I replaced conti sport contact with Michelin City tyres on cost grounds. Contis being £22 and the michelins £8 at time of purchase. They were nowhere near as comfy and did not handle half as well, especially in the wet. I then bought another conti sp for the front and only use the Michelin on the back where the reduced comfort and handling is less of an issue. Recently the Michelin split by the steel bead and is now in the bin. To be fair this may be a one off manufacturing fault.
I now think this was a false economy and will stick to better tyres in future, probably contis...
Trev The Rev wrote:Over the years I have used many tyres. Now I use Continental GP4000 for commuting, training and TTs.
But only available in a maximum size of 25mm,a bit anorexic for general purpose for most.
Why do people think they need fatter tyres?
They dont think they need fatter tyres, they think fatter tyres are better.
PS: Keep your eyes peeled for the words "At equal pressure" and whenever you see it remember that people do NOT ride different size tyres at equal pressure. Because it seems that those making the argument forget that fact half way through.
Last edited by meic on 18 Sep 2012, 11:54am, edited 1 time in total.
he does ride TT's on them. I don't see anyone who is really serious about going quickly using more than ~23mm for this purpose.
Dunno if this falls in the 'general use' remit or not. I guess it must do for some club riders.
I must say I didn't ever feel tempted to go out on the local chain gang on anything wider than a 25c tyre; (too much like impossibly hard work when you are doing a turn on the front) but these days I don't do such things so I'm happy enough on something wider and more comfortable.
The original question was wrt tyres that will be used for commuting.
How often do 25mm tyres need inflating? Mine get done before every ride from home and I do get concerned about them towards the end of a five day tour. The 35mm tyres on my "shopping bike" are safe, if not ideal, for a month after inflating.
If you start to have a slow puncture, with a 25mm tyre you often do not find out quick enough to prevent getting a pinch puncture from running under pressure.
On the whole, I dont swallow the line that fatter tyres are faster. My own empirical but unscientific tests dont support it either. However they certainly have other benefits.
meic wrote:The original question was wrt tyres that will be used for commuting.
How often do 25mm tyres need inflating? Mine get done before every ride from home and I do get concerned about them towards the end of a five day tour. The 35mm tyres on my "shopping bike" are safe, if not ideal, for a month after inflating.
If you start to have a slow puncture, with a 25mm tyre you often do not find out quick enough to prevent getting a pinch puncture from running under pressure.
On the whole, I dont swallow the line that fatter tyres are faster. My own empirical but unscientific tests dont support it either. However they certainly have other benefits.
If you need to pump up your tyres every day there is something wrong. I pump up my tyres only once a fortnight. I inflate mine more than most, up to 110psi. I find I get fewer punctures with well inflated tyres.
meic wrote:The original question was wrt tyres that will be used for commuting.
How often do 25mm tyres need inflating? Mine get done before every ride from home and I do get concerned about them towards the end of a five day tour. The 35mm tyres on my "shopping bike" are safe, if not ideal, for a month after inflating.
If you start to have a slow puncture, with a 25mm tyre you often do not find out quick enough to prevent getting a pinch puncture from running under pressure.
On the whole, I dont swallow the line that fatter tyres are faster. My own empirical but unscientific tests dont support it either. However they certainly have other benefits.
If you need to pump up your tyres every day there is something wrong. I pump up my tyres only once a fortnight. I inflate mine more than most, up to 110psi. I find I get fewer punctures with well inflated tyres.
I am sure that you are correct and that some fan of fatter tyres will be along soon to tell us what it is.
Brucey wrote:I must say I didn't ever feel tempted to go out on the local chain gang on anything wider than a 25c tyre; (too much like impossibly hard work when you are doing a turn on the front) but these days I don't do such things so I'm happy enough on something wider and more comfortable.
cheers
I've never felt the need to do such things and felt much better when I skimmed my last pair of 23's on the tip and came to my senses
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
Trev The Rev wrote:If you need to pump up your tyres every day there is something wrong. I pump up my tyres only once a fortnight. I inflate mine more than most, up to 110psi. I find I get fewer punctures with well inflated tyres.
I am sure that you are correct and that some fan of fatter tyres will be along soon to tell us what it is.
Yep,you're probaboly riding 23's
Trev the rev If 23's suit you best,carry on riding them. I've been there done that and don't do it anymore on the grounds of comfort and the type of riding I do.Whatever floats yer boat,or in your case fills yer font
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
gentlegreen wrote:5 years of daily use on one set of tyres ? You must ride on immaculate roads !
I've been a Conti "Country Plus" devotee for several years now - but I'm lucky to get 12 months from a rear one.
I try to replace them before the dreaded fairy strikes - so have a stack of 26 inch tyres to give away to the next person I encounter riding a BSO with knobblies.
As I said, they are near bald and am a little silly to let them get so bad. Only commute twice a week [two miles each way] but do leisure rides quite a bit and have undertaken a few 250-500 mile tours in summer. By the way, I would say that Worcs / Heref's roads are fairly okay, don't do hardly any city riding.
Maybe I am frugal and get every last drop out of my tyres. As for pressure they are rated at a max of 80, so I go to this. I check the pressure about once a month and they are generally down to around 65 by that time.
Thanks for the discussion [has gone all directions...]
Panaracer Pasela TG, 700x37mm does all for me and is at the sweet spot. I don't race so this is a good day to day tyre.
Paselas can be had cheaply if you don't care about folding/latest modes. Though the 37mm version is hard to get & expensive. 35mm wired might be available cheap.
and felt much better when I skimmed my last pair of 23's on the tip and came to my senses 
