Best tyres for commuting?

[Baalzamon]

I've been running a 32 Conti Sport Contact on the rear wheel of my flat bar for 3,300km so far - they're a bloody excellent tyre. It's quite squared off now, so might replace it soon. When I bought them I wanted 28mm, but the lbs said conti didn't import them to Oz in that size, so I bought the 32s.

Nonsense, I've got a set of Conti Sport Contact 28's that are spare right now that I picked up from my lbs for the Great Escapade

[Ozchuck]

^^ fan of the wheel of time there, Baalzamon?

[Baalzamon]

^^ fan of the wheel of time there, Baalzamon?

Yup, I snatched the latest book as soon as it was out. Also a fan of that tyre. I had it on my MTB and they were great, just wish I had a fatter tyre on the Great Escapade. They were great on that, no flats, ran very well.

[Fletcher]

I've been running a 32 Conti Sport Contact on the rear wheel of my flat bar for 3,300km so far - they're a bloody excellent tyre. It's quite squared off now, so might replace it soon. When I bought them I wanted 28mm, but the lbs said conti didn't import them to Oz in that size, so I bought the 32s.

Nonsense, I've got a set of Conti Sport Contact 28's that are spare right now that I picked up from my lbs for the Great Escapade

and
Not happy about that. That particular lbs would be unimpressed to know that. I think I'll tell them about that tomorrow, as I was planning a lunch time spend at the lbs.

I put a Vittoria Zaffiro on the rear last night. What a nice piece of rubber. It handles very well. I want to get another for the front, as my front tyre is total rubbish - a Serfas Seca. It has a so-called puncture resistant strip in the middle, that has been pierced twice by the tiniest pieces of glass. It has really steep sides and encourages the bike to really drop into corners.

[rowdyflat]

I have had no problems with Vittoria randoneur but I dont fang it on the corners in the dark.

[Caelum]

Currently pondering on what rubber i should get to turn my 26" MTB into a commuter...

Current thinking is:
Conti Gatorskin 1.1"
Conti Sports Contact 1.6"
Maxxis Hookworm 2.5"

Love the grip and big bag of air of the hookworms, but they're heavy++. Certainly secure for the winter riding though, and makes curb jumping fun, rather than enduring pinch flats!

Had some gatorskins on my surly for a while, turned it into a super-fast commuter.

Mate has the Sports Contact on his XTC 2, for use as a commuter... Love the look of them, and the handling isn't bad either...

[Mulger bill]

Have a look at Continentals Town and Country Caelum, used 'em for years as a commuter tyre on me MTB.

Shaun

[Caelum]

I had seen them... but i'd get worried that there's not enough rubber contacting the road when cornering, is all.

[Mulger bill]

Can't say I had a problem with mine that way Caelum, except for one incident on wet brick pavers. Otherwise, avoid wet grass.

Shaun

[Boognoss]

I've been running a 32 Conti Sport Contact on the rear wheel of my flat bar for 3,300km so far - they're a bloody excellent tyre. It's quite squared off now, so might replace it soon. When I bought them I wanted 28mm, but the lbs said conti didn't import them to Oz in that size, so I bought the 32s.

Nonsense, I've got a set of Conti Sport Contact 28's that are spare right now that I picked up from my lbs for the Great Escapade

Loving Conti Sport Contact 700c 28s on my CX commuter. Also use Specialized Armadillo 28s on the SS extreme weather commuter. Both good tyres with very good puncture protection.

Picked up the Contis from Wiggle without bothering to look locally (and under $30 each with free delivery). Fletcher's experience is a great example of why to buy what you want online .

[Runjikol]

Any Schwalbe Dureme users that can give a ride report, preferably after a few months, for us?

[Cinder]

Mate has the Sports Contact on his XTC 2, for use as a commuter... Love the look of them, and the handling isn't bad either...

Got a few more k's on my sports contacts (32-622) now, and in a wider range of conditions. They seem to do pretty much everything I need them to do (that is not go flat and have nice levels of grip).

[Caelum]

For the record, i went with hookworms, 2.5"...


Awesome tyres... but there are positives and negatives to them...

You can run them as low as ~10-15PSI if you feel the need, for offroad use... i'd be more comfortable at 20 though.

I run them at 40-65 for road use, and have not yet found the limit to their grip, which is obviously a good thing.


Yes, they're heavy. But on the flipside, i've ridden over LOTS of glass, not even a sign of a puncture as yet.


Curb hopping etc, lovely... big fat bags of air

[Crawf]

I've just thrown on some Vittoria Randoneur 28's, coming from GP4000 23's I noticed the resistance and weight difference instantly, I usually only get 2mths puncture free on new tyres no matter what they are, then at about 3-4mths they need replacing due to being sliced to pieces (gotta love a commute through some ghetto London suburbs).
I'll be disappointed if get a puncture within the first 3mths with these Randoneur's.

[Comedian]

Has anyone had any experience with Kenda Kwick Trax? My wife will be using them for commuting on her Cannondale and I'm hoping they will be tough as I'm not sure what she will be like at changing tubes on the side of the path

If they are no good I'll use them on my commuter.

[mikedufty]

Sports contacts have been good for me. No glass punctures at all, whereas I was getting one a month or so on specialized armadillos.

[ozlegacy]

I can't believe in 4 pages no one has mentioned maxxis "refuses" I went 12 months on these before I got a flat and that included about 10-20 commutes (80km each) in all weather and glass etc. plus another 5-6000kms they arent super grippy but amazing what you can ride over, I know a few guys running them and they are cheap!

[breezer1]

i'm running michelin speedium 700x23 on the road bike and michelin city semi slick 700x28 on the giant cypress and these have been very good so far,have had the michelin city semi slick's off road from jewells to belmont along the old sand mining track quite a few times and they have stood up to some beatings with some sections of that track with some big stones from a quarry,those stones are a very good test for even the proper mtb knobbly tyres

[elStado]

Looking for a replacement tire for my Orbea as the OEM front tire developed a "wobble" (damaged bead) and has been getting worse of the past few weeks. Not sure how much longer it will hold out (switched it to the rear and the good tire to the front).

I need a 700x35 tire, and I am deciding between the Schwalbe Marathon Plus which goes for around $42 at most stores, or the Vittoria Randonneur Hyper City which is around $44. The Marathon+ seems to be a 'tougher' tire, however it is considerably heavier, weighing in at 895gm compared to the Hyper City which is 390gm.. that's a 505gm difference in weight! Half a kilogram, unless that weight chart is wrong!

Can anyone offer advice on this, or another alternative option for a 700x35 city/commuting tire.

[Aushiker]

I need a 700x35 tire, and I am deciding between the Schwalbe Marathon Plus which goes for around $42 at most stores, or the Vittoria Randonneur Hyper City which is around $44. The Marathon+ seems to be a 'tougher' tire, however it is considerably heavier, weighing in at 895gm compared to the Hyper City which is 390gm.. that's a 505gm difference in weight! Half a kilogram, unless that weight chart is wrong!

Hi

And that is per tyre so you would be riding with an extra 1 kg. Personally I would go with the Vittoria out of those two choices.

Andrew

[elStado]

Hi

And that is per tyre so you would be riding with an extra 1 kg. Personally I would go with the Vittoria out of those two choices.

Andrew

True, although one of my stock OEM tires is fine, so I only need one replacement. But ~500gm extra weight is quite excessive.

Only issue is I have the typical online store conundrum, evans have the particular road tyre I want for my project bike, and wiggle have the commuter tire.. I have to order $80 worth of gear to qualify for shipping.

Might go back and have another 'last chance' look at my LBS in case they got new stock, would be much easier if I could just buy it there and then and physically see what I am buying, I don't mind if there are a little more expensive either.

[the grid]

Hi

And that is per tyre so you would be riding with an extra 1 kg. Personally I would go with the Vittoria out of those two choices.

Andrew

True, although one of my stock OEM tires is fine, so I only need one replacement. But ~500gm extra weight is quite excessive.

Only issue is I have the typical online store conundrum, evans have the particular road tyre I want for my project bike, and wiggle have the commuter tire.. I have to order $80 worth of gear to qualify for shipping.

Might go back and have another 'last chance' look at my LBS in case they got new stock, would be much easier if I could just buy it there and then and physically see what I am buying, I don't mind if there are a little more expensive either.

STOP!!
I have two unused (well maybe 30km) schwabe marathon plus 32s that I had on my Giant Seek ( now running 700x28 Specialized All Conditions).
I don't think they weigh 800g+ That seems excessive.
I can send to you for say postage cost +$20. PM me if interested.

[elStado]

Just put in my Wiggle order the other night, ended up getting the Vittoria Randonneur Hyper City tire for my commuter and some other gear for my project bike.

Looks to be the goods for a wider city tire.

Thanks anyway for the [late] offer.

[mikedufty]

Just managed to wear out my continental city contact 26x1.5. 7000km from buying near new 2nd hand.
Impressively long life and no punctures, I had the feeling they were a bit slow and seemed to transfer every bump even with lowish pressures.
I decided I was imagining that and have persevered with them for 2 years, but now have put sport contacts on and they feel much nicer, and I seem to go a couple of kph faster.
I did change the size slightly (now 1.6 rear and 1.3 front) but I think it is just the tyre model that makes the difference.

[Oxford]

when I started working in the city again 2.5 years ago, I was commuting on Maxxis Overdrives think they were 32mm version. Great tyre and I got 10,000kms from them before they started becoming puncture prone.

a cycle mechanic mate then convinced me to try Vittoria Randonneur's 32mm, have to say I find them awesome, just about to rack up 10,000kms and they still have some life, plus the only times I've had to change a tube are when the valves failed due to a batch of faulty tubes, otherwise they have not punctured yet. I've also noticed that even on inspection they do not seem to pick up glass like the Overdrives did. I'll definitely be buying them again, but might go for a 35mm.