Fifty Plus (50+) - Tire Recommendation

My wife and I have Masi road bikes about 10 years old. We are in our early 70s and ride 100 miles/week at most (usually less). The original tires look brittle so I'm planning to replace them. The tires that came with the bikes had no tread but I was thinking about getting new tires with some tread for better road traction. Also would these allow for some use on dirt or sand? I'm looking for recommendations for new tires (size 700x23). Should I replace the tubes also?

Thanks

Welcome to Bike Forums and the 50+ loony bin. You should replace the tubes at the same time as the tires. You should try an LBS (local bicycle shop) to see what they have in stock in the tires. Prices are all over the map on them depending on the manufacturer. If you have room for a 700x25C it will give you a bit smoother ride. Puncture resistance, tread compound all will depend on your needs. I just ordered a 70x23C Schwalbe Lugano from Amazon.com yesterday. Look at their offerings and several other on line sites if the shop does not have what you want. Some more info about your riding style and needs would help here too.

Bill

Welcome. Glad you and your wife are enjoying riding regularly. Since you are planning to do some riding on dirt, a little tread might be helpful. For pavement tread is unnecessary. Also I would go for wider rubber on dirt to help absorb some of the bumps. 25s should fit your bike, maybe even 28s. The extra tire volume won't slow you much if any and it will allow lower pressure which will smooth out the pebbles and ruts on dirt roads.

700x23 is more for racers. If you have the brake clearance, 25 or 28 is the way to go for the kind of riding you appear to be doing. I use 23's, but I put in 20,000 km per year (12,000 miles) or more and I have a racing background and I like the feel of the bike vibrating over tires pumped to 120 lbs. When driving a car, I prefer a very tight suspension where I can feel every bump in the road. YMMV, as they say.

That said, after 40 years of riding on all sorts of tires, the best tires I have ever used in terms of performance, durability, weight (230 grams), sidewall strength, and manufacturing consistency are Vredestein Forzetta TriComps. But I've only seen them available in 700x23 (BikeTiresDirect and PBK).

Luis

+1 on the bump to 25's. I'd been riding 25's for years until last year when I tried 23's on a high end CF (04 Trek 5900 Superlight). Loved the bike feel (got lucky on a really nice fit), but HATED the 23's. I was so turned off by that experience --riding for hours on roads with aging expansion joints and slamming into EVERY ONE, that I'm going the opposite direction this year. I'm checking out various randonneuring tires of much larger size (Grand Bois at 650Bx32, or 700x32 on a new frame). I'm done with super hard skinny tires.

I've ridden 700x23 Continental Gatorkins for the last 4 or 5 years. Just put on a set of Continental GP4000s 700x25 and there is quite bit of difference. I fell like I'm riding on an air cusion now. Very comfortable.

Will second Torelli4 on the Conti GP4000 25mm for a sweet "narrower" tire. For chip/seal and poorly maintained local county roads, Pasela TG28's do just fine for me.

Another vote for 700x25's. I replaced the 700x23 tires that came on my new road bike to the 700x25 Ultra Gatorskins that I bought three weeks ago for my other road bike. The ride difference is definitely noticeable.

The tires that came with the bikes had no tread but I was thinking about getting new tires with some tread for better road traction.
Many consider most road contact is from near slick tires..

The Grand Tours were run on unpaved roads for the early part of the last century. Cotton casings..
Sew up tires are still the traditional choice..

Gatorskin is a sidewall reinforcement mesh continental adds to several models..
it does it's job..

sand ? you will sink down to what ever the solid base is, probably time to walk..

>[ insert additional opinion here ]<

What and how much are you sacrificing when you go from 700x23 to 700x25?

What pressure do you run your 25s?

Thanks,
Roger

What pressure do you run your 25s?

Thanks,
Roger

My Gatorskins are recommended at 95 psi. Not sure about other 25 cm tires.

Post some pictures of your bikes with some close-ups of your brakes. Cyclecross or touring bikes would handle treaded tires best. Performance road bikes usually have less clearance at the frame and brakes.

What pressure do you run your 25s?

Thanks,
Roger

My 25mm Conti GP4000's are labeled for 120psi. I weigh in the upper 160's, ride a variety of road surfaces and run 95 in the back and 90 in front. Pinch flats not a problem.

I do realize you didn't ask for a size recommendation, but I'll go along with the larger tires suggestion. I like 700 32, but don't know if they'd fit your bike. You get just a little more suspension for bumps and riding across lawns, etc. A bit more work to pedal maybe but I don't mind.

I used 27 x 1 1/4 tires for as long as I could. They are about the same size as the 700 - 32s. The cheap ones at the department stores had tread and worked well winter and summer. With a larger tire you need less air pressure, and get less problems with leaks and flats. (My experience, but I've heard otherwise about some of the top brands.)

best wishes with that

The difference in width for most brands between a 23 and a 25 is ~ "-" Not very much at all. Still a 25 seems to make people happy with a Sweet Spot in its width/sidewall ratio and some lower pressures.

Bill

Someone posted this in another thread and I found it very interesting...especially the 23 vs 25 "speed" info.

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/bicycle-tires-puncturing-the-myths-29245/

25's here too but forget riding in sand. Had a Schwinn hybrid once with about 1-3/8" tires (I think), and they were OK in packed sand.

Tom (in Florida with 600 foot long sand driveway)

I ride on Bontrager Racelite Hard-case 25's. They provide a smooth ride, and are very puncture resistant.

If brake pad clearance is the only clearance issue when mounting your wheel; let the air out,mount the wheel, and reinflate.

I ride on Bontrager Racelite Hard-case 25's. They provide a smooth ride, and are very puncture resistant.

I have Racelite 23s on my Masi. Have had the same experience. I'll try the 25s next thanks to the discussions on this forum.

Schwalbe Ultremo DD or Continental 4 Seasons if you feel you must have tread. 700X25. Replace the tubes... very important to do that I think. You can save the old tubes for backup if you want, but they are pretty old. I would make them into exercise devices.

Tyres and it is down to you on size and type. I only ride road and slicks work well on wet roads. In fact the only tyres I have used on asphalt with a tread gave me a feeling of instability so I chopped them very quick. I do occasionally use the bike on smooth offroad trails in the dry and the slicks work well enough.

BUT one thing I will strongly recommend- Get your 10 year old wheels into a wheelbuilder for detentioning the spokes and retrueing. The spokes will have lost tension over that period of time and could cause a spoke failure.

Agree with Gatorskins 25's or even better 28's for your use.

The spokes will have lost tension over that period of time and could cause a spoke failure.

So you're saying that any spoke failures would be intensional? ;-)

Agree with Stapfam on the spoke tension, and that would get new Velotape on the rims. Sand will be tough with road bike width tires.

Thank you all for your recommendations and help. I decided to buy Continental Gatorskin 700x25 tires. I mounted them today and have a question:

My front wheel was replaced a while back when the original was bent in an accident. The new wheel is a 622-14 and the new tire mounted without much trouble. The rear wheel is the original and is a 622-13. I had a lot of trouble mounting the tire and it fits much tighter than the front. Is this anything to be concerned about?

Thanks, Bob

I ride on Bontrager Racelite Hard-case 25's. They provide a smooth ride, and are very puncture resistant.Even the lowly Bontrager Select-B has superb puncture resistance. I've ridden them the last two seasons with all kinds of small lacerations in them but didnt flat, they are starting to get a bit thin and squared off now.

My only complaint with the Select-B in 25mm is they feel heavier than what I was previously used to. This year I'm going with Michelin Krylion Carbon in 23mm. I gotta have something a bit more responsive this year.

It's all about puncture resistance to me. I hate getting flats. 2 tyres I've had some success with, long-lasting and pretty puncture resistant are Maxxis Refuse and Michelin Krylion's. I don't know if you'd race with them, but they've done the job for me. I've had the Krylions on for 8 or more months now and haven't had a flat.

Thank you all for your recommendations and help. I decided to buy Continental Gatorskin 700x25 tires. I mounted them today and have a question:

My front wheel was replaced a while back when the original was bent in an accident. The new wheel is a 622-14 and the new tire mounted without much trouble. The rear wheel is the original and is a 622-13. I had a lot of trouble mounting the tire and it fits much tighter than the front. Is this anything to be concerned about?

Thanks, Bob

IMHO, no. The difference in rim width (13 vs. 14 mm) is a moot point and proper for a 25 mm tire. There can be a slight difference in the bead area and just a little difference can make a huge difference when installing a tire.


Brad

The gators can be pretty tight when you first mount them. Usually after they've been on for a while, at pressure, they are easier to remount.

Agree on the Maxxis ReFuse tires.
5,600 miles on Maxxises this year with only ONE puncture between single and our tandem!

It's all about puncture resistance to me. I hate getting flats. 2 tyres I've had some success with, long-lasting and pretty puncture resistant are Maxxis Refuse and Michelin Krylion's. I don't know if you'd race with them, but they've done the job for me. I've had the Krylions on for 8 or more months now and haven't had a flat.Krylions were supposed to have a light and fast feel to them from what I understand. Last year someone posted a rolling resistance study with graph and it showed the Krylion right up in the top tier of sport/training/racing tire.