cdry

Hey all,
Just looking for some input on what road tire everyone is using here since I am in the market for a new tire or possibly set.

Blew out a side wall on my ride Tuesday. Conti Gp4000s. I have had the tire for a little over a year and probably about 1900miles. Not sure if the tire gave of if I hit something and sliced it. The 4 mile walk home was wonderful.

Anyway I was surious what tires everyone was using since I am not sure if I am thrilled about dropping $60.00 on one tire again.

Thanks

TrojanHorse

I have Michelin Pro3 Race tires... and I think they're fantabulous. Grippy, comfy, pricey. The trifecta.

I've seen them on sale for as low as $45 but normally they're about $65 each. Crazy!

bautieri

I'm riding Conti Ultra Gatorskins in 28s. These tires are rather narrow for their rated size so buy one larger than you typically ride.

CliftonGK1

+1.
My 28mm Gatorskins measure up at 26.5mm on a DT RR1.1 rim.
My 32mm Pasela TG folders measure 30.6mm on a Sun CR18 rim.

sstorkel

At the moment, I'm using the following tires (on different bikes):

- Continental Ultra Gatorskins, 700x28
- Vittoria Randonneur Hyper, 700x32
- Vittoria Open Pave Evo CG, 700x24

Honestly, I can't tell a whole lot of difference between tires when on the bike. The Open Pave was terrible to mount and the Randonneur Hyper is the only tire of the three that's had a flat. The Open Pave seems like it might be wearing a bit faster than the Gatorskin but it's hard to know for sure. I'm a little down on Continental after the bead separated from the sidewall on the GP 4-Seasons I was using this winter. No real way to repair it and I was 20 miles from home so I had to call for a rescue... after hiking 1.5 miles back to cell phone range!

Barrettscv 

I have 700 x 25 folding Continental Ultra Gatorskins on 3 out of 4 of my bikes. I will get (maybe) one flat a year and I am very pleased with the riding performance.

Wet weather cornering and braking traction is a minor weakness of this tire.

MrClyde

Gatorskins, 700 X 25 on my road bike and hybrid. I've had good luck with them.

indybiker01

i have used the

schwalbe ultremo r.1
pro race 3 (michellins)
continental gatorskins

I would rank them in that order. I haven't had issues with any of them and would reccomend each one as a solid tire.

shmily_dana

Gatorskins for me also. I've had a few die far too young due to sidewall gashes. I blame myself for not seeing the large sharp objects, not the tire.

canopus 

700x32 Michelin City (a "don't worry about anything you might run over" tire)
700x30 Schwalbe Speed Cruiser (sidewall is splitting after 500 miles but not a bad ride)
700x28 Continental Touring Plus (alot heavy and don't corner well)
Next up Panaracer RiBMo in 700X32 (Waiting on these to come in)

CACycling

700 x 23 Gatorskins on wife's and my road bikes (< $30 delivered from Pro Bike Kit for the folders) and 700 x 28 Forte GT2/K on my commuter roadie. No flats since September (and my dear wife has tried hard to flat hers).

hobkirk

I read a suggestion that might have allowed you to ride home. Fold a dollar bill and line the inside of the tire where it split. Insert the tube, pump, and ride. I've never tried this myself.

Seattle Forrest

I've been enjoying my Vittoria Randonneur Cross tires, which are very grippy, work well on dirt and ok on gravel even in 28, and cost about half what yours do.

dcrowell

Both my 'bent and upright bike have Schwalbe Marathon(the plain old Marathon HS 368) tires at a fairly wide width (700x40 on the upright, 26x1.5 and 20x1.5 on the 'bent).

They're not as fast as some tires, not as flat-resistant as others, but a pretty good compromise.

sstorkel

This works, as long as the split isn't too large. In addition to dollar bills, you can use PowerBar or Clif Bar wrappers, or purpose-made "tire boots" to keep the inner tube from bulging out of the tire. Unfortunately if the tire separates from the bead, like my Continental Grand Prix 4-season, a boot won't help...

Wogster

What you need is a tire boot. There are some that are made and sold it bike shops, but some other stuff works just as well, Tyvek works well, you could find the stuff everywhere about 30 years ago, 5¼ inch floppies often came in Tyvek sleeves, best source now is the air barrier they wrap new houses with. Bribe the foreman at a housing development and they will let you have a scrap piece big enough to make 20 boots from. You put the boot inside the tire where it's split, put in a new tube, add air and ride home. You can use a $1 bill in the US, most other places have replaced the similar unit with coins.

rumrunn6

Specialized Armadillo All-Condition. (the smooth one) Got them on 3 bikes. (700x28 and 27 x 1 1/4) I weight 216 and crank them to 110-120 and they are great on NE roads. they handle the unexpected bumps really well. Even at MAX pressure I find them comfortable. I thought I wanted thinner harder tires but stayed with these cuz the roads here are cr*p.

DieselDan

Michelin Pro3 on my heavy duty set
Ritchey Pro on my fast set
Michelin TransWorld on my MTB
Ritchey Moby-Bite on my vintage MTB

Laserman

When I split a sidewall on the stock Kenda's I ordered a set of Michelin City tires to replace them. Recieved and mounted them yesterday and took a 20 mile test ride. They work great on pavement, grippy and smooth rolling, but they call them "City" tires for a reason, they have no grip on sand or gravel. 99.5% of my riding is on pavement so they work well for me, just be aware of their limitations.

chipcom 

I loved the Conti GP4000S (black chili) tires in 700x23 on my road bike, but recently went to the GP 4 season in 700x25 for a little more comfort and grip on our crappy roads.

FYI, the GP4000S is currently on sale at PBK for like $74 for 2 tires.
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...es-back-at-PBK

Shepp30 

125psi 700x23 Kenda Kontenders on my hybrid - $18.00 for the pair, 100# 26x1.25 Primio Racers on my MTB - $24.00 for the pair and 145psi 700x23 Vittoria Rubino Pro IIs on my road bike (nice tires) - $50.00 for the pair.

I haven't had any problems with the cheaper tires on the hybrids. One set of Continental City something or other (made in Germany ones) that I replaced, had close to 6000 miles on them and they are still good I just wanted a narrower road tire.

I don't know that I have ever ridden what I would call a bad tire as far as durability. I have had a couple of no name tires on older bikes that didn't seem completly semmetrical; they seemed to have a lope no matter what I did. Guess thats what you get for $4.99 lol

jhs545

The soft US Postal Service priority mail envelopes are also made from Tyvek. They should be free in any Post Office.

lord_athlon

Serfas Seca Survivor 28c. I love 'em

atcfoody

700x35 Schwable Marathon Plus, on both bikes. Neither bike is a racer, but my LHT has worn these tires for the last 2000 miles, and I have not had a single flat.

D

wild animals

I have 700x32 Vittoria Randonneurs on my Jamis Aurora, and they've been great. No flats. I had Schwalbe Marathons on my last bike and loved those, but the Randonneurs seem just as good and cost less.