Which 700 x 28 Winter tire???
 

My commuter can take a maximum 700 x 28 tire and I am looking for a new set.

Requirements for 46 mile RT commute:
a) Grippy for corners, especially for wet roads, perhaps light snow ( I usually leave it home for snow)
b) Ability to absorb the usual pot holes
c) Flat protection, prefer to NOT have to change flats in the cold (duhhh)
d) Weight is not an issue, okay it is but I do not use a light tire now

Don't think there is such a thing as a 700x28 "winter" tire. Standard recommendations are Continental Ultra Gatorskins (I love these), Schwalbe Marathon, Specialized Armadillo, the list goes on and on and on.

Panaracer T-Serv with reflective sidewalls, would be one option. The rubber's pretty soft and they have a light tread pattern. http://aebike.com/page.cfm?pageid=30...ils&sku=tr2286 $35 each isn't too bad. They weigh about 320 grams, so they're not a race tire, but not a boat anchor either. Schwalbe's 700 x 28 Marathon Plus, by comparison, is 740 grams (!). That's nearly one pound of extra weight per tire, which is not my style ;)

Nokia w/studs? W/Mr Tuffy inserts, maybe? I use SMPs year round, but we don't get THAT much snow here in Mid-TN. Some say the Schwalbe Supremes have better wet grip, but I've never used them. The SMPs I have on my 3 commuters have more than 12,000 combined commuter/recreation miles w/2 flats and one slow leak. I like the odds. :thumb:

Canadian, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, etc. commuters may have spot on suggestions. I commuted urban early on and had a hardtail/fork mtb w/knobbies/tuffy liners that worked real well. Can't remember ever having a flat while commuting, though I DID have to make one repair at work as I recall.

Smallest studded tire I know of is 700x32c

NO STUDS, except me
 

I'm not planning to ride in icy conditions or while there is more than an inch or so
on THIS BIKE.
I have some Continental touring 2000's and they are hard to find. The bike can not hold anything larger. This puppy's weigh close to 500gm each

Armadillo's are a great commuter tire, except when the roads are slick.

I'm pretty sure the Conti "Touring 2000" are now called "Top Touring"... please correct me if this is wrong.

"Top Contact," actually: http://www.conti-online.com/generato...opcont_en.html

ah right! thanks mechBgon :) great tire!

Correct. They work great, are not light.

I have found some in 32, but not 28mm in stock.
I was just trying to see if there were better options as I have used these from March until now.

The Top Contact is the replacement for the ever popular Top Touring

Top Contact 700x28, folding: 350g
UltraGatorskin, 700x28, wire only: 320g

hardly a heavy tire...and in stock at biketiresdirect.com

But I would recommend trying to find the Conti Top Contact Winter tires...designed specifically for winter riding.

Good call chipcom. I didn't know of the winter tire... just what I need (rear tire worn out, frost in the mornings last couple of days) :)

Seems to be hard to find in the US tho, but should be easier to find on your side of the pond.

I've used the Conti Touring 2000, and now Top Contact for many years. However, I've now begun to learn/realize that the tread does nothing for you on paved roads (yes, even in the wet), and all that really counts is the size of the surface area of rubber that is on the road. Therefore, something slicker like the Ultra Gatorskins is a lot better for paved roads. However, if you anticipate some unpaved roads or gravel then the Top Contact are one of the best options, for sure.

Conti GP 4 Seasons are designed for all-year use and available in 700 x 28. They also are very light but durable.

The tread pattern on the Top Contact is different than on the Top Tourings tho...the rolling resistance and grip on paved roads is much better. Plus, (at least in these parts), many or most paved roads are rarely smooth and in the winter are full of salt, cinders, sand, grit and crap in general.

Good luck finding them...

i'm in the same boat as the everyone else. so much selection, but can't find a tire i want to try. i want a 28 or a 32c slick tire with good puncture protection. preferably with a reflective stripe. idealy under a pound and reletively cheap.

i bought cont 4000 with black chili compound. 25c with a reflective stripe. and the streets around here are eating it alive. so much wear in the past year and about a dozen flats. i like feeling like i can go a little bit fast. it hasn't been a good tire for me, but it was only 25bucks each on pbk a year ago.

Saw a DIY set of studded 28s on another commuter website. Can't remember the address. :notamused: I think they were cx tires, though. That's why I had the ? after my inital suggestion...I've never seen a production studded tire in 28mm either. Maybe try some SMPs in 25mm? Depending on what type of rim they could be a much harsher ride than 28mm, though. I've got 2 sets One's on my ss w/Sun cr18 rims(harsh) and the other set's on a 1x8 rb w/high profile aero rims(not so harsh).

Yeah, I've been real happy with mine, to. Haven't had a flat (well, on the outside, aka tire facing, part of the tube) in the last 3 years since I put them on my bike. Not saying they're puncture proof, just saying that's been my experience. The Panaracer Pasella's I believe are cheaper, and pretty much the same tire. Supposedly not quite as long lasting. I just got the TServ's because I wanted the reflective sidewall.

The Schwalbe Marathons have been mentioned, they seem to be the most puncture proof tire you can buy, from what I gather on the forums. But they're probably not what you're looking for as they also have a reputation being heavy, and not having as nice of a ride as a regular tire (apparently a better ride than the Specialized Armadillos, another tires in it's class of puncture resistance, though).

Vittoria Randonneurs. Zero flats,reflective sidewalls,long wearing,good handling.

Those Panaracer T-servs are nice tires. And the reflective sidewall can't be beat.

I also have some Michelin City tires on another bike. Good, too, with more tread. Also reflective.

Yes, Vittoria Rando's (700X25c) are great commuting tires (I've had no flats and they grip better and are not as harsh as Conti Touring). However, I just moved to Michigan (US) and haven't experienced snow/ice with them yet. Have you run them in snow and/or ice? If so, how are they?

the continental winter top contact tires are fine tires for winter riding; not as good as studded tires for heavy duty snow and ice but they are great tires when dealing with pavement and a mix of some ice and snow.

I'll put in another vote for the durability of Vittoria Randonneurs (haven't had a single flat since I switched over to them), though living in Shanghai I've never had to try them in snow as snow is a rarity here.