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

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. 

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.”

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