Originally Posted by
ironwood
My question isn't just about wear of the rear tire, but its function of transmitting powere from the rider. It seems to me that rear tires could be designed differently than front tires. Front tires support less weight and roll; rear tires drive the bike forward.
As some have mentioned several manufacturers make front and rear tires, like the Mavic system with a supposed longer lasting tire in the rear and one with more grip in the front. I am using a set as we speak. Higher pressure than some others I have tried, 135 to 140 PSI. I find they roll very well and better than my old Gatorskins but not much better than 4000s. Still I believe there are best bought in sets of three. Two for the back and one for the front. I have also tried the 23 in the front and 25 in the back and they do seem to last a bit longer. I also like Vittoria Proslicks for rolling even if they aren't that light. The Schwalbe Ultremo ZX is ultra light, rolls well so it might be considered a performance tire. I know you weren't looking for just a long lasting tire because they are all heavy and anything but performance. But as it may be mentioned by others you can have performance or you can have longevity but you can't get both. You can also look for performance in high pressure 700X22s. But even if you get tires designed for the front and rear you should consider buying three, two for the back and one for the front.
