Getting Tyred

wrote in message ...
[Snip]

So as far as tires are concerned what are people's experiences?

Time trial bike - Vittoria Corsa 23mm slicks, latex tubes, 125 psi front and back. Last paid ~£23.

Summer bike - Michelin 23 mm Pro 4s, latex tubes, 100psi front, 110psi back. Last paid ~£19.

Winter trainer - Continental 25m Gatorskins, butyl tubes, 90 psi front, 100psi back. Last paid ~£24.

The Vittoria's are fast, well mannered in dry and wet conditions and comfortable. They are however delicate flowers and I only use them for races. They tend to cut up and wear out quickly rather than puncture. I might try the new Michelin Power Comps (love the marketing speak) next as they look like they could be as fast but more robust.

The Michelins are the best compromise I have found for summer road riding. They are relatively fast, perform well in dry and wet conditons, comfortable for century plus rides (on a CF bike!), reasonably durable and I get very few flats. Again the new Michelins might be an option if their durability matches the Pro4s. Buying several at a time for both bikes should bring the price down.

The Continentals are to all intents and purposes bullet proof for winter road riding here in the UK. They handle OK and at lower pressures are relatively comfortable (AL frame, CF forks). They do however ride like barges. Not a problem on a winter training bike where not flatting is much more of a priority.

For the first two I prefer latex tubes as they roll faster and improve the ride comfort at the higher pressures. Some claim they also improve puncture resistance but I do not have sufficient personal data to opine one way or the other.

Graham.

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On Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at 9:58:55 PM UTC-4, Andre Jute wrote:
On Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at 7:06:27 PM UTC+1, DATAKOLL MARINE RESEARCH wrote:
right AJ no longer in the long distance ride area.

Where did I say that? You and Krygowski keep making the same dumb mistake of assuming you know conditions where I live, or what I do. You don't.

I ride as far as I ever did. All my longest rides have been explored and taken on Big Apples. The tyres I had previous, Marathon Plus and the Bontrager Hardcase Elite workalike, were just too harsh for me to ride very far.

I had a BA for the rear on the Redline trekker chosen for riding at the beach (Mx) n Mojave/Sonoran NF roads...for this worked well but on asphalt was tiring, in comparison to a GT/TT even on relatively short distances 10-12 miles.

This is either in your mind or because of the weight, because the rolling resistance of the Big Apples is pretty low.

***

I got very few flats on Marathons, Scharfie; I gave them up for two other reasons: they ride like rocks, and they are hell to get off the rim or on the rim even when you're working on a flat table at an ergonomic height with tools and the sex lubricant from your more exciting neighbours standing ready to hand, never mind beside a busy road on a wet winter's evening when you don't have enough tyre levers.

Andre Jute
Andre's World Tour of West Cork

SORRY HEAR ABOUT YOUR HANDS ......

On 8/31/2016 8:58 PM, Andre Jute wrote:
On Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at 7:06:27 PM UTC+1, DATAKOLL MARINE RESEARCH wrote:
right AJ no longer in the long distance ride area.

Where did I say that? You and Krygowski keep making the same dumb mistake of assuming you know conditions where I live, or what I do. You don't.

I ride as far as I ever did. All my longest rides have been explored and taken on Big Apples. The tyres I had previous, Marathon Plus and the Bontrager Hardcase Elite workalike, were just too harsh for me to ride very far.

I had a BA for the rear on the Redline trekker chosen for riding at the beach (Mx) n Mojave/Sonoran NF roads...for this worked well but on asphalt was tiring, in comparison to a GT/TT even on relatively short distances 10-12 miles.

This is either in your mind or because of the weight, because the rolling resistance of the Big Apples is pretty low.

***

I got very few flats on Marathons, Scharfie; I gave them up for two other reasons: they ride like rocks, and they are hell to get off the rim or on the rim even when you're working on a flat table at an ergonomic height with tools and the sex lubricant from your more exciting neighbours standing ready to hand, never mind beside a busy road on a wet winter's evening when you don't have enough tyre levers.

Andre Jute
Andre's World Tour of West Cork


I can't recall ever lubricating the neighbors. Which product
do you recommend?

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On Thursday, September 1, 2016 at 2:16:53 AM UTC-7, Graham wrote:
wrote in message ...
[Snip]

So as far as tires are concerned what are people's experiences?

Time trial bike - Vittoria Corsa 23mm slicks, latex tubes, 125 psi front and back. Last paid ~£23.

Summer bike - Michelin 23 mm Pro 4s, latex tubes, 100psi front, 110psi back. Last paid ~£19.

Winter trainer - Continental 25m Gatorskins, butyl tubes, 90 psi front, 100psi back. Last paid ~£24.

The Vittoria's are fast, well mannered in dry and wet conditions and comfortable. They are however delicate flowers and I only use them for races. They tend to cut up and wear out quickly rather than puncture. I might try the new Michelin Power Comps (love the marketing speak) next as they look like they could be as fast but more robust.

The Michelins are the best compromise I have found for summer road riding.. They are relatively fast, perform well in dry and wet conditons, comfortable for century plus rides (on a CF bike!), reasonably durable and I get very few flats. Again the new Michelins might be an option if their durability matches the Pro4s. Buying several at a time for both bikes should bring the price down.

The Continentals are to all intents and purposes bullet proof for winter road riding here in the UK. They handle OK and at lower pressures are relatively comfortable (AL frame, CF forks). They do however ride like barges. Not a problem on a winter training bike where not flatting is much more of a priority.

For the first two I prefer latex tubes as they roll faster and improve the ride comfort at the higher pressures. Some claim they also improve puncture resistance but I do not have sufficient personal data to opine one way or the other.

Pro 4 Service Course go on sale a lot and are a great lightweight summer tire and plenty grippy for occasional rain. My favorite fast winter tire is the Conti 4Season, but those are really expensive and rarely on sale.

-- Jay Beattie.

On Thursday, September 1, 2016 at 2:08:05 PM UTC+1, AMuzi wrote:
On 8/31/2016 8:58 PM, Andre Jute wrote:
On Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at 7:06:27 PM UTC+1, DATAKOLL MARINE RESEARCH wrote:
right AJ no longer in the long distance ride area.

Where did I say that? You and Krygowski keep making the same dumb mistake of assuming you know conditions where I live, or what I do. You don't.

I ride as far as I ever did. All my longest rides have been explored and taken on Big Apples. The tyres I had previous, Marathon Plus and the Bontrager Hardcase Elite workalike, were just too harsh for me to ride very far..

I had a BA for the rear on the Redline trekker chosen for riding at the beach (Mx) n Mojave/Sonoran NF roads...for this worked well but on asphalt was tiring, in comparison to a GT/TT even on relatively short distances 10-12 miles.

This is either in your mind or because of the weight, because the rolling resistance of the Big Apples is pretty low.

***

I got very few flats on Marathons, Scharfie; I gave them up for two other reasons: they ride like rocks, and they are hell to get off the rim or on the rim even when you're working on a flat table at an ergonomic height with tools and the sex lubricant from your more exciting neighbours standing ready to hand, never mind beside a busy road on a wet winter's evening when you don't have enough tyre levers.

Andre Jute
Andre's World Tour of West Cork


I can't recall ever lubricating the neighbors. Which product
do you recommend?

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Lily White Hot Wax.

(sgnd) Otherguy Overby

PS You'll recognize him as a Ross Thomas character. On second thoughts, probably her too.

On Thursday, September 1, 2016 at 2:00:16 PM UTC+1, DATAKOLL MARINE RESEARCH wrote:
On Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at 9:58:55 PM UTC-4, Andre Jute wrote:
On Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at 7:06:27 PM UTC+1, DATAKOLL MARINE RESEARCH wrote:
right AJ no longer in the long distance ride area.

Where did I say that? You and Krygowski keep making the same dumb mistake of assuming you know conditions where I live, or what I do. You don't.

I ride as far as I ever did. All my longest rides have been explored and taken on Big Apples. The tyres I had previous, Marathon Plus and the Bontrager Hardcase Elite workalike, were just too harsh for me to ride very far..

I had a BA for the rear on the Redline trekker chosen for riding at the beach (Mx) n Mojave/Sonoran NF roads...for this worked well but on asphalt was tiring, in comparison to a GT/TT even on relatively short distances 10-12 miles.

This is either in your mind or because of the weight, because the rolling resistance of the Big Apples is pretty low.

***

I got very few flats on Marathons, Scharfie; I gave them up for two other reasons: they ride like rocks, and they are hell to get off the rim or on the rim even when you're working on a flat table at an ergonomic height with tools and the sex lubricant from your more exciting neighbours standing ready to hand, never mind beside a busy road on a wet winter's evening when you don't have enough tyre levers.

Andre Jute
Andre's World Tour of West Cork

SORRY HEAR ABOUT YOUR HANDS ......

Nothing wrong with my hands, Jeff. Like a surgeon, a writer is a manual laborer, so I've looked after my hands all my life, letting other people do the work. The point about Marathon tyres, which you would know if you ever had any, is that they're incredibly stiff, therefore hard to get on and off the bead.

Andre Jute
That too -- punchline of a character in a prize-winning radio serial I wrote in my salad days

On 01/09/16 18:27, Andre Jute wrote:
On Thursday, September 1, 2016 at 2:00:16 PM UTC+1, DATAKOLL MARINE
RESEARCH wrote:
On Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at 9:58:55 PM UTC-4, Andre Jute
wrote:
On Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at 7:06:27 PM UTC+1, DATAKOLL
MARINE RESEARCH wrote:
right AJ no longer in the long distance ride area.

Where did I say that? You and Krygowski keep making the same dumb
mistake of assuming you know conditions where I live, or what I
do. You don't.

I ride as far as I ever did. All my longest rides have been
explored and taken on Big Apples. The tyres I had previous,
Marathon Plus and the Bontrager Hardcase Elite workalike, were
just too harsh for me to ride very far.

I had a BA for the rear on the Redline trekker chosen for
riding at the beach (Mx) n Mojave/Sonoran NF roads...for this
worked well but on asphalt was tiring, in comparison to a GT/TT
even on relatively short distances 10-12 miles.

This is either in your mind or because of the weight, because the
rolling resistance of the Big Apples is pretty low.

***

I got very few flats on Marathons, Scharfie; I gave them up for
two other reasons: they ride like rocks, and they are hell to get
off the rim or on the rim even when you're working on a flat
table at an ergonomic height with tools and the sex lubricant
from your more exciting neighbours standing ready to hand, never
mind beside a busy road on a wet winter's evening when you don't
have enough tyre levers.

Andre Jute Andre's World Tour of West Cork

SORRY HEAR ABOUT YOUR HANDS ......

Nothing wrong with my hands, Jeff. Like a surgeon, a writer is a
manual laborer, so I've looked after my hands all my life, letting
other people do the work. The point about Marathon tyres, which you
would know if you ever had any, is that they're incredibly stiff,
therefore hard to get on and off the bead.

It's usually poor technique. I've just had my 406x42 off/on the Bullitt
with no hassle, and if that isn't hard nothing is. Yes the smart guard
tends to spread the tyre, but if you know it's going to happen it
presents no problems at all. OTOH, if you don't, you will never get
them on, but that's true of all tyres. If you are using tyre levers to
get them on, you're doing it wrong. Obviously we are talking clinchers
here.

On Thursday, September 1, 2016 at 9:08:05 AM UTC-4, AMuzi wrote:
On 8/31/2016 8:58 PM, Andre Jute wrote:
On Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at 7:06:27 PM UTC+1, DATAKOLL MARINE RESEARCH wrote:
right AJ no longer in the long distance ride area.

Where did I say that? You and Krygowski keep making the same dumb mistake of assuming you know conditions where I live, or what I do. You don't.

I ride as far as I ever did. All my longest rides have been explored and taken on Big Apples. The tyres I had previous, Marathon Plus and the Bontrager Hardcase Elite workalike, were just too harsh for me to ride very far..

I had a BA for the rear on the Redline trekker chosen for riding at the beach (Mx) n Mojave/Sonoran NF roads...for this worked well but on asphalt was tiring, in comparison to a GT/TT even on relatively short distances 10-12 miles.

This is either in your mind or because of the weight, because the rolling resistance of the Big Apples is pretty low.

***

I got very few flats on Marathons, Scharfie; I gave them up for two other reasons: they ride like rocks, and they are hell to get off the rim or on the rim even when you're working on a flat table at an ergonomic height with tools and the sex lubricant from your more exciting neighbours standing ready to hand, never mind beside a busy road on a wet winter's evening when you don't have enough tyre levers.

Andre Jute
Andre's World Tour of West Cork


I can't recall ever lubricating the neighbors. Which product
do you recommend?

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

pepsodent

OK AJ out with it....what radio cereal ?

here's the weekly quote:

'If you are using tyre levers to
get them on, you're doing it wrong.'

Marathon sidewalls are stiff, tire inflates to 40 pounds ? care to expound on this design ?

On 9/1/2016 2:15 PM, Tosspot wrote:
On 01/09/16 18:27, Andre Jute wrote:
On Thursday, September 1, 2016 at 2:00:16 PM UTC+1, DATAKOLL MARINE
RESEARCH wrote:
On Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at 9:58:55 PM UTC-4, Andre Jute
wrote:
On Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at 7:06:27 PM UTC+1, DATAKOLL
MARINE RESEARCH wrote:
right AJ no longer in the long distance ride area.

Where did I say that? You and Krygowski keep making the same dumb
mistake of assuming you know conditions where I live, or what I
do. You don't.

I ride as far as I ever did. All my longest rides have been
explored and taken on Big Apples. The tyres I had previous,
Marathon Plus and the Bontrager Hardcase Elite workalike, were
just too harsh for me to ride very far.

I had a BA for the rear on the Redline trekker chosen for
riding at the beach (Mx) n Mojave/Sonoran NF roads...for this
worked well but on asphalt was tiring, in comparison to a GT/TT
even on relatively short distances 10-12 miles.

This is either in your mind or because of the weight, because the
rolling resistance of the Big Apples is pretty low.

***

I got very few flats on Marathons, Scharfie; I gave them up for
two other reasons: they ride like rocks, and they are hell to get
off the rim or on the rim even when you're working on a flat
table at an ergonomic height with tools and the sex lubricant
from your more exciting neighbours standing ready to hand, never
mind beside a busy road on a wet winter's evening when you don't
have enough tyre levers.

Andre Jute Andre's World Tour of West Cork

SORRY HEAR ABOUT YOUR HANDS ......

Nothing wrong with my hands, Jeff. Like a surgeon, a writer is a
manual laborer, so I've looked after my hands all my life, letting
other people do the work. The point about Marathon tyres, which you
would know if you ever had any, is that they're incredibly stiff,
therefore hard to get on and off the bead.

It's usually poor technique. I've just had my 406x42 off/on the Bullitt
with no hassle, and if that isn't hard nothing is. Yes the smart guard
tends to spread the tyre, but if you know it's going to happen it
presents no problems at all. OTOH, if you don't, you will never get
them on, but that's true of all tyres. If you are using tyre levers to
get them on, you're doing it wrong. Obviously we are talking clinchers
here.

Coincidentally, I had two flats today in the same Schwalbe Marathon
tire. I had absolutely no trouble getting them off the rim, nor
re-mounting them using bare hands. These were 20" size, on my folding
bike. I suppose if one's technique was bad enough, there could be a
problem; but that's true of any project with any product.

BTW, the first flat was caused by the usual tiny chip of glass. But the
second occurred when handling that tube caused a glueless patch (used in
an emergency about five years ago) to come loose. So I swapped that
tube out for a spare tube my wife had in her bike bag, and will replace
the glueless patch with a real one tomorrow, now that I'm back home.


--
- Frank Krygowski