Originally Posted by
tarwheel
Tires with kevlar beads are lighter and foldable. If you are like me, and your commute route is very hilly, than the weight savings for kevlar beads could be important. You will notice weight savings/gains more in your wheels than any other part of your bike, particularly when climbing. Foldable tires also are nice if you take a spare tire when you travel. I never buy tires any more unless they have kevlar beads because it's hilly almost everywhere I ride. However, if I lived in an area where it was flat, it wouldn't matter so much.
I can say this with certainty...I can't tell any difference whatsoever climbing on my 25 wire bead gatorskins and my 23 kevlar bead GP4000s. I can tell a difference in ride quality though, but I wouldn't consider that a function of weight or bead.
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