peanut_man

Hello,

I've been riding with Michelin Krylion Carbon for just over a year now with zero flat or tire failure or cut. I changed to the Pro Race 3, just to try out what all the fuzz is about... plus the rear Carbon has already worn down enough that one can see the 'flat' on the rear tire.

On my first short ride (25 miles only) on a usual route, i came back and noticed the rear tire already got a 1/2" cut just slightly off center of the tire. Looks like a new tire will be needed. Talk about short life... I just put these tires on just the night before!

Now, do you guys with experience w/ the Pro Race 3 tires think this is just by chance? Or is the Pro 3 is significantly less durable than the Krylion Carbon that I should really considered changing it back to a fresh set of Krylion Carbons rather than sticking w/ the Pro Race 3 and spend more $ on getting new tire? I'll be doing the RAGBRI, so it's a looooong distance ride and I wanted at least to have a fair chance of finishing off the week long ride w/o tire failure incident. Or that's asking too much from the Pro Race 3 tires?

Thanks.

photonick

Well I just bought a pair of P2R's to replace my Krylion Carbons and I'm expecting them to wear faster. You gotta understand high performance rubber is softer, hence one of the reasons it's so much more grippy, subsequently it wears faster.

brianallan

it's a race tire, it wears quickly and is prone to cuts. if you want a durable tire, use a training tire.

peanut_man

Yeah, that's what I'm guessing. Oh well, that's like $40 in one ride.

photonick

Well thats bad luck to ruin a tire on the first ride, who knows, it could have happened with the Krylions BUT higher performance rubber typically wears faster. I also hear colored rubber wears faster than black rubber, I know this at least used to be true.

Psimet2001 

I have put tons of miles on the PR2s. It's a high end racing clincher tire. meh.

All written reports of the PR3s are that they are even better in all aspects except price.

PR2s ride with cuts. Unless you are getting a bulge from the cut and/or can see cut threads underneath then forget about it. Seriously.

Will PR3s last as long as your Krylions did? No. They are not designed to.

Would I have any reservations about riding PR3s on RAGBRI? Absolutely not.

Have any doubts about my sincerity then please PM me for my address. I will take your PR3s off your hands for you.

Cdy291

I have been using Pro 3's since late April and have ran through glass unexpectedly on more occasions than I can count. No flats and only 3 little pin prick holes in the rear the last time I looked.

jecjec81

I just got my P3R's and ridden them for around 160 KMS. No problem so far. Need to check it when I get home.

photonick

I bought the P2R's knowing that they could be kaput in 500 miles with some bad luck, they're only my second set of real road tires so I'm just trying to feel out what the differences are. I'm pretty sure I'll go back to Krylion Carbons, they've been incredible on every level, looks and performance.

AEO

fill the cut in with krazy glue or gorilla glue after removing any debris jammed in it.

photonick

I was wondering if you could remove the carbon layer from inside a Krylion Carbon and then use it to make a tear patch in a tire by sandwiching it between the tube and the tire.

peanut_man

Ok, so I'm ordering a pair of extra PR3, just in case. The cut doesn't bulge. I'm going to stick with that for now but will change it to a new tire before shipping bike out to Iowa. I'll keep a spare handy in RAGBRAI.

Ritterview

I also replaced my Krylions with PR3's, and I've flatted a lot more often in about 1,000 miles on them.

Psimet2001 

I did flat with my PR2's this last week. First time in about 3 years and over 10K miles.

I can not recommend the ProRace model of tires strongly enough.

...and photonick - not to quote how long a tire should last because we all know that it is unpredictable due to conditions, use, rider, etc.....but knowing a little about how you have been riding, etc....you should expect them to last 1,000 miles +

photonick

Yah I was expecting 2k out of my krylions, i still think i might get another few hundred miles on them, they just have this quarter inch gas in the back that goes to the core, I ride on really rough road so its getting worse. I just wanted to have the P2R's ready when the Krylions give out. I have to say though I had the stock bontrager tires on for 300ish miles and flatted one then got the krylions and it's been a 1000 miles and i haven't flatted once, it's amazing.

Psimet2001 

What's amazing is when you flat so seldom that when it actually does happen you then realize exactly what IS in your saddlebag.

....like...."oh there's a 16g cartridge in here. How'd that get in there? Might as well use it....wait....my inflator can't use 16g unthreaded cartridges. wow....why was I carrying it then? How long has that been in there? Does this inflator even work? Has the plastic been bounced around so long that it might fail when the cartridge is pierced? I hope the seals haven't rotted out...."

photonick

Haha, I'm not going to lie, I was trying to flat yesterday hahaha. The first ride I flatted on was my first 60 mile ride and the first time i bonked to the point i could barley walk, it was the worst thing ever.

RudeSiggy

Just picked up some P3Rs for my new wheels and now someone starts questioning them? Yippee.

peanut_man

Hmmm... thanks. I'll try that. That's one thing I was worry about if the cut will 'tear' into bigger cut and lead to tire failure? Hope this will help? Anyone successfully done this?

Longfemur

Not too many people really need to be rolling on racing tires, but those who do should realize what they are getting: very little advantage, much disadvantage -- unless you're actually racing and you have a car with extra wheels on top following you. But I guess the rest of us should be happy there are enough gullible people out there to keep the quality bicycle tire industry going.

EGreen

No one seems to share my experience or agree with me, but I found that w/t Vittoria Evo Corsa's I had far fewer flats than with Pro Race's given the same riding conditions. As pretty as they are I will never use Pro Race again.

Since I put a Vittoria Rubino on the rear, I've not had a single flat in 1000+ miles.

Namenda

My pair of Pro3's are dead after the sidewalls blew out of both. I've gone back to Pro2's for now.

garysol1 

I used Pro2's for years and swore by them. I found the 3's are a different animal. After 1,000 miles the rear had lost all of it's profile. It was totally square. I never flatted or blew a sidewall though. As far as my real life comparison goes, the 3's do not wear near as well as the 2's did. I now have GP4000 Black Chili's on the bike and Ill see how they do.

peanut_man

Here's the pic of the cut. As described above, I'm filling it with the Gorilla Glue. Is it big enough that I really should just throw it away and get new tires?

garysol1 

From the picture it does not look like it is through the rubber. I would use it.