700C winter tyres??

[tynevalleycommuter]

Anybody have any good recommendations for 700C tyres for winter commuting?

I have a very short steep hill on a double bend that is always wet (run-off from fields)and find it almost impossible to avoid rear wheel spin. A touch of frost makes it even more exciting. Midwinter it can be like a glacier.

I'm using 23mm gatorskins at the moment, and these have been the best I have tried so far.

I don't expect to find anything that will tackle the ice (MTB with studded tyres?), but any ideas on super-grippy tyres for wet roads? I don't really want to go to a much bigger section/deep tread if I can avoid it as I might not be able to get them under the 'guards.

Oh, yes and good puncture resistance is a must!!

Before you suggest it, there is no simple way of detouring around this section without adding quite a few miles!

[barriecartledge]

The perfect Winter tyre does not exist, I live in the Yorkshire Dales, lots of rain crud and ice and I ride all winter.

I find that slick tyres are just as good as anything else on slippy roads, tyres with treads are okay for deep mud and off road riding but are no better than slicks on plippy roads and also they have a much poorer rolling resistance.

Go for Hutchinsons Kevlar they are cheap and last ages, I use them all winter and buy them from Ribble Cycles, they are the cheapest that I have found and you get free innertubes.

Barrie Cartledge

[tynevalleycommuter]

Thanks, Barrie, I think we have reached the same conclusion here. I've had a few 'near-spills' in the winter but never actually come off, just trying to see if there is anything out there that might reduce the excitement level a little!

I do usually buy my tyres from Ribbles as the prices are good even without the free tubes, I occasionally pass thru Preston so usually pick up a pair of tyres of some kind or other on the way. I'll give the Hutchinson's a try sometime.

David Bingham

[Istanbul_Tea]

Would these help or be too much?

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/studdedtires.asp

[PeLu]

My experience is that for winter riding narrow tyres (almost slicks) are the best. Only a few days a year the snow on the roads is so high that a wide tyre is of any use.
But for ice at higher temperatures, studded tyres are perfect (I was told).
If you need studded tyres in unusual sizes, you could have them made in Germany for a realtively low price. If anybody is interested, I'll look for the address.
I've also heard that the relatively new Schwalbe studded tyre is performing well. You can 'switch' the studs somewhat on and off with the pressure.
As I have to use 20" I cannot try them.....

[paul9]

Have just fitted the hutchinsons kevlars and done 300 miles approx in them over some fairly shi**y local, mud-covered roads and found them excellent. Where I was getting a puncture each ride, now I've had none.

[tynevalleycommuter]

Thanks for the update on the hutchinsons, I've been managing at around 3 punctures a year on variety of tyres, in almost daily use (~4k miles a year) so it's not a bad puncture rate really. It's just that they always happen when you least want them - in the dark, driving wind & rain and when I am already late for something![]. Had my first puncture on the gatorskins this morning just as I was arriving at work, must investigate at lunchtime to find out what penetrated the defences.

Has anybody tried tyre liners with 23C ?

[SPINNERS]

I've just switched to Conti GP 4-seasons in the 25c size for my fixed wheel and I'm quite impressed with the ride and the grip so far. On Sunday I encountered quite a bit of frost and black ice on the country lanes and kept upright, although I did go at a snails pace through the worst of it.

They were a bit expensive but Xpedia are doing a cracking deal on the 23c size at the moment (£40 for a pair, with tubes and their superb tyre levers - the best I've ever used).

[SPINNERS]

Forgot to add that I only ever consider folding tyres nowadays for the sheer ease of use. This restricts my choice somewhat but some wired on tyres are a nightmare and the days of throwing wheels around the kitchen in a tantrum are over.

[Fixedwheelfiend]

For great grip long lastingness, comfort and quite fast and value for money I can reccomend Panracer Pasela (club version). I use 28's which are a lot smaller than that - more like 25's.

I have Conti 4 season folding gatorskins 23mm on my best winter bike. These are great but expensive.

Also I have some rigid conti ultragatorskins 25mm these have lasted well but peform a bit boring & slow feeling.

[John]

Move to a better climate - here in south west France 22mm conti tubs are quite adequate on dry, sun warmed traffic free roads. Winter starts at 1300m in the ski ressorts.

[coolboarder]

In my experience the best all-round tyre you can buy is the Michelin Pro Race (previously Michelin Axial Pro). They aren't cheap, £27 list, c£24 mail order, but even though they are slick they will grip as well as anything in the wet. They are virtually puncture proof without any puncture strip - it is purely quality of construction. They have  a low rolling resistance - you could use them to race on. They never seem to wear out - they don't even seem to get cut or nicked by whatever the road throws at them - I have had one puncture in 5 years riding in all conditions and only just had to replace them. Plus they come in avariety of colours so you can match them to your bike. OK I dont ride 10K a year but for reasonable use I've found nothing to touch them.