Your tyre recommendations please!

[Globalti]

I'm an MTBer but I want some half decent tyres for my road trainer. I have taken off the nasty OE Michelin wire bead amber-wall efforts (what a struggle that was!) and my roadie neighbour has lent me some old Vittoria Open Corsa Evo-CXs, which are quite worn, to try. I haven't been able to ride any distance yet but a quick whizz up the street shows them to be surprisingly noisy - maybe that's because they are worn?

Anyway for a permanent tyre I need something affordable and reasonably puncture resistant for summer rides in dry conditons - I don't see myself going out in the wet! CRC has Continental GP4000s at £22, which I'm told is a good all-round tyre. They also have Continental Ultra Gator Skins at £17 - what about these?

Is it normal for a 700 inner tube to have some extra length, ie to end up slightly kinked inside the tyre? At 100 psi this doesn't seem to produce a bulge! Does it matter?

 

[John the Monkey]

I like my GP4000 23c a lot - (folding bead, yellow tread). I use these on my good weather wheels (and did a little review of them in the reviews section).

I have wire on UltraGator Skins (25c) on my bad weather wheels - roll nicely enough, and have a plush, comfy ride at the recommended pressure. (95psi).

Both fit very tightly to the rims, and you will need tyre levers to get them on (watch your tubes too, I pinch flatted one putting the GP4000s on my Mavic Aksiums). If money's no object, the GP4000 probably fit the bill - the vectran anti-fairy belt seems pretty effective, and they roll very very nicely.

I bought mine from this guy;
http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/velosave for about £38 all in.

 

[domtyler]

You haven't really listed your requirements so it is hard to make a recommendation. Are you after all out speed, ultimate puncture protection, ability to do a little off roading, what?

 

[gbb]

Not having any experience of the GP4000s...i can recommend the Gatorskins.
I've had two sets over 3 years on different bikes, minimum visits from the fairy, roll well.
On the slightly negative side, they can be a bit squirrely in the wet when cornering..and even then, can you say it was the tyres ?..was the road greasy ?, would any tyre have slipped ?.
Its only happened a couple of times in 3 years....so i'll let you make your mind up. I'm more than happy with them.

 

[Globalti]

You haven't really listed your requirements so it is hard to make a recommendation. Are you after all out speed, ultimate puncture protection, ability to do a little off roading, what?

Well.... apart from low cost as it's only a cheap trainer, probably comfort seeing as I'm not accustomed to road riding. Wear is not an issue, speed is not, wet grip is not, puncture proofness not really. This is for the occasional shortish road ride as a refreshing (and mud-free!) contrast to my usual hard tail MTB. I just don't have the time available for long road trips.

 

[RedBike]

Well.... apart from low cost as it's only a cheap trainer, probably comfort seeing as I'm not accustomed to road riding. Wear is not an issue, speed is not, wet grip is not, puncture proofness not really

In that case any old cheap tyre will do.

The GP4000s are the dog b.locks, grippy, quick rolling and fairly puncture proof, they're also quite costly.

 

[Chris James]

If you are not bothered about wear rates, grip, puncture resistance or rolling resistance then what was wrong with your old tyres?

 

[Globalti]

What was wrong was the stiffness of them - somebody told me I'd get more comfort from a better quality tyre with a higher TPI count.

I also reckoned I could save some rotating weight with a better tyre and we're always being urged to start weight saving with lighter tyres and wheels.

One side benefit of narrower tyres is that it's easier to remove and replace the wheels from the frame - the original tyres were a tight fit between the brakes.

 

[RedBike]

In that case I would go for the Mitchelin Pro2 or Conti grand prix 3000 in 700x25's if you can find them.

Both are relatively cheap because they've been replaced by newer models (pro3 / 4000's).

The 25mm width will give you extra comfort and if you're lucky should slide out between the brake blocks fully inflated (you will need to release the brakes).

These tyres are relatively light and still very quick.

 

[John the Monkey]

What was wrong was the stiffness of them - somebody told me I'd get more comfort from a better quality tyre with a higher TPI count.

Of the two you have in your sights, the GP4000 has the higher tpi count. Comfort is a bit subjective on skinny tyres - I run the GP4000 at 110/100ish, and it's not a plush ride...

(They do roll nice too, but then so do the Gators, which are cushier at 95psi (25C)...)

I also reckoned I could save some rotating weight with a better tyre and we're always being urged to start weight saving with lighter tyres and wheels.

GP4000 are the lighter of the two tyres you have in mind.

Again, I'd say that the GP4000 fit the bill nicely - they might be a bit OTT for what you have in mind, but rolling nicer and more anti-fairy protection aren't bad things to overspec on, surely..?

 

[Globalti]

Thanks for the advice - what a great resource this forum is!