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BUYER'S GUIDE

Best road bike tyres 2024 — ride faster and further with fewer punctures

Our top picks and personal recommendations of the best road bike tyres, whether you're after speed, comfort, durability or value

This article contains links to retailers. Purchases made after clicking on those links may help support road.cc by earning us a commission but all of our reviews are fully independent. Find out more about road.cc buyer's guides.

Over the years we've clocked up hundreds of thousands of miles in all weathers, reviewing almost 300 of the best road bike tyres. With an eclectic selection of everything from sturdy commuting tyres to super-fast race rubber, these are our picks of the best road bike tyres you can buy. 


As Specialized famously said: "Whether you're riding a 2000-mile route of Le Tour de France or 40 miles on a Saturday, only one inch really matters—your contact patch".

Here at road.cc we reckon tyres are one of the most cost-effective upgrades you can make to a bike, whether you're searching for "free" speed, more grip, increased durability or just fewer of those dreaded punctures.

Even the very best bike wheels can be let down when clad in poor rubber, but before purchasing there is a couple of things to check:

Firstly, will you be fitting your tyres to tubeless wheels? Most will require special rim tape to stop the sealant and air from escaping. Secondly, how much clearance does your frame have? Many bikes designed for racing, especially models with rim brakes, will be limited to 28mm; but as the trend for wider rubber really accelerated in the 2020s, we've found that more and more of the best road bikes have space for 30mm or more nowadays. 

If you've already decided on your next tyres and want to take your upgrading even further, then read on to check out our recommendations of the best road bike wheels, plus some handy tips underneath them...

The best road bike tyres: our top picks

Continental Grand Prix 5000 Clincher

Continental Grand Prix 5000 Clincher

9
Best road bike tyre overall
Buy now for £46.99 from Ebay
Impressive grip
Durability is good for a race tyre
Tan wall doesn't get as dirty as some
Some will miss the lack of tubeless capability

The Continental Grand Prix 5000 is a hugely popular road tyre, and rightly so. It uses the BlackChilli compound, a Vectran Breaker puncture protection layer and three layers of 110tpi casing for a tyre that pretty much does everything well.

Take these out in the dry and traction is great, but more impressive is the wet weather grip. As far as rolling speed is concerned, they feel proper fast and this is backed up by strong results in independent testing. Bicycle Rolling Resistance's results show the GP5000 non-tubeless is not only significantly faster than the old GP4000S II, but nearly as quick as the Grand Prix TT all-out race tyre.

The cool thing about the GP5000 is that you get close to proper race tyre performance with training tyre longevity. If you aren't bothered about tubeless compatibility, this is one of the fastest, grippiest tyres you can fit. 

Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR Best tubeless road bike tyre

Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR

9
Best tubeless road bike tyre
Buy now for £57.35 from Ebay
Speedy (same as older TLs)
Dry and wet weather grip
More robust sidewalls than TL
Compatible with hookless rims
Can still be a pig to fit on some rims

It's another vote for Continental when it comes to the overall best tubeless tyre from our selections. The GP5000 S TR is a tyre with raceday speed and everyday durability. It brings some welcome upgrades to the already excellent GP 5000 TL, such as being a claimed 20% faster and 50 grams lighter per tyre, plus improved sidewall protection and and compatibility with hookless rims.

Although still stubborn to fit on some rims, out on the road Continental's Black Chilli rubber compound has found a wonderful balance between grip and speed while not wearing out as quickly as many similar tyres. The TRs impressed us both in the wet and the dry with predictable cornering. They really are an all-round tubeless ready package.

Hutchinson Challenger

Hutchinson Challenger

8
Best value road bike tyre
Buy now for £28.45 from Ebay
Good value for money
Rolls well
Grippy
Not tubeless compatible if that's your thing

As an endurance tyre designed for big miles, you can expect the Hutchinson Challenger to be the gift that just keeps on giving; however it is surprisingly supple, offering great handling in wet and dry conditions, and it rolls along pretty well too. 

Read our review of the The Challenger is a firm favourite in the world of ultra-endurance riding, and with a claimed lifespan of 5,000 miles (8,000km), it's easy to see why. Often brands will use harder rubber compounds to make a tyre last longer at the sacrifice of grip and ride quality, but the Challenger uses a bi-compound rubber. This is harder for the narrow central section yet softer on either side of that, so you are kind of getting the best of both worlds. This is all particularly impressive given the price.

The Challengers are standard clinchers available in 25mm, 28mm and 30mm widths. Overall, for the money at the recommended retail price, we don't think you can beat them. They offer a great ride feel and durability, so if you want a quick tyre that'll also last the distance they make a sound choice.

Vittoria Corsa Speed Tubeless Ready

Vittoria Corsa Speed Tubeless Ready

9
Best road bike tyre for fast riding and racing
Buy now for £50 from Sigma Sports
FAST
Excellent ride feel
Grip
Price
Durability

The Corsa Speeds have time and time again proven to be some of the very quickest on the market. Not only that, but we found them easy to set up tubeless and they offer a much superior ride compared with some tubeless rubber we've tested. 

The tyres are made in a very similar fashion to Vittoria's excellent regular Corsa G+ clinchers. That means you get the same 320tpi (threads per inch) core-spun cotton casing and a graphene compound. Weight is also very good for a tubeless tyre at 471g for the pair (235.5g each), but while we found puncture resistance ok, these will wear quite quickly.

It is worth noting that there is now a G2.0 version but these are a fabulously fast and supple tyre, though their delicate nature and price probably limits them to racing and fast rides.

Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tyre

Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tyre

9
Best road bike tyre for commuting
Buy now for £31.99 from Fawkes Cycles
Puncture protection
Decent rolling resistance
Stubborn to fit

Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres are essentially heavy-duty, ultra-reliable commuter/touring tyres that inspire unprecedented confidence without feeling sluggish or barge-like, as the 970g weight for a pair would imply. If swerving punctures is your main criterion in a commuting tyre (and let's face it, who wants to fix a flat on the roadside on a wet January morning?) the Marathon Plus is the tyre to go for.

Much of this is attributable to the Smart Guard system. This is essentially a clever sub-section of supple rubber designed to force sharps out, rather than drawing them in as deep-treaded tyres can. These roll along nicely and are still the first choice for many of our staff.

Compass 650B x 48 Switchback Hill Extralight TC Best 650B road bike tyre

Compass 650B x 48 Switchback Hill Extralight TC

9
Best 650B road bike tyre
Buy now for £82 from The Woods Cyclery
Light
Fast
Comfortable
Price
Set up

We reviewed these tyres back when Rene Herse was still called Compass, but other than the name on the sidewall nothing has changed. If you're rocking some smaller wheels then chances are you also have some increased clearance to play with, and these 48mm Switchback Hills are one of our favourite ways to fill it. 

In our full review you can read just how capable these tyres are... but spoiler, we said they're "super-comfortable, fast-rolling, tubeless-compatible, off-road-capable and light." There's really not a lot wrong here! Dave added that while others are considering switching to 28mm tyres from 25s, his advice would be to skip a few sizes and fit a pair of these if you can. They're great.

At just 412g per tyre; the extra light casing is super supple and soaks up tarmac miles with no obvious penalty over something much, much narrower. Just be prepared for a few funny looks from your thin tyre counterparts as you keep up just fine. 

Panaracer GravelKing Slick TLC

Panaracer GravelKing Slick TLC

9
Best road bike tyre for bad roads
Buy now for £31.76 from Amazon UK
Lots of grip
Great on poor roads or light gravel
Light
Fast rolling
Can be tough to mount

Unlike the name suggests, the GravelKing isn't actually a 'gravel' tyre as such, but it does excel in any kind of on-road/bad-road scenario. It's light, rolls along very well regardless of the terrain and is available in a large range of widths.  

Puncture protection is pretty solid, despite lacking the ProTite protection of the slightly more expensive 'Plus' version. The ZSG (Zero Slip Grip) natural compound offers low rolling resistance and low wear characteristics. A 35mm version weighs in at 309g per tyre, which isn't half bad. Our reviewer said that these tyres "will handle practically anything you can throw at them on road."

Our final verdict sums up these tyres well: "The ideal tyre for rough roads – very fast, very light and yet robust."

It's no wonder that they made it into road.cc Recommends!

Pirelli P Zero Race 4S

Pirelli P Zero Race 4S

9
Best tube-type clincher tyre for winter
Buy now for £52.69 from Tweeks Cycles
Excellent grip
Easy to fit
Enjoyable ride quality

The Pirelli P Zero Race 4S tyres impress with their grip in mixed conditions while feeling quick to ride. This non-tubeless version gives a summer tyre-like feel all year round and there is now a tubeless version available too. 

This latest version feature a new nylon puncture protection belt under the 120tpi (threads per inch) casing, which adds some extra resilience without adding much weight. It's also more flexible than most, which provides the Pirellis with an impressive ride-feel. The SmartEVO compound is a real highlight, offering grip levels rarely experienced in clincher tyres for year-round cornering confidence.

Pirelli's P Zero Race 4S is about as good as it gets for a fit-and-forget, year-round clincher road tyre, especially if you're after one with a light, grippy summer tyre-like ride quality.

Vittoria Corsa Control TLR G2.0 tyre

Vittoria Corsa Control TLR G2.0

8
Best tubeless road bike tyre for winter
Buy now for £51.98 from Amazon UK
Good grip on wet roads
Speedy on rough roads
Easy tubeless setup
Can't match the speed of the regular Corsas

The Corsa Control is Vittoria's tyre for wet weather, and we found it was very good at it! The easy tubeless setup, sizes up to 30mm, supple 320tpi casing and seemingly robust rubber compound mean that these are also ideal tyres for rubbish UK roads.

The Control uses Vittoria's 4C Graphine compound which, as always, provided very good comfort levels on the roughly surfaced local roads while not suffering from the usual sluggishness of all-weather tyres. Cornering grip is in abundance and the tyres feel surefooted when the rain comes.

The thicker tread and addition of the 'K-reinforced' casing means that we found the Corsa Control tyres pretty resistant to cuts and punctures. If you're looking for a plush ride, confidence in the rain and a robust compound without switching to something much wider, then we think the Vittoria Corsa Control TLR G2.0 is easy to recommend. 

Challenge Criterium RS Handmade Tubeless Ready Road Tyre

Challenge Criterium RS Handmade Tubeless Ready Road Tyre

9
Best money-no-object tyre
Buy now for £67.5 from Tweeks Cycles
Ride feel
Balance of grip, durability and speed
Race tyre ride without race tyre fragility
Need topping up with air more often than some
Open tubulars can be slightly tricky to set up tubeless

The Challenge Criterium RS TLR is a handmade tubeless-ready tyre that balances grip, durability and speed. It's super-supple, high-tpi, and is quite the looker with white tan walls. 

Out on the road, the tyres feel fast and the 350tpi casing is right up there with the best, conforming around road deformations to deliver a silky smooth ride. The tyres are light too, coming in at 255g each on our scales in a size 27mm. 

The Criterium RS, like all open tubulars, sits flat to the rim before inflation, so they can be slightly tricky to set up tubeless but a tyre lever should do the job.

Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite TLR tyre

Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite TLR tyre

9
Best road bike tyre for endurance rides
Buy now for £48.5 from Ebay
Longevity
Puncture resistance
Tubeless comfort
A little leaky

The Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite TLR tyre seems to have found the sweet spot of durability and grip proving to be a comfortable choice for poor road surfaces and long distances. 

The R3 Hard-Case Lite TLR is a lightly treaded, tubeless-ready road tyre available in 25, 28 and 32mm widths, made with proprietary TR-Speed compound rubber and puncture-protected with an improved Hard-Case Lite breaker belt.

They've proved to be fast-rolling for their size, suffering no punctures and proving to be extremely durable.

How to choose from the best road bike tyres

faq-icon
What should you look for in a road bike tyre?

Which road bike tyre is best for you will depend a lot on the type of riding and terrain you cover. Very few of us will want to choose the fastest tyres on the market, as they are often more fragile and will wear out quickly; however, heavier, more puncture-resistant tyres often sacrifice ride feel, so a balance needs to be made.

If you plan on using the tyres year-round then you will want something towards the more durable end of the spectrum. If you're lucky enough to have a set of summer/best road bike wheels then you can get away with a lighter option.

If commuting then we suggest prioritising puncture resistance over everything else, because from experience we know that there's nothing worse than turning up to work late and with filthy, frozen hands!

The last thing to consider is whether to go tubeless or not. You can read about all the pros and cons here.

faq-icon
Do different bike tyres make a difference?

The simple answer is yes! Changing your tyres is one of the most cost-effective upgrades no matter your ability. Stock tyres are an area that many brands like to cut costs and/or put little thought in to, so it's often one of the first things we change.

Independent testing shows that the difference between even tyres of the same size and pressure can make a huge difference in watt saving, with as many as 17 watts saved per tyre between the fastest and slowest 25mm tyres at 28.8kph. Just try and boost your FTP by a similar figure!

Watt saving is of course only a small part of it. A quality set of tyres will not only make you faster but also help to prevent punctures, increase cornering grip and confidence as well as even make your rides more comfortable.

faq-icon
What makes a good road bike tyre?

The perfect road bike tyre would weigh nothing, have zero rolling resistance, last forever and make your bike feel like you were floating suspended above the ground. Unfortunately, it doesn't exist, but the best road bike tyres do manage to excel in one or more of those categories. The right road bike tyre for you is all about balancing those priorities. A softer compound will be more comfortable and grippy, while a harder compound tyre will last longer. Some road bike tyres use multiple rubber compounds in an effort to get the best of both worlds.

faq-icon
Tube type clincher, tubeless ready, tubeless, tubular or hookless??

These are the main types of tyres that you'll find on the market today, and which ones you run will depend a lot on the wheels you plan on fitting them to.

The most common is still the tube-type clincher tyre, in which you run an inner tube commonly made of butyl or latex to hold the air. Meanwhile, a fully tubeless tyre ditches this tube and is designed to be airtight; however, these have mainly been superseded by tubeless-ready tyres (tubeless tyres that require sealant) as they are lighter thanks to ditching the airtight liner and can seal small punctures.

Hookless tyres are simply tubeless tyres that are rated for use with hookless rims. They are usually found in 28mm+ sizes and have lower pressure limits (~70psi).

Tubular tyres were once very popular, especially amongst professional racers, but their popularity has waned in recent years. Tubular tyres are glued to the rims to seal them, so aren't the most practical choice for the majority of riders.

faq-icon
What width road bike tyre?

Bicycle tyres come in a huge array of widths, from skinny 19mm tyres designed for the velodrome to four-inch mountain bike tyres for battling through deep snow. In recent years there's been a trend for going wider as we understand more about rolling resistance and the benefits of increased comfort. 

The width of the tyres on your bike depends on a large number of factors, like the riding you do and whether you have mudguards, but the biggest is simply what you can physically fit in the frame and fork. This usually reflects the purpose of the bicycle:

Racing bikes: 23 - 28mm. We recommend going towards the upper end of this for anything other than the smoothest of roads. 

Endurance bikes: 28-35mm. Sacrificing a tiny bit of speed can greatly increase your comfort, as long as there's room to fit them in the frame! 

Touring bikes: 25-50mm. Touring bikes come in all shapes and sizes, we recommend going for 30mm upwards for this discipline. 

Commuting bikes: 25-45mm. Add extra comfort to your commute with wider tyres, but remember to leave room for mudguards!

This is only a rough guide, and it's always important to look up the tyre clearance for your specific bike frame. You'll want at least 3mm of clearance on either side of the tyre, and remember that tyres can measure up bigger or smaller than their stated size depending on what rims you fit them to. If all of the tyres we've featured here look a bit skinny to you, then check out our best gravel bike tyres buyer's guide.

faq-icon
What road bike tyre pressure is best?

The correct tyre pressure depends on a whole host of factors, from your weight, to the road conditions, to how fast you want to go and of course, the width and type of tyre you use.

We recommend checking out this handy tyre pressure calculator tool from Sram. While this won't find everyone's perfect solution, it is a good starting point and one that we regularly refer back to.

Jamie has been riding bikes since a tender age but really caught the bug for racing and reviewing whilst studying towards a master's in Mechanical engineering at Swansea University. Having graduated, he decided he really quite liked working with bikes and is now a full-time addition to the road.cc team. When not writing about tech news or working on the Youtube channel, you can still find him racing local crits trying to cling on to his cat 2 licence...and missing every break going...

Add new comment

39 comments

Avatar
froze | 5 months ago
0 likes

Hutchinson tires are probably worse than Bell tires that Walmart sells!

I bought a pair of Fusion All Season tires and the tread ply came unglued from the carcass after about 200 miles on the rear and 300 on the front, I contacted Hutchinson at least 24 times thinking the squeaking wheel gets the grease, and they never responded.

Over the past few years, I've heard of a lot of people who had the same problem, and they can't get any responses from Hutchinson either.

I will never buy another pair of Hutchinson tires.

Avatar
a1white | 5 months ago
0 likes

*duplicate comment*

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a1white | 6 months ago
0 likes

I've done well over 1000km on my Hutchinson challengers.. Absolutely love them. 1 puncture (riding on London streets) but so much more grip and feel than the gaterskin hardshells they replaced. Feel much faster too as a bonus they're much cheaper too. Definitely recommend them. 

Avatar
Cugel | 6 months ago
0 likes

The article mentions tyre clearance in the frame as well as "leave room for mudguards" with tyres fitted to bikes able to take them. I have long-standing questions about these aspects of tyre fitting that I never seem able to find a fully convincing answer to.

1) How much of what kind of tyre clearance is minimum and what determines those figures.  The article mentions 3mm but is this all round the tyre or just to the sidewalls?

What particular factors determine the figure?  Is it just the possible side-to-side flex of the wheels or are there other factors as well?

2) Some all-terrain bikes come with not just wide and slightly knobbled tyres but mudguards to fit. Such bikes are meant for both roads and tracks like canal paths or those in forests. But many argue that mudguards + track detritus such as branch bits risk a wheel jam and crash. 

How much risk is there in practice? What methods are there for preventing track detritus getting between wheel and mudguard enough to cause a jam?

Does anyone recall the small wire devices attached to the brake bridge bolt that were set to a fag paper clearance to the tyre, to push off detritus so jams didn't occur? Is there such a device for disc frames without brake bridge bolt holes?

*********

I have two racey style bikes that have no guards but tyre clearances to the top of the tyre at a fag paper gap. You can see a hairline of light if you look through the fork top (at the front) or stay-bridge bottom (at the back). I've ridden one of these bikes for 11 years now without incident, other than a bit of tar from a hot road getting in the gap and causing a noise, once. Bits of gravel or branch picked up by the tyres just get shoved off by the frame.

Any others with close-fitting typre clearance experiences? Or mudguard-jam experiences?

 

 

Avatar
LookAhead replied to Cugel | 6 months ago
0 likes

Get your fender-mounted tire-wipers here: https://www.renehersecycles.com/shop/equipment/fenders/tire-wipers/

As for clearance, it's all about risk tolerance and margin for error, and personally I'd want to leave a healthy amount of space all around the tire and stick to paved roads. Absent fenders, detritus on or in the tire is likely to be knocked off by the rigid frame/fork if contact is made (I too have run tight frame clearances without major incident). Fenders, even good metal ones, are far less sturdy than frames and forks, and so for them there's the additional risk that they'll break/buckle and really jam you up.

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quiff replied to LookAhead | 6 months ago
0 likes

Many mudguards are also engineered so as to release from the stays in the event of a jam.

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check12 | 6 months ago
0 likes

Conti 5000s 23mm on the front, 25mm on the back with latex tubes, pump up before each ride.

or Conti 5000 s tr tubeless (23/25mm) if you enjoy messing about with sealant 

Avatar
pneves | 6 months ago
0 likes

Continental 5000 TR is the tire to beat in terms of rolling resistance. But on everything else is very poor. Puncture resistance is a joke, just check BRR review, as it is the tread thickness. Grip is also a little subpar when compared to Pirelli P Zero TLR speedcore.

I'll take puncture protection, durability and grip over a minor difference in rolling resistance every day of the week. Still some sites worship this tire. I cannot understand why...

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Cugel replied to pneves | 6 months ago
0 likes

"The best ...." a fatal and ancient flaw in our culture, propagating the notion that every little thing can be arranged with the other things in linear hierarchies-of-worth. A class system of the classic British ilk, based in the ancient religious nonsense of theocracies (from whence we emerged) of the monotheistic kind, with their Great Chain of Beings, the ultimate hierarchy of worth.

This article does mention the notion that there can be horses for courses; and for the riders.  Just so. Tyre A may be very good for some parts of the country (e.g. the flint-free parts) and for use on some kinds of roads (e.g. not the main routes full of broken beer bottle shards cast by car-yob).

Racers will put up with a certain fragility in exchange for low rolling resistance and high grip; consumers want another permutation of tyre qualities.

Etcetera.

Personally I have tyres that don't major on puncture protection as the roads I ride are not full of sharps. Some are good at not wasting my energy or sliding me into the ditches, although they can wear fast. On the other hand, I also have some Marathons with the ice-studs that are heavy, ponderous and noisy - but probably allow me out in the frosts without risk of a broken hip.

Etcetera.

In all events, being a fan of some tyre or other isn't necessary, especially the aspect that seems to require the fan to diss all the rivals. Before long, there's foolish regurgitation of PR pap about "goes 10 seconds faster in a 40k TT at 50Kph; or "my personal experience with one tyre" anecdotes pushed as a general case that'll apply worldwide.

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Paul J | 6 months ago
3 likes

I've been holding off on the tubeless revolution - just cause my wheels are mostly old. Also, the tales of compatibility earlier, and the tales of sealant mess give me pause. Recently did a long gravel ride with a friend... Here's my data-point:

- He was on 35c gravel tyres, I was on (cheapish) Kenda SB8 54c MTB tyres.

- I was running at min pressure (35 psi or so). He was at 40 or 50 I think. Allowing for the different volumes, his tyres felt harder to press than mine.

- We did about 129km over gravel forestry roads, lot of loose chunky gravel. 

- He got a puncture that both put a hole in his tyre and unseated a section of tyre from the rim

- The sealant didn't plug the hole. He stopped to put a plug in, but that wouldn't stay in the hole either. Eventually had to put a tube in (borrowed from another rider - blew the first tube with a CO2 canister, didn't have another tube... cause tubeless doesn't puncture of course).

- Back of his bike was an absolute mess with sealant, from the BB all the way up to the seat. As were his bibs. The sealant pealed easily off the bike next day, but not off his bibs.

My punctures: 0

If I had gotten a puncture, I wouldn't have been sprayed in sealant. Also, I had 3 tubes cause I didn't have the false hope of tubeless.  3

Not hugely convinced by tubeless, have to say.

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MattieKempy replied to Paul J | 6 months ago
1 like

I'd say that's a combination of luck and tyre choice! I'm sure there are plenty of tubeless users who could report similar stories but in reverse. I'm about to jinx myself here, but I haven't had a tubeless puncture in well over a year and when I do it's usually because I've forgotten to top up sealant or have left the tyre wear past it's use-by date, as it were!

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MattieKempy replied to Paul J | 6 months ago
0 likes

I'd say that's a combination of luck and tyre choice! I'm sure there are plenty of tubeless users who could report similar stories but in reverse. I'm about to jinx myself here, but I haven't had a tubeless puncture in well over a year and when I do it's usually because I've forgotten to top up sealant or have left the tyre wear past it's use-by date, as it were!

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marmotte27 replied to MattieKempy | 6 months ago
0 likes

"tyre wear past it's use-by date"

Are there "Use-by dates" for tyres now? Really

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marmotte27 replied to MattieKempy | 6 months ago
0 likes

"tyre wear past it's use-by date"

Are there "Use-by dates" for tyres now? Really

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Jetmans Dad replied to marmotte27 | 6 months ago
1 like
Quote:

"tyre wear past it's use-by date"

Are there "Use-by dates" for tyres now? Really

I assume it is more ... the tyre is so worn I should have replaced it before now. 

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Cugel replied to Jetmans Dad | 6 months ago
0 likes

No need to assume.  The OP's full phrase was: " ..... left the tyre wear past it's use-by date, as it were!"

The dangers of partial quoting (or reading) eh!?   1

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quiff replied to Paul J | 6 months ago
1 like

I've never used actual tubeless, but have been running tubeless 35mm GravelKing slicks with inner tubes (that's how the bike was spec'd by Fairlight) - mainly for round town, but also a couple of 200km audaxes. I was hoping for the promised "higher volume, lower pressure, fewer punctures" experience, but it's been the most puncture-prone tyre I've ever used, and the first time I punctured, in the middle of nowhere 100km from home, I really struggled to get the tyre off (worse than my experiences with Marathon Plus). Granted, it's possible that if I actually ran them tubeless as intended, these punctures might have self sealed without me noticing, but the apparent fragility of the tyres (compared to 28mm GP4S on other bike) doesn't really encourage me to spend the extra money trying it out. I've wondered if I misunderstood the what 'TLC' on the sidewall stands for, and if it's actually a care label.       

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Surreyrider | 6 months ago
5 likes

No tubeless option for Pirelli P Zero Race 4S? Really?

If you're going to regurgitate old reviews, at least check for updates before publishing again.

Image: 
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pneves replied to Surreyrider | 6 months ago
1 like

This and the 5000 TR is the best tubeless tire clearly states the age of this article...

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piperfw replied to Surreyrider | 6 months ago
1 like

They even reviewed it last month lol

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Surreyrider replied to piperfw | 6 months ago
1 like

It'a not as if the tubeless version has only just come out either. I've had them on my bike for nearly three months and they had already been in the shops for a while. A cycling journalist should know that (or at least check the 11-12 month old review before publishing again).

 

Avatar
Surreyrider replied to piperfw | 6 months ago
1 like

It'a not as if the tubeless version has only just come out either. I've had them on my bike for nearly three months and they had already been in the shops for a while. A cycling journalist should know that (or at least check the 11-12 month old review before publishing again).

 

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AlsoSomniloquism | 1 year ago
3 likes

Marathon Plus. 

That "Stubborn" is doing a lot of heavy lifting in the cons sentence. 

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Hirsute replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 1 year ago
0 likes

I recall getting it to a point where I could not get it off or get it on.

I think there may have been a small amount of swearing at that juncture.

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Paul J replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 6 months ago
0 likes

Use the strap method. Get 3 little velcro straps (keep them in your saddle bag). Tie 3 straps, one after another in series, fairly close together and tight to compress AND HOLD the M+ tyre into the wheel. Remove the middle strap, and retie it a little further past next strap. Working the slack outwards. Repeat again, till you have a segment of maybe 1/4 to 1/3 of the tyre tied off and held compressed into the wheel. See YouTube for some demonstrations.

This is a quick and easy way to get the slack to let you easily lever the tyre off the rim on the opposite side.

It isn't often you need to remove Marathon+ tyres from a rim (they wear out before ever puncturing, as often as not!), but when you do, this trick is essential.  1

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Paul J replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 6 months ago
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Use the strap method. Get 3 little velcro straps (keep them in your saddle bag). Tie 3 straps, one after another in series, fairly close together and tight to compress AND HOLD the M+ tyre into the wheel. Remove the middle strap, and retie it a little further past next strap. Working the slack outwards. Repeat again, till you have a segment of maybe 1/4 to 1/3 of the tyre tied off and held compressed into the wheel. See YouTube for some demonstrations.

This is a quick and easy way to get the slack to let you easily lever the tyre off the rim on the opposite side.

It isn't often you need to remove Marathon+ tyres from a rim (they wear out before ever puncturing, as often as not!), but when you do, this trick is essential.  1

Avatar
Paul J replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 6 months ago
0 likes

Use the strap method. Get 3 little velcro straps (keep them in your saddle bag). Tie 3 straps, one after another in series, fairly close together and tight to compress AND HOLD the M+ tyre into the wheel. Remove the middle strap, and retie it a little further past next strap. Working the slack outwards. Repeat again, till you have a segment of maybe 1/4 to 1/3 of the tyre tied off and held compressed into the wheel. See YouTube for some demonstrations.

This is a quick and easy way to get the slack to let you easily lever the tyre off the rim on the opposite side.

It isn't often you need to remove Marathon+ tyres from a rim (they wear out before ever puncturing, as often as not!), but when you do, this trick is essential.  1

Avatar
Paul J replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 6 months ago
0 likes

Use the strap method. Get 3 little velcro straps (keep them in your saddle bag). Tie 3 straps, one after another in series, fairly close together and tight to compress AND HOLD the M+ tyre into the wheel. Remove the middle strap, and retie it a little further past next strap. Working the slack outwards. Repeat again, till you have a segment of maybe 1/4 to 1/3 of the tyre tied off and held compressed into the wheel. See YouTube for some demonstrations.

This is a quick and easy way to get the slack to let you easily lever the tyre off the rim on the opposite side.

It isn't often you need to remove Marathon+ tyres from a rim (they wear out before ever puncturing, as often as not!), but when you do, this trick is essential.  1

Avatar
Paul J replied to Paul J | 6 months ago
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That new editor box is very unresponsive when posting. But apparently the 'save' button posts every time you click it while waiting! I have no way to delete posts.

Avatar
Paul J replied to Paul J | 6 months ago
0 likes

That new editor box is very unresponsive when posting. But apparently the 'save' button posts every time you click it while waiting! I have no way to delete posts.

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