but slightly
lighter. I know a lot people including myself using the 4-season in
adverse conditions with good results.

-as

JJ says...

Quoted message said:

I use my road bike for commuting as well as fast pased rec riding. I
need a tire that will hold up to glass and gravel but want something
light. Any recomendations? I currently have bontriger race x-lites, I
have considered continental gatorskins but would prefer a lighter tire.
Thanks

I second the Conti GP 4-Season. Very light, but extra protection
compared to a race tire, and you can get them in 28's.

Quoted message said:

I use my road bike for commuting as well as fast pased rec riding. I
need a tire that will hold up to glass and gravel but want something
light. Any recomendations? I currently have bontriger race x-lites, I
have considered continental gatorskins but would prefer a lighter tire.
Thanks

I've tried a lot of tires, but have to say that I've been happiest with the
current (Thailand manufactured?) version of the Bontrager Race X-Lite. I get
great wear out of them and virtually zero flats... WHEN IT'S DRY. Wet
weather is a different story; for that, I use Continental GP-4 Seasons. I
also go from 23c on the Race X-Lites to 25 on GP-4 Seasons, figuring I want
more rubber on the ground when it's wet. So far, this strategy has worked
very well.

Are you having issues with your Bontragers? One thing I've never figured out
are my customers who want to switch tires, just because. I ask them what
they've been using, and whether they've had problems with them. Most often
they'll tell me their present tires work fine, they just want to try
something different. In my book, stick with what works, for as long as it
works. When you start having issues, that's the time to switch to something
else. But why change from a winner? Of course, you probably wouldn't be
asking the question if you weren't having some problems. Or hopefully not!
:>😉

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com