tyres

Hutchinson Intensive Road tubeless tyres are excellent off-season tyres, offering a good ride and decent puncture resistance.

Tubeless tyres have been around in the mountain bike world for a few years, but are still new territory for road bikes. Hutchinson is one of several manufacturers adopting the new technology, with tubeless-specific options including the lightweight Atom and the mid-weight Fusion. Recently added to the collection is the Intensive, a heavier tyre designed for rough roads in both wet and dry conditions.

Am using Michelin 'Jet' and 'Mud2' tyres at the moment depending on the weather and expected terrain. They are great but do not last very long; I suspect they are more racing tyres. What is the best general purpose/training tyre? I do a lot of off road on moorland and tracks; a lot of the tracks I do are quite rocky and tend to destroy the Michelin's...

The arrival of Continental Nordic Spike 120 couldn’t have been timed better. 120 steel studs combined with an open, knobbly tread allowed me to cut a steady swathe through otherwise impassable back roads. However, a modicum of caution is required when accelerating – especially over icy tarmac – and their portly 42mm profiles can present compatibility hassles with more traditional ‘cross, touring and hybrid frames.

Hi all,
Just a quick post on this topic. I recently decided to try tubeless tires on the strength of good reviews on Hutchinson's Fusion 3s (and out of curiosity). I don't have tubeless compatible wheels so I had to convert.

Road.cc had a good piece on this but I could find little else online about what sounded like a daunting prospect - so I decided to write about the process as a little how to. You can read about it here: http://theinquisition.eu/wordpress/2010/06/road-tubeless/

Anyway, I hope this will help if you are curious about what it takes to do. Its actually quite easy.

Bontrager’s race lite hardcase tyre is a mid-level puncture resistant training and commuter tyre. It’s available in widths from 23mm to 32mm for 700c tyres, 25mm for 650c tyres and 1 1/8inch and 1 ¼inch in 27inch tyres. Bontrager say they offer the best in puncture protection, offering triple puncture protection to guard against the most common causes of flats - punctures, cuts through the casing and pinch flats.

As a new addition to Continental's popular Grand Prix series of tyres, the Grand Prix 24mm is all about about, you guessed it, being 24mm wide, a miniscule increase over the girth of the common 700x23mm tyre but supposedly offering an increase in comfort and speed.

Named for their road holding prowess and serpentine tread pattern, Kenda’s Konstrictors have been among the most rewarding mid price 23mm road tyres I’ve used though they're a pig to mount when new, even aboard very traditional rims. Incorporating the brands “Iron Curtain” technology not only safeguards against punctures but forms part of the wall structure, combining speed, handling prowess and durability in a lightweight package.

So what’s so special about these tyres?

For one the front (Attack) is quite different to the rear (Force) in this combo. It is narrower, lighter and has a different tread pattern.