Are all Kevlar tyres the same?
Discussion
I got a puncture just over halfway (typical) round Bewl water last weekend (and snapped my tyre levers when trying to change the tyre), which has led to me noticing tyres this week. I was in my LBS and they had the Schwalbe Kevlar offerings for 16 quid each; then on the way home, nip into Asda and notice they have Bell Kevlar tyres for a tenner each. So why the big price difference? Just Asda's buying power, or something more fundamental?
Also 'Slime filled tyres' - discuss.
CH
Also 'Slime filled tyres' - discuss.
CH
Theres more to tyres than the bead.
Firstly, I've never heard of 'Bell' Tyres. Whate durometer rubber are they? What TPI casing? Directional? Multi-compound?
No, all tyres are not the same, not evne two that happen t osay 'Kevlar' on them.
Its exactly the same advice I'd give as relating to cars. Dont scrimp on tyres, as there the only thing keeping you (for the most part) on the ground and upright.
Firstly, I've never heard of 'Bell' Tyres. Whate durometer rubber are they? What TPI casing? Directional? Multi-compound?
No, all tyres are not the same, not evne two that happen t osay 'Kevlar' on them.
Its exactly the same advice I'd give as relating to cars. Dont scrimp on tyres, as there the only thing keeping you (for the most part) on the ground and upright.
Dr Bob said:
Schwalbe Kevlar offerings for 16 quid each; then on the way home, nip into Asda and notice they have Bell Kevlar tyres for a tenner each. So why the big price difference? Just Asda's buying power, or something more fundamental?
Something more fundamental. Crap tyres are crap tyres never mind what material the bead is made from. You need to choose tyres based on their size, tread pattern, durability etc. suitable for the conditions you intend to ride them in. Then, in most cases you can opt for a steel beaded tyre or a slightly more expensive, lighter, foldable kevlar-beaded version.
Note that kevlar-beaded tyres don't have any extra puncture protection over a steel version, unless the particular model you choose has an extra puncture-protection strip built in to the design (and this can be true of steel-beaded tyres too).
Go and get some tyres for your car. You can spend anything from £25 to £500 per corner depending on size, performance and brand.
Just as a performance car tyre will feel great compared to a hedge-hunter-death-tread-no-brand, so will a high end MTB tyre out perform a cheng shin POS.
High end tyres may not last as long, especially if used on tarmac, and are usually tailored to perform at their optimum in specific conditions as opposed to being an all rounder.
R&D and materials for high end anything pushes the price up, and the law of diminishing returns applies in that something costing twice as much is not going to be twice as good in the main.
Buy to suit your pocket and your use.
Just as a performance car tyre will feel great compared to a hedge-hunter-death-tread-no-brand, so will a high end MTB tyre out perform a cheng shin POS.
High end tyres may not last as long, especially if used on tarmac, and are usually tailored to perform at their optimum in specific conditions as opposed to being an all rounder.
R&D and materials for high end anything pushes the price up, and the law of diminishing returns applies in that something costing twice as much is not going to be twice as good in the main.
Buy to suit your pocket and your use.
Can I just point out that in certain situations, it doesn't matter how good the tyre is, if its not two ply plus, it'll not cope with things like rock gardens etc (and I mean proper rock gardens - not your nancy gravel in the uk).
Having ridden the massive terrain at Megavalance, you buy on the 'strength' of the tyre up the there, as you WILL puncture unless running at a kabillion psi.
It also goes for rocky and rooty stuff in the uk.
Tubeless tyres rock for this very reason - and I certainly shall be trying some as a result of my experiences in France.
Forget things like weight if you are worried about punctures.
Having ridden the massive terrain at Megavalance, you buy on the 'strength' of the tyre up the there, as you WILL puncture unless running at a kabillion psi.
It also goes for rocky and rooty stuff in the uk.
Tubeless tyres rock for this very reason - and I certainly shall be trying some as a result of my experiences in France.
Forget things like weight if you are worried about punctures.
neil_bolton said:
Trooper2 said:
snotrag said:
Firstly, I've never heard of 'Bell' Tyres. ?
IIRC, they are similar to Kenda and Chen Shin.
I just checked thier U.S. Website and it looks like they have come along since I got out of the bike repair business. Kenda always made some decent tires but used to make some real junk too.Trooper2 said:
neil_bolton said:
Trooper2 said:
snotrag said:
Firstly, I've never heard of 'Bell' Tyres. ?
IIRC, they are similar to Kenda and Chen Shin.
I just checked thier U.S. Website and it looks like they have come along since I got out of the bike repair business. Kenda always made some decent tires but used to make some real junk too.
Kermit power said:
Trooper2 said:
neil_bolton said:
Trooper2 said:
snotrag said:
Firstly, I've never heard of 'Bell' Tyres. ?
IIRC, they are similar to Kenda and Chen Shin.
I just checked thier U.S. Website and it looks like they have come along since I got out of the bike repair business. Kenda always made some decent tires but used to make some real junk too.I would say many of us have a 'winter' tyre especially for those muddy conditions
(pete 
)Update: 'Bell' are definately a quite budget brand - bought a pair of tyre levers (in asda you see, 78p!), to replace the ones that snapped when trying to get the tyre off, and they just bend like they're made of rubber...
...these tyres are a bugger to get off, do you think it could be cos they're cheapies (they were on the bike when I bought it - I tend to, as with my car, go with a name I know), I know I need to buy some new decent tyre levers, but they wwere evene bending the spoon handles that I had resorted to trying last night!
CH
PS: folding tyres are just lighter than the steel bead ones right? No other real difference?
...these tyres are a bugger to get off, do you think it could be cos they're cheapies (they were on the bike when I bought it - I tend to, as with my car, go with a name I know), I know I need to buy some new decent tyre levers, but they wwere evene bending the spoon handles that I had resorted to trying last night!
CH
PS: folding tyres are just lighter than the steel bead ones right? No other real difference?
They will usually be lighter, and of course you cna fold one up and take a spare with you.
But as has been said, theres lots of facets to the construction.
Not all tires are made to the same Diameter either (believe it or not, the outer diameter of a rim is not fixed) so some combos of tyre and rim manufacturer are more difficult than others.
Tires levers - see Parktools.
I nearly always use Maxxis tires, great range.
Neil - tyres for winter? I wish, I've got tyres for every 5 degree fluctation in temperature
But as has been said, theres lots of facets to the construction.
Not all tires are made to the same Diameter either (believe it or not, the outer diameter of a rim is not fixed) so some combos of tyre and rim manufacturer are more difficult than others.
Tires levers - see Parktools.
I nearly always use Maxxis tires, great range.
Neil - tyres for winter? I wish, I've got tyres for every 5 degree fluctation in temperature
neil_bolton said:
I would say many of us have a 'winter' tyre especially for those muddy conditions (pete )
(pete ) I have a Panaracer Fire / Cinder combo for "normal", Kenda Shorttrackers for dry summer and a Panaracer Trailraker to go on the back when it's seriously deep.Having said that, the semi-slick Kendas are actually pretty good for most conditions barring silly deep mud.
snotrag said:
Neil - tyres for winter? I wish, I've got tyres for every 5 degree fluctation in temperature
I hear you! Edited by pdV6 on Thursday 9th August 09:20
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