echotraveler

thats what i've read before. I try to follow it, but maybe its a placebo effect on some tires, since the rotation arrow is a standard.

OP. you cant go wrong with the gatorskins. i've used specialized "all condition" for 1 year and i treated them to the worst and best roads. Had to change them after 6 months because they had MANY slashes, yet held very well (around 1 pinch every 2 months).

LUCK is also part of the equation here. A few weeks ago i noticed how my tire was way too low, i knew something was up. Pumped it up to 115psi and rode 80 miles with them, they held....at night i notice the same low psi on my tire....when i take the tire, immediately found the leak and proceeded to scan the tire, found 4 radial metal needles!!, 1 shard of glass that was making it thru slowly!! If i were to rush and put a new tube on that tyre, id probably flat instantly, with all those things in it i'd be pretty screwed.

A few days ago i jumped into the bandwagon, and bought conti gp4000s, im saving them for and upcoming event, "La Vuelta Puerto Rico". I just expect a bit more durability, and safety seems to be great on them.

Cheers,

Bob Dopolina 

Bicycle tires have neither the mass or generate the forces needed to deflect water or even to hydroplane.

Tread patterns and directionality on road tires is pure marketing.

rekmeyata

Your going to run the gambit of tires here with that question. Look just buy whatever you can find on a deep sale price, as long as the reviews are good then you got a good tire. I bought a pair of Kenda Konstrictors for $18 each normally $40. I liked the Kendas so much (better then the Conti GP4000's you can never get at a good price) that I bought 3 more pairs.

Example, JensonUSA.com right now has Serfas Seca 700c x 28 (little wider but a great tire if you want the width) for $10 normally $25. Schwalbe Lugano is another decent tire for cheapYou can also do a search on Amazon and NexTag by simply entering the tire size you want and wait for the results. Also this place is having a sale going on too: https://www.biketiresdirect.com/searc...0_50&viewall=1

mustang1

I used Krylions too for my training rides which were on 'clean' roads. When I started commuting into the city on dirtier roads, I got flats every few weeks. I changed to gatorskins (beaded 23mm version) and never looked back. Until a few weeks ago when I finally got sick of removing/installing gatorskins (I find them a real pita to take off/put on).

So now I'm rolling with the folding version of the same tire in 25mm. It's early days yet so I wont comment on them just yet, except that I expct the straight line puncture resistance to be similar.

Propofol

Right now GP4000s are on sale at my local REI for $44. Not sure if this sale is going on at other stores, but it might be worth it to check. I grabbed the last two 700x25c's that my store had today.

2ndGen

Best bang for the buck is the Grand Prix Continental 4000S.

If the cost puts you off, compare it to cheap tires + more inner tube replacement costs.

roadiejorge 

I love the GP 4000S and use it through the winter depending on how bad the roads get due to consistent snowfall. If the roads are harsh then I put the Gatorskins or an old pair of Conti 4 Season tires.

techlogik

Yes, agreed, Scwalbe Ultremo R.1...

Nicely done sir. They closed my thread.


I rode the gatorskin for awhile, no problems.

Riding GP4000s now, so far so good.

rekmeyata

Please explain how any tire that is less expensive then the Conti Grand Prix Continental 400S is going to cost more in tubes then the Conti? I can't wait for this answer.

MattWithTwoTs

They only have them in pink. ;( LOL

rekmeyata

What? You don't like pink? It could match pink bibs like these: https://forums.roadbikereview.com/sho...ht=lounge+bibs Oh wouldn't those look good with those pink tires?

Their only pink for a week then their too dirty to tell what color they are. They had other colors earlier but they must have sold the other colors out.

Monkey Face

+1 (or is it +2 since you DID mention them already!). Not the obvious choice for puncture resistance (because Vittoria don't seem to go on about it), but I've had Krylions and Conti's and the Rubino's are every bit as bomb proof, yet lighter - and I think faster, but that might be in my head (oh... and they come in lovely colours!).

rekmeyata

Conti's actually have a higher rolling resistance then most other brands; their smooth ride from their paper thin sidewalls give the impression they roll better.

https://www.terrymorse.com/bike/rolres.html AND: https://www.rouesartisanales.com/article-1503651.html
AND: https://www.biketechreview.com/tires_...sting_rev9.pdf (note on this site the GP4000's will be down toward the bottom in rolling resistance)

None of the above testing sites listed any Conti tire having lower rolling resistance of any other brand except for the Supersonics which are not suited for street riding. But Scwalbe Ultremo did win with the lowest rolling resistance on the last site I gave, but the resistance to buy one at $90 is real high. Also note that the last site tested tires with butyl and a separate test with latex, latex helped to improve rolling resistance.

BikeTiresDirect.com does have the Ultremo on sale for about $65 in case anyone wants to try a set.

miyata man

I was just going to point this out. The stuff the water is holding together, not seen very often with a road tire, can make a properly oriented tread quite useful though. Reflective sidewalls on the other hand are something quite beneficial in places cut by cross streets. Motorcycles legally have to have a reflector on the side and I have long wondered why the bike industry has not come up with something better than the crap ones that sticks to a spoke when going slow. A glimmer of a headlight and a taillight with dirty sides hardly catches the attention of the speeder a half block up as you cross the intersection.

recon455

GP4000S's aren't THAT expensive from PBK. When they go on sale you can get a pair for less than $70USD shipped, considering the retail price is $65 EACH.

I have used Vittoria Rubino Pro Slicks (same as Rubino Pro 3's, Coasting?) that came on new bikes, and they did just fine, but when they wore out I got GP4000S's. I guess I just trusted them more.

EDIT: and my goodness, use the search function. There must be 1000 threads about tires with people wanting the exact same thing as you.

Bob Dopolina 

Tread on a road bike tire has zero effect on traction unless it is to reduce traction. Tires adhere because of the compounds used in their manufacture not because of some feather wisps on the tread.

Tires designed for dirt, on the other hand, are certainly affected by tread patterns.