Tyre Recommendations / Pressures etc Road Bike
Discussion
Hi - Apologies if its been done to death already.
Am looking to replace the tyre(s) on my road bike after picking up a puncture in the rear from a small flint today (had been raining overnight). Sadly I blew my replacement tube on a pothole 1 mile further on (I suspect i may have also pinched the replacement inner tube) and had to call roadside assistance.
Flint has put a small hole / cut right on the top edge of the tyre so I think it probably needs replacing so i dont get anything sharp popping in.
I currently have the Vittoria Zaffiros which came with my Boardman. Im after something probably no more than £30 a tyre but with reasonable puncture protection and good handling - i mainly ride country lanes so am in and out of grit etc.
I am also interested in any advice on tyre pressures. I had previously been running quite low pressures due to my crap pump which I have just upgraded to a joe blow - I was running around 95 on the rear when it went today. Having just rechecked the tyres I note they state min 100psi max 140 - for some reason I had previously read this as max 100 - DOH). Does tyre pressure impact on puncture resistance ?
Is it best to replace both tyres at the same time ?
Thanks
Pot Odds
Am looking to replace the tyre(s) on my road bike after picking up a puncture in the rear from a small flint today (had been raining overnight). Sadly I blew my replacement tube on a pothole 1 mile further on (I suspect i may have also pinched the replacement inner tube) and had to call roadside assistance.
Flint has put a small hole / cut right on the top edge of the tyre so I think it probably needs replacing so i dont get anything sharp popping in.
I currently have the Vittoria Zaffiros which came with my Boardman. Im after something probably no more than £30 a tyre but with reasonable puncture protection and good handling - i mainly ride country lanes so am in and out of grit etc.
I am also interested in any advice on tyre pressures. I had previously been running quite low pressures due to my crap pump which I have just upgraded to a joe blow - I was running around 95 on the rear when it went today. Having just rechecked the tyres I note they state min 100psi max 140 - for some reason I had previously read this as max 100 - DOH). Does tyre pressure impact on puncture resistance ?
Is it best to replace both tyres at the same time ?
Thanks
Pot Odds
Lower pressures mean you're much more likely to get pinch flats.
The standard recommendations (all in 25mm) are:
Continental GP4000S
Michelin Pro Service Course
Vrestein fortezza tricomp
I currently have the tricomps, they are supposed to be the best of the three in the wet. The continentals are supposed to be okay in the wet too.
If you want a more focused winter tyre, have a look at continental 4 seasons.
The standard recommendations (all in 25mm) are:
Continental GP4000S
Michelin Pro Service Course
Vrestein fortezza tricomp
I currently have the tricomps, they are supposed to be the best of the three in the wet. The continentals are supposed to be okay in the wet too.
If you want a more focused winter tyre, have a look at continental 4 seasons.
Continental Gatorskins
Contienental Four Seasons (Slight;y less puncture resistance, but much more comfortable)
Bith can be had from the usual retailers for £30 a throw. Four Seasons are easier to fit as they have softer sidewalls. Worth remember, s you will only get a puncture when its pissing it down and about 2C outside
Contienental Four Seasons (Slight;y less puncture resistance, but much more comfortable)
Bith can be had from the usual retailers for £30 a throw. Four Seasons are easier to fit as they have softer sidewalls. Worth remember, s you will only get a puncture when its pissing it down and about 2C outside
Another vote for the 4 seasons, especially as we are getting into winter.
Put a set on about a month ago based on recommendations as a great winter tyre, excellent all rounder and great puncture protection (not quite as good as the gatorskins on that count but they apparently ride a hell of a lot better).
My weekly puncture or two (4 in one trip) have been replaced by zero. Coming from much worse tyres (Kenda bottom of the line Halfords OE) they are also lighter, roll better, grip better.... Actually they are an improvement in every possible way - so my glowing impression should be tempered slightly by that.
Put a set on about a month ago based on recommendations as a great winter tyre, excellent all rounder and great puncture protection (not quite as good as the gatorskins on that count but they apparently ride a hell of a lot better).
My weekly puncture or two (4 in one trip) have been replaced by zero. Coming from much worse tyres (Kenda bottom of the line Halfords OE) they are also lighter, roll better, grip better.... Actually they are an improvement in every possible way - so my glowing impression should be tempered slightly by that.
The OE tyres fitted on my 2010 Merida 905 were "Vittoria Rubino 23 60 Kevlar" according to Merida's own archive. I believe the 'kevlar' bit refers only to the bead of the tyre and not to puncture protection.
They were dire in every respect. Terrible grip, poor comfort, and utterly hopeless puncture protection. So I tried Gatorskins. They were only marginally better for puncture protection, (albeit I gave them some tough tests, such as this hill https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&... , which as you can see is narrow, strewn with all kinds of gravel/flint and requires 'close concentration' when descending in the dark
) and still pretty poor for grip and comfort. These were relegated to an old steel framed bike I didn't ride much and eventually I found a satisfactory tyre for me in the Continental Grand Prix 4Seasons, coupled with the Schwalbe Ultremo in summer riding conditions. Now I haven't done anywhere near my usual summer mileage this year, so the Schwalbes never got refitted - I stuck with the 4Seasons the whole time. They are the best compromise I have found between pace/comfort/grip/puncture resistance, and until someone can convince me otherwise at a similar price, I shall be sticking with them.
Be warned, though, that you are never guaranteed the same experience with a tyre as the guy who recommended them. There are too many variables to get anywhere near a consistent comparison, so you have to be prepared to make a few mistakes before you find your best tyre match.
Having said all of that, if the 'cut' you have in your tyre is small, and hasn't gone through the inner layers completely, try sealing it with some superglue. Just hold the cut open a little whilst the tyre is deflated, drop in a small amount of glue, give it some time to set, then inflate the tyre. It's not a 'proper repair' as such, but it will plug the gap and prevent further ingress of debris into the cut, because otherwise you'll be buying new tyres every couple of days over a wet winter. Just remember to get a pin or something similar, and flick out any small grit in the cut before you seal it up. Any excess glue can be sanded of with a needle file or a sheet of wet'n'dry paper. It'll be obvious when you get to the point where there are either too many cuts over the whole tyre, or one of the cuts is just too deep to risk repairing.
As far as pressures are concerned, make sure you run them at the minimum recommended pressure or higher. The narrower the tyre, the closer to the top of the inflation 'window' you need to be, because the air volume of the tube is lower with a narrow tyre, and there's more chance of pinching the tube between the rim of the wheel and the kerb/pothole that you've just hit when the pressure is lower. The wider the tyre (28/35mm, even 25mm to an extent) the lower you can risk running the pressure, as the greater volume of air in the tube compensates somewhat for the lack of pressure. Again, experiment for yourself where tyre pressures are concerned. Do a back to back test with tyres at the minimum, then maximum recommended pressures over the same route, to assess which gives the greater comfort and handling confidence, then try half way between the two. Continue to 'bracket' the pressure you are running (half way between the two) until you find that you gain no more comfort/confidence from increasing the pressure. That will be your 'sweet spot' for the particular tyre you are testing, then just connect up the track pump before you ride, set the pressure, and get the best out of you and your bike every time you ride it (as far as tyres are concerned, anyway).
If you do puncture when you are out on the road, a decent pump will help prevent further punctures due to inadequate pressure on the way home. I personally rate the Lezyne range of pumps. I have a 'Road-Drive' which mounts to a bracket fitted under a bottle cage, and is the Mutt's Nuts when it comes to looking good, being tough in all weathers, and actually functioning as intended when you need it. Just 'google' 'Lezyne pump' and you'll be sure to find something to meet your needs.
They were dire in every respect. Terrible grip, poor comfort, and utterly hopeless puncture protection. So I tried Gatorskins. They were only marginally better for puncture protection, (albeit I gave them some tough tests, such as this hill https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&... , which as you can see is narrow, strewn with all kinds of gravel/flint and requires 'close concentration' when descending in the dark
) and still pretty poor for grip and comfort. These were relegated to an old steel framed bike I didn't ride much and eventually I found a satisfactory tyre for me in the Continental Grand Prix 4Seasons, coupled with the Schwalbe Ultremo in summer riding conditions. Now I haven't done anywhere near my usual summer mileage this year, so the Schwalbes never got refitted - I stuck with the 4Seasons the whole time. They are the best compromise I have found between pace/comfort/grip/puncture resistance, and until someone can convince me otherwise at a similar price, I shall be sticking with them.Be warned, though, that you are never guaranteed the same experience with a tyre as the guy who recommended them. There are too many variables to get anywhere near a consistent comparison, so you have to be prepared to make a few mistakes before you find your best tyre match.
Having said all of that, if the 'cut' you have in your tyre is small, and hasn't gone through the inner layers completely, try sealing it with some superglue. Just hold the cut open a little whilst the tyre is deflated, drop in a small amount of glue, give it some time to set, then inflate the tyre. It's not a 'proper repair' as such, but it will plug the gap and prevent further ingress of debris into the cut, because otherwise you'll be buying new tyres every couple of days over a wet winter. Just remember to get a pin or something similar, and flick out any small grit in the cut before you seal it up. Any excess glue can be sanded of with a needle file or a sheet of wet'n'dry paper. It'll be obvious when you get to the point where there are either too many cuts over the whole tyre, or one of the cuts is just too deep to risk repairing.
As far as pressures are concerned, make sure you run them at the minimum recommended pressure or higher. The narrower the tyre, the closer to the top of the inflation 'window' you need to be, because the air volume of the tube is lower with a narrow tyre, and there's more chance of pinching the tube between the rim of the wheel and the kerb/pothole that you've just hit when the pressure is lower. The wider the tyre (28/35mm, even 25mm to an extent) the lower you can risk running the pressure, as the greater volume of air in the tube compensates somewhat for the lack of pressure. Again, experiment for yourself where tyre pressures are concerned. Do a back to back test with tyres at the minimum, then maximum recommended pressures over the same route, to assess which gives the greater comfort and handling confidence, then try half way between the two. Continue to 'bracket' the pressure you are running (half way between the two) until you find that you gain no more comfort/confidence from increasing the pressure. That will be your 'sweet spot' for the particular tyre you are testing, then just connect up the track pump before you ride, set the pressure, and get the best out of you and your bike every time you ride it (as far as tyres are concerned, anyway).
If you do puncture when you are out on the road, a decent pump will help prevent further punctures due to inadequate pressure on the way home. I personally rate the Lezyne range of pumps. I have a 'Road-Drive' which mounts to a bracket fitted under a bottle cage, and is the Mutt's Nuts when it comes to looking good, being tough in all weathers, and actually functioning as intended when you need it. Just 'google' 'Lezyne pump' and you'll be sure to find something to meet your needs.
nice tip re superglue
I had gatorskins on a past hybrid, the first pair last a couple of weeks as a pot holed lane took out the sidewalls
Got a second set with "reinforced sidewalls" they lasted years . They didn't really inspire any confidence in the wet, nor give me any punctures. They were a bit like cockroaches. Did the job, no hassle, but not great.
I had gatorskins on a past hybrid, the first pair last a couple of weeks as a pot holed lane took out the sidewalls
Got a second set with "reinforced sidewalls" they lasted years . They didn't really inspire any confidence in the wet, nor give me any punctures. They were a bit like cockroaches. Did the job, no hassle, but not great.
I can't recommend Continental Ultra Sport. I took them off last year due to multiple punctures but when my Gatorskin deformed I had to use one as a temporary measure. Low and behold it punctured yet again yesterday. God awful tyres.
Gatorskins are great, but the ride is harsh. Probably going to get rid and replace with 4 seasons on the winter bike. GP4000s are great, but I wouldn't ride them too much in the winter.
Always pump tyres up to 110psi
Gatorskins are great, but the ride is harsh. Probably going to get rid and replace with 4 seasons on the winter bike. GP4000s are great, but I wouldn't ride them too much in the winter.
Always pump tyres up to 110psi
Pot Odds said:
I am also interested in any advice on tyre pressures. I had previously been running quite low pressures due to my crap pump which I have just upgraded to a joe blow - I was running around 95 on the rear when it went today. Having just rechecked the tyres I note they state min 100psi max 140 - for some reason I had previously read this as max 100 - DOH). Does tyre pressure impact on puncture resistance ?
No, in this particular case you ran over something sharp - flint. Running higher pressure would actually be worse as you are more likely to get a sudden blowout. Not so bad on the rear as you can generally come to a controlled stop but at the front could be catastrophic.Higher tyre pressures will help prevent pinch punctures which is where you hit a pothole or a kerb square-on. The tyre sidewall will deflect less with higher tyre pressure, so there is less chance of a puncture but you will obviously get more reflection (bounce) in both upwards movement and also shock through the arms and shoulders.
Pot Odds said:
Is it best to replace both tyres at the same time ?
No need, just be aware that new tyres are best scrubbed in with a few dry rides before a wet ride. It helps remove the chemicals that may remain on the tyre post-manufacturing and cause greasy handling in the wet.Overall, tyre pressure should be determined by your weight in your cycling kit (inc helmet, shoes etc). Someone lighter will need to run lower tyre pressure than someone heavier. I'm 70Kg and run 95 front and 102 ish rear on 25c tyres, and 98 front and 105 rear in 23c. Sometimes marginally more in summer, but never over 100 front and 110 rear.
Edited by itsnotarace on Monday 9th September 12:52
S10GTA said:
I can't recommend Continental Ultra Sport. I took them off last year due to multiple punctures but when my Gatorskin deformed I had to use one as a temporary measure. Low and behold it punctured yet again yesterday. God awful tyres.
Gatorskins are great, but the ride is harsh. Probably going to get rid and replace with 4 seasons on the winter bike. GP4000s are great, but I wouldn't ride them too much in the winter.
Always pump tyres up to 110psi
GP4000s are great summer tyres, but they will puncture pretty easily in the winter. I think there's a new version of the GP4000s coming out soon.Gatorskins are great, but the ride is harsh. Probably going to get rid and replace with 4 seasons on the winter bike. GP4000s are great, but I wouldn't ride them too much in the winter.
Always pump tyres up to 110psi
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