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I've herd a lot of hype about gator skins at the minute how ever i'm running a Michelin Erilium on the back at the mo and thats pretty impressed compared to my last two tyres,the gatorskins are about 20 quid and the michelin are around 15, all can be bought at gear etc.

In terms of mounting and un mounting get your self some tyre leavers or if you've got any cutlery with plastic ends and simply leaver the tyre of the rim.

Grand Prix 24 = £22 on Planet X right now. That is a great tyre

[quote][cite] euan:[/cite]Grand Prix 24 = £22 on Planet X right now. That is a great tyre

I agree (the planet X ones have a yellow strip on them I think). I got mine at SJS cycles for the same price i think. Have them on my road bike and front on my fixed. piece of glass has torn the fixed front tyre which is brand new however. I have a specialized armadillo roubaix on the back of the fixed. seems very tough but not as good a grip

I thought the 24 only came in black as it is has the Black Chilli compound.

Grand Prix 4000S .. absoultely awesome tyres.

I'm using Vittoria Rubino Pros and they've been doing pretty well. Haven't been out in the wet on the much though.

Gatorskins are really tough to puncture (they have to be, roads in the bit of maryhill I live in are actually 90% glass shards to 10% tarmac) though I have managed it. They're also a bit harder to skid on than some others.

[quote][cite] libation:[/cite]Gatorskins are...a bit harder to skid on than some others.

i.e. They have more grip. This is a good thing.

They definitely have more grip than Rubino Pros. I found that I could skid my Rubino Pros very easily. They also wore down quite quickly.

They both offer similarly good puncture protection.

I also spend a lot of time on the glass shards of Maryhill. I mostly use Vittoria Randonneurs, they are fairly heavy but pretty bombproof you can only get them as narrow as 28. I know Vittoria are meant to have released a 25 but you can't get them anywhere.

Thanks for all this feed back. Also, what's the difference between a folding tyre and a rigid tyre? is one better than the other?

[quote][cite] CrankYank:[/cite]Thanks for all this feed back. Also, what's the difference between a folding tyre and a rigid tyre? is one better than the other?
A rigid tyre has a braided steel bead. A folding tyre has segments of material (I was told that it's kevlar) which allow the tyre to be folded. There is quite a big difference in the weight of rigid/folding tyres when you get to light weight tyres (which covers pretty much all 23c road tyres).

Aye, what he said and there's usually a big difference in price between the folding and rigid too.

but hte biggest difference is their ability to fold.

i find that folding bead can be easier to get on and off the rim as well. but miby that's just my imagination

[quote][cite] rusty:[/cite]
A rigid tyre has a braided steel bead. A folding tyre has segments of material (I was told that it's kevlar) which allow the tyre to be folded.
Whether or not it's actually kevlar will depend on the tyre, a lot of the more puncture resistant tyres use aramids for strength and durability, including non-folders like the gatorskins. Kevlar is a particular brand name but won't necessarily be any tougher than others.

[quote][cite] libation:[/cite]
Whether or not it's actually kevlar will depend on the tyre, a lot of the more puncture resistant tyres use aramids for strength and durability, including non-folders like the gatorskins. Kevlar is a particular brand name but won't necessarily be any tougher than others.

I think you are confusing the bead with a puncture preventing belt

No, I was just trying to add that it's not always kevlar (though can be just as effective) and that non folders can also contain similar stuff in case the use of kevlar made folders sound more puncture resistant.

Actually. While we're on the subject, can anyone recommend a good tyre for touring about on that will fit on a rim that is supposed to be 23c? How big do you think I can get away with?

You'd be able to go up to 28c comfortably

Bontrager hard case Race lite - steel beeded - Solid - £20 a tyre or something

Anyone use Specialized All condition Armadillo? If so have you had any punctures?

I keep getting punctures on my Michelin's and it's getting rather annoying.

[quote][cite] Drewboy:[/cite]I keep getting punctures on my Michelins and it's getting rather annoying.
I think that's the problem there. Quite a lot of the lower end Michelins seem to be a bit crap. I've not used any Specialized tyres but I know that Continental Gatorskins are great and Vittoria Rubino Pros are good too. Both around £18-22 per tyre.

I'm using Michelin Krylion Carbon... grippy even in the wet & no punctures yet. Alistair Gow at Wheelcraft has them, can't remember ££££ but cheaper than Chainreaction. Just got Vittoria Rubino Pros but not been out yet, stuck on bike No.5 on the turbo trainer.

I don't think I'll buy anything but GP4000s for a while
so good

I've been hearing good things about Maxxis Re-fuse tyres being hard wearing, grippy and good for skidding. Not sure how it manages all three but it's got to be worth a go at about £18.

I don't see how hard wearing, gripping and good for skidding go together at all.

[quote][cite] rabsda:[/cite]I don't think I'll buy anything but GP4000s for a while
so good

i agree. I absolutely love mine.

[quote][cite] euan:[/cite]I don't see how hard wearing, gripping and good for skidding go together at all.

Hard wearing = good for skidding but yeah, don't see how grippy fits in there.

Schwalbe Lugano = shit as i found out tonight.
My new bike came with a set and im through to the thread after about 5 skids.
Il be banging a Bonty Racelite Hardacse on there tomorrow i think.

Aye thats my point. A grippy tyre will be harder to skid.

+1 for the bontys, they rock

[quote][cite] jeffcapeshop:[/cite]+1 for the bontys, they rock

-1 for bonty's now.
Ripped a cunting great bit of rubber off mine tonight.
And now that i got sacked from the shop and don't get the bontys cheap il be trying something else.
Maybe go back to a Gatorskin, it lasted me an age before.
Was thinking of tryin the 25 Rando but iv read that they've just taken the 28 and put less rubber on it so they wear out superfast.

Andy, i spoke to one of my buddies on the phone, he said try Vittoria Rando's.

Il never fit a 28 in my frame and the 25s are a) hard to find and b) meant to be a bit dodgy.

The 28c Randonneur is just a 25c Randonneur with more rubber slapped on it. It's not the other way round. The 28c isn't a wide tyre. Just a tall tyre. I have one on the back now and it's quite nice (although it's extremely heavy compared to a folding 23c Gatorskin).

[quote][cite] rusty:[/cite]The 28c Randonneur is just a 25c Randonneur with more rubber slapped on it. It's not the other way round. The 28c isn't a wide tyre. Just a tall tyre. I have one on the back now and it's quite nice (although it's extremely heavy compared to a folding 23c Gatorskin).

But there's always been a 28, the 25 is new so surely it must be that the 25 is a 28 with less rubber?
I'v heard that they are small inside though so the 28 has maybe always been a like 25 with loads or rubber and now they are just doing the same tyre but with a normal amount of rubber which of course wears faster.

Are the zaffiros really all that bad?
They can be had for like £8 a pop and the common complaint seems to be that they are pretty hard and lack grip so might be ideal for skid happy riders like myself.

Dangerous in the wet is how I would describe Zaffiros. Proper front wheel losing grip when going round corners stuff.

Chainreaction have good ole gatorskins at £17 so i think im gonna order up a pair of them.
They'll cut about 100g off the rotational weight of each wheel too.