UKC

my usual tyre changes happen when there is fabric showing, however the mavic tyres that came with my new (this summer) wheels are a just a bit too slick for the wet roads that will be norm around here (north lakes )for the next "few" months. so recommendations please, not super pricey.

In reply to mike123:
Continental four seasons as a 700 x 25Mm instead of 23mm or even 28mm if your bike will take it.

In reply to mike123:

I have the same issue. I bought a set of Ksyrium Equipes that came shod with Mavic Yksion 23mm slicks. Previously, Vittoria Zafiros have served me well over the winter and I still have a pair of 25mm in the shed, so will likely put these on soon. I think I got them from Planet X for about £12 each. My previous 23mm Zafiros did end-to-end with no punctures.

N

In reply to cousin nick:

Conti Gatorskins in 25mm, they don't actually come up like other 25mm tyres so should fit most frames except really tight race geometry or aero frames.

In reply to Dark-Cloud:

+1 to gatorskins...especially good at this time of year with crap on the roads and various bits of tree debris etc. I still use 23's but may consider a change to 25's if i have the spare money...

In reply to mike123:

They are pricey but I'm a huge fan of Schwalbe tires with the "plus" blue band in them. I'm still using a pair of Marathon Plus on my commuting bike. They've done about 10,000 kms and are still in good condition. I was looking carefully at them the other day and pulling bits of glass and flints out with a knife, but they don't seem to push through. Those tyres have never punctured. I now have a pair of Marathon Plus Tours - which have a bit more tread, which I'll put on for the winter. And I've been so happy with the Marathons, this summer I bought a pair of Durano Plus for my road bike. They are a bit heavier than performance road tyres BUT I haven't punctured them either and I was getting pinch flats or punctures from time to time with the michelin's that I had before. I got 25s as well and have been happy with the extra air in them - the roads here in the UK are a bit more 'buzzy' than in Finland where I have been riding mainly for the last decade.

I bought the Duranos from a bike shop in York who had excellent prices and posted them off super-fast, I'll check the name if you're interested.

In reply to mike123:

gatorskins, they dont have any more grip really but dont puncture,
Ive not had any problems with any decent tyre except in snow or ice

I used to commute through snow and ice on Michelin Pro slicks, they were fine. iirc one of the cycling mags showed that tread on tyres played no part in grip on roads, that grippy tread patterns were because that was what customers expected and believed worked. If you think about the footprint of a 700c tyre then the only thing you go improve is diameter.

My commuter bike has Conti gatorskins on, purely for their puncture proof capabilities. Heartily recommend them.

In reply to mike123:

gatorskins

In reply to mike123:

Vittoria Open Pave

What a hammering these take .never had a puncture with them.shame they're green

I bought the same Mavic Kysyrium wheel / tyre package.

Wasn't impressed withe the tyres.punctures galore .

In reply to radar:


Having commuted by bike through the Finnish winter for many years I suspect your definition of "fine" must be different from mine! Once you're riding on proper ice (either water ice from refrozen run off in the spring or just on the ice that forms from repeatedly ploughed and driven/ridden on tarmac), the only thing that lets you corner with any confidence is studs. I've had Schwalbe Marathon Winters for the last four or five years and they've been good. I wore the studs flat on my older, cheaper first pair of studs. Can't imagine I'll be needing them much though now I've moved back to the UK!

In reply to mike123:
Thanks all. Wiggle have gator skins on sale , will give them a go.

In reply to TobyA:
Thanks Toby . I ve thought about studs as the lanes I like to ride around he re are not gritted, however since knocking myself out several years ago in slow mo fall on black ice down a very quiet back lane I tend to just go out on the mtb when it's snowy or icey .

In reply to andymac:

Vanilla bikes have the Vittoris Open Pave in stock in all black at about £35 each and free delivery at the moment.