I’ve just put my Conti sport contacts back on so I can use my bike on a turbo while my ankle heals. I remembered what an utter pain the rear they are to get on / off. If I have a roadside puncture I think I’d just phone to get picked up. They are sooooo stiff (I think they are a wire bead). Anyway, that’s why they got left outside as punishment last time I took them off! They are looking a bit perished now.

So, what to replace them with? They will be largely staying on the now spare wheels, but I’d like something easier to deal with if possible. Preferably something slick (in the middle at least) so I can at least try to go out with someone on a road bike.

I always used Spesh Nimbus on my 26″ commuter. I think i got one puncture in around 5000 miles. Fast enough and fairly grippy (although no ‘slick’ tyre will ever be particularly grippy in the wet.
Not sure if they still do them but i’m sure they’ll have a new equivalent.

I have a schwalbe marathon racer folding. Its ace.

Trouble is, I got one to try when they were like £23.

Now they’ve jumped up to the wrong side of £30 for me, so awaiting somewhere that has them cheaper or in a sale.

conti grand prix or gator skin in 26″ size. i tried spesh all condition pro but they fell to peices pretty quickly when the sidewalls split.

I love Maxxis Detonators on my commuter. Quiet, grippy, and fast rolling. Plus they look quite nice.

Gator skins are 1.125 wide, sounds mega narrow for a mtb rim. My Current contis are 1.3″.

Schwalbe City Jets

I’ve got Schwalbe Marathon Supremes (2.0). They’re foldable, pretty well puncture proof, reasonably light and roll well. I think I paid about £25 each from Germany.

Not who I used, but a good price – worth noting that additional items are shipped free. So, buy two or more and the shpped price each looks all the more attractive.

I’ve got a set of Panracer Ribmo’s on one of my bikes.

The cons are:
1 – a bit pricey and
2 – you need steel tipped fingers to get them on and off the rims.

The pros are:

1 – nice fast rolling tyres
2 – they can take a decent amount of pressure
3 – they seem virtually indestructable (which is just as well given how tough they are to work with). In over two years of hard use I’ve had no problems with them and I haven’t had a single puncture yet.

cheers all. Looks like this type of tyre is just tight then. Plenty of options for me to choose from there.

Not Michelin city as they are slippery as heck and mine fell apart.

Currently got Continental city contact and they are ok. They might be folding which often makes things easier.

Schwalbe City Jets seem pretty good.

I use Bontrager Race X Lite Hardcase

I’ve got some Michelin XC road, whatever that means, with absolutely no tread and great in the city. Probably not a good idea in the wet though.

I use schwalbe kojacks. Very very easy to get on and off (a must for me because I only have one bike, so mtb duties in the evenings and weekends while I commute to work during the day) and haven’t had a puncture in over a year. Nice n grippy too, use them in all weather rain and snow included. I’ve tried gatorskins previously and they were a pain to get on and off.

I’ve got some Michelin XC road, whatever that means, with absolutely no tread and great in the city. Probably not a good idea in the wet though.

They’re fine in the wet – snow has them getting a bit twitchy though