Anyone have any experience with Grand Bois tires?

I have a set of 25 Conti Grand Prix 4 season tires, but after reading this thread I'm thinking of going with 28s. The 28 is as large as my bike will take. Not sure of the difference between 25 and 28. I've test rode a bike with 32s and they were nice.

I'm not overly concerned about tire weight, but I do have several long hills so it is a consideration.

It actually took two days. When I came out from work yesterday, my rear tire was flat.

Grand Bois tires are higher models of Panaracer tires. I hope to try them one day. I hear wonderful things about them from friends who have them.

+1 That's exactly what I do.

I'm 275 and ride on 700x28.

Vittoria Zafiro wire at 120-130 PSI

Front: anywhere between 600 and 1000 miles looking almost like brand new, and another 400-600 before the middle starting to look squarish...

Rear: cut the the above numbers in half.

I bet these tires can do another few hundred miles before it will be unsafe, but I like my tires looking new and fresh.

Vittoria Rubino wire at 110-120 PSI

Front: Up to 1000 miles without visible wear, and another 500-600 miles before the middle stripe is at the level with the rest of the tire tread. I can easily, and safely push this on for another few hundred miles...

Rear: Cut the above numbers in half

I ride everywhere...city streets, crushed limestone trails, packed and rocky country roads. Very good all around tire.
The only issue I have with them are sidewalls. Both Zaffiro and Rubino will develop cracks sooner than later. It's not a huge issue, but quality of the rubber should be better. I don't complain too much, since they are very cheap, and gives me awesome service and flat protection...or maybe I'm just lucky lol

Btw...the worst tires I used - Specialized armadillos...Bunch of cuts and flats for a premium price...

Rubino III wire bead (rear)


I run them at higher than recommended pressure. Rubino III seems to last much longer than previous versions.
I ride everywhere and on every possible surface. I expect them to last well over 2000 miles, and possibly several hundreds more for a "skinny ass" rider lol

Miles in a velodrome do not count!

I really like the rubino pros in 28. In the winter I sometimes run a 28 in front and a 25 in back.

I have been running Michelin City C Protek 700X28 tires I got around 2700 or so on one tire (the rear) The sidewall blew out otherwise the tread was still good. The front tire became the rear tire and I got a new front tire. Not sure of the miles on the new tire but pushing 3500 in a conservative estimate for the former front now rear tire. my commute is 11 miles one way.

I use Schwalbe Marathon Plus's. I replaced both tires 4 years ago, and the rear tire wore out after 11,000 miles. I moved the front tire to the rear, and put a new tire on the front - that rear tire now has a total of 14,000 miles on it and it probably has a couple thousand more before it is retired.

I commute on pavement.

I use tires with aramid layers that don't get flat prone when the rubber disappears
~5000 miles on rear Gatorskins and GP4000S tires (at 4500 miles my first one has just reach the bottom of its wear indicators) that spent about as long on the front tire first, although one of the Gatorskins ate a piece of tire wire I was never able to find so I abandoned it early.

2500-3000 on GP4Seasons. Those were very disappointing - slower than the GP4000S, not appreciably better riding than the Gatorskins, and they wore out in half the time.

700x25. Never weighed less than 185 on the Gatorskins or GP4Seasons. Shrunk from 200 to 146-148 on the GP4000S which could account for some of the better mileage. 90-95psi front at the beginning of the week, 100-105 psi rear. 10 pounds less by Friday.