# Time for new tires...any suggestions?



## Brandon351 (Oct 28, 2010)

The tires that came with my bike (4.5 Madone) are the Bontrager race light dual compound tires 700x23. I have finally put enough miles on them and need a new pair. 

I like these tires as I have had no problems with them, including zero flats. I really like the zero flats part for safety reasons. My favorite part about riding is descending. I would think that getting a flat at my descending speeds would probably kill me.

I think 99% of the people on this board know more about cycling than me, so I am up for your guys/gals suggestions for a new tire. 

So what would you suggest for a new tire? Same ones, or do you know of a better pair?


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

I think the new offerings from Bontrager are a step up from the previous generation. They've changed vendors and my understanding is that the upper end versions come from the Vittoria factory in Thailand.

I much preferred Michelins, both the Pro Race (ride and handling) and the Krylion Carbon (very durable with little or no tradeoff to more race oriented clinchers.) But I've now got 600 miles on the new R3+ and I must say I'm impressed. Ride and handle like the Pro Race and seem to be pretty durable as well. And at 185 grams in a 700x23, pretty light too.

Oh, and no flats yet.


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## ghost6 (Sep 4, 2009)

It's tough to beat Continental 4000s.


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## MarvinK (Feb 12, 2002)

The Bontrager R3s do seem really nice. I've got some 700x25 R4s and even they are holding up better than I expected.. and they're absurdly light.


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## SilverBack14 (Mar 31, 2010)

ghost6 said:


> It's tough to beat Continental 4000s.


I 2nd this choice. These are my new tires for 2011 and I love them so far. Fast and very STICKY! 

Try Amazon.com for best price.


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## lucascarvajal (Apr 10, 2010)

*hutchinson*

Hutchinson atom comp, light weight 180gm, great puncture resistant ,nice clean small graphics and you can get a pair for 70 bucks on ebay.


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## KDGast (Dec 12, 2004)

Continental 4000s or Continental Gatorskins.


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## GDTRFB (Feb 12, 2011)

I've used Bontrager R3's & R2's this season, and both seem nice.
I haven't logged a lot of miles, but initial impressions on both are good.
The R3's are on a set of 2010 RXL's, and the R2's on a set of 2011 Race wheels.


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## jmchapple (Feb 8, 2007)

*Go Bigger...*

Something in a 25c. I like Gatorskins. I got a set of Mich. Krylions this year for race wheels and have liked them so far.


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## Fit4Life (Sep 11, 2009)

I have 23c Continental Ultra Race on the front and 25c Continental Gatorskin on the rear. I logged 4000 miles on the Gatorskin with one flat, a staple. The Ultra Race is on mile 5500 and counting, no flats. They are a great value.


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## MarvinK (Feb 12, 2002)

+1 on 700x25. I'd vote for R3s or Michelin Krylion Carbons


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## Golfguy (Nov 20, 2010)

lucascarvajal said:


> Hutchinson atom comp, light weight 180gm, great puncture resistant ,nice clean small graphics and you can get a pair for 70 bucks on ebay.


I really like the ride of the the Atom Comps, but I've had a lot of problems with sidewall flats. The roads I ride have lots of sharp gravel from trucks and the sidewalls on the Atoms are just too thin. I'm swapping out for Conti Gatroskins. I hope the ride is as nice as the Atoms.


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## Dale (Mar 13, 2004)

I like bontrager race lite hardcase 700x25


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## okiefo (Jan 10, 2009)

I've you've been happy with the tires you had, I'd just stick with them. Can't beat something you have positive expereince with.


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## thekidd (Apr 4, 2009)

*Bontrager !*

Bontrager Select are the best tires i have ever ran they had well over 500 miles on them with no flats!


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

MarvinK said:


> +1 on 700x25. I'd vote for R3s or Michelin Krylion Carbons


The "volume" (both width and height) of my 700x23 R3s is noticeably greater than my 700x23 Michelin Krylions and way bigger than the 700x23 Panaracer Closers on my fixed.

Heck, the Continental 700x28's I previously had on my commuter weren't much bigger than the R3s.

Tire size is getting like bike sizing. How else could one explain how I'd get a great fit from both a 58cm Madone Pro Fit and a LaPierre 55cm? Actually, I do know - both have 57cm effective TT's.

But, boy am I liking those R3s.


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## Munk69 (Mar 10, 2011)

I love GP4000's. Best all around tire in my opinion. That said, I just bought a new 6.2 Madone that has the new Bontrager R3's. I have been very impressed by these tires in the early going. I have already ran over some pretty gnarly stuff and the R3's have held up very nicely. The big test will be how many miles I can get out of them before I change. If I can get 1k miles out of a rear tire (I am 6'2" 215lbs) then I will consider them a very good tire. 

Can't go wrong wtih the the GP4000's though. They are durable, light and have great traction.


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## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

Brandon351 said:


> The tires that came with my bike (4.5 Madone) are the Bontrager race light dual compound tires 700x23. I have finally put enough miles on them and need a new pair.
> 
> I like these tires as I have had no problems with them, including zero flats. I really like the zero flats part for safety reasons. My favorite part about riding is descending. I would think that getting a flat at my descending speeds would probably kill me.
> 
> ...


I am guessing you'll get many opinions and for the most part they are all good. 

Ride what you like, seriously. If you like the Bonty's continue riding them. I know many folks like to can the Bonty stuff, but their tires are first rate stuff. Their high end racing clinchers and tubies are some of the lightest and lowest rolling resistance tires you can get. The softer compounds make for good grip, but they don't wear as well.

Try lots of different tires, experiment. That is the only way you will find the tire for you.

Lots of folks like the Conty GP4000. It is a great tire too, it is moderately light, has okay grip, but it shines in its longevity and durability, for a racing clincher. The GP4000 is pretty much the only rear I can get more than 3 months out of. That being said, I don't like it as much as others, as durability isn't one of my main factors for a tire. I find the GP4000 doesn't grip as well as I would like it too and especially in the wet.

Since I don't get much more than 2-3 months out of a rear tire, I have tried many, many over the years.

I have been mainly using over the last year or so the Vittoria Open Pave in the 290tpi threading. I really like them. I go through about 5 rears a year, so I have some decent miles on them. They are a 24mm tire, but measure 25, they feel great, run at lower than normal pressures, have great grip, wet and dry. For a treaded tire, it is odd, but I find that the rear doesn't square off like many slicks do. While they do cut, they seem to hold up regardless. Thread-wear is less than average, but as I say, I go through lots of tires, so it's no big deal, and my preference is puncture/sidewall resistance, and grip in all conditions, and the Open Paves give me all of that. They are $$, but hey, tires are probably my biggest annual expenditure.

Other tires I really like:
-Bontrager Race X Lite, clincher. Not the AC, but the regular slick X Lite. It's grippy, has okay thread life, but sidewalls tend to cut too easily. Best for clean roads. This is a favorite 23mm tire for me. Have gone through many sets, but I find them to lose their grip as they wear, but this is typical of all tires, just more so it seems with the Bontys. Unfortunately they tend to be pricey too.

-Michelin Pro3 Race (if you can find the Pro2's buy them). I find them similar to the Bonty's except for they puncture very easily. I have probably gone through a dozen sets and cannot recall not having puncture problems with them. Else they are really light, and comparatively cheap.

-Vredestien Fortezza Tri-Comps I really like these tires. I have had pretty good luck with them, but they wear quickly. They are fairly light, fairly inexpensive, and have great grip and for what they are pretty good puncture resistance.

-Vittoria Open Pave. The 290 version. These are my current go to tire, and will remain so until I try something else that I like better. The 320tpi version apparently does not have the same puncture resistance as the 290 one does. I don't know this for a fact, and I have had good luck with both, but reading the literature seems to indicate that the two are fairly different tires under the hood as far as puncture resistance goes. 

FWIW, I use Michelin supersonic tubes only.

Hope this helps.


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## runnerstreet (Aug 8, 2010)

Conti 4000's here!


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## Road Hazard (Feb 5, 2011)

I like the R3's and the older Race X Lites. Nice ride, good grip but still fast. Seem to block the little bits of glass that get stuck in the tread.

But overall I prefer the Vittoria Diamante pros. All the qualities above but better tread life.


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## jamesdak (Aug 22, 2010)

Well I am no expert but I now have conti gp4000 S on two of my bikes at 700 x 23 and the other has Conti 4000 at 700 x 23. I've had two flats now in over 4000 miles of riding. One of the bikes is my bad weather/rain rider the tires are more than adequate for my needs in wet conditions. They get exposed to all sorts of road crap and yet have held up well.


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## g29er (Mar 28, 2009)

Might sound crazy to some, but my all time favorite tire is the Serfas Seca RS. Light, fast, and virtually bombproof.


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## Swerny (Mar 4, 2008)

Vittoria Rubino Pro in a 700 x 25C


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## Rusted Angel (Sep 19, 2010)

How do you know when is time to replace your tires?


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## Smirob (Aug 26, 2009)

+1 on the Serfas Secas the only tire I have pulled goatheads out of that didn't flat.


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## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

Rusted Angel said:


> How do you know when is time to replace your tires?


Kinda varies for me:

As for the front tire: Notice, you will get very little wear due to rolling, so I tend to replace mine when they show excessive cutting. A good tell tale for me is a bunch of flats in a short period of time. I would say, that I will quit on a tire when I get 3 or 4 flats in a week or so on the same tire and I can't seem to nail down why, other than multiple cut places on the tire.

As for the rear: Pretty much the same as above. I rarely get to the point where thread is showing through the rubber, so that is never an issue for me. Again too many flats in a short period of time, coupled with significant squaring/flattening of the center of the tire. Loss of grip while cornering, or loss of grip in the wet, will also prompt a tire change.

I rarely do a front to back swap. Instead, I just put on a new rear. Nothing wrong with it, I'm just too lazy to do the double swap.

I just want to add, that I have been riding the 320tpi Vittoria Open Pavés (the green ones) for the last 6 months or so due to a really good price I got on a bunch of sets of them. Not to jinx anything but I am finding that they seem to hold up better than the 290tpi version, but they definitely are somewhat less grippy in the wet. I wonder if the green tread compound has anything to do with that.


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## okiefo (Jan 10, 2009)

The Open Pave' is a winner for sure!


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## jumpstumper (Aug 17, 2004)

I barely got 1000 miles out of the R3's, but man - they sure handled great. I kept looking down to make sure I wasn't on some sewups! 2 flats in those 1000 miles. I get slightly more miles out of the GP4000's, but I don't think they handle or feel as well as the R3's.


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## goodvibe (Jul 21, 2007)

I have had the Bontrager Race Lite tires on my bikes and I haven't been happier. These tires have lasted for a couple of thousand miles before I had to replace the. 

I had a friend who works for a Bicycle Distribute recommend the Hutchinson Atom Comps. I purchased two and I have to say, these were the worst tires I have ever used. I installed one onto my rear wheel and they lasted maybe 200 miles. Then, I installed the second and after about 300 miles these were shredded. I absolutely have to say NO WAY on the Atom Comps. 

One of my LBS were blowing out the old Bontrager Race Lite tires and I stocked up.

Additionally, I have a pair of Continental Ultra Gator Skin Tires on my commuter bike. They are expensive, but they are really good.


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## jtsk (Mar 6, 2002)

Conti 4000s. Long lasting, nice ride, good grip and most importantly to me......they don't puncture very often.

I'm a "Clyde" so punctures are a bit more of a risk than smaller riders and I have FAR fewer flats on the Conti 4000s's than any other tire I've tried. They're rated at max 120psi but I pressure them to 125-130 with no problems.

Amazon has the best prices I've found......in fact I just purchased a pair last week for $50/ea.


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