Tyres survey - help

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

We've been contacted to take part in a market research survey about tyres.

If you can be bothered I'd appreciate it if you could let me know which tyres you use for club run/sportive, and any other riding you do e.g. road racing, MTB, TTing, track, tri
i could just lie but would feel happier if it was based on some evidence!
e.g. for me...CR = Conti 4 seasons, TT = Michelin Pro 3, MTB = Bontrager

Cheers

Jon

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

Ok and reasons why

and what do you think of SCHWALBE tyres

and whether you tend to buy on line, why, and where from - wiggle, chain reaction, ebay, other.

We can get some discount vouchers and also tubes and tyres for doing this.

[Nick L]

I'll play John,

Road Bike: Conti Gatorskin (CR, Sportive etc) - Puncture resistance, good grip and hardwearing

MTB: Maxxis Minion DHF (front and back) Trail & downhill - Grippy and a great all-round trail tire. Schwalbe City Jet for commuting, pub etc. Tough, smooth rolling and were a good price.

I buy from the cheapest place I can find, so normally online, generally Wiggle or Planet X/On One. Have used Ebay on occasion.

I like the Schwalbe City Jets, they seem hardwearing and grippy enough. I'd definitely consider the brand again for either MTB or Road.

Nick

[Andrew G]

Continental 4 Seasons on all road bikes except best bike which is Continental GP4000s - Reason, 4 Seasons are pretty bombproof with a reasonable rolling resistance and good grip in all conditions. GP4000s, like 4 Seasons except faster rolling due to less puncture protection which isn't needed as much in good conditions.

TT - Vittoria Corsa CX tubulars - For me the best all-round tubular for racing, fantastic tyre. Used to use Vittoria Crono CS which sing down the road, just nudge the corsas for TT performance but at the price of punctures and durability - found they wore to carcass pretty quickly too on our rough roads. If the roads were smooth then would have stuck to cronos.

Never used Schwalbe tyres but only because I'm happy with what I use.

[Phil H]

Conti GP 4000s or Gatorskins on the road bike depending upon wheels. I like the 4000s's although they are a bit light.
Specialized Armadillo on the commuter. I was sold these a few years ago and they haven't punctured once. Lucky it's a steel bike as they ride like concrete.
Something cheap on the MTB
Vittoria Corsa evo KS tubs on the TT bike as that's what it came with

Never used Schwalbe but a lot of the internet commuters swear by Marathon Pluses - although apparently you need thumbs of steel to fit them.

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

Thanks all for the prompt replies, please anyone else - keep them coming.

Cheers

Jon

[Amy]

I ride Schwalbe on my winter training bike (cross fingers, seem ok...) otherwise Conti Open Pros on Enigma. Can't remember what's on tourer - Contis of some sort. I tend to buy what's recommended by my mechanic...

[Marty]

CR (Summer) - Gatorskin 700x23 for their puncture resistance. Punctured twice due to 'dagger like' pieces of flint.

CR (Winter) - Specialized Mondo 700x23c, I like the colour, red and white - (with slime innertubes for puncture resistance) never punctured! Touch wood!

Cyclo Cross - Cyclo Cross Challenge Gripo 32 Pro 700x32c. Came with the bike.

MTB - Specialized Fast Track 26x2.00 they came with the bike.

Old MTB - Specialized Fat Boy 26x1.25. Low rolling resistance and better puncture resistance when going to and from the pub! Previous cheap 26x1.00 tyres punctured too easily (can't remember make).

Unicycle - Kenda 24x1.9 - like I can ride it more than 25 meters - it will never wear out!

Have bought through a combination of online (ebay) and in store. Prefer in store!

[Roy Green]

Continental GP4000s for summer (though I've still got them on), and Conti 4 |Seasons rest of time.

[Sylv]

Also tend to buy cheapest available, which is usually online via wiggle/crc/merlin etc or ebay shops.

Have used Schwalbe tires for some years. Road: Ultremo - super low weight, comfort (wide/tall for a 23mm), easy to fit on rim, but not as puncture proof or long lasting as others. Quite expensive - but got good deal on some pink ones. MTB: Nobby Nic/ Racing Ralph. Good grip and resistance. Expensive. Not too light, and high rolling resistance. If I want low resistance and lighter weight I use Continental Race King or Specialized Renegade.

Others - Cyclocross: Challenge Limus / Griffo tubulars. Much better than clinchers (low pressures for grip without the pinch flats).
Road race (tubular): Continental Competition. Good performance but the only ones I have tried though. Have got some Schwalbe Ultremo but have not mounted them yet.

Now where's my free tube?

[Grahame]

Road bike - currently using Specialized Mondo 23c tyres - 'cos they are cheap and they work.

Commuter/winter/Cross bike - (Commuting/Winter) Schwalbe Marathon Plus 28c - 'cos they work, grip better in the wet than any other similar tyre that I've tried and seem to be bullet-proof. I haven't had a puncture in one for the two years I've been using them. (Cross) Kenda Kross Supreme 32c - 'cos they were on the bike when I bought it.

Mountainbikes - Whatever tyres were left behind by guests when they left Colorado when I was guiding there. The ultimate in cheap tyres. If they were round, still knobbly and held the innertube without "hernia-ing" I'd use them. Currently this means a mixture of Panaracer Fire XC Pro (Excellent all-round tyre), WTB Veloceraptor front tyre and Michelin something-or-other. I'm on the last free tyre now, so I'll have to buy at least one next year (that'll be the first MTB tyre I've bought in nearly 8 years!)

[Dombo]

Road bike - currently running Michelin Pro Race 3 in Cement/Orange. Very good tyres, if a little soft so they look like they've been cut to hell but I had fewer flats than with the Conti 4000S they replaced. Both are very grippy but the Michelins have a slight edge in the wet, being softer. Tubes are conti long valves.

MTB - Panaracer Fire XC Pro kevlar bead in 2.1 inch. Quite grippy and recommended by Nirvana in Westcott whose staff ride the Surrey Hills, which is where I mostly ride. These are reinforced with Panaracer Flataway which is soft kevlar woven strip that you stick inside the tread. No punctures in over 6 years. Good in all conditions.

Station bike - Conti road slicks in 26 inch between March - November then switch to Schwalbe Marathon Winter tyres for 3-4 months. These are same as Schwalbe Marathon so a road pattern but with metal studs. Grip very well on sheet, black ice and hardpack snow as well as wet mud (the chalky stuff around Reigate Hill, not used them on the sandier trails around Leith Hill). Less convincing on slushy, "spring snow".

I always buy consumables like this on line now, usually from Chainreaction, Wiggle, Parker and occasionally Evans. Any item that i need to talk to somebody in a shop or that needs pro fitting like a headset or forks, I'll buy from the shop. This is usually Nirvana. For my road bike it'd be GB but it's a simpler beast to fix.

[NeilAS]

[quote="Grahame"]Schwalbe Marathon Plus 28c - 'cos they work, grip better in the wet than any other similar tyre that I've tried

[JulianG]

for TT'S PRO 4'S

COMMUTING AND GENERAL CLUB RUNS CONTI GATORSKINS/FOUR SEASONS

WIGGLE OR PBK DEPENDS WHICH IS CHEAPER

[Amy]

Forgot to say that one important consideration in buying tyres is - can I get them on and off my rims without too much swearing...

Julian, find out which button is capslock