Michelin Pro Race 3

[Dombo]

Merry Christmas everyone.
Anyone use these? My Conti GP4000S's will need replacing soon. Seen a brilliant deal at CRC on the orange ones, about 35 quid the pair, but reviews don't seem that good, particularly on roadbikereview.com. Thought I'd ask my fellow agreeables' opinions.
Hope to see you in the new year when the ice has gone - my studded tyres would barely let me keep up to speed in the J4F!

[Keith]

I raced on them last year and like them a lot. I find Contis just don't have the same reassurance when things get fast & twisty.

Having said that it's time I tried some different tyres myself. Plus I'm changing race bike so I don't need to buy the Michelin "digital blue" that goes with my (now ex-) frame .

[George]

Before I switched to tubs for road racing I always used michelin pro race and found these to be the best I tried for clinchers.

They do tend to wear out slightly faster than contis but they seem to offer lower rolling resistance and a slightly more positive feel.

[Andrew G]

Yuletide felicitations Dombo.

Agree with Keith and George, very grippy, low rolling resistance, good feel.

As a soft compound, hence the very grippyness, they do cut quite easily and I found them much more puncture prone than GP4000s. The pro race can be a pig to get on some wheels, such as campag ones which I have, so I stick with the contis as the pro race are silly tight on them and involve all kinds of swearing and gurning to get them on.

[Paul H]

Chain reaction are selling them for £16.98

[-Adam-]

I raced the second half of the season on Pro Race 3's (once my Vittoria budget ran out), they are excellent tyres.

Far better than Conti. No question, they roll better, they grip better, in my experience they do not cut any easier and they will last just as long. The key to making your tyres last is pressure, always check your pressures!

Contis feel dead by comparison.

And if you want good winter tyres, Vittoria Rubino Pro, 25's. They're nice and fat, more round, more grippy, and allow lower pressures like 80, ideal for the current conditions.

I wouldn't choose to ride around on Pro Race 3's right now, regardless of how cheap you can get them!