tires

[dannyyy]

what do you generally consider the "best" tires for roadies? and why?

Thanks!

[threaded]

"Dutch Perfect", maybe a little heavier tyre, might not roll so nice, but they don't get punctures, so I don't have to carry all that puncture stuff about, so I actually win on weight and can go a bit faster.

[jcjordan]

what do you generally consider the "best" tires for roadies? and why?

Thanks!
Conti GP4000

[Retro Grouch]

what do you generally consider the "best" tires for roadies? and why?

Thanks!
There is no single "best" there is only the best compromise for your purpose. That's why the tire companies make so many different models.

For ultimate high performance you want a tire that's very light and has very flexible, supple sidewalls. It will roll very smoothly but will puncture relatively easily and wear out in a relatively short period of time. Even with those drawbacks, that might be the best tire for raceing.

For commuting on city streets the best tire might have a heavy kevlar belt under the tread or even bead-to-bead kevlar mesh. It'll be heavy and ride like a wagon wheel but it'll almost never puncture.

Between those two extremes there is a range of tires. Every single one of them is "best" for somebody.

[dannyyy]

thats true. Thanks

so as far as racing goes... what brands should I stick to, and what should I stay away from?

[Walrus]

thats true. Thanks

so as far as racing goes... what brands should I stick to, and what should I stay away from?Stick to the biggest manufacturers and stay away from anything unheard of. The big tire makers are:
- Continental
- Hutchison
- Michelin
- Vittoria
- Vredstein
- Schwalbe
- Veloflex
- Panaracer
- DedaTre
- Maxxis

I'm sure I've missed some...

[alienator]

I'll go along with what pretty much everyone else said. Asking about the best tire is a lot like asking which saddle is best: the right answer is completely a function of a person's needs, tastes, and preferences. For every person that hates Tufo tires, there's another that thinks Tufos were made by the gods themselves. A lot of people love GP4000 tires, but I happen to think they're some of the least durable, least puncture resistant tires I've ever used.

It doesn't cost a whole lot to try a set of tires. The only way you're going to find what you like is by trying a few different kinds.

I've had good luck with (in clinchers) Michelin Krylions and to a lesser extent, Carbons; Maxxis Hors Categorie and less so, Detonators; older Contis. I've had crap luck with newer Contis, Specialized, and old Michelin tires (Axial Carbons--the green things).

In tubies, I've had pretty damned good luck with Vittoria Evo Corsa CX and KX.

I'm anxiously awaiting the new Ultremos (both the clinchers AND the tubies) from Schwalbe. A guy in Europe, currently testing the Ultremo clinchers is uber impressed, so far. He finds them muy sticky in the dry and way muy sticky in the wet (at least compared to other tires in the wet). Apparently Schwalbe is using a Vectran belt that is much more densely woven than the one that Conti started using in the last year. That Conti's isn't so densely woven seems true to me: I had a disappointing number of flats with them in a short period of time.

If you're a tubie guy, then there's also reason to be excited because sometime in the next year, Dugast is releasing a new tubie (the SP) that will have some uber puncture resistant--according to them--belt. If that's true, then that will be a drool worthy development.

[capwater]

Racing, training, touring, commuting .... different tires for different needs.
I race on Michelin Pro Race. Why? Good supple feel. I usually train on something like a Michelin Carbon or Huthinson Carbon to get some extra miles out of a set.