matimeo

If you could only have one pair, year round:
Looking for recommendations, informal survey. I would think these are good criteria to base it on but please add others.
1. Flat resistance
2. Low rolling resistance
3. Capable of handling various commuting conditions like if rain or unexpected snow, or off road trails used as short cuts.
4. Doesn't break the bank, although I get that you get what you pay for.
5. Ease of changing a flat
6. Weight (although I could really care less if the above criteria are met)

I just put on a pair of forte gotham tires. I haven't ridden them a lot yet but rolling resistance seems decent at 80 psi. Obviously not as good as the road tires I had been using. Anybody found a good all around tiring that gives you the durability, ride and flexibility you need to do it all? I'm asking because I'm attempting to downsize to just one bike for everything- commuting, road rides (nothing major), and utility riding. I'm hoping there's something better out there than what I've got.

Rhodabike

It depends on where you live, I suppose. We get significant amounts of snow and ice where I live, so studs are pretty much a must from November to March and one tire will not do it all.

matimeo

I am coming from the perspective of rainy winters and dry (albeit short) summers with almost no snow. So let's say we leave snow conditions out of it since that will obviously require a different kind of tire.

Rhodabike

This might give you some ideas:
https://www.downtheroad.org/Equipment...ring_Tires.htm
I've read really good reviews of the Continental Touring Plus, many written by people in the Vancouver area. The climate there is probably very similar to what you have. I just bought a pair this weekend as the cheaper tires that came with my new touring bike have been getting a lot of punctures, so I'm hoping these live up to their reputation.

tsl

Actually, it was commuters in the PNW that turned me on to Continental Grand Prix 4-Seasons tires. I've got them on three of my bikes now--25mm on the two roadies and 28mm on my primary commuter and grocery getter.

If you buy them from any of the UK dealers, (I use Ribble, but there's ProBikeKit, Wiggle, and others) they're $30-$35 cheaper than the $70-$75 stateside dealers get for them.

We get quite a bit of wet here too. I really like them in the rain. On vacation I ride them on dirt roads. We do some cobblestone climbs commuting too.

mechBgon

What wheel diameter, 26 or 700C? What width are you looking to use?

Cyclaholic

Conti gatorskins 700x28 plus mr tuffy liners and all your criteria are met.

matimeo

700 x anything between 25 and 32 that meet the criteria.

mechBgon

You could consider the Panaracer T-Serv: https://www.biketiresdirect.com/produ...-t-serv-protex The 28s come out to about 27.5mm, rated for 105psi but certainly will tolerate more if you want. They're not as heavy as most beefed-up "city" tires are, and you can run lightweight tubes in them without a problem.

I don't claim they're particularly flat-proof, but let's face it: if you want the tire to repel broken glass and stuff like that, it's going to need either an integrated belt, super-thick tread rubber, or both (a la Schwalbe Marathon Plus), which comes with a serious weight penalty. The rubber is rather soft and grippy. I like reflective sidewall stripes, and you can get T-Servs with the reflex sidewall if you want (but BTD doesn't seem to carry that model).

The next step up the performance scale for me would be a Grand Prix 4000 Reflex, faster but more prone to glass punctures. The next step up the longevity/flatproofing scale would probably be a reflective-sidewall Vittoria or Michelin, or a Conti Top Contact Reflex if cost were no object.

hopperja

Schwalbe Marathons for me. I commute year around, got 5,500 miles out of my first pair, and rarely a flat (I seem to remember I got one somewhere in the middle, and then two or three in the end that told me they were worn out; I was just being stubborn and thought they might still have some life in them). I've used them in light snow, lots of rain, and freezing conditions. They have never been a problem.

Look around on-line, they're probably the most often recommended touring and commuting tire.

On a side note, I've had good luck with Bell Dirtster tires as well. I have about 800 miles on one pair, and 300 miles on another pair. I've never had a flat, and they'll hold 60 psi, so they're suitable as a wider (1.75") commuting tire. If you are on a limited budget, and that's the tire size you're looking for, I would try them. Otherwise, go with the Marathons.

LeeG

t-serv

rekmeyata

How much snow will you be riding on? You can get snow tires like these: https://www.biketiresdirect.com/produ...apeliitta-w106 If those are too extreme then just get a set of Specialized Aramdillo All Condition tires, their the most flat resistant tire on the market not only in the tread but also the sidewall which any Conti would pale in comparison, but their not suited for snow just as the Gatorskins are not either. Also see these studded tires: https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/studdedtires.asp

earth2pete

Matimeo, sounds like you are already thinking this thing out thoroughly. I'm not a tire expert, but I can say that the tire should fit the need, and the need can vary from person to person. You've pretty much started covering the variables.

As for me, my commuting experience is a 30-mile round-trip trek to Atlanta and back. So my needs do not involve snow, or ice, off-road, or much debris. I prefer a medium-width (32 or 28) road tire with plenty of pressure. I can still hop off the road, my tires can handle it if I'm careful, but I stay on the asphalt mostly, so these are my tires of choice. As for flat-resistance, I have found if I stay on the clean pavement, I don't need special tires.

I'll be moving to Colorado soon, so I'll be looking for new ideas for snow, I'm sure!

MichaelW

Another Marathon user. It is not the fastest or flexiest tyre around but does Ok under most conditions. I rode across Europe with mine.
The Plus version is much harder to remove so I would recommend them for riders who have little interest in getting their hands dirty. I find the Mean Time Between Failure on plain Marathon to be good enough for commuting.

wphamilton

I guess someone should mention lower end tires that meet the criteria except for weight and rolling resistance, so I will. Forte Strada K (kevlar), about 3 or 4 ounces heavier but at $13 and I go anywhere and don't get flats. Objectively they're not really any slower than I am.

PS, I don't ride them on snow (which is once a year or less here)

SuperDave

I use Kenda Kwests (700x28) exclusively. They're fine on dry roads, OK on wet roads and I don't ride under winter conditions - too much black ice in my area due to strong prevailing winds at the shore. I'm light; I & the bike rarely exceed 170lb together so I can run them at 65psi and get a cushy ride. And as cheap as they are, if I destroy one, who cares? Except I've never destroyed one. Just installed the 6th set in 7 years on my Coda, having suffered a total of two flats in that time.

Tried T-Servs a couple of years ago. Couldn't run them at less than 95psi; the bike rode like it was aluminum instead of steel. Three flats in 3 weeks. Back to Kenda.

Your mileage, of course, will vary. I doubt the Kendas would do nearly as well for someone who needed to run them at higher pressures, and I wouldn't trust them in snow or anything looser than hard-packed dirt.

alan s 

Best all-around (except for snow) would have to be the Schwalbe Marathon Supreme 700x35. Incredibe grip, great flat resistance, decent rolling resistance, good on gravel and hard surfaces. The Supreme, not to be confused with other Marathon tires, is fairly light and foldable, and highly regarded by tourers.

jmilleronaire

on my mountain bike, i got Specialized Armadillo Crossroads, if you're looking for a bigger tire like that, those seem to fit the bill pretty well. Good smooth center for lower resistance on roads, but lugs on the sides for decent traction when needed.

I ride my road bike most of the time though. Just ordered some continental gator hardshell, I'll see how those do and report back. Obviously no tread to speak of, so basically not a year-round tire.

You can probably guess that I find flats to be a deal-breaker when I commute.

smasha

marathon kevlar. not marathon plus. year round in wellington NZ, lots of wind and rain, and the temperature rarely gets higher than 20C or lower than 5C.

idc

Thanks for the tip. Definitely a good saving there.

rekmeyata

Except the Conti 4 season tire is useless in snow.

alan s 

And is not really durable enough for offroad use, where the OP also intends to ride.

tsl

You're right. And the OP acknowledges this.

For the sake of completeness, the Conti 4-Season's tread compound stays soft and grippy in the cold and wet and the cold and dry. It's not a studded snow tire. My studded snows are Nokian W106s.

Okay?

tsl

I've got hundreds of miles of off-road on mine.

alan s 

So do I, but I cringe (and slow down) everytime I take them offroad because they are an expensive road tire, and don't fare very well offroad compared to other tires I have, most notably the Marathon Supremes. For road use, they are fast, grippy and reasonably durable - everything you want in a commuter tire.