Wet weather tyres for hybrid/commuter

[Funtboy]

?? What tyres are you using at the moment?

I have these...

http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product/107795.html

Bontrager Satellite Plus 700 x 32

 

[Tynan]

ultragators in a 23 in the wet ...

your call but I ditched them after two weeks after at most two wet rides

 

[fossyant]

32's are pretty wide...23's will give your bike a new life....but they are road tyres...

You don't have specific 'wet weather' tyres, how good they are depends upon compounds etc.

Better to ask what tyre has good puncture resistance and is good in the wet....

Michelin Pro Race 2 or 3 are great all weathers, but they are not cheap, and not really suited to commuting....

 

[RedBike]

Don't go getting knobbly tyres!

It's a common mis-conception that bike tyres need a tread pattern in the wet. Because of the width of a bike tyre on smooth tarmac the only thing a tread will do is decrease the amount of rubber in contact with the road and therefore decrease the amount of grip you've got. A bike will not hydroplane like a car until you're doing something daft like 150mph.

(When there's gravel/mud on the road then a tread pattern makes all the difference which is why MTBs use very aggressive treaded tyres)

Ultragators are good tyres but I certainly wouldn't recommend them in the wet.

My recommendation would be Continentals Grand Prix 4 Season in the larger 700x28 size. These tyres have been designed with wet weather (winter) use in mind. They are expensive but they're worth it!

btw, roughly speaking the narrower the tyre the quicker it will roll but the harsher the ride. There will be a huge difference between a narrrow 23mm tyre and your current 32mm tyres!

 

[John the Monkey]

i have continental ultra gators 700x23 and I plan to use them all through the winter, wet or dry.

YMMV, but I ride these in the 25C wire on, and they're the worst tyre in the wet I've experienced yet. Take it VERY easy on them.

 

[Funtboy]

Thanks all. Very illuminating...

 

[Willow]

bet you're glad you asked!

double dutch to me I just use the one's on the bike and hope!

 

[Funtboy]

bet you're glad you asked!

double dutch to me I just use the one's on the bike and hope!

You said it friend - that's what I'm gonna do. I won't tell anyone if you don't.

 

[Nick1979]

Michelin Krylion are very good "all conditions" (read "wet") tyres, I usually use them for winter months but they are difficult to find at the moment.
Vittoria Diamante Pro (or Pro Tech with additional puncture protection) are said to be designed specifically for wet conditions, I haven't tried them but maybe they are worth a go.

 

[Funtboy]

Michelin Krylion are very good "all conditions" (read "wet") tyres, I usually use them for winter months but they are difficult to find at the moment.
Vittoria Diamante Pro (or Pro Tech with additional puncture protection) are said to be designed specifically for wet conditions, I haven't tried them but maybe they are worth a go.

Cheers mate. I may see how I go with the ones I've got. I guess I may as well learn the hard way!