Bicycle Mechanics - Tire reviews, what gives?

I have been looking at buying a new set of rodie tires. Being new, as of last summer, to this sport I have been doing internet searches for tire reviews.
My question.
How can so many folks review the same tire and get a compleatly different revier? It's like the same tire gets reviews like it's comparing apples and oranges!:confused:
Help me out here!

What happens is, a person buys the tyre, puts it on, rides around the block once, and procedes to writ a glowing review. A few weeks later, after relising that the tyre he bought is much less than expected, he goes back, using another name, and procedes to trash the tyre.

Yes, and also there are a lot of variables that aren't attributable to the tire: rider weight; type of rim; rim condition; inflation pressure; road conditions; even rider skill.

Personally, I give a a lot of weight to the presence of credible reports of high-mileage reliability, and tend to discount reports of early failures.

RichC

Tire requirements are a very personal, subjective thing.

Cost, weight, composition, terrain, and use are not the same for everyone.

One thing consistant is that they all flat.

Originally posted by Greg
Tire requirements are a very personal, subjective thing.

Cost, weight, composition, terrain, and use are not the same for everyone.

One thing consistent is that they all flat.


With WAY to much emphasis on the weight of the tire.

(I 2nd all the sediments of the D*, Rich and Greg).

Originally posted by Cipher


With WAY to much emphasis on the weight of the tire.

(I 2nd all the sediments of the D*, Rich and Greg).

Spot-on, Cipher. I use 700Cx28mm Specialized Armadillos for commuting, transportation, and touring, and 700Cx23mm Continental Ultra2000s for sport. A little extra rotating weight is a small price to pay for reliability and safety.

As with John E., I use kevlar lined tires. From my experience, I have the best luck with Specilized Armadillos.. Seems they last about 4,000 miles- about a year, since I rotate bikes... I hate flats, detracts from the ride,.. Armadillos' seems to provide me with the best luck.. Seems of late fewer shops are carrying them. that has me worried.
I have also tried Vittoria's kevlar lines tire.. Seems they were ok, but prefer the Armadillos... Some racers might not like Armadillos', because of rolling resistance? I like them.. Reliabiltiy any day....

Armadillos seem to last the most outta most out there, BUT I can tell you from experience there's going to be a ride that you get 4 flats. Then you won't have another for a year. As a road rider, be prepared to buy tires, esp if you start biking alot . Most of us have tires for the winters (28c) and ones for the rest of the year. You can listen to reviews, and yes thats the best way to learn, but your not goign to know what you like until your on there... thats my advice. I have tires that i love, that no one in my shop would ride for more than 10 miles. It depends on how you ride, how often you check ur pressure, if you have fanesse (sp?), if you ride hard, etc etc..


look at reviews and start trying is the sum up of my ranting :D:thumbup: :thumbup:

I have lower range Bontrager tires on now and have only one flat in about 800 miles. I guess if I where commuting every day I would be more concerned with resistance to flats than weight. I also had a 700x28 irc commuter tires on a hybred that picked up a 6p nail that ruined the tire on my first long ride out, in the center of the tire and ripped the sidewall out! I do check my presure every time I go out and have yet to get a pinch flat although I have hit some rocks on the road that I was just waiting for that pop sound.
I'm leaning hard twards the Axial carbon tire right now. My max speed is usually no more than 32-35 mph and very few sharp corners with mostly good roads to ride on. I figure that they shouldn't flat any more than the tires I'm running now. BTW I have a coworker that wouldn't touch a coni tire if it was the only one in the shop. He has had nothing but bad luck! I know other riders that would use no other brand. Go figure.:p

Thank's fellow riders!

Originally posted by Arsbars
Most of us have tires for the winters (28c) and ones for the rest of the year.

Why a fatter tire for winter?


look at reviews and start trying is the sum up of my ranting :D:thumbup: :thumbup: [/B]

When it's all said and done, that pretty much sums it up.

Here's an example... you read lots of hearty endorsements of Armadillos. I had a pair once and hated them because the ride feel was heavy and "dead." That coupled with the fact that I very rarely have any kind of flat except snakebite or some kind of sidewall damage made them of little value to me.

FWIW, I got one of the early model 'dillos. They may have improved the ride-feel, etc., since. Good product, just not for me.

Ok answering your fatter tire question. I live in maryland, which gets the oddest weather I've ever heard. One day it will be raining, the next day it will be a blizzard and the next day it will be 50 out. The wider tire allows a. more ground coverage for salt, nasty crap on the road and the ability to let out some air. b. you need the widest tire you can find when you are riding in any type of snow. You think that the narrow tire will slice through, but it just sinks. The wider tire allows you to stay ontop of things. c. its just so much safer in crappy weather.