I'm confused - aren't RibMos made by Panaracer? Which tires are you comparing them to?

BTW I hear you about the mounting difficulty... "wrestling a bear" is a great analogy for the struggle I had mounting a set of Michelin Pilot City tires. It was especially frustrating when I discovered that I had inadvertently punctured my tube with the tire lever and had to remove and reinstall the tire all over again.

D'oh! You're correct. I meant to type Pasela.

I edited the post so it makes sense. :)

I run a Continental 4 season in the front for a little traction (live in Portland) and a gatorskin in the back. These replaced some Panaracer T-servs (awesome flat resistance), and definitely roll faster. The T-servs replaced some Blizzards that barely made it through a week of the rainy season (rolled fine, but cut up quickly).

If you can fit 25s in there, then you should run with those rather than 23s for commuting. It makes a big difference.

In 25s, I'd recommend the Maxxis ReFuse. They weren't expensive when I bought a pair, a few years ago.

I'd still be riding those, except I'm now on 28s, and they don't come that big.

Specialized Armadillo
 

After flatting in the rain I switched to Specialized Armadillo tires 700x23. I am big 6'4" 230 pounds as long as I keep them properly inflated they are pretty much bullet proof. I ride a mix of bike paths and roads in New Jersey.