Tire width for commmuting

[CampagYOLO]

I'd say the biggest downside to a Gatorskin is the complete lack of wet grip. Something that's pretty important IMO for a commuting tyre. A Conti 4 season is a much better option than a Gatorskin.

That's interesting that you found the Gatorskin to have such poor wet weather perfornmance, as the Gatorskin Hardshells look to have almost the same amount of wet grip as the Grand Prix 4 Season tires.

https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.co ... x-4-season

An updated tire compound, perhaps?

Using the link to BRR it states that the central wet grip of the Gatorskin is 63 whilst the 4 Season is 71. A significant difference to me.

Sidewall grip doesn't matter so much, wet dark roads aren't the time to be heavily leaning into corners!

[CampagYOLO]

Another tire I keep hearing about is the Schwalbe Marathon GreenGuard. Would that be a decent tire for wet-weather commuting plus some puncture reisistance?

I currently use a Continental Contact Urban in 37mm. It's grippy, tough and fairly fast but you definitely notice the extra weight. A Marathon would be similar.

[idickers]

Anything Greenguard/Marathon is going to be slow, stiff and heavy. Very puncture resistant but not great otherwise, so depends on what's important to you.

If I had to commute in wet weather - fortunately I don't any more - I'd be looking at full-length mudguards with mudflaps, lighting, some puncture resistance (but not the most possible), and preferably 32+mm tyres with decent wet grip. YMMV.

I've got the full-length fenders, a great light, and the combination is awesome for all-weather commuting at a brisk clip. Now I just need to change from the 28mm Conti Grand Prix 5000 tires to something with a little more wet weather grip and puncture resistance. I have the frame clearance to go wider on the tires.

My problem is up until now I've always been a bit of a fair-weather cyclist and don't know anything about wet-weather tires. But I found with the right clothing I really enjoy riding in the rain, so I'm in the hunt for some sporty tires for the wet. A little puncture resistance would help, but I am fortunate in that I don't have a lot of sharp trash on the roads I commute on. But in the rain or snow I'd hate to get stuck fixing a flat, which is why I was thinking of adding some amount of puncture resistance.

[eli76141]

1) alumnum bike with 700x28C tires on aluminum rims, Continental GP5000 with inner tubes @ 80 psi front and rear.

2) The ride is pretty harsh

3) Continental Gatorskins for the commute

4) wider tire and lower pressure.

5) I want to stick with inner tubes, can I ride lower pressures (60 psi?)

1) 80 psi with that setup is way too high pressure. The reason one chooses wider tires, is to lower the pressure without getting pinch flats. ATM I'm riding 26 mm tires (only because of lack of clearance, otherwise I would go 28 mm), and I never ride with more than 60 psi. Sometimes even 55 psi, and I'm 90 kg. So the first suggestion would be; lower the pressure to 50-60 psi, and check out how it feels.

2) because of too high pressure.

3) The thing is, if you want something that is more puncture resistant, the tire company adds more kevlar (or other tech, that prevents objects to penetrate the tire) and more rubber. Both which take away the plushness and comfort of the tire. So puncture protection and plushness are counter productive.

4) This is the way to go.

5) Easily

If you want more puncture resistance, I can really recommend Pirelli CInturato road. You can ride it both with tubes and tubeless. I have done both with good results. Of all the tires mentioned in the topic Conti 4 Seasons, Conti GP 5000 All Seasons, Marathon (this tire is heavy AF) and GP5000; Pirelli Cinturato is one of the best tires for puncture protection, and it is still reasonably fast and plush.

I live in the northern parts of EU, so at this time of year we have rain all the time. Puncture protection is all I ever think about, but comfort is a close 2nd. I have tried all the mentioned tires and I've ridden everything between 23 mm and 35 mm. Some of the tires I have ridden in several widths. The 5000 I own in 23, 25, 28, Conti 3 Seasons in 23, 25, 28, 32. Cinturato 24, 26, 28. And my conclusion is, if you want puncture protection and comfort go Pirelli in 26 or 28, maybe even 32 or 35. If you want speed go 5000.

[eli76141]

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[eli76141]

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[idickers]

If you want more puncture resistance, I can really recommend Pirelli CInturato road. You can ride it both with tubes and tubeless. I have done both with good results. Of all the tires mentioned in the topic Conti 4 Seasons, Conti GP 5000 All Seasons, Marathon (this tire is heavy AF) and GP5000; Pirelli Cinturato is one of the best tires for puncture protection, and it is still reasonably fast and plush.

I live in the northern parts of EU, so at this time of year we have rain all the time. Puncture protection is all I ever think about, but comfort is a close 2nd. I have tried all the mentioned tires and I've ridden everything between 23 mm and 35 mm. Some of the tires I have ridden in several widths. The 5000 I own in 23, 25, 28, Conti 3 Seasons in 23, 25, 28, 32. Cinturato 24, 26, 28. And my conclusion is, if you want puncture protection and comfort go Pirelli in 26 or 28, maybe even 32 or 35. If you want speed go 5000.

Thanks for the detailed reply! I'm in upstate NY (US), so may have similar conditions as you. I've not ridden the Cinturato, but am thinkihg of giving them a try. Are you recommending the Cinturato All Road or the Cinturato Velo?

[eli76141]

Thanks for the detailed reply! I'm in upstate NY (US), so may have similar conditions as you. I've not ridden the Cinturato, but am thinkihg of giving them a try. Are you recommending the Cinturato All Road or the Cinturato Velo?

Sounds like you also have a lot of foul weather in your area.

Yes, I guess the correct name is Pirelli Cinturato Velo:

https://www.mantel.com/pirelli-cinturat ... complete=1

Very good tires. And they have a reasonably long lifespan as well.

If you have the patience for it, you should really try to ride them tubeless. That will save you the hazzle of changing tubes when you have flats.

[Gin0rm0]

Thanks for the detailed reply! I'm in upstate NY (US), so may have similar conditions as you. I've not ridden the Cinturato, but am thinkihg of giving them a try. Are you recommending the Cinturato All Road or the Cinturato Velo?

Sounds like you also have a lot of foul weather in your area.

Yes, I guess the correct name is Pirelli Cinturato Velo:

https://www.mantel.com/pirelli-cinturat ... complete=1

Very good tires. And they have a reasonably long lifespan as well.

If you have the patience for it, you should really try to ride them tubeless. That will save you the hazzle of changing tubes when you have flats.

I can also recommend Pirelli Cinturato Velo. I run 32mm tubeless on my winter/commuting bike - very robust tyre and grippy.

If willing to further consider tubeless, I'd also recommend Specialized Roubaix 2Bliss 30/32. They come up really big though but that's a bonus if you have the clearance as they deal with rough roads surfaces extremely well.

All the best.

[idickers]

Thanks so much for all the replies, I've ordered a set of 32mm Cinturato Velos. I 'll ride them as far into winter season as I can go before we get too much snow/ice/salt, at which point I'm more concerned about trashing my bike.

[Butcher]

I always ran 23's when I commuted. Never had a problem.

[eli76141]

Thanks so much for all the replies, I've ordered a set of 32mm Cinturato Velos. I 'll ride them as far into winter season as I can go before we get too much snow/ice/salt, at which point I'm more concerned about trashing my bike.

Sounds good. Let us know, what you think about them, when you've put some miles in them

[idickers]

While I wait for my Cinturatos to arrive, I dropped the pressure in my 28mm GP5000s from 80 to 70 psi for my morning commute. What a revelation! After a lifetime of riding 90-100 psi, the lower pressure initially felt like I had a tire going flat. But after a few miles I noticed I wasn't going appreciably slower, and the bad pavement was much less jarring. Thanks for the great advice!

[idickers]

I have several hundred miles on the Cinturatos, and they are great commuting tires in everything but the snow. I dropped them to 50 psi and they did well in the cold, but in snow over icy pavement they were a little nervous, and broke free a couple of times on an uphill and on a turn.

Is there a better tire for winter commuting? I change to non-studded snow tires on my car for the winter, and it transforms the drive, providing almost as much grip as my summer tires do in the dry. Is there an equivalent non-studded winter tire for the bike? I think I have too much pavement to run studded tires.

[eli76141]

I have several hundred miles on the Cinturatos, and they are great commuting tires in everything but the snow. I dropped them to 50 psi and they did well in the cold, but in snow over icy pavement they were a little nervous, and broke free a couple of times on an uphill and on a turn.

Is there a better tire for winter commuting? I change to non-studded snow tires on my car for the winter, and it transforms the drive, providing almost as much grip as my summer tires do in the dry. Is there an equivalent non-studded winter tire for the bike? I think I have too much pavement to run studded tires.

Sounds good, that the Cinturatos and lower pressure worked out.

I'm not sure if you can get more grip in icy conditions without moving to something like cx tires. How much clearance do you have?