vasuvius

I started riding to work this week and plan to commute 2 days a week for now.
I'm currently riding on Conti 4000S 23mm tires and planning to go up to 25mm
(I think my Cervelo S1 should be able to handle 25mm tires)

What's a good tire for commuting ? My round trip is 55 miles and it would be good to get tires with good road-grip and longevity.

Thanks
V

softreset

Did you know that there's a sub forum specific to commuting where this topic is discussed daily?

Commuting

But seeing as I haven't had a chance to post in the daily 'best tire thread' I'll get it started. Continental 25mm Gator Hardshell

vasuvius

Thank you very kindly. I shall redirect my search to the Commuting Forum

nhluhr

One of the longest running road bike tires you'll find is the Conti Gatorskin. For commuting, I'd try to go wider like maybe 25 or 28 if you can fit it. They will definitely be slower tires than something like a Schwalbe One or Conti 4000S but the rubber is long-wearing. If you have no worries of flats along your route (like maybe it's all MUP or just generally free of broken glass or flinty shards, then you could run something more supple and faster.

turky lurkey

The other typical answer you will get is Schwalbe Marathon. There are several varieties of the Marathon, I use the Green Guard version on my commuter bike and I love them. I have only had one flat due to a large nail that nothing would have stopped. There, you pretty much have the two most popular answers for this topic already. The Marathon, and the Gatorskin so you should be good to go.

nhluhr

I've never used the marathon myself but would it be correct to say it's a tougher/heavier tire than the Gatorskin? Also, it has some tread on it so it may be more ideal if the OP intends to ride in various conditions like dirt/gravel, sleet, etc but it might be a slower tire than the gatorskin on clearer pavement.

turky lurkey

I've never used the Gatorskin but I would guess your analysis is about right. The marathon does have some tread and might be a bit slower. Though I find it fast enough for my loaded commuter bike.

nhluhr

I think either would be "ok" and it's just a matter of OP deciding where to fall on the durability/speed spectrum.

zymphad

What's wrong with the Conti? I use those to commute 6 days a week.

After these wear out, I plan to get Michelin Endurance 25mm.

And after that want to try the schwalbe Durano.

vasuvius

The roads are pretty decent. My commute is from Northern NJ to Brooklyn via Manhattan. The roads on the NJ side are pretty ok with the usual potholes. The ride through Manhattan is flat and clean roads on the Hudson River Greenway.
Barring some construction related gavel in the downtown Manhattan area, there is little to worry about in terms of road conditions.

I definitely want to switch to 25mm tires. The Conti 4000S is pretty long lasting and the current set at 2K miles shows very little wear and I guess will go up to 4000 miles.
I would not want to sacrifice on speed for durability too much, so, if the Gatorskin or the Schwalbe Marathon that noticeably slower, I'd rather stay with the Conti 4000S and switch to 25mm

Thanks
V

zymphad

@vasuvius that's what I would do. The Conti 4000S are working great for me. I did get a flat last week, but that was cause it was overcast and looked like it was raining and rushed home, didn't notice in front of the bars morons had decided breaking glass was a good idea.

But was riding in the drizzle and rain last night, I was still able to turn quickly in the rain. I'm liking the 4000S a lot. But later in the year, would like to try the Michelin Endurance, I read the ride is smoother than the 4000S.

Also Gatorskins are really expensive!

CbadRider

Moved from Road to Commuting.

bikebreak

Get the Conti GP 4 seasons, it's between the gator and 4000s. It comes in 28, which actually measures 26mm wide on my 20mm and 22mm wide rims. Fits my Lemond. If your tire clearance looks real tight get the 25.

raqball

Specialized Armadillo's are awesome if you want flat protection.... Just in case!

zymphad

Also never on sale since I can only find them in shops that sell them at MSRP making them the most expensive tires I would consider for commuting. Bleh.

Kenda Kountach Endurance look nice. Kenda prices are always fantastic, these look fast too. 237 grams each, not bad. And did I say they look fast?

Wow, look at that price!

Wow, look at the flat protection!

jrickards

I approach commuting, not from the perspective of racing but from the perspective of comfort and convenience (or perhaps, lack of inconveniences). Therefore, I would recommend going wider (for comfort) and durable/puncture-resistant, even at the cost of weight gain.

MileHighMark

The 700x25 Kenda Kriterium Endurance has worked well for me.

Cyclist0383

I like the Conti 4 Seasons. The ride is more nimble than the Gatorskin and it's streets ahead in the rain. The flat protection is just as good as the Gatorskin in my experience. On the downside they are more expensive.

alan s 

I agree with this, for the distances involved. Reasonably: durable, grippy and fast.

vasuvius

It looks like there is enough clearance for 28mm. I have a bunch of 18-23mm tubes lying around which I use with the 23mm tyres.
Will I need to get wider tubes or will the 18-23mm tubes be ok with 28mm tyres?

TransitBiker

I am not sure if you'd like them for yourself, but i ride with specialized nimbus sport on front, and specialized hemisphere sport on back. Works really well in wet, tons of grip in dry, and not too heavy. Also has built in kevlar lining to provide basic flat protection.

Good luck!

- Andy

vasuvius

Just mounted a set of Conti GP 4 seasons 25mm.
Unfortunately on my rims, they are exactly the same width as the 4000s 23 mm -- 23mm!!

I'll try the 28mm next time if I like these.

rumrunn6

I ad great luck with specialized armadillos, the smooth ones.

fietsbob

You, a roadie, commuting on a road bike would probably hate the feel of a really sturdy Hard durometer, rubber
so high milage tire , so I wont mention any ..

just plan on buying new tires every once in a while.

nhluhr

Tires do stretch a bit over time. I think you'll find that after a few good rides on the new tires they will measure a little bit wider, but it's definitely true that Conti tires tend to have a smaller margin between sizes when compared to other brands.