Road Tires....

Continental Gatorskins have really excellent puncture protection. They are heavy by comparison and roll good but certainly won't be as fast as the Michelins. They will, however, last a very very long time and are very tough when run on a trainer. I've got over 4000 km from one but usually end up with them going out of round enough to be noticeable. If you were to bleed the pressure after each ride that issue would probably be eliminated. Only my opinion, but I've tried many other brands and, for training tyres, nothing else comes close.

Michelin ProRace are race tires; certainly not what I'd run in nyc. Agree Gatorskins should hold up much better. For tough winter streets, Conti also makes a GP 3000 "Four Seasons" tire which may be a fine compromise for you. The standard GP 3000 is my favorite here.

In the UK I use Specialized Armadillos.

I reckon they are probably the most puncture proof tyre for a road bike.

I have a set of 700x23 Michelin Axxials that have been quite durable. I don't know about NYC - backroads around the horse farms of KY is where I usually ride, and the worst hazard there is the ill placed manure pile - slippery and fragrant, but not likely to produce a puncture.

But seriously, the Axxials have held up well. I also have a lightweight set of Vittorias that are a bit faster, but definitely more puncture prone.

Thanks for all the good suggestions. I ordered a set of the 4 season Contis, those do seem to be a pretty good compromise, from biketiresdirect.com. Their prices seem to be the best and they've been 100% reliable so far.

Problem around here is that they don't maintain many of the streets very well. The heat/cold/snow/ice/salt cycle leaves the asphalt pretty rough and I think that's what's been eating the Michelins. In any case, I'll report back on how well these tires fare in the big city....

ElPerro said:

Thanks for all the good suggestions. I ordered a set of the 4 season Contis, those do seem to be a pretty good compromise, from biketiresdirect.com. Their prices seem to be the best and they've been 100% reliable so far.

Problem around here is that they don't maintain many of the streets very well. The heat/cold/snow/ice/salt cycle leaves the asphalt pretty rough and I think that's what's been eating the Michelins. In any case, I'll report back on how well these tires fare in the big city....

Michelin Carbon. They last very long and roll very well. A bit heavier than the Pro Race but excellent otherwise.

Vittoria Open Pave CG

The Michelin Pro Race that are on my wheels in this moment have done 4500 km and there is still rubber left, I think I can go safe til 5000 - The front one is probably at 1/2 of its life.
Yes, there are some small cuts, but I don't think it's something you have to worry about.
During those 4500 km I had only a few flats (2 if I remember correctly).

Another vote for standard GP 3000's. I've put nearly 4000 km into my current set, riding over god know's what around the streets and canals of Belgium (i.e. rough roads!) without even a puncture. Will probably change them in another 1000 km or so.

bing181 said:

Another vote for standard GP 3000's. I've put nearly 4000 km into my current set, riding over god know's what around the streets and canals of Belgium (i.e. rough roads!) without even a puncture. Will probably change them in another 1000 km or so.

Yes, I've been getting nearly 5000 km (3000 miles) on the rear GP 3000s here, with no punctures or cuts. For a lightweight tire, they seem very tough. I'm generally a pretty cheap guy, but don't mind paying for these tires!

gpelpel said:

Michelin Carbon. They last very long and roll very well. A bit heavier than the Pro Race but excellent otherwise.

I second the Carbons. They last very long and have low rolling resistance as well.

As of now I own 4 pairs of tires and three pairs of wheels.

Wheels:
1) Bontrager Selects 1870 grams
2)Mavic CXP-22 Rims with Shimano C-2200 Hubs 2300-2400 grams
3) Rolf Vector Pro's 1680 grams

Tires:
1)Bontrager Selects ? Grams
2)Bontrager Race Lites 2?? Grams
3)Michelin Pro Races 220 Grams
4)Vittorra Corsa CX's ?Grams

My Favorite Combo will be:

The Rolf's with the Michelin Pro Races inflated to 110-115 PSI with Superlight 70 gram innertubes.

I like to train on heavy wheels (the mavics) which weigh about 2500 Grams total because then when I put on the Race Wheels (the Rolfs) I can really feel the difference.

The Selects are my Spares and just in case its a windy day I don't want to have deep-V rims (the rolfs) in the crosswinds. I would use the Selects instead.

gpelpel said:

Michelin Carbon. They last very long and roll very well. A bit heavier than the Pro Race but excellent otherwise.

Agree, I've used Michelin Carbon's and they were really durable and affordable for a weekend hack like me. I found the Michelin Pro Race tyres good as well but cut pretty easily. I'm onto the GP3000's for the first time now. A few of my mates use them and reckon they are indestructable.

jt001 said:

Agree, I've used Michelin Carbon's and they were really durable and affordable for a weekend hack like me. I found the Michelin Pro Race tyres good as well but cut pretty easily. I'm onto the GP3000's for the first time now. A few of my mates use them and reckon they are indestructable.

I've been using M. carbons. Supprised how durable they are. Will be buying another pair.

Dan