Anti-Puncture Tyres At-a-glance

which you really like actually!!?

My over exhuberance was a little premature... Got to work and found I'd completely shredded the Armadillo, it'd done quite a few miles but there was still quite a lot of tread on there two days ago... Oops! Cheapest place for Rubino Pros in central London anyone? This is an emergency! :]

armidillos have about 7 layers, is it bulging yet? if not continue for a month.

I always found folding ones much easier to put on than rigid. more flexible innit.

I concur.

yup

People who are getting married should never give opinions, as they are most clearly insane.

;)

Yup.

[Murts I hope your missus doesn't read these threads, or I'm a gonna.]

armidillos have about 7 layers, is it bulging yet? if not continue for a month.

I'm through the rubber and can clearly see the kevlar (or whatever it is) tape layer... I normally bin a tyre when it gets to that point...

People who are getting married should never give opinions, as they are most clearly insane.

;)

Yup.

[Murts I hope your missus doesn't read these threads, or I'm a gonna.]

i don't have opinions anymore :(

White winter tyres?! What next...

...green, pink, then purple ones obviously.

I'm through the rubber and can clearly see the kevlar (or whatever it is) tape layer... I normally bin a tyre when it gets to that point...
man, thats not even worn in yet.

My over exhuberance was a little premature... Got to work and found I'd completely shredded the Armadillo, it'd done quite a few miles but there was still quite a lot of tread on there two days ago... Oops! Cheapest place for Rubino Pros in central London anyone? This is an emergency! :]

You realize that it's kind of wet outside most days in winter.. and that Rubino Pro's don't have grip in the wet?

You realize that it's kind of wet outside most days in winter.. and that Rubino Pro's don't have grip in the wet?

I skid everywhere... With one leg over my barz... I don't need to pedal even... ;]

man, thats not even worn in yet.

I'll make you a picture at some point... Looks shagged...

I have no issues with rubino pro in wet.

I skid everywhere... With one leg over my barz... I don't need to pedal even... ;]

I'll make you a picture at some point... Looks shagged...

true, I saw you skidding all the way to work this morining Joe, I was going to shout "do a skid", but then decided against it : /

check these...read a quick review in the cycling plus...schwalbe marathon plus tour
http://www.schwalbe.co.uk/c2-1254-schwalbe-tires-marathon-plus-tour.html

Bike radar question TBH.
Only cant be arsed to join BikeRadar.

I am hoping to take my fixed gear bicycle on a mountain jaunt, but the last bit is 5 km on gravel road (I'd describe it more as compacted sand and gravel), and has a climb of 1:8.

Much as I love my veloflexs, I am a bit unsure about using them for this. My first thought was of the classic Vittoria Pave in 27mm.

Any opinions on these tyres?
Should I just HTFU and stick to my Velofexs (20mm front, 22mm rear)?

I have no issues with rubino pro in wet.

Clearly you are not skid/skip-stopping, or riding brakeless, or riding fast..

I thought it was just cheap Rubinos (non-pro) that didn't grip in winter conditions?

I've only used a Rubino* (cheap) *in the summer, so can't say from 1st hand experience.

Clearly you are not skid/skip-stopping, or riding brakeless, or riding fast..

Nope.

I reckon I've ridden more miles on Rubino Pro than you and since i'm cursed I reckon I've ridden more wet miles.
I don't think I'm too slow either. I've had a single stack on Rubino Pro and that just happened to be in the wet, on a dieseled-up bit of tarmac after a work xmas party (ie. I was fuckity fucked).
So, haj, it sounds like you are the one with the bike handling issue. Either that or with all your brakeless and skid stopping bollocks you are trashing any useful rubber on the tyres before you get to 'need' it.

:)

hippy: you could be right that the Rubino's are fine for wet riding with brakes, and when not trashed by skid/skips... But, a lot of fixed riders are riding brakeless and I personally have had far better experiences with other tires in the wet.

Still, I don't mind riding Rubino's (Pro's or the cheap one) in the summertime when the roads mostly stay dry.

I've got a Rubino (plain slippy one) on the Condor. I was sliding all over the place the other day but that was pretty much guaranteed with any tyre. The front, an S-Works Mondo, was also slipping everywhere. Conclusion: Fuck tyre choice, nothing but spikes are gonna grip that evil black-ice shit.

Bike radar question TBH.
Only cant be arsed to join BikeRadar.

I am hoping to take my fixed gear bicycle on a mountain jaunt, but the last bit is 5 km on gravel road (I'd describe it more as compacted sand and gravel), and has a climb of 1:8.

Much as I love my veloflexs, I am a bit unsure about using them for this. My first thought was of the classic Vittoria Pave in 27mm.

Any opinions on these tyres?
Should I just HTFU and stick to my Velofexs (20mm front, 22mm rear)?

The Vittoria Pave are designed to cope with wet cobblestones, not hard packed gravel. I bought a pair to use as a winter tyre a few years back and they were cut to pieces in a matter of weeks. They are a race tyre and not up to heavy usage on gravel strewn English lanes. The Veloflex are probably a bit too lightweight too.

Personally I'd go for a pair of Rubino Pros as they are quite cheap and you could re-use them later.

The Vittoria Pave are designed to cope with wet cobblestones, not hard packed gravel. I bought a pair to use as a winter tyre a few years back and they were cut to pieces in a matter of weeks. They are a race tyre and not up to heavy usage on gravel strewn English lanes. The Veloflex are probably a bit too lightweight too.

Personally I'd go for a pair of Rubino Pros as they are quite cheap and you could re-use them later.

Cheers for the imput :)
TBH I'm not too bothered about the tyre getting trashed providing it lasts the ride (well technicaly its a race). My main concern is losing traction on the final hard pack part of the climb. I am actually tempted to measure my stays to see if I can fit a 32mm cyclo-X tyre on the rear.

Something like the Vittoria Cross XN (designed for hard pack).

How long is the ride? Seems a waste carting 32mm over 255k if only the last 5k are dirt, if you get my drift?

Have you got a photo of the surface? Most normal road tyres will probably work but it really depends HOW rough it is and if it's likely to be wet, etc.