Best road bike tyres?

[Zviedrs]

What do you usually look for when buying road bike tyres? Weight, durability, grip?
And what is your favorite road tyre? Or perhaps the favorite tyre brand?

I have heard much praise about Continental Grand Prix 4000, now GP 5000 must be the successor. Personally have rode on Schwalbe Durano white stripe (it was an update from default entry level tyres) and can give 5 star rating so far, great experience. I had puncture issues before, but switching to Durano solved it.

[Nikko]

Continental Grand Prix 5000 clincher tyre - love it and love it! Versatility with focus on puncture protection or durability is the key requirement. As there is no need for me to compete in cycling events or be aggressive on downhills, all the other features are simply an added value. As you wrote, 5000 is the successor of the long lasting GP 4000 which was my nr1 to-go tyre for years.

[andrewi]

which type of tires are best for all type of road

[Jesper]

(03-28-2022, 05:06 PM)andrewi Wrote:  which type of tires are best for all type of road

Hi and welcome!

Without differentiating between brands, and depending on the type of riding you do, it makes it difficult to determine a specific tire most suitable for you. If you plan on riding in all types of weather then I would certainly stay away from the certain types of slicks (something I regularly use, but not in rainy conditions). For general purpose riding and/or light training I like a tire with a decent tread pattern that gives good grip for dry and moist roads alike. As far as pressure on those types I usually ride 95 to 110psi (25-30mm width). My regular training/race tires are 120 to 140+ psi (18-23mm width), but I don't use them under wet conditions and I am not usually riding them for more than 3 hrs at a time; they are also what I would call "semi-slicks" with no tread except on the side where contact is made in cornering. I am definitely not an expert on tires, but I like ones that provide some sort of flat protection; one of the best I have used was a MIchelin tire. I don't remember ever getting a flat with those and they held up quite well to wear; can't remember the model as it was a few years ago. They were not cheap at the time (about $65/each), and I expect a similar model is more expensive now. I pretty much use what is available at the local shop and is in the $40-$50 range; I am not a brand particular person when it comes to tires. I have recently had good luck with TUFO tires ($50-$60). I should clarify that I am referring to clinchers; tubulars are a different story altogether.

[ReapThaWhirlwind]

Your top choices are

Continental GP5000 (TT Option Available)
Specialized Turbo Cotton
Pirelli PZero Velo (TT & Race Option Available)

Just checked today and the Vittoria Corsa Speed G+ 2.0 is currently rated with the lowest available rolling resistance @ 7W.

https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/road-bike-reviews/vittoria-corsa-speed-g2

I personally got the Pirelli P7 Sport to test for my road conversion training bike. I would have loved to get the P Zero Velo to try, but sadly they are out of my budget at the moment. Pirelli promises excellent wet grip and that's important for me as I like to brave stormy skies and ride after the rain has fallen.

[SPINMAN]

I've been a Vittoria fan for years but when I switched up to 700x25 from 23 I decided to try the Continental grand prix 4000. I only use the Conti race 28 tube and my satisfaction with them made me switch. The 4000 seem grippier than Vittoria and I feel confident and safe on fast sharp turns and steep decents. Nice tread design and they last a long time. I don't have miles to report, but I just swapped out a tire from my stock when I bought two on sale well over a year ago. I know they make the GP 5000 now reported by some on this thread and I'm sure to use those too in the future. Probobly go to a 28 next. Good revues on the Shwable tires but I only used the tubes in the past.

[JR Namida]

Wow, difficult without feedback after your initial posted question with Jasper's answer:
I loved the Continental grand prix 4000, worn out finally and not available any longer. Replaced by the Continental grand prix 5000, they do not last 50% as long aas the 4000, but they are very surefooted, grippy tires quite fun to enjoy on your 700C road bicycle.

I pulled the stock 1200 gram front wheel and its unknown brand 30mm tire from my KBO Hurricane eBike because of the weight, replaced it with a 800 gram wheel and a Continental Gatorskin 28mm tire with known flat protection.

Thickslick was my choice for the fixed gear bicycle build. I also used these on my Jamis Ventura Race campanola bicycle build. These tires lasted almost 6,000 miles on the fixed gear before they began to flat after many skid stops. The tire new has a very thick rubber center and are round with no shoulders to worry about if you abuse them on stairs, and large commercial areas jumping...

[KayT]

Hi Zviedrs,

When I choose tires for my road bike, I personally prefer to see the weight.
Of course, durability and grip are also important, but these factors cannot be judged before you buy.

As you mentioned, Continental GP5000 is one of the most reputable tires so far, but Panaracer AGILEST cannot be missed, too.
It is very light and matches the wide-rim wheel, which has become popular now.

(09-08-2019, 06:12 PM)Zviedrs Wrote:  What do you usually look for when buying road bike tyres? Weight, durability, grip?
And what is your favorite road tyre? Or perhaps the favorite tyre brand?

I have heard much praise about Continental Grand Prix 4000, now GP 5000 must be the successor. Personally have rode on Schwalbe Durano white stripe (it was an update from default entry level tyres) and can give 5 star rating so far, great experience. I had puncture issues before, but switching to Durano solved it.

[meamoantonio]

(09-08-2019, 06:12 PM)Zviedrs Wrote:  What do you usually look for when buying road bike tyres? Weight, durability, grip?
And what is your favorite road tyre? Or perhaps the favorite tyre brand?

I have heard much praise about Continental Grand Prix 4000, now GP 5000 must be the successor. Personally have rode on Schwalbe Durano white stripe (it was an update from default entry level tyres) and can give 5 star rating so far, great experience. I had puncture issues before, but switching to Durano solved it.

I usually look for those three as well, there is no one tire that can excel at all three but some form of balance can be achieved, for example the GP5000 is very fast and light but alot of people consider it to be only a race tire because it falls short on the durability side of things, so more often than not, cyclists will use Continental GP5000 specifically for races only especially since it also comes with a very very hefty price tag. Personally, I think Panaracer's Agilest with their "Panaracer Golden Ratio" with the perfect balance on weight, rolling resistance, grip, puncture resistance and durability. best tire for 2022 since I completely dropped running GP5000's for races and just sticked to Panaracer Agilest

[bvwevc]

(09-08-2019, 06:12 PM)Zviedrs Wrote:  What do you usually look for when buying road bike tyres? Weight, durability, grip?
And what is your favorite road tyre? Or perhaps the favorite tyre brand?

I have heard much praise about Continental Grand Prix 4000, now GP 5000 must be the successor. Personally have rode on Schwalbe Durano white stripe (it was an update from default entry level tyres) and can give 5 star rating so far, great experience. I had puncture issues before, but switching to Durano solved it.

I don't have personal preferences, but I can provide you with general information on what to consider when buying road bike guards tires.

When buying road bike tires, you may consider the following factors:

Durability: Look for tires made of high-quality materials that are durable enough to withstand frequent use and rough terrain. Some tires come with reinforced sidewalls, which can help prevent punctures.

Grip: The tires' grip is essential for maintaining control while riding. Look for tires with a good tread pattern that provide ample traction on both wet and dry surfaces.

[froze]

Depends on what you value, you want a more comfortable ride than go with cotton belted tires with no flat belt from Specialized or Vittoria, and latex tubes; if you want the best flat protection than go with Schwalbe One Plus with a butyl tube, but there will be a bit of a weight penalty which is fine to get a tire they call nearly flatless; and their Durano Plus they call flatless.

I ride on a combination of tires on my regular road bike, I use only fully 320tpi cotton belted tires on my front tires, and then I use a cotton belted tires with flat protection belt (these were made for cobblestones) on my rear tires. I only get a flat maybe once a year with no sealant, no flat strip, no thorn tube, in fact I use Vittoria latex tubes on that bike.

On my touring bike those tires have to be long wearing and flatless due to the how it is ridden. I use the Schwalbe Amotion tires, these seem to be the best compromise for having low rolling resistance, flat protection, long wear, ride comfort; others may have better flat protection and last longer but are heavy and slow, and faster tires will have less flat protection and not last long. Amotion tire has the best combination of everything. I use only butyl tubes in those tires.

I don't have a mountain bike so can't help you with any other tire other than for road and road touring.

I do recommend that you wait until Sept-Oct to buy road tires as they tend to go on sale then, I buy all of mine when they go on sale, usually I can find half off deals, or a combo deal where I buy two for the price of one.