My thoughts on Michelin Carbons

  • Thread starter Hell and High Water
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Hell and High Water

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Just switched from Vittoria Rubino 700 x 25 to Michelin Carbon 700 x 23.

I'm frankly amazed at the difference.

1. No flats yet. (I've done about 150 miles on the new tires and no
flats yet. At the same time I added some 'Tuffy' liners, and installed
brand new AirLock tubes. I'm going all out in my war on flats.)

2. SMOOTHER! I was expecting a bit harsher ride from the 23's, but
I've been pleasantly surprised. These tires ride very smooth!

3. No leaks! On my old tires I seemed to have small leaks or
something. I'd look down at the tires and see the tire 'widening' (for
lack of a better term.) When I pumped them up to 100 psi, the max, I
would see a pretty uniform width. No wider at the ground then anywhere
else. However at the end of a long ride, or maybe the next day, I'd
look down and I could see the tire flexing wider at the ground contact
point. With the new Michelins, I do not see this. PSI is 115, IIRC.
The tire is uniform with no flex at the ground.

4. Great look! like the dark look with the BLACK/RED/BLACK. My old
tires had a cream colored sidewall, and some red. These new tires have
a much more aggressive look.

5. Slightly higher average speed! Always a good thing.

Overall, I'm VERY pleased!!


My $00.02


-Bianchi Bob
 
Hell and High Water wrote:
> Just switched from Vittoria Rubino 700 x 25 to Michelin Carbon 700 x
> 23.
>
> I'm frankly amazed at the difference.
>
> 1. No flats yet. (I've done about 150 miles on the new tires and no
> flats yet. At the same time I added some 'Tuffy' liners, and
> installed brand new AirLock tubes. I'm going all out in my war on
> flats.)



dumb question maybe, but how many flats would you expect?

p
 
In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> Hell and High Water wrote:
> > Just switched from Vittoria Rubino 700 x 25 to Michelin Carbon 700 x
> > 23.
> >
> > I'm frankly amazed at the difference.
> >
> > 1. No flats yet. (I've done about 150 miles on the new tires and no
> > flats yet. At the same time I added some 'Tuffy' liners, and
> > installed brand new AirLock tubes. I'm going all out in my war on
> > flats.)

>
>
> dumb question maybe, but how many flats would you expect?


Not at all...


I was having quite a problem on my old tires. One flat every few rides.

Not that I've put a gazillion miles on these tires, but at least I'm
encouraged that I haven't got one yet.


<knocks on wood>

-Bob


>
> p
>
>
>
 
I think the Carbons are fine tires and have no problem withyour choice.
However, I think that being excited about no flats on new tires after
150 miles might be a bit early. That is not a lot of mileage.
 
Hell and High Water wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> [email protected] says...
>
>>Hell and High Water wrote:
>>
>>>Just switched from Vittoria Rubino 700 x 25 to Michelin Carbon 700 x
>>>23.
>>>
>>>I'm frankly amazed at the difference.
>>>
>>>1. No flats yet. (I've done about 150 miles on the new tires and no
>>>flats yet. At the same time I added some 'Tuffy' liners, and
>>>installed brand new AirLock tubes. I'm going all out in my war on
>>>flats.)

>>
>>
>>dumb question maybe, but how many flats would you expect?

>
>
> Not at all...
>
>
> I was having quite a problem on my old tires. One flat every few rides.
>
> Not that I've put a gazillion miles on these tires, but at least I'm
> encouraged that I haven't got one yet.
>
>
> <knocks on wood>


(Tempting fate)

This is why I stick with Specialized slicks (1st Turbo Pro, then that
was discontinued, so I went with Cipo Pro, then that was discontinued,
now Mondo Pro). 120tpi, 700x23, 120psi.

I've had one flat (slow leak) in 3,000 miles. I've rolled over lots of
glass with these tires without problems (not on purpose).

Of course, now I'll have a bad run, won't I?

--
Chris BeHanna
'03 Specialized Allez Elite 27
'04 Specialized Hardrock Pro Disc

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"gds" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I think the Carbons are fine tires and have no problem withyour choice.
> However, I think that being excited about no flats on new tires after
> 150 miles might be a bit early. That is not a lot of mileage.
>

statistically, zero flats in 150 miles translates to one flat in fifty
miles, with 95% confidence.

Zero flats in a gazillion miles would, in comparison, yield a 95% confidence
interval of somewhere between zero and three flats per gazillion miles
ridden.

It's found by using the nth root of p in some arcane fashion.
 
<snippage of kudos to michelin carbons>

I don't know if you had any issues, but I switched from michelins years
ago 'cuz they were so damn tight that I could barely get them on the
rims.

I recently forgot about that and switched back (michelin carbons, I
might add) which immediately brought back to mind the reason I quit
using them.

Not buying another pair.

Sorry if that was a little gdaniels-ish.

App
 
I usually find that the problem you mention is from a lack of
compatibility between specific rims and tires. I have no problem with
Michelins on a set of Campy rims and can't use them on a set of Mavics
that I have.
 
<snippage of michelin tire/rim combos that don't work well>

Original problem was with Matrix (trek) ISOC2's, now, as you mention,
Mavics (op's).

App
 
It just seems that there is some sort of compatibility problem. I can't
predict it by looking at anything but you sure know it when it happens.
I once spent 20 minutes getting a tire off. It had been installed by a
shop when I had the wheel re built. But they didn't tell me that my
tires and that rim didn't work well together. But it wasn't the tire
because it worked fin on the old rim. And it wasn' the rim because I
was able to get a tire to work well on it. So... .
 
gds wrote:
> I think the Carbons are fine tires and have no problem withyour choice.
> However, I think that being excited about no flats on new tires after
> 150 miles might be a bit early. That is not a lot of mileage.
>

This is moot point anyway since the tire liners and airlock tubes
undoubtedly offer most of the new-found flat resistance.

You won't get flats from glass or thorns with that setup. You'll only
get pinch flats or flats from internal abrasion if you don't keep the
pressure correct.
 
Wed, 28 Sep 2005 10:03:46 -0500, Hell and High Water
<[email protected]> skrev:

> Just switched from Vittoria Rubino 700 x 25 to Michelin Carbon 700 x 23.
>
> I'm frankly amazed at the difference.
>
> 1. No flats yet.


In a newly published test in German "Tour Magazin" , the Michelin Carbon
received top score in "puncture resistance" and "durability" and a good
score in "rolling resistance" also.

It is remarked however, that mounting of this tire is "difficult" and
requires tools.

Other tires in the test score equally high in punture resistance and even
better in RR but then not as high in durability. (No tire has it all)
None of the other 17 tires in the test are categorized "difficult" to
install.

Ivar
 
I recently posted this elsewhere, about my experience with a 700x25
Michelin Carbon tire:
"I have been riding a Michelin Carbon on my rear rim for 1-1.5K now,
with no problems. I don't like it particularly, however. I know this is
anecdotal and not scientific, but: I initially had it on my front rim
but felt that it seemed to make the steering heavy and clunky. I put an
Avocet back on the front and the Mich in the rear, where I don't
especially notice its apparent characteristics."

And, again FWIW, I had no difficulty putting it on my Mavic Open pro
rims. With all the good things other say about the Michelin Carbon, I
might try it on the front rim again--but I'm still deliberating on
that.... --Roy Zipris