Tyres

[ianrauk]

Is it the All Condition Armadillos or the Schwalbes that make you feel like riding through treacle?

I changed from Marthon Plus to the Spesh A.C. Armadillos on my hybrid and found the Spesh ones, which have far less prominent tread, smoother.

I am looking for some winter tyres for my road bike at the moment. Having looked on a few CC threads and read reviews elsewhere, I have narrowed it down to the Spesh A.C. Amadillos, Continental Gatorskins or Continental G.P. 4 seasons, mainly as they get decent reviews. At present, I am leaning towards Gatorskins, mainly due to cost. 4 Seasons vary between £55 and £60 a piece (although there is an LBS nearby that has them advertised at £45), Armadillos £40, and Gatorskins £30. Halfords have Gatorskins in at £27.99, but with Cycling UK 10% discount it will come to £25.20 or just over £50 a pair, which is less than the price of a single 4 seasons.

Spesh felt like riding through treacle. The schwalbes run so much quicker with a similar amount of puncture protection.
Gatorskins? I wouldn't touch any Continental tyres with a bargepole - cos if I did they would puncture at the slightest touch. However other peeps swear by them.

 

[Roadhump]

Strange how different people have different experiences with various products. I guess some is down to luck - when I used Marathon pluses, I had 3,000 miles puncture free, then 3 punctures in 9 months, one of which was on a 6 week old M+. I know they are one of the most puncture resistant tyres available and I was probably just very unlucky, but I had had enough of them and wouldn't rush to buy them again.

 

[Adam4868]

I've heard some good reviews of the
SPECIALIZED ALL CONDITION ARMADILLO.

Ive had these for quite a few years on my winter bike,id swear by them.Yea yea famous last words !

 

[NorthernDave]

Strange how different people have different experiences with various products. I guess some is down to luck - when I used Marathon pluses, I had 3,000 miles puncture free, then 3 punctures in 9 months, one of which was on a 6 week old M+. I know they are one of the most puncture resistant tyres available and I was probably just very unlucky, but I had had enough of them and wouldn't rush to buy them again.

Ribble have Gatorskins for £20.49 a tyre

https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/continental-gatorskin-rigid-tyre/

Or available as a twin pack for £36.95

https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/continental-gatorskin-rigid-tyre-twinpack/

Both with free p&p - Halfords should price match and give you the 10% BC discount on top.

 

[Roadhump]

Thanks @NorthernDave much appreciate you pointing that out and the links.