tyres question- different widths front/rear

[sagnier]

howdy,

looking forward to some opinionated replies...

i have two new sets of tyres to play with - conti ultra gator 23 and specialized armadillo 25.

iwas very happy with the armadillos previously but i ordered the above from wiggle because the 23 armas were not in stock and i thought i could try an experiment. namely, i want to see which are longer lasting and more puncture proof, and also to see if a combination is better than a pair. actually, im fairly sure the armadillos will be tougher, having used them before.

bearing in mind that i am an urban cyclist who likes going fast when suitable conditions prevail and who has to deal with crappy road surfaces, and that the weather is currently pretty damp, am i better off 23 at front and 25 at rear or vice versa? or should i stick with one or other pair of the same tyre?

the gators are somewhat more slick than the armadillos. also 23 has come out more like 21, and 25 more like 24! the contis seem much flimsier than the armadillos, especially in the sidewall.

thanks, m

 

[chainstretched]

Hi,

Sheldon Brown has written articles on tires, here's a link:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tires.html

look under 'Mixing/Matching Tires' .

hope this helps.

 

[SEAcarlessTTLE]

I ride with a narrower front tire, but it's one of those fancier ones with softer, grippier rubber around a tread center that's harder for better cornering with long wear. My thought is that this helps compensate for the lesser cornering grip of a narrower tire.

Are the Contis grippier than the Armadillos? Lighter? Based on my experience with some All-Condition Armadillos a while back, I found them heavy, slippy when wet, and harsh-riding. (...at least compared to the tires I'm trying now) The rubber was more plastic-like...longer wearing and maybe more puncture resistant, but scary on smooth, wet pavement.

I wonder if front tires are less likely to suffer punctures, assuming the same tire in front and back and assuming more weight on the back than the front... I vaguely recall reading some forum commentary on this topic, so maybe I'll search later.

 

[domaindomain]

Conti do a set of front / rear specific tyres - Grand Prix Attack and Force

The front is 22 and the rear 23.....