I'm asking this question here instead of the 41 'cause you folks are a bit more practical. Now that I'm no longer commuting on my road bike, I'm wondering if it wouldn't be worth it to change from the 700c x 28 Armadillo's I'm running on it. I've heard they're hard and slow rolling, but I don't really have anything to compare them with.

I'd like a lighter tire but not one that's too delicate. Flat protection isn't as critical since I won't be racing to work on it, but I don't want to be changing tires every ride. I was looking at Schwalbe's marathon Racers or Conti gatorskins, but I'm sure there's other tires I haven't considered.

if you want to go 2000+ miles without flats, go with conti 4000s. my 23c weighs 200g and its pretty slick pbk often has em for sub $40 depending how may u buy.

I commute on Conti 4-seasons, 700x28. Light, cushy, lively, stupendous wet grip, verrry puncture-resistant and dang expensive. But they wear very well too - I am approaching 3K on current set.

Good luck.

SF

The Vittoria Rubino Pro has the perfect mix of features: robust 150 TPI nylon casing, technical tread pattern, longlife tread compound, and effective puncture protection make it the hard rider’s choice for endurance races like RAAM.

ideal mix of features makes it the perfect all-rounder
high-mileage tyre designed for long service life
secure and comfortable, with a wide choice of sizes and colors

^ I gotta agree, the vittoria rubino pro is an absolutely ideal road tire for high mileage riders. it really does hit a very nice balancing point between low rolling resistance, being lightweight, strength, and durability. the only drawback is cost, but i still won't run any other tire on my road bike for commuting.

the only flat i've ever had with rubino pro's was a pinch flat, and that one was ENTIRELY my own fault for being in a rush one morning and rolling out even though i knew the tires were under-inflated.

Sounds promising. I am all about the wet grip.

I just bought a set of Schwalbe Ultremo R.1 tires with a folding bead, directly from Schwalbe for $24.99 per tire. That's about $15.00 less per tire then I saw them on other sites.

They only had one width and color at that price though. 23c, orange. Both are ok with me. My current handle bar tape happens to be orange and I'm tired of dragging 32's.

I like the Michelin Krylion in 25mm. I think they changed the name again this season: Endura or something like that?

I run 4 seasons in 25. Great tires. 28 may be better for crappy roads.

I'm currently using Conti GP 4 Seasons on my rain bike and Conti 4000S on my fair weather bike. Neither one has flatted or worn out on me yet (2119 miles on the 4 Seasons, 858 on the 4000S's). Both are great riding tires and definitely worth the extra cost versus other tires I've used.

Do you notably prefer the 4000s to the 4 seasons for nicer conditions?

The difference isn't as big as you might expect. Also, my 4 Seasons are 700x28 and my 4000S's are 700x25, so there's some difference there. Generally, I think the 4000S's feel a bit sportier, but that may even just be a placebo effect. If they weren't on different bikes and I were just choosing one tire for all conditions, I wouldn't hesitate to go with the 4 Seasons.

That was my recommendation too...or the GP4 all seasons if you want a 28. AWESOME tires! For what it's worth, I really dislike Gatorskins.

WOW - just read the thread and I'm really surprised so many are on board with these. I thought they'd be too expensive/roadish for approval here. The Rubino pros are another great choice, and if you want a cheap tire, I actually think the regular Rubinons are pretty solid on price point.

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone! I knew you'd grok what I was looking for.

28 was a logical choice for me - I commute on Tricross with pretty stiff wheels and wanted some extra cushion. At the same time cyclocross bikes can accommodate wide tires, win-win, no brainer.

I should have known better.... At 2134 the casing split on my rear GP 4 Season.

A minus and a plus, Folding Bead, will save weight, [over steel bead wire]
so the addition of under-tread band
to resist puncturing will be less added weight, overall.