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Anybody use "inexpensive" (<$30) tires?

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Anybody use "inexpensive" (<$30) tires?

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Old 10-29-09, 01:40 PM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by ericm979
I like the Forte Pro Kevlar tires. They are light, ride well, wear decently and stick to the road, especially in the wet. Their only drawback is that in wet weather they pull up more water from the road than smooth tread tires do, so you get more spray off the tires.

They're great $25 tires but their list price is more like $50. They are not $50 tires. But they are often on sale.
Incorrect. These tires suck. They're not sized right (much narrower than their size would indicate), they do not handle well, and the are horrible in the rain.

They are maybe a good tire for $5, but that's about it.
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Old 10-29-09, 01:47 PM
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I went from PR2s to PR3s to Conti GP4000s to Rubino Pros. Can't tell the difference in the ride and the Rubino Pros are cheaper and seem to last longer.
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Old 10-29-09, 02:06 PM
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Originally Posted by StanSeven
Yup. Or buy them from places like probikekit. I got Conti GP4000S a few months ago when the dollar was down for $30 and free shipping.
Actually, when the dollar is down, the stuff on PBK gets more expensive...

(I paid $35/ea for GP4000s from there recently)
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Old 10-29-09, 02:16 PM
  #29  
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I bought a set of Rubino pro slicks at performance bike shop for $30 on sale. Tires were $25 a piece and received a $20 discount for spending $50 in the shop! now thats a deal!
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Old 10-29-09, 02:26 PM
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Originally Posted by StanSeven
Yup. Or buy them from places like probikekit. I got Conti GP4000S a few months ago when the dollar was down for $30 and free shipping.
Ditto, my Gators were 19.99 a year ago and my pro race 3's 29.99, they've gone up since then but its still the place to get tires or tyres as they call them.
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Old 10-29-09, 02:34 PM
  #31  
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get nearly 5,000 miles off my cheap Nashbar 700x25s (the cheap wire-beads w/gum-colored sidewalls - $7.19 ea) - too bad they're not sold anymore, but good thing i stocked up!
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Old 10-29-09, 02:42 PM
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Originally Posted by giantdefy
I bought a set of Rubino pro slicks at performance bike shop for $30 on sale. Tires were $25 a piece and received a $20 discount for spending $50 in the shop! now thats a deal!
+1

I also got in on the $25 Rubino Pro Slick sale. Good tires so far, but for some reason they don't like my tubes that are patched. Never any problems with virgin tubes, but if it's patched, the patch is going to leak within 3 days. So I bought a big box from pricepoint
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Old 10-29-09, 02:51 PM
  #33  
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I stock up on Conti GP4000's when they're on sale at pbk. Still have about 8 left, and I'd say they were all somewhere around $30 each. Same with tubes, chains, cables, brake pads, and other bike commodities.

Sometimes, the best way to save money is to spend money.
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Old 10-29-09, 03:04 PM
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The only tires that flatted more than (new) gatorskins were the 3 year old Bontrager selects on my last trek 1000. On thr crappy mass roads, I've had good luck with vittoria pro slicks, one flat in the past 1500 miles
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Old 10-29-09, 03:14 PM
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Originally Posted by nkapinos
The only tires that flatted more than (new) gatorskins were the 3 year old Bontrager selects on my last trek 1000. On thr crappy mass roads, I've had good luck with vittoria pro slicks, one flat in the past 1500 miles
Well now you've gone and called out the flat gods so that's about the change.
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Old 10-29-09, 03:35 PM
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Best and cheapest upgrade = Tires. Tires with higher tpi handle better and have a nicer ride. I get 6000km on the rear with Vitoria Diamantes same as the Rubinos Pros I use.
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Old 10-29-09, 05:10 PM
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So what's a good deal? Links please. I can't see paying as much as CAR tires!!
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Old 10-29-09, 05:51 PM
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Originally Posted by scorpio516
+1

I also got in on the $25 Rubino Pro Slick sale. Good tires so far, but for some reason they don't like my tubes that are patched. Never any problems with virgin tubes, but if it's patched, the patch is going to leak within 3 days. So I bought a big box from pricepoint
Its not the tire, coz mine have several patches already and no leak. If your using quick patches (sticker type without glue), then thats most likely your issue.

Rebllious:

The cheapest place that sells tires is performancebikeshop.com or pricepoint.com. you just have to keep an eye out for the sale days.
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Old 10-29-09, 05:52 PM
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I ride Vredestein Fortezza tires. They'll set you back $25 or so. Very durable and reliable.
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Old 10-29-09, 06:19 PM
  #40  
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This year I tried some tires from a guy on ebay, nice bike tires .com, C.S.T ultra speed kevlars $38.00 a pair shipped. I cant say enough nice things about them. great ride, low rolling resistance, great handling Kevlar and folding. 0 flats in over 2000 miles

Last edited by ls01; 10-29-09 at 09:10 PM. Reason: more info
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Old 10-29-09, 06:25 PM
  #41  
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Originally Posted by UGASkiDawg
Rubino Pro are less than $30 and work just fine for me.
Came here to post this.
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Old 10-29-09, 06:29 PM
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I am currently riding a vittoria zaffiro pro slick. it was cheap, and it rides like crap. Spend the money. really.
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Old 10-29-09, 06:36 PM
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Originally Posted by agarose2000
Was wondering if anyone here had success with inexpensive (<$30) tires, such as the Nashbar or Hutchinson brand tires. I haven't had any particularly bad experience with recurrent flats, but I've been having occasional flats regardless of tire - ContiGP4000, ContiGatorskin, and Rubino Pro - and they all feel pretty similar to me. Was wondering what kind of changes/sacrifice I could expect with cheaper tires.
Who cares? Conti 4000s were $30 at PBK a few months back. Stock up when you can.
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Old 10-29-09, 06:40 PM
  #44  
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For the winter I switched to the Serfas Seca wire-bead tires. They're the same as my favorite Seca RS, but with a steel bead. I really like them.
They retail for $25, but I get them for much cheaper.
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Old 10-29-09, 06:41 PM
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"I can't see paying as much as CAR tires!! "


Unfortunately, that is the reality of life that high quality bike tires are not that much difference in price to cheap car tires.

I wish they were cheaper but I can't see myself wasting my time sitting in a ditch a long ways from home changing flats.
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Old 10-29-09, 10:42 PM
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get some Torelli Torinos. They're around 30$, maybe a couple dollars more, but they're far and away the best tires for the money I've ever tried. Handmade, open tubular style, better than most tires twice their price and last twice as long.
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Old 10-29-09, 10:50 PM
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I use specialized Tri-sports rated 110 PSI. They eem to be okay for the 23/each dollars that they cost.

I really like my Bontrager Race Lites though.
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Old 10-29-09, 10:59 PM
  #48  
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Originally Posted by DScott
I stock up on Conti GP4000's when they're on sale at pbk. Still have about 8 left, and I'd say they were all somewhere around $30 each. Same with tubes, chains, cables, brake pads, and other bike commodities.

Sometimes, the best way to save money is to spend money.
Good move.
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Old 10-30-09, 06:27 AM
  #49  
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The last time i bought Hutchinson Fusion2 tires at performance bike, they were $23 each or so. Excellent tires for the money. I really like them a lot.
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Old 10-30-09, 07:26 AM
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Hopefully the prices at PBK come down. I think I paid around $25 (each) for GP 4000 and gatorskins last fall. Now the 4000s are near $50.
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