Tyre reviews

i was squaring up to have a fight with one of them skinny guys on the clown bikes with walky talkys once last year in soho after some Wkd, and we was about to go at it but he saw I had some Soma Everwear on my rear wheel and he dropped down sudden like to his knees and his eyes rolled right back in his head, his face was all screwed up like he was chewin a lemon and seconds later a damp patch appeared in the crotch of his trousers. my mam says the man must have really really really liked my Soma tyre..

People spend so much on tyres! I've been using shwalbe blizzards for a year or so and they're only £8, though I do use a velox thorn armour in my back wheel. Only get flats when the tyres are just about worn out.

Vittoria Randonneur

Grip 5/10
Not great grip since the tyre is very rigid, which of course makes it easier to skid.

Wear 9/10
They last forever. Seriously.

Puncture Protection 10/10
Absolutely bomb-proof. Never had a flat in about 8 months.

Comfort 7/10
Bit bumpy, since very rigid but not terribly so.

Weight (or perceived rolling weight) 6/10
Bit on the heavy side, but I think it doesn't matter in London's stop & go traffic.

Speed (rolling resistance) 7/10
Ok

Appearance (or Looks, if it comes in colours) ?/10
Only comes in black. Apparently also available in white; see below.

Price 10/10
You really can't beat £14.

Skidability 8/10
see Grip

Overall rating / opinion 8/10
Great bomb-proof city tyre. They only come in 28mm but their 28 is more like an ordinary 25, so don't worry.

Vittoria Randonneur

Appearance (or Looks, if it comes in colours) ?/10
Only comes in black.

LIES!!

planet x has the all white ones for £15 notes....

http://www.planet-x-warehouse.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Touring_Commuting_264.html#aTYVIRAWH70028

Can you get a 28mm tire in your bj doubletap?

Can you get a 28mm tire in your bj doubletap?

I may not be adoubletap, but yes, 28mm can go onto the Bob Jackson, the Vigorelli is grass track frame, so it's designed to accept 28mm tyres (max), I did managed 32mm, but that's a very tight squeeze.

Vittoria Randonneur

Weight (or perceived rolling weight) 6/10
Bit on the heavy side, but I think it doesn't matter in London's stop & go traffic.

Surely rotational mass (weight, whatever) is more important in stop & go traffic. A bit extra around the rim can actually help if going at constant speed (on the flat) - just ask that Czech bloke who holds the hour record.

Sosenka

Can you get a 28mm tire in your bj doubletap?

Randos are only about 25.5mm wide (yes, yes I did).

Surely rotational mass (weight, whatever) is more important in stop & go traffic. A bit extra around the rim can actually help if going at constant speed (on the flat) - just ask that Czech bloke who holds the hour record.

You're probably right, but what I meant is that in London's traffic it isn't your tyre (or anything else about your bike) that is slowing you down. If you are that much into speed you wouldn't consider a tyre that's called 'randonneur' and has tread.

I know. I was being glibly factual. Not pedantic. There's a difference (so fuck off B-Bil, if you're lurking).

Continental Gatorskins - I'll never hear these tyres dissed. Run 25s and 23s.

Grip 7/10

Wear 9/10
Change them every 12 months depending on the weather - if it's nice I'll go out, if not - change the tyres.

Puncture Protection 7/10
Good, not great.

Comfort 7/10

Weight x/10
Not something that bothers me.

Speed (rolling resistance) 8/10
No worries, London street are not the track.

Appearance (or Looks, if it comes in colours) 6/10
Black with bits of orange

Price 8/10
Not cheap, but classy and goes the distance. The way all things should be.

Skidability 5/10
Compound too soft.

Overall rating / opinion 7/10 - Jack of all trades.... (complete as appropriate)

Continental Gatorskins - I'll never hear these tyres dissed.

You will if you frequent any cycle forum.

I'm having an ultra gash day.
1) I'm temporarily homeless and sleeping on someones floor
2) I got my boss' lunch, now my bag and jacket smells of meat sweat and chips.
3) BT are chasing me for an outstanding bill from 2 years ago (which doesn't even exist!)
4) I've had my second sidewall (conti) rupture in 3 weeks!!!
5) I hate Chris De Burgh

I'm a courier and need a recommendation for a grippy puncture resistant front tyre.
Im' too lazy to slow down, so end up cornering at 45 deg angl, so really need grip.
Obviously I'm out rain or shine in the grit and glass so don't want to be throwing away notes on expensive tyres only to replace a tyre in a couple of months due to wear (av 200 miles a week).
Im not too bothered about weight (steel frame).
I ride 23c, looking around £20 but would pay little more.

help before i commit bike sepaku

Maxxis Refuse could fit the bill, Hyper Allah.

They are top of my list anyone know how they are in the wet???

They have good grip in the wet and are nice to skid in the dry, too.

I would say the grip in most conditions is pretty predictable. A good all round city tyre.

Conit GP4000 four seasons - yes i know its over budget, but it is a fantastic tyre for the front, good puncture protection, fast rolling and grippy as.

anyone checked out those fyxations yet?

Conit GP4000 four seasons - yes i know its over budget, but it is a fantastic tyre for the front, good puncture protection, fast rolling and grippy as.

I've moving to running on of these on the front and a Maxxis Refuse on the back.

Partly to annoy Hippy- and so therefore I may be hoist by my own Petard.

I've moving to running on of these on the front and a Maxxis Refuse on the back.

Partly to annoy Hippy- and so therefore I may be hoist by my own Petard.

Ha!

Been runnning mine on the front since april so mainly summer riding, but the tyre came of an old road bike, which i thought it was fantastic on too!

I do agree with hippy that gatorskin clinchers are terrible though, although i have some sprinter gatorskins on my tubs and i love them but they are the only tubs i've ever ridden on!

Vredestein Fortezza Tricomp (on the road bike)

Grip 8/10 (slight suspicion about them in the wet)

Wear 8/10

Puncture Protection 9/10 (no punctures in 6 months)

Comfort 10/10 (on 32 spoke rear and front though)

Weight (or perceived rolling weight) 8/10 (not as light as pro races)

Speed (rolling resistance) 8/10 (not as 'rolling' as pro races)

Appearance (or Looks, if it comes in colours) 9/10 (black/grey: same as bike)

Price 10/10 (under £20)

Skidability ?/10 n/a

Overall rating / opinion 9/10

More durable, cheaper alternative to Pro races, corsa etc. Better than i expected. Going to try corsas or paves next summer out of curiosity. These will go on the winter bike (fixed) which currently has..

Vittoria Rubino Rigid

Grip 6/10 ('interesting' in the wet!)

Wear 8/10

Puncture Protection 8/10

Comfort 4/10

Weight (or perceived rolling weight) 2/10

Speed (rolling resistance) 2/10

Appearance (or Looks, if it comes in colours) ?/10 n/a who gives a fuck on the commuter bike?

Price 10/10

Skidability ?/10 n/a brakes...

Overall rating / opinion 8/10

Cheap and cheerful.

And an honourable mention to Bontrager Race X lites (slashed by my wife after a 'disagreement')
Bit dodgy in the wet but otherwise great tyres.

And a warning about some cheap Hutchisons I purchased in an LBS in a hurry.
Absolute shite in every category on GA2Gs criterium.

Maxxis Refuse could fit the bill, Hyper Allah.

Good tyre, better roll than i thought i'd get. Yet to try it in the wet.

anyone checked out those fyxations yet?

Got a good write up in FIXED Mag. Anyone know how much they are? I need a new rear tyre.

ive got some, only ridden them for about a week. really like them, wearing pretty well skidding wise. give it a couple of weeks and ill write a reveiw then. its a 28c but its super wide tho, like a bmx tyre. not one for super tight clearences. best thing about them is that they sound like a BEAST when you skid on them. always makes me smile when i the noise they make!!