Hi Justin,
I had done a bit of testing and research last year and found that there are
two main categories to think about. One: puncture resistance. You are
commuting and doing base miles and don't want the hassle of changing a flat
every time you ride. I have found that the brand new All Condition
Armadillo Elite folding tire from specialized is one of the best tires I've
tried for winter riding. They have almost the same puncture protection
abilities as their Armadillo predecessor, without the garden hose
ride quality. With a weight of around 315g, 120tpi and a super grippy tread
that has small sipes to help cut through the water, they have a
surprisingly good road feel for a protection tire. I run 25's on my disc
brake Pinarello and have been quite happy with them. Second to that would
be the Marathon plus from Schwalbe but they don't quite ride as nice and
cut a little easier then the All Conditions.
The second set would be for those that are not commuting and are just
riding or training on their bike through the winter. Since you are not
usually riding through the high traffic parts of the city in the dark
trying to get to or from work you can generally choose a nicer tire as you
can usually see what you are running over and you can choose routs that
have pretty nice and/or cleaner roads. My top pic is the Continental
Grand-Prix 4 Seasons. With a super supple 330tpi casing and weighing only
240g, plus a pretty good protection layer they are hard to beat. My second
choice is the Vittoria Open Pave tires, but these seem to be discontinued
for this year. They are a bit more on the racy side while still being a
good solid tire that will stand up to PNW winter riding.
I typically change tires around to suit my needs for the ride I'm doing,
but I also keep my equipment really clean and well maintained all year
long, so it's pretty easy and clean to swap tires around. I'm a service
professional so I take a lot of pride in keeping a well running machine!
I hope that helps a bit. :)
Bre Rue
Service Manager @West End Bikes
On Sun, Sep 6, 2015 at 10:57 AM, Justin Watkins via OBRA wrote:
> The rainy season is just around the corner and I need to replace tires on
> the winter training bike. I have used gatorzkinz in the past with mixed
> results, good durability and so so puncture protection fro me but traction
> wasn't great. I read lots of reviews online and everyone has an opinion. I
> know there is likely some good local reviews and this has likely been
> discussed on here before but can't seem to find the older post, maybe I am
> mixing up forums.
>
> What do you all use for your winter training tires that gives you a good
> ride, puncture protection and good mileage? I tried some marathons a few
> years back and the ride quality was horrible and changing a tube if I had
> to in the rain/cold would of been inpossible, but I never had a flat.
> Looking for a more suitable tire for this winter season.
>
> So lets hear what you prefer!
>
> Go
>
> Thanks
> Justin
>
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