Race tyres

[Chuffy]

Evenin' all
My Sunday best bike (Guess SC1) is currently shod with the cheap steel beaded Kenda tyres that it came with. It's a very light, fast bike and deserves better. I've been riding him more recently and am thinking of doing the odd TT. So, two questions:-

Will better tyres make the bike faster or handle better?
What tyres do you recommend?

 

[Tynan]

yes

and not my field

 

[Chuffy]

Thanks for that Tynan...


Anyone else?

 

[Tynan]

it's an answer to your question isn't it?

use the search, there's no end of threads with people bigging up whatever tyres they use

 

[Fab Foodie]

Chuffers me old fruit

I'd recommend Michelin Pro race, the old 2's are very good value and roll well but are a bit fat for a 23, but comfy and colourfull with very low rolling resistance (recent C+ showed this was as good as it gets clincher-wise).
OR
The PR3's which I've just upgraded too from the 2's. I really like them, somehow they don't feel quite as fast, but my speedo suggests they are, they absorb bumps and vibes nicely, grip more than a really grippy thing and are a proper 23 narrowness so better aerodynamics especially on my semi-aero Reynolds rims. They also handle much better, the bike feels transformed handling wise even compared to the PR2's. So far I'm rather in love with them.
Most of my club colleagues seem to train on GP4000's.

Will they make you faster... YES, compared to the Kenda's I'm certain they'll be a revelation.

Parkers seem to be the best bet for Michelins at the mo.

 

[John the Monkey]

I detested the Kendas on my SCR2 - I've ridden Schwalbe Stelvios (25C, steel beaded) which rode much better, and most recently Continental GP4000 (my review so far is in the reviews forum).

The Schwalbes were better than the Kendas the Contis are the best I've ridden so far.

The Contis took about 100 miles to start to feel really good. (They were fast at first, but felt a bit skittery - riding home on Thursday it felt like they'd really started to come into their own, proper grippy).

 

[Chuffy]

it's an answer to your question isn't it?

use the search, there's no end of threads with people bigging up whatever tyres they use

It's an answer, yes.
Yes, I could have searched for 'recommend me a tyre' but I'm more interested in the why than the which.

 

[Tynan]

there's dozens of threads just like this one with people reviewing their tyres, tyres they've had before etc etc, so why and which

I'd even suggest that a lot of the people with useful info will have got tired of posting the info

up to you though natch

 

[domtyler]

Most guys I know use either Mich PR2/3s or Conti GP4000/GP4000S'.

I use GP4000S' myself and highly recomend them.

 

[shooter560]

Mich PR3 all the way, I have used Conti's GP4000s and they were OK until all of a sudden the side wall let go, not once but on 4 tyres in a month, the biggest load of shoot going, I sent the first 2 back and got no reply from Conti, I'll be sending yesterdays failure back as well.

My LBS have been great about this and looked after me nicely. Oh no good saying it was me, the carbon rims are still perfect, its all in the tyre.

Now saying that I've never had a prob with the Conti Attack/Force tyres, love them to bits.

 

[domtyler]

Mich PR3 all the way, I have used Conti's GP4000s and they were OK until all of a sudden the side wall let go, not once but on 4 tyres in a month, the biggest load of shoot going, I sent the first 2 back and got no reply from Conti, I'll be sending yesterdays failure back as well.

My LBS have been great about this and looked after me nicely. Oh no good saying it was me, the carbon rims are still perfect, its all in the tyre.

Now saying that I've never had a prob with the Conti Attack/Force tyres, love them to bits.

That's a shame I actually have them on the bike I use for year round commuting, never had a puncture, never had a problem, always had great performance and still looking fresh after more than a year.

 

[gavintc]

Funnily enough, that was my problem with 4000's the side wall split after a few weeks riding. I moved over to PR2 and have been really happy them. However, I needed a pair of new tyres to do a sportive recently as my old PR2s were getting a bit worn and found a pair of new 4000s lurking in the bike cupboard (my wife loves them). So for the last 4-5 weeks, I have been on 4000s and must admit that I have had no problems - perhaps the new chilli ones are of better quality. I will certainly keep them on till they wear out, but will probably give the PR3 a try out next time.

As a general comment - put some decent folding tyres on your bike mate.

 

[Tynan]

spanking new 4000 on the rear as of three weeks ago

gave it the check over last weekend, three bits of grit that had to be dug out, couple of proper gouges, starting to suspect it's me and my route rather than tyres

 

[Lardyboy]

Been riding 4000S' for a while.

Yesterday during the Pembroke sportive they got so sticky with the heat that at one point road chippings were sticking to the shoulders and flying off and I had to stop to get them out from under the fork crown as they'd built up and were acting as a brake.

But by God did those tyres grip!

 

[walker]

chuffy, if you go for the Conti's go for the 4000s as they are machine made and not man made like the 4000 which have a tendancy to be a bit hit and miss if you get a good pair or not. I've luckily been fine with the ones I've got (touch wood) but having bought the Pro race 3's for my training bike, Well out of the two I would go for the PR3's, which is a complete U-Turn on what I have said in the past