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I've ridden a bunch of different tires over the last couple of years. Hopefully enough for a week or so of reviews. This week and this week only, find out what I thought of some of my past and current tires.
| Date | Tire | Low-down |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday March 7, 1999 | IRC Crescent | These were the first pair of tires I bought after I wore out the ones that came with my bike. I got them for about $12.00 from a catalog. They lasted most of the summer (of course my criteria for when a tire is worn out has changed since then. I rode them for about two years). When they were new I hardly got any flats at all. Even after they're worn out they make good roller tires, since you can pump them up to ridiculously high pressures. I hate bouncing around on low pressure tires on rollers. |
| Monday March 8, 1999 | Specialized Something-or-Other | In February of 1997 I finally replaced my tires again, right before I went to Kentucky to enter my first bike race. The Specialized tires cost me about $20.00 apiece at Budget Bicycles. They lasted a good while. They were really puffy. Even though they said 700x23c they looked like 28c's. I rode these most of the summer and they held up OK. I actually may have liked the IRC's more, but it's a close call. |
| Tuesday March 9, 1999 | Continental Grand Prix | The day before my first-ever Superweek race I got hit by a car, which crunched my front wheel. When I got the wheel replaced at Crono Metro I also got a new tire, a Grand Prix. The GP's are nicer to ride than the specialized tires, partly because they're not so puffy and bouncy and partly because they just seem to roll smoother. They last about the same as any other tire for me, my rear ones last maybe 2500 miles and my front ones get moved to the rear when my rear ones wear out. Some people say that the sidewalls wear out too fast, but I haven't had much of a problem with that. I ride Conti's most of the time now. I've seen Grand Prix's from $20-$45. |
| Wednesday March 9, 1999 | Michelin Performer | I got a Michelin Performer to replace my sad, sad, sad Specialized
rear tire. I think it cost about $25 at Yellow Jersey. One thing about
that tire (and all Michelin tires I've had) is that they are Really
Difficult to get onto my rims. The first thing I did on the Performer
was ride to Milwaukee. It was a good smooth ride. It was somewhat
bouncy but not in a bad way. It didn't drag like squishy tires do.
Unfortunately I flatted before I got to Lake Mills, which didn't make me happy. I don't know whether the tube got punctured or if I damaged it while I was wrestling the tire onto the wheel. In any case, I pinched my spare tube while trying to pry the last bit of tire over the lip of the rim with a cone wrench. I had to patch my original tube and pump my rear tire up about every 8 miles for the rest of the trip. In about 2 weeks I had broken off a good sized chunk of rubber which made me uncomfortable enough (you see, I was already becoming fastidious about my tires) to replace it, but more about that tomorrow... |
| Thursday March 10, 1999 | Michelin Bi-Synergic | I replaced my first Michelin with another Michelin. This time I got one of those ones that has different colored rubber. Not the Axial's which they sell now, but the old ones that they don't make any more. Of course it was really difficult to get it onto my rim. This tire looked neat and lasted a long time. I didn't get a flat until I ran over a big staple. It's too bad they don't make that tire anymore because it was cheaper than axials they make now, but a good tire. |
| Wednesday March 17, 1999 | Vittoria Open All-Weather | I got a Vittoria for $20 at the bike swap the next spring. You pretty much have to get them at the bike swap because I think they are really expensive normally. I really liked that tire. I used it on my rear wheel. It was a little bouncy (in a good way), but it still rolled without much resistance and it cornered really nicely. Unfortunately it started falling apart after about 3 races. The tire has a green strip and a black strip that are glued onto the tire and they both started separating. I crazy-glued them back together in a couple places, but it was worrisome. The center black strip wore out somewhat quickly, but I didn't finish wearing that tire out, so I'm not sure how long it would have lasted. It's too bad that that tire fell apart so quick because it was my favorite rear tire ever. |
| Thursday March 18, 1999 | Michelin Axial Pro | I had a Michelin Axial Pro on my front wheel for most of last summer.
They're the ones that have green sidewalls. Except for the fact that it
looks kind of ugly I liked that tire too. It rolled smoothly when it was fully
inflated, was pretty light, and cornered well. It didn't puff up too much
as it got older as some tires do. It lasted for a long time, even for a
front tire. Maybe it would make a better back tire because then you
don't have to look at it all the time.
I got a deal from the shop on the one I bought, but I think Axial Pro's are usually $40-50, which is kind of expensive. There are cheaper Axials that I haven't tried, but are probably just as good. |
| Friday March 19, 1999 | Continental Grand Prix 3000 | I used a Grand Prix 3000 as a rear tire after that Vittoria was
too worn out. The one I had was grey. I've seen orange ones, but
thankfully, I don't think they make those anymore. It made a fine back tire.
It didn't wear out in the time that I was using it and it rode fine.
GP 3000's are supposed to be even lighter than Axial Pro's, but I don't
remember noticing it. The difference between the 3000's and and regular
Grand Prix's is weight and has something to do with the rubber they
are made of. The GP 3000 rubber is supposed to have less rolling resistance
or something. I think I need to ride that tire some more before
I really decide how great it was.
I got a deal on this tire too. I think that they are also usually $40-50. |
| Saturday March 20, 1999 | Vittoria Twin Tread | Twin Treads are Vittoria's cheap tires. They cost 20-25$. I think that now they're green and black, but the one's I have are older and are a sort of apricot color. I got a pair of well-worn vittorias from Ross. I barely ever rode them outside. They were worn through almost to the threads so I mostly used them as roller tires which they did a fine job as. They weren't as rock hard as the IRC's, but you can put quite a lot of pressure in them. Ross gave those tires a good review. He said that he had never gotten a flat with them (I think that's what he said) and I can definitely say that he was still riding them with the black rubber part completely worn through. If I didn't keep getting deals on Axial Pro's and Grand Prix's I'd probably buy a new pair of these and give them a thorough try-out on the road. |