Michelin Pro 3s

[Monsieur Remings]

How long do you reckon before they start misbehaving if that's the right term?

Mine have done just under 2000 miles and I seem to have lost a lot of confidence with them flying round the corners, or is it just me? They have put up with a lot, a couple of very long-distance sportives etc. Opinions would be welcome...

 

[Smokin Joe]

2000 miles is a lot for a lightweight race tyre.

 

[Herzog]

2000 miles is a lot for a lightweight race tyre.

Agreed; mine started to cut up badly after around 900km. Started to get punctures, so they went in the bin.

 

[Svendo]

Mine are either killed early by cutting across the centre tread or too big to repair. If they avoid that they get squared off and then the carcass begins to show through the tread, leading to pun..... unplanned deflation incidents! No idea of mileage I'm afraid.

 

[HLaB]

Never had Pro 3's but I would expect longer before a tyre lost its edge but I've never been an extreme cornerer. My gp4000s are just more than that (2,200miles) and touch wood they've only had one p'ture when some idiot put 1000s of carpet tacks on the Etape Caledonia route, other folk got 5+ p'tures that day and the organisers ran out of spare tubes/patches/pumps etc. The rear on my training bike could do with getting replaced soon but its still only had one p'ture (I bet I get one tomorrow now ) its a 9561mile old wired grand prix (although its only been on the rear for 2145miles)

 

[youngoldbloke]

Seemed like only 5 minutes or so before my P3Rs started cutting up, and the epidemic of surface dressing a couple of months ago really put paid to them. I suppose they lasted about 12 months - about 3000 miles on the 'summer' bike, fair weather use. Decided to run Gatorskins on that bike for autumn and it is interesting that after considerable mileage on the same roads they are absolutely cut free.

 

[Hacienda71]

I swapped my front and back Pro3 race tyres over as I found the back started to square off quicker than the front. Gave me a little more time but they do wear quicker than your average commuter type tyre.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I swapped my front and back Pro3 race tyres over as I found the back started to square off quicker than the front. Gave me a little more time but they do wear quicker than your average commuter type tyre.

Bad move.

I wouldn't put a squared off tyre on the front, neither will you extend tyre life.

 

[Chrisz]

...........................but they do wear quicker than your average commuter type tyre.

But then they are not designed tobe everyday commute tires (the clue is in the name!)

 

[woohoo]

3000 miles before I replaced the rear PR3. Only one cut, and that led to a flat, but it had squared off too much for my liking. The front was still fine but I replaced both PR3s with GP4000s which I prefer, but that's another story.

 

[Moodyman]

You've done well to get 2k miles from what is really a lightweight race tyre.

 

[Monsieur Remings]

Thanks folks, not the first time I've had replies from some of you, nice one.

The irritating thing being, I have one new Pro 3 and one on the other bike that I could have swapped. Under closer inspection however it was also quite badly cut up in places and am unsure of the mileage. So, I went and bought some Bontrager Hard Case jobs I did, which I will leave on for the remainder of the autumn. A quick 40 mile tootle today and have to say, it made all the difference. The Pro 3s were definitely worn.

I too, woohoo, am thinking of giving the Continentals that you mention a go next summer.

 

[sbseven]

My PR3 rears tend to last about 2500-3000 km. I retire them due to cuts rather than wearing them out. The rear normally shows signs of squaring off at this age, though. If I can avoid large cuts on the front tyre, that can do 5000km reasonably easily.

Another tyre to consider, if you like PR3s, would be the Michelin Krylion (23c/25c). I like using this tyre during spring/autumn. It looks like a PR3, but is a little bit heavier and a little bit tougher and longer lasting. If you're not racing, the Krylions feel pretty much like a PR3 too.

Note that the PR3 and Krylions are being superceded by the PR4 and PR4 Endurance, respectively. Krylions can be had at the moment for £22 delivered via eBay.

 

[Oddsos]

On my commuter I tend to ride Pro 3s until the threads start to show on the rear tyre. At this point I bin the rear tyre, move the front tyre from onto the back wheel and put a "new" tyre on the front. Often the new tyre has come from my race bike as I prefer to swap out tyres before they get too worn when other peoples safety depends on my cornering.

I prefer to move front tyres ono the back of the bike as the front tyre doesn't get as much wear and can end up spending a long time on a bike. I worry about aging having an effect on the tyre before it wears in this situation (though the concern is probably irrational...)

 

[Smokin Joe]

On my commuter I tend to ride Pro 3s until the threads start to show on the rear tyre. At this point I bin the rear tyre, move the front tyre from onto the back wheel and put a "new" tyre on the front. Often the new tyre has come from my race bike as I prefer to swap out tyres before they get too worn when other peoples safety depends on my cornering.

I prefer to move front tyres ono the back of the bike as the front tyre doesn't get as much wear and can end up spending a long time on a bike. I worry about aging having an effect on the tyre before it wears in this situation (though the concern is probably irrational...)

Not that irrational. I use Fortezza Tricomps and I have binned a front tyre in the past because I was unhappy about how it seemed to be coming apart with age (about two years).