Reasons for upgrading tyres?

[SimonRoberts0204]

I read a lot of advice saying that the best upgrade for a low end bike is better tyres.

Is this purely as they are more puncture resistant, or are they likely to noticeably increase performance due to less rolling resistance.

e.g, im on stock kenda K191 tyres, looking at getting a pair of Conti GT4s or michelin pro 3s..

can anyone quantify the difference i should expect to feel?


,Simon

 

[tyred]

I suppose it really depends on what you want to achieve. You could fit something like Marathon + which should increase puncture resistance but they won't do much for your speed. Or you could fit high performance light weight tyres which will make you faster but are more likely to puncture.

 

[John the Monkey]

Yep, it's a trade off.

Harder tread gives more life, but (tends to give) less grip.

P* resistance tends to give more weight.

The more pricey the tyre (in general) the less the trade off is apparent (GP4000s vectran belt seems pretty damned tough, for example, yet the tyres roll nicely still).

 

[Crankarm]

Better to stick with your current tyres and replace them when they are worn out the rear will wear first. Instead work on your legs power and stamina which will bring much greater gains for you. Keep the tyre pressure high to reduce rolling resistance and punctures.

 

[SimonC]

+1 for crankarms comments regarding improving strength etc, although ive got Pro 3's on me race bike, very good tyre, and it makes for a more pleasurable ride than bog standard kenda tyres I imagine.

Cant honestly say that I wouldnt sling the kenda's in the bin and get some blingy fast ones on! (or put em on the winter bike)

 

[SimonRoberts0204]

I wonder whether

a) Fast riders use expensive tyres and feel the difference only because theyre 'too good' for stock tyres - i.e the difference is only felt when you're right up there

or

anyone can benefit from better tyres.

 

[swee'pea99]

I wonder whether

a) Fast riders use expensive tyres and feel the difference only because theyre 'too good' for stock tyres - i.e the difference is only felt when you're right up there

or

anyone can benefit from better tyres.

Definitely the latter. But Crankarm's right that you can make a big difference by making the best of the tyres you have, particularly in terms of getting the pressure up. 'Bad' tyres at 100-120psi will probably run better than even good ones at 70. Have you got a decent track pump, with a gauge? I'd definitely make that a priority, over replacing perfectly decent (even if not 'the best') tyres.

 

[fossyant]

Anyone can benefit from better tyres. Not only are they faster, they can be more comfortable too.

Personally, I hate heavy tyres, can't stand how they feel.

 

[jimboalee]

If the tyre spec' doesn't say Kevlar or Aramid, I change them.

Dawes Giro came with some Kenda somethingorothers. Changed them for Conti UltraGatorSkins immediately.

 

[SimonRoberts0204]

Yeah I have a decent track pump, gauge up to 160psi.

I agree with the making the most, but if you're going to change tyres one day, why not measure your progress against 'good tyre speeds' from the off?

Then again, I might as well wait until these wear out, They dont feel slow to me, im just excited to see what good tyres feel like.

 

[ed_o_brain]

At the end of the day, you can always splash out and see. If you are not that impressed with the difference, you can putyour Kena's back on after youhave worn out the tyres you splashed out on. (..although you may notice the difference more that way around).

I've got some awful tyres on my uber-commuter; they are MTB slicks rated with a max of 40 psi. I'm certain that changing them would completely transform the bike but I'm still waiting to wear the bu**ers out.

 

[grhm]

I've got Kendas with some kevlar p* protection on my bike. It's the tyres the bike came with. I've convinced myself I would see some benefit for putting on different tyres - but what I've got is good enough for now. I've been using them for commuting and done ~1500 miles on them with no p*'s or noticable wear so far.

If money is no object, upgrade. Otherwise I'd stick with them till you need (rather than want) to replace them. By then you might even be fitter and more familiar with the bike and in a better position to appreciate the difference (if any).

 

[jig-sore]

my hybrid came with Kenda tyres on it, the type that are slicks down the centre and knobbly on the edges (road/trail tyres), not really the best made or lightest tyre you can get.

then i saw these, Michelin city's...

just liked the look of them really (foxes in the tread pattern). anyway, i sent my sister out to buy some tyres for her bike that I'm restoring and she came back with a pair of these (PS: am i the only one who gets a thrill from a nice looking set of tyres, bike or car. is it a man thing ??)

told her I'd been after a set and she said i could have them for my birthday and she would go and get another pair. anyway i've had them on my bike for two commutes now, i wouldn't say they were faster than the originals but they added a bit of bling and i "felt" better on the bike.

one thing i did notice, they are 700x35, a lot thinner than the kendas, and you can feel the bumps a lot more, fine on a road bike but not ideal on a commuter bike so i have ordered a pair of 700x40 ones for my bike and the 35's will be put on my sisters bike as first intended.

sometimes you can get a boost by just buying something you want, call it the placebo effect if you like, and worth every penny of the £20 spent

 

[Tynan]

tyres are money well spent for sure, I've tried a few of the favs and settled on cheapo Luganos and lately a Blizzard, they certainly go quick and offer decent punc protection

no qualms replacing earlier when they're £10 a pop

 

[Randochap]

quality[/I] of the tyre.

Next, we should be running the appropriate pressure for road conditions and considering rider weight in the equation.

Finally, the ultimate determinant of tyre performance depends upon the quality/suppleness of the casing. Pumping a "dead" tyre up to higher pressures will simply make a harsh tyre harsher. A harsh-riding tyre bounces on all but the smoothest of surfaces. Making it harder makes it bumpier, which slows the ride.