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BUYER'S GUIDE

Best winter road bike tyres 2024 — ride confidently with fewer punctures all year round

Commute and train through the colder months of the year with less anxiety by sticking a set of the best winter tyres on your road bike

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If you're going to carry on riding outside through winter, then the cold and wet conditions are best handled with something heavier, grippier and more puncture-resistant than your summer rubber... you need a set of the best winter road bike tyres you can afford, and luckily this guide has plenty of options for you to choose from. 


Compared to standard road bike tyres, winter tyres are typically wider, with thicker tread and beefier puncture-prevention under that tread, and usually a bit cheaper — nobody likes trashing expensive tyres. Fixing a flat in the cold and wet is a miserable job, so it makes sense to use tyres with better puncture resistance to avoid it.

> Puncture prevention 101: learn how to swerve flats with these 11 top tricks

Fortunately, when it comes to the best winter road bike tyres, there are plenty of great options out there to prevent your rolling resistance from adding to winter sluggishness.

A set of the best gravel tyres is an alternative option to help you to find more grip and comfort (if your bike has the tyre clearance for them), staying rubber-side-down in the wet, and offering increased puncture resistance with a grippier tread. 

If you're sticking with road tyres though, then here are some of our very favourite winter road bike tyres!

The best winter road bike tyres

Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tyre

Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tyre

9
Best winter road bike tyres overall
Buy now for £31.99 from Merlin Cycles
Ultra-reliable

Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres are essentially heavy-duty, ultra-reliable commu-touring tyres that inspire complete confidence.

Yes, they're a bit slower than lighter and less puncture-resistant tyres, but if you're not in a hurry or you'd just prefer not to change a tube by the side of the road on a wet February morning, they're unsurpassed.

Although they're a bit stubborn to fit, overall the Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres are seemingly bulletproof, roll faster than their girth would suggest and aren't expensive either. For all these reasons, they're still our top choice when it comes to dependable winter road rubber. 

Read our review:
Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite TLR tyre

Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite TLR tyre

9
Wide, long-lasting with plenty of puncture resistance
Buy now for £59.99 from Trek Bikes
Longevity
Puncture resistance
Tubeless comfort
A little leaky

When it comes to winter riding, one of the best things about the latest generation of road bikes is the much wider tyre clearance, which means these 32mm Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite TLR tyres will work with most disc brake-equipped endurance, gravel, and even race bikes. 

Our reviewer described them as "an excellent puncture-shy, durable and comfortable choice for crappy roads and long distances", with Bontrager's improved Hard-Case Lite breaker belt providing plenty of puncture protection. They also roll pretty fast considering the girth and extra reinforcement, and our reviewer says the Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite is now his favourite tyre because of this versatility. 

If it's year-round, dependable tyres you're after, look no further. 

Read our review:
Vittoria Terreno Zero TLR G2.0 tyre 700x38

Vittoria Terreno Zero TLR G2.0 tyre 700x38

9
Designed for road and off-road duties
Buy now for £27.49 from Bike Inn
Sturdy
Puncture resistance
Perform better off road than their looks suggest
Not the fastest on road

The Vittoria Terreno Zero TLR G2.0 is a slick gravel tyre that's designed for road and smooth off-road duties but is capable of much more.

This is the slickest tyre in Vittoria's gravel range. All of them use a graphene compound in their rubber, something only Vittoria uses in its tyres, claiming that this revolutionary material allows for natural material barriers of rubber to be removed so there is no compromise between speed, grip, durability and puncture resistance.

On the road, they're not the fastest tread-free gravel tyres around but they're incredibly robust, so happily take poor tarmac and potholes in their stride, romp over packed gravel paths and perform far better than you might expect on other rougher surfaces.

Read our review:
Vittoria Corsa Control TLR G2.0 tyre

Vittoria Corsa Control TLR G2.0 tyre

8
Fast wet-weather option
Buy now for £52.49 from Wiggle
Good grip on wet roads
Speedy on rough roads
Easy tubeless setup
Can't match the speed of the regular Corsas

On the speedy side of things, you’d be hard-pressed to separate the Corsa Control from many summer tyres. They have great wet weather grip and a lovely supple casing that not only aids comfort, but reduces rolling resistance as well if the claims are to be believed. 

This will come as little surprise when you realise that the Corsa Control shares the same 320tpi casing as the more racey tyres in the Italian brand's lineup. The main difference is that these have a thicker rubber tread, which not only boosts puncture protection but also means that these will last slightly longer than the summer equivalent. 

Also, as an added bonus we found the tubeless setup an absolute breeze. Unlike many of the options covered here, these do max out a size 30mm with others available in at least a 32. 

Read our review:
Hutchinson Challenger

Hutchinson Challenger 700x28

8
Great handling wet and dry
Buy now for £29.99 from Condor Cycles
Good value for money
Rolls well
Grippy
Not tubeless compatible if that's your thing

These Hutchinson Challengers are a firm favourite amongst some of the world's best Ultra Endurance athletes thanks to their unbelievable durability. Hutchinson claim that you can get 5,000 miles out of one of these bad boys and our testing gave no reason to query that, making them even more of a bargain.

The tyre is offered in 25, 28 and 30mm widths as a standard clincher, and in 25, 28 and 32mm as a tubeless-ready option.

For such a hardwearing tyre, it is surprisingly supple, offering great handling wet and dry, and good rolling resistance which makes it easy to recommend.

Read our review:
Panaracer GravelKing Slick TLC

Panaracer GravelKing Slick TLC

9
Ideal tyre for rough roads
Buy now for £33 from Sigma Sports
Lots of grip
Great on poor roads or light gravel
Light
Fast rolling
Can be tough to mount

The Panaracer GravelKing Slick TLC isn't actually a 'gravel' tyre as such, despite the name, but it excels in any kind of on-road/bad-road scenario. 

This tyre is also very light and has seriously low rolling resistance for the width, making it a very fast tyre no matter the terrain. 

The TLC refers to the tubeless capability of these tyres and there is also a plus version with even more puncture resistance. This particular model comes in all manner of sizes - 700 x 32c / 700 x 35c / 700 x 38c / 27.5 x 1.50 / 27.5 x 1.75 / 27.5 x 1.90 and with either black or brown sidewalls.

Read our review:
Pirelli P Zero Race TLR 4S

Pirelli P Zero Race TLR 4S

8
Great all-season road tyre
Buy now for £63.19 from Ebay
Exceptional grip
Good puncture protection
Easy to set up tubeless
Expensive
Not the lightest

One of Pirelli's latest high-end road tyres to be manufactured in its own Italian facility, the brand boasts that the P Zero Race 4S has the full ticket of high puncture protection, speed and grippiness. 

Pirelli reckon the secret is its SmartNET Silica compound with "microscopic rod-shaped particles, that are arranged systematically, rather than chaotically". Whatever they've done works according to our reviewer, because these tyres are super grippy and were yet to puncture after 1,500km of riding. They also feel fast for four-season tyres, but are a bit heavier than the none-4S version. 

If you need a fit-and-forget tyre for year-round racing, this one comes highly recommended. If you don't run tubeless, you can also check out our review of the clincher-only P Zero Race 4S

Read our review:
Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Tubeless

Goodyear Vector 4Seasons tubeless tyre

9
Reliable and confidence-inspiring
Buy now for £55.25 from Tweeks Cycles
Grippy compound that works well in the wet and dry
Holds pressure well
True sizing when fitted
Nothing really

Stu, who reviewed the Goodyear Vector 4Season tubeless tyres, said that they were reliable, confidence-inspiring and also impressed him with their tubeless compatibility. They also held air like nobody's business and are available in a non-tubeless clincher version, the 'Tube Type', as well. 

Overall, these were surprisingly quick and supple for something that is also robust enough to deal with all the grit and flint being washed out of the verges this time of year.

Read our review:
Continental Grand Prix 5000 AS TR

Continental Grand Prix 5000 AS TR

8
A classic reimagined
Buy now for £63.57 from Wiggle
Very good grip
Rolling resistance feels minimal
Works with hookless rims
How much?!

Yes it's expensive, but this is Continental's all-singing, all-dancing, all-weather upgrade to its classic 4 Season tyre, called 'All Season' rather than '4 Season'. 

The Continental Grand Prix 5000 AS TR is tubeless-ready, very robust and offers great grip and impressive rolling resistance according to our reviewer. The tweaked lack Chilli compound provides great grip in wet conditions, and a thicker tread with beefed up sidewalls adds longevity and durability.

These tyres will cost you, but if you're a Conti loyalist then this is a fine offering for year-round riding. 

Read our review:
Continental Grand prix 4 Season

Continental Grand Prix 4 Season

9
An all-weather classic
Buy now for £39.99 from Chain Reaction Cycles
Light for an all-season tyre
Reasonably supple
Grippy
Good puncture resistance
Some might not want to pay this much for a winter training tyre
No tubeless version

While this tyre has sort of been replaced by the Grand Prix 5000 AS TR, it would be wrong not to include the classic 4 Season from Continental while it's still available. A tough Duraskin mesh and two Vectran anti-puncture layers beneath the tread make this an excellent choice for chilly miles! At 280g for the 28mm version, it's a good weight too, for the rider wanting a fast winter tyre.

Conti's max grip silica rubber compound provides a good level of grip in both the dry and wet so is a good choice for winter and one that we have no problems using in spring and autumn too. If you desire even more protection, then Continental also makes the Gator Hardshell which is a similar tyre but with a third layer of Polyamide in the sidewalls.

Read our review:
Specialized Roubaix Pro

Specialized Roubaix Pro

8
All-weather training and commuting tyre
Buy now for £28.99 from Tredz
Easy rolling
Excellent all-weather grip
Sharp pricing
Sticking to the minimum pressure requirement means you feel every bump

The Roubaix Pro is marketed by Specialized as an endurance road tyre, so you'd expect it to be long-lasting and hard-wearing. It's also, as the name suggests, ideal for mixed surfaces.

The Specialized Roubaix Pro tyres are a great option if you're looking for a dependable winter, training or commuting tyre. With their 120tpi casing and mixed tread design, they offer a responsive ride with assured handling in wet and loose conditions.

Specialized hasn't compromised on the Roubaix Pro's durability either, with the inclusion of its Endurant casing and BlackBelt technology ensuring you can experience miles of worry-free cycling. 

Read our review:
Cadex Classics 28 Tubeless  Designed for long distance, mixed-surface challenges

Cadex Classics 28 Tubeless

9
Designed for long distance, mixed-surface challenges
Buy now for £64.99 from Cadex Cycling
Fast-rolling
Grippy
Supple
Easy to seat
Expensive

Cadex is a high-end, in-house brand belonging to Taiwanese bike behemoth Giant. This Classics 28 Tubeless clincher comes from the same range as the Race 25 Tubeless but, as the name suggests, it's more robust. Available in 25, 28 and 32mm widths, it offers really impressive grip and speed – it's not cheap, though.

Cadex says that a combination of puncture protection, grip and suppleness make a good tyre for the Spring Classics, and our reviewer Jez said two of the three are pretty readily apparent. These are grippy tyres that are outstanding when descending fast on loose, poor-quality tarmac. 

He said: “Back-to-back against another favourite road tyre – the Vittoria Corsa Control G2 – I was measurably faster on the Classics, thanks to the predictable, rock-solid way they cling to the road.”

Read our review:
Panaracer Agilest TLR Road Tyre

Panaracer Agilest TLR Road Tyre

9
Impressively light and grippy
Buy now for £59.99 from Halfords
Easy to mount and inflate
Confident, predictable grip
Light

While technically not a very wintery winter tyre, our reviewer found the Agilest TLR from Panaracer more than tough enough to cope with mucky roads, while also not adding significant weight to your bike. 

Bagging a road.cc Recommends award, this tubeless tyre was also easy to mount and seated with just a regular track pump. They also ran fine with tubes for our reviewer, who found the ride pretty much the same with both set-ups. 

The tyres held up to plenty of abuse in a British winter, and should be near the top of your list if you're looking for a premium tyre to last you through the whole year, and possibly beyond. 

Read our review:

How to choose from the best winter road bike tyres

faq-icon
Do you need winter road bike tyres?

Traditionally winter is when cyclists swap lightweight summer tyres for tougher winter ones, but with the rise of all-conditions tyres and tubeless tyre technology do you really need to?

Most tyre brands don't actually offer a dedicated winter tyre these days. Instead, look at any company’s tyre range and you’ll see tyres called such things as all-season or all-conditions, terms used to indicate their suitability for use in all weathers and conditions, from the depths of winter to the height of the summer.

An all-season tyre is a good fit-and-forget option as the small tradeoff in weight and rolling speed is more than made up for with the improved puncture protection and extra mileage you’ll get out of such a tyre.

If you’re using a lightweight race tyre there are many good reasons for swapping to a more durable, puncture-resistant tyre for the winter months and saving the fast and light summer option for the warmer months.

faq-icon
What bike tyres are good for snow?

Sticking with a set of the best gravel tyres is a solid option to help you to find more grip, staying rubber-side-down in the wet, and offering increased puncture resistance with grippier tread. 

If the weather takes a turn for the worst, and you want to keep riding outdoors in the snow and ice, studded tyres are an option. The metal studs will grip even the slippery stuff! 

Two examples of studded tyres are the Schwalbe Marathon Winter Spiked tyres and Continental Contact Spike tyres, but you're going to need plenty of room in your frame for these snow and ice tyres and their steel spikes.

faq-icon
Should I change bike tyres for winter?

You'll get more punctures in the winter thanks to the rain, so the first aim of winter tyres is puncture resistance. 

Most manufacturers offer puncture-resistant tyres so there's really no reason not to switch and make your winter riding low-fuss. There's nothing much worse than fixing a puncture when it's lashing down with rain! Such tyres usually have some sort of puncture-prevention layer under the tread and beefier sidewalls to stop sharp objects from finding a way through. 

The best winter tyres feature a thick reinforced breaker belt sandwiched between the rubber tread and carcass. This prevents flints and glass from puncturing the delicate inner tube. The sidewall too can often be reinforced to prevent the potholes and large bits of debris from ripping through.

faq-icon
What tyre pressure should I ride in the winter?

There are lots of variables to consider when answering this question such as the rider weight, bike weight, quality of the roads and the type/width of the tyre. 

In the winter the roads are most likely to be wet and as a general rule, the wetter it is, the lower the pressure you want to run your tyres at. While it might be fine to ride tyres inflated to 120psi during the summer when the roads are dry, it's a good idea to go lower the wetter it is.

All the tyres listed above are available in 25mm width or fatter and you have to take into account the extra tyre volume when setting the tyre pressure - you can run wider tyres at lower pressures. 

faq-icon
Are tubeless road tyres better?

Many of the tyres spoken about above are tubeless compatible.

Almost zero punctures is the biggest advantage of tubeless over a regular inner tube clincher setup, and nowhere is that more of a benefit than during winter riding. Okay, so the installation can sometimes be a tricky old mess, but it’s getting easier all the time with better tyres, rims, tubeless kits and pumps. 

> Fitting tubeless tyres – learn how with this simple guide

Another advantage of tubeless tyres is that you don't need to stop in the freezing cold to fix the puncture. You can continue to ride whilst the sealant in the tyre quickly plugs the hole.

> Check out the buyer's guide to tubeless tyres

Emily is our track and road racing specialist, having represented Great Britain at the World and European Track Championships. With a National Title up her sleeve, Emily has just completed her Master’s in Sports Psychology at Loughborough University where she raced for Elite Development Team, Loughborough Lightning.

Emily is our go-to for all things training and when not riding or racing bikes, you can find her online shopping or booking flights…the rest of the office is now considering painting their nails to see if that’s the secret to going fast…

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30 comments

Avatar
wtjs | 5 months ago
0 likes

Maybe it's just tiny differences in wheel dimensions, because I haven't had any trouble taking the M Plus off- I haven't had a puncture for 18 months or so and I haven't had to fix a puncture out on the road, but they have sailed through all my long camping journeys with the trailer. That's so heavy, I can't really detect all the weight and rolling resistance problems of the M Plus.

Avatar
levestane | 5 months ago
2 likes

I'm not sure we'll ever see winter weather as we know it again

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-67017021

We'll be needing tyre compounds that work in soft tarmac.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to levestane | 5 months ago
0 likes
levestane wrote:

I'm not sure we'll ever see winter weather as we know it again

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-67017021

We'll be needing tyre compounds that work in soft tarmac.

At least the flowers in Antarctica are looking nice:

https://www.sciencealert.com/flowers-are-spreading-in-antarctica-as-summer-temperatures-soar

Avatar
Jippily | 5 months ago
1 like

Running almost completely slick tyres during winter seems like a dreadful idea. Most on this list would be terrible choices.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to Jippily | 5 months ago
5 likes
Jippily wrote:

Running almost completely slick tyres during winter seems like a dreadful idea. Most on this list would be terrible choices.

I don't see the problem with slicks during winter if you're on road as tread patterns are not going to do much anyway. I heard somewhere that tread patterns are to prevent hydroplaning which isn't a problem with cycles as they don't go nearly fast enough. However, wet metal surfaces (e.g. drains) and certain types of painted surfaces are to be avoided, but I don't think treads do much to help with that anyway.

Avatar
Rendel Harris replied to hawkinspeter | 5 months ago
6 likes
hawkinspeter wrote:

I don't see the problem with slicks during winter if you're on road as tread patterns are not going to do much anyway.

Sheldon Brown is interesting on this (he also agrees it's impossible for a bicycle to hydroplane):

"Most people assume that a smooth tire will be slippery, so this type of tire is difficult to sell to unsophisticated cyclists. Most tire makers cater to this by putting a very fine pattern on their tires, mainly for cosmetic and marketing reasons. If you examine a section of asphalt or concrete, you'll see that the texture of the road itself is much "knobbier" than the tread features of a good-quality road tire. Since the tire is flexible, even a slick tire deforms as it comes into contact with the pavement, acquiring the shape of the pavement texture, only while in contact with the road.

People ask, "But don't slick tires get slippery on wet roads, or worse yet, wet metal features such as expansion joints, paint stripes, or railroad tracks?" The answer is, yes, they do. So do tires with tread. All tires are slippery in these conditions. Tread features make no improvement in this."

Avatar
cyclisto replied to Rendel Harris | 5 months ago
3 likes

Agree with uncle Sheldon. Threads seem to work in various gravel/mud that the surface is deformable under bicycle weight.

I think threads have survived till now due to resemblance to car tires, but cars may face serious aquaplanning so it makes sense for them.

I use now Continental Contact Speed which is the cheapest around my area punctureproof option for commuting. Too lazy to change tubes.

 

Avatar
Hirsute replied to Rendel Harris | 5 months ago
1 like

I think it was a mavic tyre that the tread faced one way for rear and the other for front. Always seemed some marketing mumbo jumbo.

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mark1a replied to Hirsute | 5 months ago
0 likes

It was the Mavic Yksion Pro, not just the tread pattern, the construction and compound were allegedly optimised so that the front (Griplink) would be better for cornering and water evacuation and the rear (Powerlink) would be better for speed and power transfer.

I did have a set, which came with an otherwise very good Ksyrium Pro wheelset circa 2015, I can't speak for whether the tyres worked as described as you only had to look at them funny and another cut or slice would appear. Replaced with Conti GP4000 after a month of being torn to shreds on Dorset's fine roads.

Avatar
Hirsute replied to mark1a | 5 months ago
0 likes

That's the one. I remember describing them as a cliff edge, once you got wear to that point, they just continually punctured.

Avatar
mark1a replied to Hirsute | 5 months ago
0 likes

Duplicate posts are back...

Avatar
Cugel replied to Rendel Harris | 5 months ago
1 like

Here's another interesting take on bicycle road tyre tread and what its good for:

https://www.renehersecycles.com/myth-6-tread-patterns-dont-matter-on-the...

The essence of the article is that, just as grip to a road is provided by the road knobbles deforming the bicycle tyre to match the knobble shapes - and hence providing a greater and grippier contact patch - so do tyre treads perform the same function. They provide a "rougher" and larger interface with the road knobbles albeit at a smaller scale and, by doing so, enhance the contact and grip between tyre and road even more.

Is it true? I confess I never risk a degree of lean on the wet corners to empirically test for the slide-off-and-get-gravel-rash cusps.

Avatar
Rendel Harris replied to Cugel | 5 months ago
2 likes

Interesting read, though I would think a cynic like yourself would take an article by a tyre manufacturer saying why their tyres are great with a pinch of sodium chloride?

Avatar
Cugel replied to Rendel Harris | 5 months ago
1 like

Yis, a good pinch of the salt should be considered with all of Jan H's articles. However, unlike many who write similar tech stuff about this and that, he does seem to make an effort to reference solid info or data from elsewhere in support of his case. He also conducts his own tests and seems to try to make them real-world and to control variables other than those he's testing.

It's not the usual pure PR and advert buzzword nonsense, at least. (For details of that, cast about this website in the "product news" parts).  1

But, in the final analysis, anyone making claims for the superiority of their own product is going to have to try harder than the average disinterested academic to provide a watertight case and incontrovertible supporting data. Even academics can push their own preferences - its not really possible for any human to be fully objective, after all. But product-floggers are sometimes a long, long way from objective and well into the post-modern swamps of made-up-stuff.

Still, the Jan H article is interesting in that it provides an alternative case to the usual one of bike tyres not needing "tread" as they can't aquaplane. Essentially, this article is saying that tyre treads have additional functions to the prevention of aquaplaning (and not just that psychological thing in the cyclist mind). Is it so? More sources on the subject from those with good reputations are needed.

Avatar
ktache replied to Rendel Harris | 5 months ago
1 like

He does make lovely tryes though.

And his writing is always interesting and thought provoking.

One day I will get a set of his tyres...

Avatar
Jippily replied to hawkinspeter | 5 months ago
0 likes

I think you and the others who replied to me must live down south where it doesn't snow as often. I live in Durham and have to cycle through snow, ice, and slush every year.

Avatar
Velophaart_95 replied to Jippily | 5 months ago
0 likes

It depends where you ride and the road conditions in winter. Personally, I'd never use slicks in winter, as the local rural roads are covered in filth (mud, gravel, etc ) - and getting off road and onto the local trail means a file tread/ light gravel tyre is a better bet.

Avatar
The Acolyte replied to Jippily | 3 months ago
0 likes

You'd need to be doing 200 mph on 25mm tyres to aquaplane, treat only helps to remove the water beneath the tyre, the road is what grips the tyre, not the other way around.

Avatar
check12 | 1 year ago
2 likes

Conti gp4000/5000 23mm on the front and 25mm on the rear, same as summer, turn bike upside down and check for glass every few rides with smartphone torch, sorted, life's too short. 

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mark1a replied to check12 | 1 year ago
5 likes

Sorry, "upside down" you say? 😳

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Simon E | 1 year ago
0 likes

I can't say I would trust these semi-race type tyres (P Zero, Corsa) through the winter. Marathon Plus is at the other extreme. The Hutchinson Challengers sound like they may be worth a try.

I have been on Schwalbe Durano DD for 2 or 3 years now and the standard Durano before that. Both clock up well over 6,000 miles before replacement and only troubled by the occasional large thorn (the most common issue I've had on country lanes). I ran 25mm Durano Plus one year, they were tough but the stiff sidewalls made them feel harsh.

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a1white replied to Simon E | 5 months ago
0 likes

I switched from Conti Gatorskin hardhshells to the Hitchinson Challengers about 10 months ago. Defintely reccomend them. They are a huge step up. Had one puncture (about the same as I had for the Gatorskins for the time period), but the ride comfort is so much better, grip and rolling resistance feels leagues better. Good value too.

Avatar
Secret_squirrel | 1 year ago
2 likes

Marathons are a wierd overall choice.   Strong and reliable but not particularly grippy or supple and an absolute bugger to fit in certain sizes and rims. 
Used them on my folder but wouldn't on my winter bike. 
 

Avatar
a1white replied to Secret_squirrel | 5 months ago
0 likes

Straight Marathons are good for commuting (I've fitted them on my hybrid), but pluses sacrifce too much in terms of grip and being a PITA to fit, for me .

Avatar
brooksby replied to a1white | 5 months ago
3 likes

I recently swapped out my Marathon Pluses for Marathons.  I felt more secure with the Pluses, but was so fearful of what would happen if I had to try and get the Plus off the wheel while out and about... <shudder>  I had enough trouble sitting in my kitchen with a strong cup of tea.

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a1white replied to brooksby | 5 months ago
1 like

Tell me about it. I've had punctures before on pluses (A screw that would puncture anything) and been sat at the side of a busy road, in the rain, trying to fix. never again! bicyclerollingresistance website shows that Marathons aren't that far behind the pluses in terms of puncture protection and rolling resistance is much better.

Avatar
stonojnr | 1 year ago
0 likes

Having spent an hour on the roadside fixing another puncture with Spec's Roubaix Pros, brings it to 4 in total in about 6 weeks, I've formed the opinion they're absolutely flipping useless on wet winter roads round where I live.

Avatar
Lozenge 77 | 1 year ago
1 like

Having had multiple punctures with supposedly reliable tubeless road tyres (like Pirelli Cinturato and Hutchinson fusion 5 performance) I ended up getting armadillos - and they've been a revelation in winter on the rough Teesside roads. Can't recommend them enough.

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thax1 replied to Lozenge 77 | 1 year ago
0 likes

Agree that the Fusion Performance were a little thin for the UK (they do tougher versions), but you were unlucky with the Cinturatos. I found them to be bulletproof tyres, I used to joke that they wouldn't be out of place on a Transit van rather than a bike.

Ive dropped 'down' a protection layer to the P Zero Race TLR for this winter season, a lot more lively than the Cinturatos. Time will tell if they have the toughness, but all good so far.

Avatar
mike the bike replied to thax1 | 1 year ago
3 likes

I'm also a big fan of the Cinturato, brilliant tyre in every respect that matters to an older, slower rider who uses them in all weathers and detests punctures.  They may be a little lardy, but are featherweight compared with Marathons, and they roll surprisingly briskly.

My first pair lasted 2 years and very nearly 10,000 miles, which is way more than Pirelli advertise.  It was only towards the end of their life, when most of the tread had vanished, that I had my first flat.  I wasted no time ordering my new pair and although the £95 price was a bit salty I unreservedly recommended them to anyone who can't be doing with punctures and can't bear the thought of super heavy rubber weighing down their bike.