Looking to updgrade tires on TREK FX 7.1
 

About three weeks ago I purchased a Trek FX 7.1 from my LBS. Love the bike in every way. Rides great, looks great. However I have been considering a tire replacement (upgrade). My bike came with Bontrager H2, 700x35c tires. I was looking at the following as replacements: Michelin Pilot Sport 700x35c Reflective Tire, and Continental GatorSkin DuraSkin 700x32 Folding Tire. My bike is mostly used on paved surfaces. Sometimes very compacted gravel as well. Will either one of these tires offer me an advantage over my stock tire? Is the Continental suitable for a hybrid? I am guessing it is a narrower tire than the current Bontrager or the Michelin. Advice needed. Thanks!

Hold on there. Your enthusiasm may be burning a hole in your pocket. You just bought bike and are looking for upgrades which may not be cheap. Trust me, I have been there. Unless you are having a problem with your new tires, just ride them until they wear out, which might not be for a couple of years.

Because if you love how your Trek rides, why would you change it?

Moving to 700x32 will be a little narrower, but it would be a good tire for a Hybrid. the number after the x is the width in millimeters.

What are your objectives for upgrading your tires? Speed? Comfort? Flat resistance?

I don't know the stock tires, but based on what I have seen/heard would guess that they are reasonable tires. The Gatorskin tires are well regarded for flat protection, while performing pretty well. I have had good experiences with Michelin tires I have ridden, but don't know that particular model.

I look for tires on sale long before I need them.

The two tires I mentioned above were around the $40 mark, each. Problem is I have bike fever. I have already bought all my accesories so I have been looking at upgrades.

If you're not riding on anything rougher than packed gravel I think I would go all the way down to 28s, and pick something without any heavy tread. I've never used any of the tires you listed above, but when the stock 38s needed to be replaced on my old Trek hybrid I went down to 28s (Conti Contacts), and have been very happy. Low resistance on the road, and handles bike paths just fine.

I'd ride the stock tires until they need replacing..

Depending on how much you ride, that could be a few months or a few years.

I ride about 800 miles a month so my tires get replaced pretty often...

I hate to tell you this, but save your money and put it into a new bike fund. You will be itching to buy an upgraded bike by the end of the year.

If you really want to buy something, get yourself a new pair of bike shorts or a jersey. Or try clip less pedals and cycling shoes if you don't already own these. WHEN you upgrade to a road bike, you can move the pedals over.

So I would have no problem with a 700x32 as i am currently running 700x35? My rims are Bontrager AT-750 32-hole double-walled rims. Guessing the 32 is slightly more narrow.

Can't really ever see myself moving to a road bike so I am sure I will have this one for a while. However, I will heed your advice and leave well enough alone regarding tire replacement. Thanks for the advice all.

Yes, you could, but the difference in either speed or comfort is pretty small, IMHO. You might notice a difference is you went down to 28, but it might not be as comfortable, either.

Upgraded hybrid, then.

He wants to swap his ok stock tires for lighter,stickier ones. Nothing wrong with that.

myoungson: look on your rims for a sticker that says something like "622xNN". NN will be your in width in mm's. Compare that to this chart to see what range of tires you can run.

I don't know anything about the Pilots,but I've heard the Gatorskins can be meh in the rain. I prefer Vittoria Randonneur Pros or Schwalbe Marathon Supremes. The Supremes are pricy,but worth it,and with some Googling you can find them for reasonable.

Except that if he loves the bike in every way, why change something as central to the ride as tires? IMO, he should get to know how the bike rides a bit better before making changes.

That said, it is his money.

35c tires are gigantic to me. The OP should try some 23c tires, much more lively handling and overall feel.
Nice tires are the best upgrade to me on anything with 2 wheels.
I think the Michelin Pro Race 3 are among the best out there for fast and good handling.

Wow, some of you guys would have really had a cow if you saw my 7.3 FX sporting 40mm tires... They were actually wider than the 40s on my 26" wheeled bike. :) I had to lower the tire pressure just to install the rear wheel with those babies mounted.

I just switched to 35s since the surface on the local rail trails has firmed up, and I will be doing some road riding. It is unlikely that I would ever go under 32mm, but that is based on my preferences... Other people obviously have different preferences.

Except that you ride a Madone. OP rides an entry level FX 7.1. Don't know if the rims on a stock 7.1 takes a 23c tire.

35mm to 32mm? You won't notice a difference in performance with that small of a difference(3mm).
My tires are 700 x 35 and after a year (1200+ miles) they're still going strong on pavement and loose gravel. A little wear, but nothing to red flag just yet. When I picked up new cables at my LBS for my spring tune up, I checked out tires as I thought about switching to lighter/skinnier ones when my current ones wear out, unfortunately there wasn't a difference visually in 3mm (35 to 32). Even the mechanic advised not to bother with the 32s if I wanted a lighter option, so I started looking at a pair of Continental 28s w/ puncture protection (about $50ish each) which I'll probably get when my current tires wear out in another 2000 miles - or so.

best time for the tire upgrade would have been before you took the bike home , as then you were not trading in used tires.

and the dealer would have credited towards your Euro brand dream tires, at Point of Sale..

This is the best advice !!

28mm vs 35mm tires
 

I've also been considering going to narrower tires. I have 35's now. I talked with a guy at the LBS today. My concern was loss of stability. He said the narrower tires will have more friction per sq. inch on the pavement and will not result in any loss of stability, what do you think?

I have 32s on my hybrid currently and haven't experienced any stability issues but I ride mostly paved paths. I am also currently considering upgrading my tires soon and will likely go to even narrower tires - 28s or possible even 25s depending which manufacturer I go with. I don't have any personal experience on anything less than the 32s I have been riding on but I have been discussing it with others who do have experience on another thread and no one has cautioned me regarding stability concerns. Hope this helps!

I would get away from the stock tires if I owned that 7.1fx. Tires make a world of difference and getting a good set is paramount. I replaced the bontrager junk on my old 7.3fx to the gatorskin 32's. Thought the tires really improved the ride and more importantly the fun so the gators are recommended. My 2014 7.7fx has some bontrager 25's and I'm itching to replace my tires toooooooo lol. Think I'll wait a while longer before I change out the rubber. I expect to be pounding my forehead for not changing out the stock rubber sooner though. Cars are for lazy sobs! cycling rules

I absolutely love Schwalbe Marathon Supremes on my bike. Yes, they are pricey, but worth every penny because of flat resistance, handling, traction, ride, and speed.

I ride a 35 on the front for improved handling and quickness, and a 40 on the rear for added comfort and load capacity. I arrived at the mix by trial and error, due to the fact hat I had lots of sizes to try.

Now, I won't have anything else...............

They don't put quality tires on OEM because of expense, and better tires really do improve everything. I gave my OEM tires to kid who needed 'em.