ibcrewin

My stock kenda tires have worn down to the threads and it's time my bike gets a new set of shoes. The stock ones lasted about 1100 miles.

Here are my requirements.
700cx25 tire size
must be $20ish. No more, things are tight.
Good commuting tire
Decent road tire.
presta valve
I kept the stock tires around 85-90psi and that was perfect. <---high pressure


Thanks.

DataJunkie

The $20 requirement makes that a bit difficult. My favorite tires run about $50.
I have a friend that runs performance bike tires and loves them. I believe they are around $15.

tsl

I'm with DJ. At around $40 each you get tires that will last several thousand miles.

I have a set of Continental Ultra Gatorskins in 25mm with nearly 4,000 miles on them and no signs of wearing out yet. (Yes, signs of wear, but not of wearing out.) I run them at 80 F, 90 R.

On my other bike I have a set of Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase in 28mm. The front has nearly 7,000 miles and the rear is closing in on 4,000. It's about time for a new front one.

The point is that $20 tires are cheap to buy, but expensive to own, since they wear out so quickly. Double the budget and you get at least quadruple the wear, and puncture resistance too.

demoncyclist

Panaracer T-Serv.

Gonzo Bob

I have had good results with Serfas Seca FPS (700x23C on the roadie and 700x28C on the commuter) which I believe I got for ~$20/tire at my LBS.

noisebeam

You can get the folding 25c gatorskin at pbk for $33 plus some change. Over $20 but they last.

Bolo Grubb

If $20 per tire is your limit then I would recommend these
IRC Red storm

or check their other deals
https://www.pricepoint.com/default.htm

Or these from pro bike kit
https://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=Y2043

ibcrewin

what's the difference between folding tires and the non-folding brethren?

noisebeam

Folding tires fold up so you can take them with you on the bike. Non folding have a wire bead, folding a kevlar. For the same brand, model and size folding are usually lighter in weight, but also usually cost more as well. PBK only sells folding (probably for shipping reasons), but they sell folding for less than most any other place sells wire bead of the same model.

dauphin

I just ordered from PBK myself for the first time for the price and the fact that I wanted folding tires.

somedood

I have to agree with this. I got some of the performance Forte cheap kevlar tires, and they didn't last worth crap. Super low thread count, and the sidewall tore after about 6 months of use (some of which was cold weather). I went with ultragatorskins and am much happier.

dauphin

here's a good buy.
https://www.ediscountbike.com/Shop/Co...id/0/SFV/32807

ibcrewin

I went with the gatorskins. They are in the mail! Thanks everyone for your input!

silversx80

I had a pair of Maxxis Re-Fuse tires a few years ago at 700X23. ~$17 ea if I remember correctly. They only lasted around 800 miles though, but never had a flat and lived in Albuqeurque at the time. My favorite robust tires are the Conti Ultra Gatorskins. I've gotten ~2,000 miles out of a $60 set. Ran those for a few years and am now on Conti GP4000's. Favorite tire to date.

Tabor

+1

Per mile they will cost a lot less than your stock tires.

Praxis

I can echo the experience with the Performance Forte cheap kevlar--torn sidewall. Looking at them after the blowout, they're paper thin there. Wasn't thrilled with this (but still cheap) so I went with the Michelin Transworld City. Happened to buy them at REI, for whatever reason they don't seem to carry them anymore. They appear to be available elsewhere for under $20, and they're not bad tires. There are better ones out there, but they'll cost more than $20.

I run them with a tire liner, but my last flat was due to the liner rubbing so I'll probably just buy a more expensive, tougher tire next time and ditch the liner.

So, consider the Transworld City (although they I think only go down to 28). There's of course other Michelins that go to 25, probably some in that price range. If you go with the TW City keep an eye on the deep tread--it tends to hold onto some bits that other tires don't.

jpdesjar

Panaracer Ribmo
Great tire so far...30 bucks

San Rensho 

Bontrager select B. You can get them on sale for $10. Not the longest tread life but pretty good, although I tend to change the rear as soon as I see the slightest hint of the tread squaring off.

irwin7638

I agree that the lower priced tires are more expensive to own. I just wore out a pair of Kenda Kwest on my Commuter and replaced them with Panaracer Pasela TG. The kevlar beads are over $30 everywhere but the wire bead version is cheaper, more like the$25. I get thousands of miles out of them on my road bike while running them at 5lbs below stated max and I am 6' 215#.

Scheherezade 

Tires aren't valve specific, at least none of the tires I've ever used.

daveF

Performance GT2 Kevlar https://www.performancebike.com/bikes...00_20000_23014 $10.99. I've put these on a number of bikes. My son's IRO has a set on them with over 8,000 miles on them, no flats. Front is still in excellent shape, rear is flat but still has tread. We've ridden these for about 16,000 to 18,000 miles on various bikes. No flats on any of them. Pulled lots of glass out but none ever made it through the tire to the tube, not even close. Very long lasting tire with decent traction. They come in a 25 & a 28 but run narrow. The 28 is probably closer to a 25 in width, but at least as tall as a 28.

MilitantPotato

I'll put in a vote for Serfas Seca. $20-$25