New Tyre Suggestions

[Mburton1993]

In my previous post I realised that my current tyres, Schwalbe Marathon Plus's, although they could withstand a direct hit from an atomic bomb are heavy and slow.

So I want to try new tyres (Light and fast, still 28s ).

I think it's between Continental GP 5000s, 4000s ii or 4 Seasons.

Things to consider:

• My average bike ride is probably 20ish miles.
• On road, but not great roads.
• Fair weather cyclist, so don't know how useful any wet weather qualities would be (The cold's fine).
• Every now and again my ride is way longer than 20 miles so some puncture resistance would be nice.
• £50 a tyre's my limit.

Cheers

It's a road bike by the way, clincher.

 

[rivers]

I have GP5000s on my summer bike and pirelli cinturato velos on my winter bike. The GP5000s are great in nice weather (it doesn't get ridden in crap weather). The pirelli tyres are also good tyres. Bit more puncture resistance, and slightly more rolling resistance, but they are great winter tyres.

 

[bunnym0b]

I have Challenge Strada tyres. Not sure of the cost now, they are lovely tyres.

 

[Fab Foodie]

GP5000 in 28c are lurvely for the use described.
Now it’s wet and dark the GP 4 Seasons are back on for extra durability. Looking forward to spring again!

 

[PaulSB]

I ride the superb GP5000s. I'm still on them at the moment but will switch to Gatorskins in the next 2-3 weeks.

 

[Gunk]

I have Challenge Strada tyres. Not sure of the cost now, they are lovely tyres.

They are lovely, I’d also recommend Vittoria corsa, great with a tan wall

 

[Gunk]

Or just black

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Marathon Greenguard are significantly lighter than M+, and I have never paid more than £20 a tyre for them, as I always buy them when available on special offer, not when I actually need tyres.
I baulk at the idea of a single bicycle tyre costing £50, considering all but one of my bikes was less than that much!

 

[Cycleops]

I baulk at the idea of a single bicycle tyre costing £50, considering all but one of my bikes was less than that much!

Some folks think the cost of a tyre's mileage, grip, performance and puncture resistance increase in direct relation to its price, this is not so, or so I've found.

 

[nickyboy]

In my previous post I realised that my current tyres, Schwalbe Marathon Plus's, although they could withstand a direct hit from an atomic bomb are heavy and slow.

So I want to try new tyres (Light and fast, still 28s ).

I think it's between Continental GP 5000s, 4000s ii or 4 Seasons.

Things to consider:

• My average bike ride is probably 20ish miles.
• On road, but not great roads.
• Fair weather cyclist, so don't know how useful any wet weather qualities would be (The cold's fine).
• Every now and again my ride is way longer than 20 miles so some puncture resistance would be nice.
• £50 a tyre's my limit.

Cheers

It's a road bike by the way, clincher.

I ride on the same roads as you. My Conti 5000s are good for at least 3000 miles. They aren't bomb proof but the vast majority of tyres aren't. Their rolling resistance is low but grip is decent. You can get them for about £34 each so that's 2p a mile for a pair. Not sure 4000s are still available

 

[Kestevan]

Bontrager r4 classic.
Superb all rounder, and the tan walls are cool.

 

[Ajax Bay]

So I want to try new tyres (Light and fast, still 28s ).
I think it's between Continental GP 5000s, 4000s ii or 4 Seasons.

https://www.bicyclerollingresistanc...ason-2015-vs-continental-grand-prix-5000-2018
4000sII have been out of production for a year (replaced by the 5000s by Continental) - I have been a fan of 28s. Searching, Merlin Cycles had some though (only in the 28 variety): I bought 4 last week and amazingly they seem still 'In stock'. At £34 this is about the price I've 'normally' bought them (2016-19) - so you're paying zero 'rarity' premium.
https://www.merlincycles.com/continental-grand-prix-4000s-ii-clincher-road-tyre-700c-69890.html
Be aware they come up wide (for me on 15mm rims and at 80psi). I have got (and therefore expect) 5000+km from a 4000 on the rear and 8000km on the front.
I've used maybe 4 or so GP 4Seasons these last few years and just had to replace one on the rear: it had done 5636km: pretty good for a rear tyre. They have a significantly higher rolling resistance than the 4000s, if that matters to you, but the puncture resistance seems better all round.
And the fastest of the lot (see comparison linked above): the 5000s have thin sidewalls. I have a pair waiting to fit (paid £36 x 2 early this year 'for the summer' as I couldn't get 4000s. But given your typical ride you've described in the OP, I doubt this is the tyre for you (and probably not for me either, truth be told: now I've found these 4000s).

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Some folks think the cost of a tyre's mileage, grip, performance and puncture resistance increase in direct relation to its price, this is not so, or so I've found.

There's a large element of "what the roadies will pay" to tyre pricing, which has very little to do with the cost of actually making the things.
Marathon and even M+ are cheaper than many of the "premium" road tyres, yet the Marathons have far more material in them, with the puncture protection layer and a generally more robust construction. The difference is, they are frequently bought by utility cyclists rather than weekend warriors, and a lot of utility riders cycle to save money on transport - so they are more price-conscious. They also expect to get the maximum possible mileage out of any tyres they buy, as to cycle tourists.
When you compare prices with car tyres, bike tyres are actually very expensive in relation to the amount of material that goes into them.

 

[Blue Hills]

Must say i too am somewhat amazed by the price of some tyres and, yes, have often compared to car tyres in trying to figure it out. Personally I'd have been happy to ride out my days on conti touring 2000 tyres, good general purpose things, but they discontinued them for reasons i never understood and then conti embarked on a truly mind boggling scattergun naming system. I reckon some of their own marketing folk must scream at it.
Don't think i"ve ever paid more than £20 for a tyre either.

 

[carvelos]

If you decide on schwalbe, always buy from spa cycles in harrogate, their discounts on this make are brilliant