What are some good tires for summer city commuting?
#26
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Conti 5000 are horribly expensive, if you're training to race and racing then I could understand the need for less rolling resistance, but in reality you will barely notice the 5000 over the some other tire; but the OP didn't say he was racing or training to race, he did say he wants to go fast but so does everyone else, that doesn't mean we all run over plop down $150 for one pair of Conti 5000 tires! Especially considering you can get Vittoria Rubino Pro Speed G+ for $40 that will cost you 2 watts over the 5000 TL or 1 watt over the non TL version, either way you won't feel the 1 OR THE 2 watts but you will feel the extra cash in your wallet! But going with tires that are faster you give up some degree of puncture resistance, so you have to weigh out what you really want. Also those rolling resistance tests are done with latex tubes, so now you have to buy expensive latex tubes to put in your expensive tires, though latex tubes can be put in cheap tires as well.
https://www.bicyclerollingresistance...ino-pro-g-2016
The sidewall thicknesses are the same.
The rolling resistance difference is much greater than 1 or 2 watts per tire.
Retail price of the Vittoria is $40 per tire which you compare to the cost of a pair of the Continentals.
The rolling resistance tests were performed with butyl tubes, not latex.
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For myself, having tried those, I think I’d pay the extra for Supremes... Unless someone comes back with a long term review on that Pirelli.
#29
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I was considering Supremes, but couldn't justify the extra cost.
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The cut was through the tread. I’ll dig up the photos later, it’s not convenient on mobile.
#31
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I am more curious about your experience with the Supremes, not your cut on the Hypers (which I think I saw you post before).
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I've had very good luck with Michelin Lithions as a commuting/training tire. Super price on Chain Reaction right now.
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I replaced it with a regular Marathon since I thought I’d be doing more utility cycling on that bike, but life didn’t work out that way. Kid 1 outgrew the kid seat, kids 2A and 2B are too big a load together and haven’t gone to daycare yet, we moved closer to my job making a road bike sort of too fast, I switched to more MTB on my commute route, and so that bike has just been sitting. I tried to sell it but it was out of season, so I’ll try again in April
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I had very good luck with Maxxis Re-fuse when doing more urban commuting. They're not as supple as GP4000Sii and feel a bit heavier, but I couldn't seem to make them flat.
They also come in a bunch of different colors, if that's your thing.
They also come in a bunch of different colors, if that's your thing.
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The Conti Grand Prix 4 Season reviews are impressive, I'm going to try a set when my current tire treads wear thin in a few thousand miles.
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ill second these. Ive run them in 32s and almost never had a flat. Having said that, when i replaced them with pasela 35s i thought id died and went to heaven.
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I use Compass (or Compass-style) tires once spring rolls around -- 26"x1.8" Naches Pass on the fixed-gear, 650x38B Panaracer Pari-Moto on the rando bike. Love 'em.
#39
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continental GatorSkins
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I was going to ask the same question. Bontrager used to make a wire bead, supple skinwall, I went through several of those 28,32,35, very affordable as well. Think I will look for GP4000 in a 28 width. I have had good luck with the 23's and 25's on my road bike.
#41
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I got a sidewall cut by riding through a patch of gravel (MUP being repaired) on my GP4000 two years ago. I assume one gravel rock had a sharp edge or glass was mixed in it. Got a puncture flat the week before that. Replaced the tire and installed Mr Tuffy in them. Got no flat since then while riding over 9,000 km (made sure I avoided gravel patches as well).
Last edited by SylvainG; 04-06-19 at 09:47 PM. Reason: MUP, not road
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GP4000 is not a good commuting tire, it's too fragile for that purpose in my opinion, it's a fast training tire, that's what it was designed for. The sidewalls are paper thin and are indeed subject to damage, and even the tread isn't all that great, not all that bad either, but not up to commuting standards and to get to work reliably.
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I commuted for years (and still ride into the city regularly) on Pansracer Paselas. Their cheapest wire beaded ones. 28c are what I run on my fix gear year 'round. Road bikes get 25c or 28c for city riding. I've used all the sizes up to 37c. My feeling is that they are great compromise tires. Decent rolling, OK in the wet, don't pick up much glass, Sidewalls are subject to damage but the tread comes around far enough that the damage is rarely from road debris. (Don't scrape curbs, fenders, brakes, etc.) $35 typically in a bike shop. Never looked online.
I much prefer wired beads for my city tires. Easier to deal with after flatting, especially when the conditions are challenging. (Rain, cold, dark, tired, inebriated. etc.) Doesn't hurt that they save me money.
Ben
I much prefer wired beads for my city tires. Easier to deal with after flatting, especially when the conditions are challenging. (Rain, cold, dark, tired, inebriated. etc.) Doesn't hurt that they save me money.
Ben
#44
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I don't like Gatorskins as their puncture resistance is quite poor.
I find the inexpensive Schwalbe Marathons originals at €16/tyre, an excellent value. Although the tread life is somewhat shorter than I expected.
https://www.bike24.de/p11037.html?q=schwalbe+marathons
I find the inexpensive Schwalbe Marathons originals at €16/tyre, an excellent value. Although the tread life is somewhat shorter than I expected.
https://www.bike24.de/p11037.html?q=schwalbe+marathons
#45
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GP4000 is not a good commuting tire, it's too fragile for that purpose in my opinion, it's a fast training tire, that's what it was designed for. The sidewalls are paper thin and are indeed subject to damage, and even the tread isn't all that great, not all that bad either, but not up to commuting standards and to get to work reliably.
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Beside that one week two years ago, they served me right for the last two years and yes, they are fast. Mind you, I do swap them for Marathon Plus in late Fall and early Spring. More aggressive thread pattern and yes, less prone to puncture. Although it's not fun to fix a flat in Summer, it's very not fun when it's cold.
#47
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I use Marathon Green guard on my touring bike and those are a pain to put on, but they never need to come off till they're worn out which isn't for a very long time. And what's weird is, as heavy as those Marathons are they have the best rolling resistance of any touring tire by a large margin.
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I recently (last week) put some Continental Contact Plus tyres on my Commuter, which is an e-bike that I recently built up for commuting. I also used the Continental Revo sealant in the hope that the manufacturer of the tyres has at least tested a sealant sold under the same brand.
These tyres are replacing the knobbies that the Bikes Direct bike, that I used for a doner, came with. Of course, they are an improvement; but time will tell how well they wear.
These tyres are replacing the knobbies that the Bikes Direct bike, that I used for a doner, came with. Of course, they are an improvement; but time will tell how well they wear.
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Re Schwalbes:
I bought some Marathon Plus with the reflective strip for my kid's commute bike. They're heavy but bombproof and I have been really impressed with the reflective strip. Here's a shot from my Fly12 from yesterday evening as we rode back from his soccer practice:
I bought some Marathon Plus with the reflective strip for my kid's commute bike. They're heavy but bombproof and I have been really impressed with the reflective strip. Here's a shot from my Fly12 from yesterday evening as we rode back from his soccer practice: