Road tyres

[Cycleops]

As Canrider said you are going to get a diverse range of opinions on tyres here, and to a great extent it's a matter of taste. Some may prefer a cod and chips whilst others like a vindaloo. I have a wide range of tyres on my bikes and can say that there is not a vast difference between them. Bearing in mind the roads down here pretty awful. I also fail to understand how one tyre is slippery in the wet whilst another is more grippy, given that most are slick. I don't do much wet weather work so can't comment with authority, but I do think pressures play a part here and in tyre performance generally.

All I can say is try some budget tyres first and then some premium brands. Bear in mind you can a lot of money for tyres but with the better ones you probably get a better degree of puncture resistance and lower rolling resistance.

 

[Haz]

That sounds like presta, Sheldon's article might spread light on it for you

Yep thanks! From the picture it's definitely Presta.

 

[Eribiste]

...And when you want to pump the pressure up you have to unscrew the little screw thing too. Don't forget to nip it back up again when you've done. Are you using a track pump? they're the tall pumps with a foot plate to stand on, the good ones have a pressure gauge on them, and they make pumping your tyres up at home so much easier.

 

[gaz]

I always get a non folding tyre. as the bead is made of steel and not kevlar. this makes it easier to get on and off.

 

[HLaB]

I always get a non folding tyre. as the bead is made of steel and not kevlar. this makes it easier to get on and off.

I guess its the tyres but I've found foldable tyres to be easier to get over that last bit of rim.

 

[MattHB]

When I put my 4 seasons on i thought I'd ether break the tyre or a blood vessel, my god they were hard going.

 

[gaz]

I guess its the tyres but I've found foldable tyres to be easier to get over that last bit of rim.

Can't say I have ever had that experience with foldable tyres

 

[Hacienda71]

Your wheels will have an influence on how easy a tyre is to put on. My pro4 service course tyres will go onto my Mavic wheels quite easily with just thumbs while they are much harder to fit on to my Planet X wheels and I get tempted to use tyre levers, probably on a mm difference.

 

[Haz]

Your wheels will have an influence on how easy a tyre is to put on.

Ha well I'm not sure what the result will be with the current wheels, which are some old Weinmanns which presumably came with the bike. The brakes are also Weinmann and the levers seemingly designed for somebody with very long fingers (or just for man hands..). The current tyres are split on the sides and can only be pumped to 90psi, they say "vredestein sprint vedereicht s" and "made in holland" on the side... can't say I've seen Vredestein tyres advertised for sale anywhere!

 

[cyberknight]

Ha well I'm not sure what the result will be with the current wheels, which are some old Weinmanns which presumably came with the bike. The brakes are also Weinmann and the levers seemingly designed for somebody with very long fingers (or just for man hands..). The current tyres are split on the sides and can only be pumped to 90psi, they say "vredestein sprint vedereicht s" and "made in holland" on the side... can't say I've seen Vredestein tyres advertised for sale anywhere!

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/vredestein/road-race-tyres/

 

[GazK]

Has anyone ever done a randomized controlled trial on bike tyre durability to get at some unbiased data? I imagine it would be quite easy to do...

 

[lulubel]

I guess its the tyres but I've found foldable tyres to be easier to get over that last bit of rim.

I've only ever used folding tyres on the road, so I can't compare like for like, but I've never had any problems getting them over the last bit of rim. Getting them to stay "tyre shaped" first time you put them on, as you're working round and tucking the bead in is another matter!

The only non-folding tyres I've used are trainer tyres, and they're an absolute pig to get on.

 

[Haz]

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/vredestein/road-race-tyres/

Fair enough! They seem to have pretty good reviews, too.

 

[Haz]

Finally got round to buying a new tyre after a flat made me realise how perished the rubber is on the old one - split all the way around the side wall and the bit that goes inside the rim is falling to pieces. Last time we go on a bike ride with no spare tubes! We're now very proficient in walking semi-normally in cleats and ignoring passers-by who think we're doing a tap dance... A ride cut short and a lesson learnt the hard way!
Anyway, gone for the gatorskins after all your good reviews (thanks for the help). Also turns out my wheels need 25's not 23's so not so much choice, which is no bad thing if I want to get anything non-bike-related done...

On a slightly related note, have any of you built your own wheels? How easy/expensive is it?

 

[The Over 40 Cyclist]

Maxxis Refuse. I've had many of them and found them to be a good all round tyre. Reasonably puncture resistant, reasonably long wearing and grip ok.

I know many in my bunch ride with them. Not too expensive either.