Why oh why are Mitchlen pro 3 tyres rubbish

Colmhayden76

Right after 4 punctures in 8 days on tyres 3 months old, I want recomendations. Am looking at Conti GP4000S so that gives you an idea of the price. The pro 3's are great tyres for pristine tarmac and nothing else.
I have had to use 4 tubes and 2 of them are non repairable . All resonable suggestions and also bitches about what seemed a great tyre choice at the time of purchace.
Cheers,

xz

Try Continental GP 4 season Vectran or Continental Grand Prix 4 season, or Continental Ultra Gator skin, all are very puncture resistant and tough for "our" road conditions

bcmf

I use Conti's with the Black Chili compound.so far so good thru all surfaces

short circuit

Ultra Gatorskins lasted me around 4500kms before they started puncturing
Bontrager Select lasted me 2000kms before they did the same
Currently have Schwalbe Ultremos for 1200kms without any punctures ... a good few knicks beginning to show up on these now.

The ultremos would get my vote considering their weight and performance. Also, they don't have any grooves or patterns on them ... so easier to spot knicks and where pieces of glass or stone are stuck in ... so you can clean them if you are into that sort of thing.

Húrin

Do people on this forum have a bad experience with Michelin tyres in general?

zzzzzzzz

Húrin wrote: »

Do people on this forum have a bad experience with Michelin tyres in general?

I've used their Lithion tyres out training for the past year and a half on your standard irish roads around wicklow. Had maybe 2 punctures last year. None in the last 6 months.

Have the pro 3 race tyres on my good wheels but haven't put too much mileage on them at all so can't really say much about them - except they've a lot more grip than the lithions.

I have heard that they wear very quickly - that's why I don't use them training.

scottreynolds

Colmhayden76 wrote: »

Conti GP4000S

Had these running for 5,000 km from Sept to Last Saturday without any punctures. Awesome tires I can't recommend them enough. I have ordered more from cycleways even though they are cheaper online. about 25 sterling at www.slanecycles.com.

Raam said they were a little to expensive but I disagree. I had some other tires on the bike and had 3 punctures in two 2 100 km rides and then the next week 2 punctures in 5 kms. I gave up after 2 punctures in 5 kms and got a taxi home for €60.... yes its a long way home. Therefore cost is irrelevant when getting tires... These contigp4000s just ran and ran through everything including snow... buy me you won't be disappointed and if you are blame me..

Murph100

Dont want to jinx myself but... I've been running on Pro3s since last Sept and not had any punctures, and thats on the crap back roads here in Kerry.

biker_joe

I stopped using Michelin about 8 years ago ... went through all the rest, hutchinson, vittoria .... am now using Continental, GP4 season, Gp 4000, and Attack Force on my TT bike, as the rest say they are the best around at mo ! me thinks the other manufacturers are getting them made in far east some where, and the quality is gone down ( but not the price ) !!

dave2pvd

Why use a racing tyre for training? You don't see track racing slicks on road cars, do you?

The PR3s are soft. And sticky. Their dry cornering grip is better than the PR2, which was nothing short of amazing.

FWIW, I train on cheapo Kevlar-belted Vittoria Zaffiro Pros and race either on Zipp tubulars or PR3s, depending on the course; the Zipps are TT-oriented and short on cornering grip.

Something that will help puncture resistance is to use the old talcum powder trick. Liberally coat the tube with the stuff. Before putting it inside the tyre, add just a little air, enough to keep the tube from collapsing, but not enough to elongate it. This may help with those 2 punctures in 5k scenarios. Maybe.

Colmhayden76

Thanks for all the info. it looks like the contis so.
I don't race, I only barely do whats some times called cycling:D . That means that I just get out there and do what I am able to do and I found that by changing the wheels and tyres at Christmas, I was more comfortable and a little faster. Using the tyre/wheel combo I have means I find myself pushing myself and using the 50 ring when crusing as opposed to the 34 before I upgraded.
I didn't buy the tyres my inlaws bought them on the recomendation of the LBS as a christmas present. The front tyre now has somthing sticking through into the inside and there is no evidence of a hole on the outside. I hope that it's not part of the construction of the tyre coming through but if it is what sort of warrenty goes with it!
To top it all I'm fat so much so that when in cycling leggings I look like an orange on a cocktail stick!! (Though I have lost 2 stone since I got the bike last august.) Do tyres come with weight restrictions ? Look my beef is that the cost nearly 40 euros each and for that sort of money you expect a certain standard and as far as I can see the pro 3 tyres are really hit and miss . Murph has been riding them in Kerry with no problems for example.
And before you all come back about tyre pressure I run them between 110 and 120 psi. I will be getting new tyres so if there is any more suggestions please send them on.

TinyExplosions

No weight restrictions on tyres, just pump 'em up close to the max PSI allowed (look for that on the sidewall). The bigger you are, the more important this is (I'm a big fella meself), as a lack of pressure means you're more prone to pinch flats.

As for the tyres themselves, I've used pro race 3's with no problems at all, and currently run Conti GP4000S's (the 'S' is the black chili compound which is grippier), but I'm moving to Schwalbe Ultremos simply cos I fancy a change. I don't think there's anything wrong with your tyres, just you luck -unfortunately, the puncture gremlins can visit at any time, and sometimes people seem to have a bad run of things -not a lot ya can do about it I'm afraid, though I have found sacrificing small children every full moon beneficial...

Murph100

Colmhayden76 wrote: »

Murph has been riding them in Kerry with no problems for example

ARRGGGHH Double jinx !! I'd better bring lots of tubes for my next spin

BTW you might be onto something regarding rider weight, as there are polar opposite views about the Pro 3s, some flatting all the time and others having no problems. In my winter gear I'm more like a stickman with big white feet !

Colmhayden76

I've tryed the blood sacrafice. Blade spokes embedded tyre wrestling with tyre irons on the side of the road....... Parts of the knuckles of my right hand left in various ditches through out Waterford. I can barely make a fist after last week!!:D

henboy

Hey Colm, Give Schwalbe a go. Ultremo R.