winter road bike tyres

Morning 🙂
I’m new to the world of road cycling and I’ve just got myself a Triban 3 for winter commuting.
From what I understand the standard tyres aren’t that good, so I need some recommendations for puncture resistant tyres to see me safely through the cold, dark winter months. Don’t think I can fit anything bigger than a 23.

looks like the frame will take mudguards, so you should be able to fit either 25’s + guards or 23’s + guards.

guards sks p35’s or if clearance a problem sks raceblade longs.

tyres

continental gatorskins (folding decent ones not the wire bead ones)
continental gator hardshells

gp4000s

Michelin Pro4 Endurance

Conti 4-seasons

gp4000s

I found these to be lethal in the wet… I’ve got some Michelin Lithions on at the moment and I’ve not noticed any bum-twitching moments, so they must be OK… Cheap as chips too.

Can’t comment on puncture resistance yet, but managed to get through the traditional hedge-cutting season with no fizzers!

+1 for lithium. One puncture in two years. I have some 23mm for sale brand new £7

running pro4 service course at the moment and they are fine, really don’t like the contis i have used in the past.

I do wonder about conti, some seem to love them and some hate them, very marmite?

In fairness, the GP4000s I had were blue – the compound was hideous, rock hard and shiny… It was like descending on roller skate wheels in the wet!

I have a pair of old Conti Gatorskins which were much better but the Lithions have a herringbone tread on the shoulders which seems to hang on a bit better when it’s greasy.

Wheelie, did you get the freebies from Michelin too? I got the Pro4s too – tyres coming out of my ears at the moment… 😀

I find the gatorskins and 4-seasons contis better in the wet than the GP4000s too. The black GP4000s I have seem to slip on white lines, metalwork etc.

In the summer the older Pro3 service course were fine , but probably a bit lightweight for winter.

looks like the frame will take mudguards, so you should be able to fit either 25’s + guards or 23’s + guards.

I’ve fitted sks raceblade longs, so can’t go any bigger than 23.

Something grippy and confidence inspiring in the wet is what I’m after. What’s the road equivalent of a 42a Supertacky? 🙂

I use Continental gp 4season on my wet weather commuter all year round. Great tyre, I’ve tried lots of others and nothing else compares for commuting. I’m running 28’s at the moment and won’t go back to 25/23.

wheelie – check your inbox

I use Continental gp 4season on my wet weather commuter all year round. Great tyre, I’ve tried lots of others and nothing else compares for commuting. I’m running 28’s at the moment and won’t go back to 25/23.

+1 to all of this

I’ve run Schwalbe Durano Plus and Durano S through several winters to very good effect. Plus have more puncture resistance and S are a little lighter and faster. I’ve not noticed more punctures with the S.

I’m also running Mavic Yksion Pro tyres on my fixed road bike for commuting this winter, but that’s just because I like them.

I have not been impressed with wet weather grip from Continental tyres, but this is a very small sample.

Another vote for GP 4 Seasons here, I have them on both road bikes and have just put them on my sons new Canyon as well.

I found these to be lethal in the wet..

odd. there was a german bike magazine that had a bloke full wearing body armour on some funny scooter thing with a 700c wheel on a skid pan and the gp4000s came out on top for grip and lean angle before breaking away.

http://www.conti-online.com/www/download/bicycle_de_en/general/downloads/download/tourtest_gp4000s_en.pdf

Michelin Pro4 Endurance – half price on CRC I think. Even have the 25mm size in….

*picks up credit card and jumps to CRC site while wife is out*

Another +1 for what Gary_M said.

Conti 4-Season 28mm all year round for me.
Though in the winter I have the mountain bike on standby with Schwalbe Winter Marsthons for the snow/ice days.

gatorskins magnificent puncture resistance but no grip. I’m careful as I really don’t like fixing punctures at night…

Specalized All Condition Armadillos for me. I don’t get punctures. At all. Grip is excellent in the wet once you wear of the casting flash off (100 miles ?).
Not as light as some but totally reliable on all winter surfaces. No problems with cornering grip or braking. I’m on my 5th set.

Durano fan here too, as above, S’s or Plus models are both great.

Conti Gatorskin Hardshell.
Looking at them tonight and all the cuts in the tread and something that looks embedded in them and the tear in the sidewall for the last 1500 miles I’d give them the big thumbs up.
No idea how poor grip they are but never had any issues but using the more expensive version.

Conti 4 seasons are good in the wet although the black chilli compound on that and the 4000s is a bit prone to punctures in the wet IME

Durano plus are a bit more reliable – surprisingly decent weight and ride for the protection they have

Conti 4 season for me , reckon the Spesh armo is more puncture resistant but to me they seem slow and not great in the wet

Conti GP 4-seasons seem to be the default winter tyre.

I strongly disagree with those that say the GP4000s is “lethal” in the wet. In the contrary I find them very competent having used them through last winter in pretty ropey conditions and on poor road surfaces. I used them on the Fred Whitton in May – I certainly wouldn’t have attempted descending Hardknott and Wrynose in the pissing rain if they were “lethal”.

Maybe you guys had them overinflated. Front 95, rear 105 for my weight.

I’ve had a few punctures in lithions when they were on the rear but not on the front, good tyres tho – they are the same rubber compound as the GP4000s but with a less posh carcass

I have a gatorskin on the back and no bother with grip really but they do feel like the compound is a bit too hard when used on the front – a gatorskin lasts me about 3000 miles on the back, fronts a lot more so I splash out on the front tyres

another option is vittoria rubino pro, they are supposed to be ace, you could get one of those for the front and something a bit more robust for the back

Gatorskins are very squeaky, very wise not using them on the front 😯

Ultremo’s all year round. They don’t know it’s winter dontchaknow…

gator hardshell, spesh armadillo and schwalbe marathon plus are all bomb proof if that’s what you need – touring, load carrying or high mile bad road commuting – but they are heavy and rely on a thick layer of the rubber for grip because the carcass doesn’t flex much at all…

Thanks for all the suggestions and opinions, it’s narrowed my choices down a bit.