Help me find new tires!
 

the tires on my road bike are bald and I've had 3 flats in 2 weeks... I think its time!

I'm looking for a set of tires that have good flat resistance are light weight and have good tread/grip.
..and are blue to match the bike's blue and white colors
Size: 700x23/25

I use the bike for riding around new York city mostly commuting - not much distance riding or training of any kind.
My Budget for the set is about 40-70 dollars

So far I've found these but I don't really know which to go for or if there's a better option. so Please help!!

a) http://www.performancebike.com/bikes...n#ReviewHeader

B) http://www.performancebike.com/bikes...06_-1___400235

C) http://www.performancebike.com/bikes...5#ReviewHeader




Also, I posted in commuter cause that's what I believe I use the bike for most but it is a road bike and road bike tires I'm looking for.

I have no experience with any of them directly, I would however rule out the Michelin pro 3 lights. Those are race tires built for weight savings over the regular Pro 3's. Good road tires sure, but flat resistance is not one of it's strong suits.

thanks! That helps rule out one of them now! the guy I spoke to at the store didn't even mention that.

But if anyone has any ideas between the two remaining or another set that may be better bang for my buck that would be greatly appreciated!

My vote is for the Panaracer T-serv Protex.. This is the best compromise I have found in commuter tires for durable, light, and relatively inexpensive. Available in blue.

I ran the Forte Strada Ks for a while with good results. At $15 each, they do the job.

These look nice but they seem a little heavy and possibly bulkier than what I'm used to. Also, would I feel much difference between a 23 and 25?

Maxxis ReFuse. But if you're trying to match the color of the bike then your priorities are a bit off for a commuter.

Seems like you basically picked the lightest tires you could find, none of which seem to claim any kind of flat protection. Stop looking at grams and start looking at tires that claim some sort of flat protection. At that price point there ought to be plenty of good choices available. You may not notice any difference with the weight, but the difference in ride quailty between a bike with a flat and one that doesn't have one is amazing.

If you really need to color match your bike, then you are limiting your options. If you want my advice, I'd take a few moments to consider what kind of riding I do (racing/commuting/enthusiast/puttering around), what my budget is, and how important are the following characteristics; Grip, Puncture Protection, Endurance.

Then start looking for a tire to match those criteria and not necessarily the color of your bike. Most color match options are going to be limited in one of the above characteristics.

Of the 3 that you list, the Hutchinson probably matches most of what you state. I won't say anything bad about other tire makers, but you owe it to yourself to read some reviews on-line to get a feel for what others are saying about a particular brand of tire. If you have any specific questions, I'm happy to answer them.

I appreciate your responses and definitely understand what you're saying.

To me the most important is that it's a flat resistant tire that is not going to start fishtailing the first sign of rain and will last for a bit. The aesthetic of my bike is pretty important to me as well - there's not many things that I'm vain about - but I do enjoy taking pride in the look of my bike.

like I initially mentioned I use the bike basically to ride around nyc/Brooklyn as a means of transportation - not very long distances or intense conditions. so I'm not looking to break the bank with the best- so something like 40-70 dollars for a set would be ideal.
I like to keep the bike light weight with less resistance but still have traction on the street. I've been riding on a very light set of 700x23's for about 3 years so I'm used to a pretty light thin set of tires. Right now my tires are so worn that they are basically bald and the bike definitely skids more than I'd like if I am breaking hard. and looses control when it starts to get wet. which is obviously not good. hah


Hope that sheds some more light on the situation and what I'm looking for?

Hardcase .. Trek/Bontrager

These are the tires that I use:

http://www.schwalbetires.com/bike_ti...res/ultremo_dd

It's not cheap, and it will wear fast (1,500 - 2,000 miles useful life depending on weight of bike/rider), but it is very sure footed and grips well in the rain or dry. That said, I don't commute in NYC so I have no comprehension as to the debris that you guys encounter. The Ultremo DD is still a very light racing tire and something viscious will still puncture the tire.

The ultimate in puncture protection for a road bike (at least from our stable of tires) is the Durano Plus. Still a nice gripping tire, probably the best puncture protection on the market for this kind of tire, and very long lasting. The downside is, they are a bit heavier (about 100 grams more than the DD). http://www.schwalbetires.com/bike_ti...es/durano_plus

I know we aren't the only brand out there, but those are the 2 tires that I'd recommend based on your stated requirements.

I've got a set of 26x1.25 (~32mm) T-Servs and I can tell you that they are much zippier than I expected. I'm a bit of a tire snob. I use Continental Grand Prix 4 Seasons on my primary commuter and Grand Prix 4000S's on my road bike, but these tires were for my beater so I went cheaper. I won't say that they roll quite like the other two tires I mentioned, but they're much closer than I expected. Within your constraints (particularly the color thing and the budget), I don't think you'll find a better tire.

Get yourself something like a Maxxis re-fuse, there seems to be a ton a of good reviews. And get yourself a grease pen to color it what ever you want.

Is there really a such thing as a "heavy" 25mm tire?

Only in relative terms.

I get the strangest feeling the rear tire is worn out from doing "sick skidz".

This idea is pretty funny.
And there's no "sick skidz" going on with my bike.. I rode on the same tires for about 3 or 4 years and someone used them before I got the bike. It's just time to replace them.

I just took a look at the Vittoria rubino pro 700x23c clincher tires. They seem to have some pretty good reviews in terms of grip and durability while keeping a low profile. The only negative seems they arent really meant for racing, which I don't do much of anyway.
and it seems I can find them for about $35 each.
Has anyone tried the rubinos out?

I personally use a black grease pen to cover those nasty trademarks. It blends in very nicely and seems to last.
I have the rubino's on on my hybrid, kinda crappy for traction, but seem to have good flat protection. Rubino pro might be better in that aspect.

good to know that a grease pen will hold up.
Yeah I found a set of the rubino pro 3's for 35 each and the reviews seemed pretty good for use in rain or dry conditions and flat resistance.

I'm sure it's a beginner bike terminology question - but what makes a bike a hybrid?

How about these Serfas Secas? I've used them on my commuter bike, though in 700x28, and haven't had any problems with them. Pretty good price, too.

I put those on my hybrid last summer and didn't like them for one reason-
The front tended to pick up small sharp pieces of rock that would stick. Thump - thump......
I was constantly reaching down to brush them off with the fear that one was going to rip open my hand.
Traction was excellent however. Maybe a bit too good when my grippy rim just about put me over the bars on a quick stop. I had to put crappy pads on to get predictable brakes!

Yes, Schwalbe Marathon Plus: 580 grams.

Continental GP4000 come in two shades of blue. I use the metallic blue 23mm on a Mapei colored Colnago. They are quite resistant to puncture and roll fast.

Veloflex Masters are available as a 320tpi blue 22mm and they're 207g average weight. They're a little above your stated price range at about $45/ea. but worth a look.

These tires get some pretty amazing reviews though I don't see anyone commenting on grip/cornering. How do you find them in wet weather?

Those veloflex masters look nice as well I'm going to keep them in mind but these continentals are definitely making their way up my list.

Id be interested in seeing/hearing a comparison of the Rubino Pro 3's against these contintental gp4000 from someone that's used both.

Continental makes really nice tires, but if we're bumping up the price range, so do we. The Ultremo ZX is our entry into this market. When you're comparing your tires, make sure it's apples and apples. If you're also using this bike (these tires) for commuting then you may want to go with the (Ultremo) DD.

I will say that if you're crieteria is about aesthetic, go with the blue. If grip (especially in the wet) is more important, go with an all black tire. Color pigmentation makes for a slightly less grippy compound which is even more pronounced when roads are wet.

Yeah, I run them on my fg. They're heavy but, the only tire on the market that will perform to the OP's demands are Schwalbe Marathon Plus. They may or may not have the clearance needed for a road bike, but for commuting where one's main criteria is to 'get there' weight becomes a secondary factor as one quickly adjusts to it. When you're 8-10,000 mile in on a set w/perhaps zero flats all the opinions against them wax a little superfluous.

Just know they're a ***** to mount the first time, so use a little liquid soap, 18-23mm tubes and a Kool-Stop tire lever.

Oh, yeah forget matching the color. It's a useless vanity a commuter can hardly afford when looking to reduce one's flat rate.