Originally Posted by
JBerman
I'm pretty new to cycling so I wonder if many can actually tell a difference among tires of the same width. I had stock cheap conti's on my bike and got $65 Bontrager AW3 HCL's and can't tell any difference. I just hope I don't flat often (I know any tire is succeptible to flats however). I decided to just go with what the LBS suggested. Although if I did it again, I'd prob go with GP4000s since it's highly recommended and a bit cheaper (online). I should note however I don't race... Maybe it's a bigger difference for that crew??
It's a matter of experience and being attuned to what's going on with the bike and what you're sensing. Some people are just not that dialed-in, however, and no matter if they've years of experience, they just don't care. That said, there's not as much difference between a good tire and a great tire, but the difference between 67tpi and 127tpi is quite discernible to most folks.