Tire Price vs Tire Performance

biknfish said:

My mountain bike came with specialized s-works roll x tires on it. I
will be needing a new tire soon, and have a hard time spending $50 on
a replacement when xc tires can be found in the $14-25 range. What
will I be giving up if I go with the cheaper tires? Is it
performance, name, durability, safety, or is the difference in price
not at all justified?

Assume these are regular, "tubed" tires and not UST? Buy a pair of Mythos
XC or Fire XC Pros (or Velociraptors or...) -- dirt cheap at many LBSs and
via mail order.

Bill "pun intended" S.

Yes...regular tubed tires. Thanks

biknfish said:

My mountain bike came with specialized s-works roll x tires on it. I
will be needing a new tire soon, and have a hard time spending $50 on a
replacement when xc tires can be found in the $14-25 range. What will
I be giving up if I go with the cheaper tires? Is it performance,
name, durability, safety, or is the difference in price not at all
justified?

Mountain bike tires are very terrain specific. There may be tires out
there that are much cheaper *and* you will like better. Expensive tires
are generally lighter. Usually this is at the expense of some
durability. Often prices for the same tires can vary wildly from place
to place and on/off sale. Some brands offer tires in "retail" and "OEM"
branding, they might be very different tires, even with the same name.
If you can, try to talk to local riders about what they like and where
they buy them. For general reviews check out MTBR.com. If you're just
riding around and not pushing any envelopes, just find something cheap.
Most people really don't need $50 tires, and if they do, they wait until
they're on sale for $25.

biknfish said:

My mountain bike came with specialized s-works roll x tires on it. I
will be needing a new tire soon, and have a hard time spending $50 on

a

Quoted message said:

replacement when xc tires can be found in the $14-25 range. What

will

Quoted message said:

I be giving up if I go with the cheaper tires? Is it performance,
name, durability, safety, or is the difference in price not at all
justified?

Thanks for your help.

Really nothing, in the grand scheme of things. We just got some Conti
Ultra Sports, REALLY nice tire for $15 retail...in a blind test, no .5
offa century, .1 offa ton rider could tell the difference between this
and some $50 wonder regardless of what the stinkin' internet web site
says about how 'superior' a fifty buck tire is.

Bike stuff is getting way to expensive, IMHO...too much stuff for
'sellin', not enough stuff for 'ridin'....

enginneered tires are hand made by craftsmen under less than ideal
working conditions=$

"Qui si parla Campagnolo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

biknfish said:

My mountain bike came with specialized s-works roll x tires

on it. I

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

will be needing a new tire soon, and have a hard time

spending $50 on

Quoted message said:

a

Quoted message said:

replacement when xc tires can be found in the $14-25 range.

What

Quoted message said:

will

Quoted message said:

I be giving up if I go with the cheaper tires? Is it

performance,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

name, durability, safety, or is the difference in price not

at all

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

justified?

Thanks for your help.

Really nothing, in the grand scheme of things. We just got some

Conti

Quoted message said:

Ultra Sports, REALLY nice tire for $15 retail...in a blind

test, no .5

Quoted message said:

offa century, .1 offa ton rider could tell the difference

between this

Quoted message said:

and some $50 wonder regardless of what the stinkin' internet

web site

Quoted message said:

says about how 'superior' a fifty buck tire is.

Bike stuff is getting way to expensive, IMHO...too much stuff

for

Quoted message said:

'sellin', not enough stuff for 'ridin'....

No sh**. When I can buy a mid-range 40K mile tire for my car for
less than a top quality 5-600 mile clincher, things are seriously
out of whack. Remember, both are laid-up by hand, so the
handmade BS does not carry much weight with me. This is all
market driven, and market elasticity will determine the ultimate
price.

What is amazing to me is that the Park truing stand is whithin
$30 of what I paid in 1980 or '81. And the current stand is a
better product. Rims are about three to four times more -- same
with tires, saddles, cassettes (freewheels), chains and some
other stuff. Components are harder to assess because some cheap
stuff is better than the old top of the line. I paid $35-40 for
a NR derailleur in '73-74 (should have bought a Suntour for $15,
but it lacked status) and can get a better Shimano 105 today on
sale for about the same price. Top of the line DuraAce or
Campagnolo, though, that's a lot of bucks. I can't shift enough
times to get a good return on my money with that stuff. -- Jay
Beattie.

There can be incredible variation of price for the same tire. For
example, at my LBS, Vittoria Evo CX clincher tires are $60. At
totalcycling.com, $32. Guess which ones I buy?