different tyres front and rear vs identical tyres

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I was planning on running my stock Giant PR-3 tyres in to the ground before replacing them with something better. However I have lost confidence in the tyres after my front wheel went from under me, maybe I'm being unfair on them and whatever tyres I had would have ended in the same result, but I want rid of them just in case.

As grip on the front wheel is critical, it would seem to make sense to run grippy conti 4000s with their Black-Chili compound rubber on the front, and perhaps something more wear resistant (or just cheaper) on the rear?

Do you always run two of the same, or pick different tyres for front and rear?
 

steveindenmark

Legendary Member
In the past I have run different tyres, purely out of laziness. But I like to keep my bikes in shape and having odd tyres looks just.......odd.
 
Contis are great grippy tyres but they seem to have improved the tread at the expense of the sidewalls, for this time of year I'd look for something more robust like the mitch Pro 4 Endu. As to running two different tyres, there's no problem there IME; Im running different tyres at the moment as thats all the lbs had and I needed a new tyre asap. I've also used different tyres temporarily in the past only the bike tart in me convinces me to make them uniform eventually ;)
 

outlash

also available in orange
Contis are great grippy tyres but they seem to have improved the tread at the expense of the sidewalls, for this time of year I'd look for something more robust like the mitch Pro 4 Endu. As to running two different tyres, there's no problem there IME; Im running different tyres at the moment as thats all the lbs had and I needed a new tyre asap. I've also used different tyres temporarily in the past only the bike tart in me convinces me to make them uniform eventually ;)

I'd go along with that. One of my GP 4 seasons went only after about 1500 miles with a sidewall blowout, I'm running with the other 4 season and a Rubino pro on the road bike atm and it's been fine so far. As I'm using the cross bike more, it's not bothering me too much but when the weather improves, I'll replace both.


Tony.
 

zacklaws

Guru
Location
Beverley
If you ride different tyres' paint them with tyre black then they will all look the same. I'm in the same predicament with wheels, got two wheels now that are oddments as I've worn the other one out in the set so I'm planning on painting them to make them look like a pair and just wear them out on training runs etc

I too have had the conti problem with side walls for the past two years and seen other riders with cut side walls so I'm looking for an alternate, at the moment I'm using Maxxis re-fuse and so far they have been excellent in performance, grip, rolling resistance and puncture protection, plus price is right if you shop around and far cheaper than conti's

Reading the OP now, think I'm off topic, too early morning I think, or else replying to a topic I read somewhere else yesterday and picked the wrong one to post my reply.
 
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Svendo

Guru
Location
Walsden
I have run odd tyres in winter for exactly the same reasons as the OP in the past, and probably will do again. For me the cause was a front wheel slide out going round a roundabout on the way to work on a frosty morning. I switched to Pro3 Service course on the front and kept the Kyrlion on the rear. (Equivalent now would be Pro4 SC and Pro4 Endurance). By sticking with Michelin front and back whilst they didn't match they were complimentary.
When it comes to it I've just thought I've run odd wheels in the past too, Easton circuit (precursor of the EA70) on the front and American Classic 420 on the rear, after the front one got bent on a car!
 

SpokeyDokey

67, & my GP says I will officially be old at 70!
Moderator
As more weight is on the back wheel you'd have to say that in a matched set one is either over built or one is under built.
 
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