JAMES_AMTRAK

I currently have bontrager race tires on I am looking to replace them soon with a tire that will be a great training tire and at same time I can race on without it hindering me. My current tires are pretty good all around nice grippy and seem fast. What are your 3 top tires that you can train on with worrying at all but have the confidence to race on without giving up rolling resistance or weight?

I hear skin gator skins are good training but bad racing?
How about th continentials 4000? Or s? Thy don't look very grippy compared to mine are they grippy?

Serfas seca are cheap. Butcwill they last in training and not be super slick in races?

Thanx for intertaining me today

mattm

Gp4000s are great for all-around riding.

But they wouldn't fit on my new sram wheels, so I'm on ProRace3's currently, they seem ok but haven't done any rainy racing with them yet.

Racer Ex 

Conti Unobtainium Pro 6's. Flat proof, wear forever, top notch rolling resistance, very grippy wet or dry, and $29 at PBK with free shipping. Come in just about every color.

ericm979

Panaracer evo 3s. Reasonably durable and stick well in the wet.

SalsaPodio

+1 I have 32,000 miles on mine and I can still see the wear indicators!

SpongeDad

I like the Conti 4000S, but have a Conti GP 4 Seasons on my back wheel because it holds up to indoor trainers better.

Really comes down to roads. Decent roads - 4000S, bad roads/debris/indoor trainer time - 4 Seasons.

pjcampbell

mattm,... like you can't fit them around the rim?

currand

I have untold miles of training and racing on Michelin Krylions. Maybe 3 or 4 flats ever and never noticed an issue racing (vs Pro3 or others I tried).

hammy56

+2... Ive taken mine off some sweet jumps too, with nary an issue.

mattm

Yes - I was using gp4000s on Open Pros for years, got them on with no tools, then won some SRAM s30/s40 wheels - could not get the 4000s's on them to save my life! It was close, I just couldn't get the last few inches on.. and didn't want to have to battle that while changing a flat when training either, even if I could get them on in the first place.

The pro race 3's weren't necessarily easy to get on the sram wheels, but they were managble. Guess I was just spoiled by my Open Pros..

hammy56

had the same issue trying to mount pro 3's on my reynolds strikes...mucho cussing.

chado445510

I had a hell of a time trying to get some Pro 3s on a Cosmic Carbone rim and I ended up using a hairdryer, and it worked like a charm.

JAMES_AMTRAK

Iheard alot of good things about continentals. But I also read alot of stuff where people are complaining of th side walls blowing out unexpectantly. I don't want that to happen. Any info onthere sidewall problem?

hammy56

Ive used a hanful of pairs of gp4000's with no issues, and for the last year or so Gatorskins. Also not one issue, only one flat, and long-lasting by comparison.

Blackdays

^Sidewalls can blow out on any tires.

kindablue

For road racing grip is related to the rubber compound. Many tread patterns that you see are usually not needed for road tires (i.e. the tread pattern on GP4K).

I love the way the continental GP4Ks corner. Gatorskins are nice for commuting/winter roads but they don't feel as nice cornering and are a bit harsher to me. Doubt my race results would drastically change with the tires I buy though.

Ygduf

I need tires that make smarter decisions under stress.

Racer Ex 

Unobtaniums. I'm telling you man!

wanders

Well. No wonder I've been getting sh*t stomped for the last 2 years.

tallmantim

I have used Vittoria Rubino Pros (II, III) and Conti GP 4000S special compound tyres.

GPs were the best all round tyre - grippy, good rolling resistance etc - but much less (for me) durability.

The soft GP compound would split in parts and then pick up small pieces of glass etc into the cracks.

Rubinos were a good over tyre - not great in the wet (rear would skip in wet when sprinting and bit road one time on a hairpin going too fast) but rock solid - the compound they use does not split - is much harder. I ride in all weather and some longish distances away from town/home so want to ensure I don't get a tyre failure.

Happy now to live with the Rubinos.

kindablue

I hear conti collects the sweat that Jens Voit leaves behind, and uses it in the vulcanizing process for those tires.

shovelhd

Thanks for the tip! I took my first ride on these and gained 50 watts of free power!

mollusk

Some rim/tire combinations are a "bother" for the initial mounting, but are fine after the tire stretches a bit. You can use one of these:



for the first time mounting the tire.

(It's a Kool Stop Tire Bead Jack.)

Addd in edit: GP Unobtaniums don't stretch, so you'll have to carry this in your jersey pocket or have one in the team car if you ride with them.

mollusk

I think that you got some factory seconds. Only 50 watts? Demand a refund.

shovelhd

Yeah, I got them on bonktown for 99 cents each. They've gotta be seconds. But who cares! 50 watts is 50 watts!