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Anyone care to try these Pirellis?
https://bikerumor.com/2020/11/13/pir...-cold-weather/
These are apparently made for "winter" use. Just where that winter occurs on planet earth remains to be defined. Real winter here, or winter in England. In any case, Pirelli has made an effort to produce a studless winter tire. They are not available in 26" format and are also not widely available here in Canada otherwise I might take one for the team & try them out. How about someone stateside sourcing a set (if it is easy for you to do) and giving them a whirl this winter? |
I rode something similar (Continental Contact Winter) for a year in 2016 until I had slipped and fallen on ice four times (no damage, just minor stuff), then went to Schwalbe Winter studs. The Continental Contact Winter were great on snow, but on ice, not so much.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...20058baa3.jpeg |
Hi randallr, I am familiar with those Contis but have never tried them There is another thread (or several) on these tires, and therein one such fellow raves about them. He says he doesn't even switch over to studs in winter unless it is really icy out. I am partial to a partially studded tire; studs on the outside of the tread which only engage when cornering of underinflated. But, I do want to try a non-studded winter compound / treaded tire. I might drop the hammer on a set of GT365. If they don't work out, at least I can use them any time of year, and they are a fine tire to boot. With the contis, they are so soft and delicate they'd wear out in no time if the temperature were to climb which means winter use only. I always have studded tires as a backup anyways.
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Originally Posted by prairiepedaler
(Post 22222252)
https://bikerumor.com/2020/11/13/pir...-cold-weather/
These are apparently made for "winter" use. Just where that winter occurs on planet earth remains to be defined. Real winter here, or winter in England. In any case, Pirelli has made an effort to produce a studless winter tire. They are not available in 26" format and are also not widely available here in Canada otherwise I might take one for the team & try them out. How about someone stateside sourcing a set (if it is easy for you to do) and giving them a whirl this winter? She rode these today in 40F weather, dry and wet pavement, often leaf debris covered. They seemed quiet on the dry pavement. She thought they were fairly grippy on the loose wet stuff, she would have complained otherwise. The fit was similar to the OE Giant branded tires, no problems mounting on the rims. |
Hello Dave, thanks for the feedback on those tires. I think you get snow and ice down your way(?). If your wife, or yourself, wants to test these tires out on the snow and ice then report back here that would be a useful real World report. Be careful!
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Originally Posted by prairiepedaler
(Post 22282409)
Hello Dave, thanks for the feedback on those tires. I think you get snow and ice down your way(?). If your wife, or yourself, wants to test these tires out on the snow and ice then report back here that would be a useful real World report. Be careful!
We've got studded tires on the fatbikes for serious winter. I thought the Pirelli's might be better for cool fall rides. |
no studs?
no good |
Originally Posted by randallr
(Post 22222435)
until I had slipped and fallen on ice four times (no damage, just minor stuff)
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Hi, one other thread mentioned Pirelli owners have to be mindful of the tire profile fitting under mudguards/fenders. It is sort of a square tread profile, rather than rounded over. If they made a set in 26" I'd be trying it. Also, Nokian used to make a pair of studless winters called the "rollspeed" - it appears available in a 26" > https://www.bellatisport.com/shop/pr...llspeed_W.html
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Originally Posted by prairiepedaler
(Post 22288055)
Hi, one other thread mentioned Pirelli owners have to be mindful of the tire profile fitting under mudguards/fenders. It is sort of a square tread profile, rather than rounded over.
Here are pics, First the Giant, https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a173d7372e.jpg The Pirelli https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...05e117c1ef.jpg |
Ooops ee daisy. I meant the MICHELIN Star Grips, instead of the Pirellis. Was thinking one and wrote the other. Thank you for the profile shots!
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Hammer dropped on the GT 365. Looking forward to spinning them to see what they are made of when it is wintery out. You can tell they have a softer tire compound then a regular tire. It has a bit of a "tooth" to the rubber, like it is slightly tacky feeling.
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Here is a bit more info on the Pirelli winter tire.
This morning the temperature here was about 25F and we have a little new snow. Before the road melted I took out a couple of bikes to make a comparison. Here are a couple of pics that give a little idea of the surface condition. The first pic is my concrete driveway with packed and loose snow, the second pic is out on the street. The street was packed down into mostly ice by traffic. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8cadbd708d.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2efd6a1d93.jpg The first bike was my Diamondback Axis converted to city bike on Panaracer Tour tires 26x1.5. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b611a8aee9.jpg The Panaracers have hardened in the cold, I can feel very little give when I press the tread with a fingernail. The loose snow was no real problem, but when I entered the icy part of the street pavement it was not surefooted. The steering was loose and attempts to slow quickly lost traction and slid. The second bike was my wife's Liv Roav with the Pirelli winter tires 700cx42. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...05e117c1ef.jpg Loose snow again, no big deal. The icy part of the road was not as scary and braking did work better than before. Still get a locked wheel faster than on pavement, but braking does seem to slow the bike under control. The Pirelli winter tire compound stays softer in the cold when i tested the tread with a fingernail. Although the Pirelli is better in the cold, it's not going to be good for much serious winter riding for us. My wife will be happy riding them on days where there are only small patches of snow and ice. After I finished with this test I hopped on my Fatbike with studded tires and went for a longer ride. You really can't beat studs for ice. |
Originally Posted by prairiepedaler
(Post 22251826)
I might drop the hammer on a set of GT365. If they don't work out, at least I can use them any time of year, and they are a fine tire to boot. With the contis, they are so soft and delicate they'd wear out in no time if the temperature were to climb which means winter use only. I always have studded tires as a backup anyways.
Regarding the Conti TopContact Winter II though, that's not true. I have 6,000km on mine since 2014, most of which is on UK roads, the rest mostly Dutch bikepaths. Less than 1% of my riding has been on snow, and they've been on year-round since I got them. They've also encountered fine gravel and even really nasty large chunky gravel. Ridden from -12c to +35c. Ridden with up to 170kg (2 people) over the rear. 0 punctures in all that time, and still on the original Conti tubes as well. They feel a little soft above 25c, but never so much that control problems arise. In cold weather they feel firm and fast. I still have plenty of tread left after 6,000km, even the fine pentagonal grip pattern is still visible on the centre tread. I may replace them in a year or two, to ensure optimum performance, but I'm hoping that Conti might release a MkIII version first, as the MkII has been out a long time now. I'd say they really excel on cold, wet autumn roads, and even grip nicely when you get a slippery wet mud layer over the top. Also grip amazingly on fresh untouched snow, and probably packed smooth snow too. They do struggle in deeper snow and nasty slushy/cruddy stuff, only then would I rather have a knobbly MTB tread instead. I wonder if the GT365s will do better in such conditions, as the tread blocks are spaced further apart and thus a bit more aggressive... |
Originally Posted by prairiepedaler
(Post 22288055)
Also, Nokian used to make a pair of studless winters called the "rollspeed" - it appears available in a 26" > https://www.bellatisport.com/shop/pr...llspeed_W.html
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Originally Posted by sweetride01
(Post 22316984)
I'm glad you went for the GT365 as they look good and there's not many reviews... looking forward to yours.
Regarding the Conti TopContact Winter II though, that's not true. I have 6,000km on mine since 2014, most of which is on UK roads, the rest mostly Dutch bikepaths. Less than 1% of my riding has been on snow, and they've been on year-round since I got them. They've also encountered fine gravel and even really nasty large chunky gravel. Ridden from -12c to +35c. Ridden with up to 170kg (2 people) over the rear. 0 punctures in all that time, and still on the original Conti tubes as well. They feel a little soft above 25c, but never so much that control problems arise. In cold weather they feel firm and fast. I still have plenty of tread left after 6,000km, even the fine pentagonal grip pattern is still visible on the centre tread. I may replace them in a year or two, to ensure optimum performance, but I'm hoping that Conti might release a MkIII version first, as the MkII has been out a long time now. I'd say they really excel on cold, wet autumn roads, and even grip nicely when you get a slippery wet mud layer over the top. Also grip amazingly on fresh untouched snow, and probably packed smooth snow too. They do struggle in deeper snow and nasty slushy/cruddy stuff, only then would I rather have a knobbly MTB tread instead. I wonder if the GT365s will do better in such conditions, as the tread blocks are spaced further apart and thus a bit more aggressive... Hi there, I have seen bikes with the Conti tires, local picture classifieds advertisements of them used and even had in hand two used 700c versions. I do see wear down the centre on them. Some variables on longevity come into play of course, like mileage, pressure when mainly used, weight of rider, used all year, rear tires only etc. Just saw a set on a parked bike within the last few days but the tread was too crud covered to see wear. I still would like to try them for sure, and if found inexpensively local at 26 x 2.0, then that'd happen undoubtedly. Now, I may have seen the Top Contact Winter, and not the II version (didn't take note). Probably a different rubber compound between the two as they are always making improvements. A bit of an update on the GT365 - good thus far! You can forget slick ice on them though. We had a blizzard here a few weeks ago which brought wet snow, then it got compacted and polished by traffic. Bad enough, but then came in some freezing rain to skin it two nights ago. And when the temperature is at freezing or just above, that is when ice is at it's most slippery. I attempted to ride on it with a partially studded Conti on the front and a GT365 on the back, and no dice. Not risking it. If the GT365 had a contact patch the size of a touring motorcycle tire, I'd try that as a test (while wearing boot sole scratchers). Only fully studded front and back tires are good on such ice. Rough, cold unpolished ice on an even plane; not bad if you are mindful in your riding and keep your tire angles perpendicular to the surface. It's navigating the frozen tire car (or even other bike tire) ruts which can take you down. When pedestrians walk in slushy snow and it freezes hard afterwards, this can be equally treacherous. It makes for a bumpy, jarring ride too. Packed snow, no problem at speed. Haven't tried any fresh powdery stuff yet as none has fallen. These tires don't kick up too much crud either like the studded knobby style Contis and Nokians I have used can. Small pebbles are attracted to the tread, but not much. Liveable. Will offer more feedback as riding time progresses. |
Here are some photos of our street (taken yesterday at dusk)
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...405f490a90.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4459ae3fc9.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2e5557cc13.jpg |
Originally Posted by prairiepedaler
(Post 22322906)
Hi there, I have seen bikes with the Conti tires, local picture classifieds advertisements of them used and even had in hand two used 700c versions. I do see wear down the centre on them. Some variables on longevity come into play of course, like mileage, pressure when mainly used, weight of rider, used all year, rear tires only etc. Just saw a set on a parked bike within the last few days but the tread was too crud covered to see wear. I still would like to try them for sure, and if found inexpensively local at 26 x 2.0, then that'd happen undoubtedly. Now, I may have seen the Top Contact Winter, and not the II version (didn't take note). Probably a different rubber compound between the two as they are always making improvements.
A bit of an update on the GT365 - good thus far! You can forget slick ice on them though. We had a blizzard here a few weeks ago which brought wet snow, then it got compacted and polished by traffic. Bad enough, but then came in some freezing rain to skin it two nights ago. And when the temperature is at freezing or just above, that is when ice is at it's most slippery. I attempted to ride on it with a partially studded Conti on the front and a GT365 on the back, and no dice. Not risking it. If the GT365 had a contact patch the size of a touring motorcycle tire, I'd try that as a test (while wearing boot sole scratchers). Only fully studded front and back tires are good on such ice. Rough, cold unpolished ice on an even plane; not bad if you are mindful in your riding and keep your tire angles perpendicular to the surface. It's navigating the frozen tire car (or even other bike tire) ruts which can take you down. When pedestrians walk in slushy snow and it freezes hard afterwards, this can be equally treacherous. It makes for a bumpy, jarring ride too. Packed snow, no problem at speed. Haven't tried any fresh powdery stuff yet as none has fallen. These tires don't kick up too much crud either like the studded knobby style Contis and Nokians I have used can. Small pebbles are attracted to the tread, but not much. Liveable. Will offer more feedback as riding time progresses. Glad you're enjoying the GT365 so far! The lack of ice grip is no surprise I suppose, you'd need a "Nordic winter" studless compound/tread to have a chance without studs I suppose, but I'm not sure that anyone makes such a tire for bicycles (car equivalents are Conti VikingContact, Michelin X Ice, Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3...) Looking forward to hearing a report on their snow performance :-) |
Originally Posted by sweetride01
(Post 22316984)
I'm glad you went for the GT365 as they look good and there's not many reviews... looking forward to yours.
Regarding the Conti TopContact Winter II though, that's not true. I have 6,000km on mine since 2014, most of which is on UK roads, the rest mostly Dutch bikepaths. Less than 1% of my riding has been on snow, and they've been on year-round since I got them. They've also encountered fine gravel and even really nasty large chunky gravel. Ridden from -12c to +35c. Ridden with up to 170kg (2 people) over the rear. 0 punctures in all that time, and still on the original Conti tubes as well. They feel a little soft above 25c, but never so much that control problems arise. In cold weather they feel firm and fast. I still have plenty of tread left after 6,000km, even the fine pentagonal grip pattern is still visible on the centre tread. I may replace them in a year or two, to ensure optimum performance, but I'm hoping that Conti might release a MkIII version first, as the MkII has been out a long time now. I'd say they really excel on cold, wet autumn roads, and even grip nicely when you get a slippery wet mud layer over the top. Also grip amazingly on fresh untouched snow, and probably packed smooth snow too. They do struggle in deeper snow and nasty slushy/cruddy stuff, only then would I rather have a knobbly MTB tread instead. I wonder if the GT365s will do better in such conditions, as the tread blocks are spaced further apart and thus a bit more aggressive... https://www.kijiji.ca/v-bike-clothes...res/1496972125 His other listings - https://www.kijiji.ca/o-profile/18731505/listings/1 https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...789ee69644.png https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...dac7dff7c1.png https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1f7d37901f.png |
Originally Posted by prairiepedaler
(Post 22322940)
Here are some photos of our street (taken yesterday at dusk)
I'm sure it would be possible to traverse that surface with a "light touch" on the pedals and brakes. But if you're riding in traffic, you have to be prepared to do some evasive action. Any sudden change in speed or direction on ice will almost certainly exceed the limits of traction unless the tires are studded. Going down on a hard ice surface would be bad enough... in front of a vehicle could be fatal. Yes, the studded tires make noise and increase rolling resistance on dry pavement. Unfortunately, streets don't come uniformly coated with ice, so the rider is left with a decision: what percentage of ice coverage on the street makes it worthwhile to use studs? Personally, on my 7-mile daily round-trip commute, if I expect more than about 100 yards of ice, I'll ride the bike with studs (age: 71). YMMV. |
Originally Posted by sweetride01
(Post 22323010)
Yeah, for sure there will be quite a few factors re:tread... maybe they're just really high mileage too.
Glad you're enjoying the GT365 so far! The lack of ice grip is no surprise I suppose, you'd need a "Nordic winter" studless compound/tread to have a chance without studs I suppose, but I'm not sure that anyone makes such a tire for bicycles (car equivalents are Conti VikingContact, Michelin X Ice, Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3...) Looking forward to hearing a report on their snow performance :-) |
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