Looking for a griptastic front tyre

like the conti 4000s but I wouldn't use them on a fixed, as they are proper race tyres and would be wasted hacking around in the winter on them.

A bicycle tyre celebrated for winter grip somehow not suitable for putting on a bicylcle in the winter?

What has fixed got to do with anything anyhow, bicycles is bicycles, as I said its for the front anyway so no skidding.

Had a recommendation last night at wests from Ma3k for schwalbe marathon plus. They look like they'd grip well in nasty conditions and apparently punctures are non existent. Smallest in 25c.

They have tread on which means they grip less for given size (less rubber on road) Unless you are using them off road?

Not sure why people are talking about touring tyres and grip in the same thread (marathons, randonneurs) ?
Touring tyres are fine for puncture resistance, wear and so on but grip is not something they are designed for is it. Neither is low weight!

A bicycle tyre celebrated for winter grip somehow not suitable for putting on a bicylcle in the winter?

What has fixed got to do with anything anyhow, bicycles is bicycles, as I said its for the front anyway so no skidding.
Sorry, I just mean that the fixed is what you're most likely to use during the winter etc, not that it matters what type of bike you put them on generally. Are the 4000s celebrated for their winter grip? I think they're probably pretty good, but I jsut reckon that they're a bit expensive for a tyre that'll wear out quicker than the 4 seasons. Plus the 4 seasons is designed as a winter tyre, probably grips even more than the 4000s and costs about the same.

training tyres - 4000s.

commuting tyres - 4 seasons.

On my bike it's the wrong way round, Gators on front, 4 seasons on rear, my rear need to be replaced and they didn't have Gators in 25c, this is when I discovered how little grip the Gators have.

Now I need to muster up another £30ish for the front.

Do what im planning ed, just put the gator on the back as they are more robust/durable. Grip is more important on the front, so just swtich them over till you can afford the other tyre.

They have tread on which means they grip less for given size (less rubber on road) Unless you are using them off road?

Not sure why people are talking about touring tyres and grip in the same thread (marathons, randonneurs) ?
Touring tyres are fine for puncture resistance, wear and so on but grip is not something they are designed for is it. Neither is low weight!

i have Shwalbe 32mm(800g) Marathon Plus on both front and rear of my geared touring bike.

They are very very heavy, just to compare* Schwalbe 25c MP are 580g* whereas* Conti 25c 4Seasons are 230g.*
Made of hard rubber which isn't particularly gripy, ride poorly (shock absorbency is bad due to the anti puncture belt i.e they do NOT flex), but saying that i have done something like 3,000 miles and they look like new still and i have never had a hint of a puncture.

Fabulous tyres made for a the job of being maga reliable/ fit and forget.

Oddly enough DFP, I've just had a puncture last night on my front tyre, a small glass from a broken car light managed to embedded itself inside my tyre minutes away from arriving home.

end up borrowing £30 from the missus to pay for the GP 4 season, least I now got a pair.

after about 10 punctures in a month i've given up on my year old gatorskins and got some 4000s. Picked them up at cycle surgery with price reduction down to 23 a pop thanks to this

Shouldn't gatorskins last longer than a year? They don't look worn at all, but got loads of cuts in them. Does gluing them actually work? Worth gluing up and stick on another bike?

after about 10 punctures in a month i've given up on my year old gatorskins and got some 4000s. Picked them up at cycle surgery with price reduction down to 23 a pop thanks to this

Shouldn't gatorskins last longer than a year? They don't look worn at all, but got loads of cuts in them. Does gluing them actually work? Worth gluing up and stick on another bike?

just realized a year is a bit vague, some quick maths tell me I've done about 3400km on them

I didn't see a man hole cover this morning when going round a corner, the front wheel slipped on it, but then recovered. I had thought I was a goner, but twas saved by the Maxxis.

I think what saved you was the tyre finding the road surface again. I don't think there's a tyre on earth which won't slip on a metal drain cover if you go over it at a certain speed and angle...

after about 10 punctures in a month i've given up on my year old gatorskins and got some 4000s. Picked them up at cycle surgery with price reduction down to 23 a pop thanks to this

Shouldn't gatorskins last longer than a year? They don't look worn at all, but got loads of cuts in them. Does gluing them actually work? Worth gluing up and stick on another bike?

any tyres can last a while, it's varies on how you ride sometime (riding close to the gutter, hopping kerbs, etc.).

The cuts is normal, the kelvar 'belt' prevent debris from engorging itself further into the inner tube, any tyres will have tiny little cut, it's the big obvious one that you need to look out for.

gluing the cut with superglue helped prevent it from getting worse, good and cheap tactic.

Just bought another Rubino Pro II from Parker, £16 now :-)

Good to have you back, G.

You at Souths tonight Max?

Yes sir

I'm dying for a lovely burger, think I be popping down to.

FUCK ME! Ed's out! :-)

I've decided that I'll call you Duncan from now on, and Donut! as Graham.

:d

Bugger, couldn't make it, family problem, etc. etc.

:-(

I have an irrational hatred for continental tyres. I've punctured more on them than any other make. And I hate the way they ride. My gator skin lasted a week before i got sick of it - 3 punctures in 2 days.

I've also ridden a top contact (28c), the one with a year guarantee. Was doing ok, no sign of any skidding damage (and i was riding it pretty hard), but then after 2 or 3 months, the sidewall split right across the tire (vertically), and in the bin it went.

Now back to armadillos front and rear on the daily bike. I like specialized tyres, more than any other brand. I have punctured ONCE on an armadillo, and it's the tyre i've ridden more than any other (in the past 3 years anyway). I have specialized mondo pros on my road bike, which by all accounts are SHIT tyres, and even they have resisted punctures better than gatorskins.

Next best in terms of ride quality vs punctures are vittorias. I rode on rubinos quite happily for some time, and I like the way randonneurs skid, but they are quite soft and wear down quite quickly. Saying that, I've never punctured on one (had a few on rubinos but they were years old and torn up by that time anyway).

Bugger, couldn't make it, raining, etc. etc.

what about the "winter hack" ??