winter tyres

[chopkins]

I got a Giant FCR2 at the start of the summer and do about 20 miles a day. Everything has been great so far until the last week. I have had three punctures in the last week all of which have been very small but very annoying. Not sure if I need to get better tyres or get some protection for the tyres. Also worried as winter approached they will not be able to deal with lots of water on the road.
Current tyres are kenda kriterium 700 x 25 as fitted when bought. They have been great through the summer but should I:
Just add some protection to them with a tyre liner(if so any reommendations)
or is there a better tyre for winter conditions that also offer better protection? ie a 700 x 25 with a good tread pattern.
I dont think I can go to a 28 due the clearance around the brakes.
Any advice out there?

 

[Crankarm]

Specialised All Condition Armadillo Elites or Pros are bullit. They've never punctured. I have them on my commuting and training bike 23 and 25s. They roll along quite nicely. I keep them at 120psi. Pics here,


http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Specialized-All-Condition-Armadillo-Elite_15863.htm

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/all-condition-pro-2-tyre-ec018213

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/all-condition-armadillo-elite-tyre-ec001822

 

[Hollyhillian]

I'm looking at winter tyres as well on a 700x23.
How are the Armadillos for grip in the wet?

 

[4F]

700 x 25 schwalbe marathon plus, http://www.bikeplus.co.uk/cgi-bin/quikstore.pl?product=TYSCH07&and=1 Google around for best prices

 

[chopkins]

Thanks for the info. Not sure which one to go for. Like the idea of the extra tread on the schwalbe (gets wet here in North Wales) plus reviews suggest they dont puncture much. But then most reviews suggest the specialised are good as well. Oh well probably end up tossing a coin.

 

[dav1d]

If you get the Marathon Plus, I got them at Spa Cycles for £19 each (you pay £3 postage per order I think, but I ordered a Cateye light and a Fibreflare one so didn't pay any postage, not sure what the minimum spend is for no postage): http://www.spacycles.co.uk/

But I'm currently struggling to get the damn things on!!!

 

[bauldbairn]

I was experimenting with tyre sizes on my hybrid - looking for something to replace the standard 26" X 1.5" that came with the bike as they weren't coping with the potholes. I was just ordering something from CRC when I noticed they had an offer on 26" X 1.85" Michelin City's for £9.99 with reflective strip. So I bought them to see how 1.85" suited my bike - expecting to replace them with something else,poss... Continental, Town and Country. But I liked them and there still on my bike 3 months and 1000+ miles later without any punctures - Protek Plus, seems to work. You get them in 700 and there still £9.99 - no postage either.

Just another option!!!

 

[Tynan]

'good tread pattern' ...

 

[Crankarm]

I'm looking at winter tyres as well on a 700x23.
How are the Armadillos for grip in the wet?

I've not had any problems with them. Depends what surfaces you will be riding with them. If it's just normal roads outside of cities where you don't get loads of oil, diesel and crud on the surface they are fine. They're fine on light cycle tracks as well. Anyway they're now rather exponseeve. So have gone to Vittoria Rubino Pros 25C instead from Wiggo £19.50 something but £17.26 with a voucher. I like Haribos. They always include them which is a nice touch. 3 Haribos for Wiggle. I already got the Rubino Pros on my road bike 23C and they are nice so went for the 25C but unfortunately they're only available in black rather than black/blue which would have been rather ideal as my Sirrus Sport has a blue frame, but solid black tyres are fine. As long as they do what they are supposed to do I will be a happy bunny.

 

[bauldbairn]

'good tread pattern' ...

If you meant "Michelin City's" yeah! it's very like a motorcycle semi-slick tread pattern.

 

[Aperitif]

Hello chopkins - here is a thread link which may help you decide. Having used M+ for quite a while (and quite a distance now) I would trust them to do all that is asked of a tyre when commuting or the going gets a bit rough...
There is also a picture thread somewhere comparing wear on UltraGatorskins - which I used to use.
Speed? The M+ (25c x 700) are much 'slower' than the Contis (25c x 700), but that's maybe because my legs are getting older...
Older guys like 4F tend to prefer them also... (Hello Tony )

 

[Davidc]

The second question in the OP is about water.

A bicycle can't aquaplane. There are some details here:

http://sheldonbrown.com/tyres.html

Therefore the tread pattern is copletely irrelevant on a road, it just adds rolling resistance.

If you're going to use the bike on tracks with loose gravel, thick mud, or a very uneven surface things are different, and in the extreme you end up having a case for an mtb and knobblies!

I use tyres with as little tread as I can buy, and have never had a problem. I don't think anything can protect you from the worst hazard I regularly meet, which is diesel plus rain on the road, but that's often worst in summer at the end of a dry spell.

 

[HJ]

I just use Conti GatorSkins year round...