Good commuting tyre recommendations

CramCycle

So I have used Conti GP4000S II for a few yeras and for the most part they have been great but they are no longer for sale anywhere.

I cover about 40km per day. I don't want something as heavy and gouch pounding as Schwalbe Marathons but also I want something far more resilient to punctures than a fast race tyre.


So far I have : Schwalbe Durano Double Defence or the Specialized Armadillo

Mickiemcfist

CramCycle wrote: »

So I have used Conti GP4000S II for a few yeras and for the most part they have been great but they are no longer for sale anywhere.

I cover about 40km per day. I don't want something as heavy and gouch pounding as Schwalbe Marathons but also I want something far more resilient to punctures than a fast race tyre.


So far I have : Schwalbe Durano Double Defence or the Specialized Armadillo

Was not aware of the bolded point prior to purchasing schwalbe marathons, but my god I am now. I keep checking if the tyre is flat as there's literally no give in them.

smacl

Two I've used are Durano plus (25mm) and Marathon Supreme (32mm). Fewer punctures on the Durano plus fwiw and both roll well and are handy enough to change roadside. Heavy protection doesn't run to sidewall on either AFAIK which leaves them light, better rolling but less bulletproof than conventional marathons.

Macy0161

Vittoria Randonneur Pro II have served me well, including fireroad-esque gravel roads when on holiday. Could just about squeeze 32's on my commuter, which made a massive comfort difference (albeit I did find them tougher going when I brought that bike on club spins).

droidus

Ive been running conti four seasons for 18 months or so, 30km a day through the city. Only 2 punctures in that time, one of which was a pinch flat after being forced into a pothole. By far the best tyres Ive ever owned.

Bot1

I used Conti Gatorskins 28mm on my Trek 1.2 for about 3/4 years commuting 10km everyday without a puncture!

Not enamored with the grip they provide though.

I have now switched bike to a Genesis CDF and I've just bought Marathons 32's to fit.

Macy0161

droidus wrote: »

Ive been running conti four seasons for 18 months or so, 30km a day through the city.

I put these on my "good" bike last winter and haven't bothered taking them off. Not sure I'd be 100% in on using them on a daily commute, but I tend to be under time pressure where a puncture has knock on effects due to childcare.

steamsey

Had to get rid of the Gatorskins. Terrible cornering grip in the wet. Lost the front wheel badly on those things. After a few months, the punctures started to come thick and fast as the tyres wore. There are better options.

Marathons if you want no punctures and happy to take the rolling resistance.

Got Espoir Sport Reflect, 60 TPI, wire bead, double BlackBelt protection, 700x30mm on a bike I got earlier this year. Was all set to replace them as I'm not a fan of Specialized tyres but they have been very good so far.

Think you can get the Conti's here -

https://www.halfords.ie/cycling/bike-parts/bike-tyres/continental-grand-prix-4000-s-ii-bike-tyre-700-x-28c

or here

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Continental-Unisexs-Grand-Compound-Tyre-Black/dp/B00G8QGUU4/ref=sr_1_2?adgrpid=56594190377&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIw9LW4fun5AIVQbTtCh1zSgHBEAAYASAAEgI-L_D_BwE&hvadid=291326106206&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=1007850&hvnetw=g&hvpos=2t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=17129288830366514907&hvtargid=kwd-509364518832&hydadcr=13918_1808855&keywords=continental%2Bgp4000s%2Bii&qid=1567077813&s=gateway&sr=8-2&th=1&psc=1

Pinch Flat

Conti gator skins. Bombproof. They seem to have had a reputation for being slippy in the wet and I had a few hairy moments on them previously. They seem to have changed the compound in them, or maybe it’s me just imagining things, but seem to be better.

Can’t remember the last time I had a puncture - I’ve jinxed it now :eek:- so much so I had a front skewer seize in my front wheel a while back from not being removed to repair punctures.

Brian

Conti 4 Seasons or Michelin Pro4 Endurance.

ED E

Ride armadillos every day. Used to be 40k a day, now it's 10ish a day. The first gen had issues but modern ones are claaaaaaas. I'm such a fan they're even on my Sunday bike.

MojoMaker

Conti 4seasons for me too. Roll nicer than Gatorskins, with the same protection. Good looking tyre too (for what it's worth).

DirkVoodoo

I've used everything: gatorskins, gp4000, schwalbe durano, and on and on.

For the last couple of years I've been using Michelin Pro 4 Endurance. Brilliant tyre. I don't get many punctures, they last forever, they feel great. I've used them for commuting, training and racing in all weather conditions and they have not let me down, unless I've gone outside their usable life.

When they get very worn and I push them too far, they do start to puncture, but that's just me being too lazy to replace them sooner.

JMcL

I've used Conti 4 Seasons year round for a few years now and they've very good puncture resistance in general save for some I got last year which I'm putting down to a bad batch.

As an outlier if you like tan sidewalls, I'm using Panaracer Gravel Kings (32s) on the Croix de Fer (felt like something different). I've about 2000km on them at this stage, a decent chunk of that on unpaved roads in France on the holidays, and they're fresh as a daisy with only the rear showing a hint of wear. Overall very impressed, probably not as sure footed as the 4 seasons on wet tarmac - though never to squeaky bum levels - but the ability to handle a bit of rough stuff makes up for this in spades. Had Michelin Promax on before which are sort of a poor mans Marathon and hated them

Effects

Sorry to drag this thread up, but don't want to start a new one and looking for similar advice.
Looking at getting a set of Durano DD tyres. I've been running Durano Plus for years, but they don't come in a 28, and I wan't a bit of a wider tyre. Can anyone give me advice regarding punctures or other differences between them? These are for my commuter/beater bike.
Currently at the most worn I've been on a set of the Durano Plus!

smacl

Effects wrote: »

Sorry to drag this thread up, but don't want to start a new one and looking for similar advice.
Looking at getting a set of Durano DD tyres. I've been running Durano Plus for years, but they don't come in a 28, and I wan't a bit of a wider tyre. Can anyone give me advice regarding punctures or other differences between them? These are for my commuter/beater bike.
Currently at the most worn I've been on a set of the Durano Plus!

You can get Durano plus in 28mm, looks like they're in stock here; https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/schwalbe-durano-plus-performance-folding-924573

arybvtcw0eolkf

I've Gator Skins on my road bike, I hate them on wet, cold winter roads. I've absolutely no confidence in them.

On my hybrid commuter I'm using Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres and find them fantastic.

Tbh I don't find them harsh at all, maybe I've a fatter arse than most here Or could it be my Brooks B17 which is well broken in?.

Around the same time as I fitted the Marathon's I put a carrier and panniers on the bike and straight away started getting more broken spokes, probably a combination of the extra weight and unforgiving tyre?.

I'm puncture free for a few years on the Scwalbe Marathons and personally I wouldn't use another tyre for commuting (unless I had a bony arse lol).

CramCycle

My current bike has a set of Schwalbe Marathons on. Had them years ago at 23c and they were bone shakers but the current set are 28s or 32s and they are not that bad. Can keep a decent pace commuting. Not as much grip as the GP4000S but enough that I am not overly concerned, so solid are the sidewalls, I think I could ride home on them in the unlikely chance I did flat.

eeeee

I have a 40k a day commute and use Conti GP 4000's and find them excellent. When they wear out (and before I put them on a year ago) I used/use Conti Ultrasports. I have found no difference in punctures, provided you keep them pumped, and once my rear 4000 wears out I'll pop an Ultrasport on and be fully Ultra sported again. Good grip, and supple enough.
Plus they're super cheap.

bingobars

From left field. I got 4,000km on a glassy rough commute on Vredestein Fortezza Senso. Tan wall beauty. Pretty bad ass tires all in all

Only other tire to do that was the Marathon but they are heavy and have poor grip.

Gatorskins are expensive and over hyped IMO, hard to change, the grips not great and once they start getting flats all faith is lost

Trying the Gatorhardshell at the moment. Time will tell there.

Schwalbe Durano Plus I put at a slightly better tire in the same class and way better value than the Gatorskin.

Tubeless I ran through a pair of Hunchinson fusion 5 for the commute. Tubeless was great, I had the confidence to not bring a tube and pump but you’re always topping up the air pressure. 2-3 times a week at the least. I spent more time doing that than changing the 5-6 flats that I would have got without them ( the feeling of riding thought a piercing is great tho)

Wishbone Ash

bingobars wrote: »

....Gatorskins are expensive and over hyped IMO, hard to change, the grips not great and once they start getting flats all faith is lost

Trying the Gatorhardshell at the moment. Time will tell there....

Whatever about the ordinary Gator's lack of grip, the Hardshell version are much worse. On a wet day, they feel like they have a layer of oil on them.

Effects

smacl wrote: »

You can get Durano plus in 28mm, looks like they're in stock here; https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/schwalbe-durano-plus-performance-folding-924573

Nice one. I'm used to buying from Rose bikes, and they don't seem to have them over 25mm.

triggermortis

I’d definitely recommend Durano Plus. Been commuting on them for almost 2 years now and no punctures at all. The only time I’ve had a flat is when I swapped to another bike with different tyres.
Love them and just got a new pair

wersal gummage

I like the durano as well, also vredestein good. Gave up on the gatorskin a while back, but the 4 seasons I find good.

Anyone ever tried challenge tyres?? They do a strada bianca and Paris roubaix, tempted to try them

Svelle

I have rear Durano tire on my road bike. Durable and fast, no complaints so far.

Tock

Gotta say i hated gators on the commute, 23s - hard as nails but (as you expect) super slippy, this is in the city, so pretty clean roads. Switched to schwalbe marathons and the are great - no punctures, grippy, probably not fast - but fast enough

CramCycle

Tock wrote: »

Gotta say i hated gators on the commute, 23s - hard as nails but (as you expect) super slippy, this is in the city, so pretty clean roads. Switched to schwalbe marathons and the are great - no punctures, grippy, probably not fast - but fast enough

I wouldn't call mine grippy, they are not the worst, far better than the likes of Mavic Yksions but compared to other tyres, they have a huge increase in breaking distance in any sort of wet weather. They are fast enough and definitely no punctures.

boardbeer

I've been using Tannus solid tyres for commuting for a number of years, and if you don't mind a hard ride, they are great: good grip, fast enough, and as for punctures, well, this (commuting in from Co. Kildare, you have to expect horseshoe nails):