The Beacon Message Board

For years I have always ridden with 23mm tyres in the winter months. But I getting am fed up of having them keep splitting, which I put down to the tightness and stress of having a narrow section.

So I think that I am going to investigate going down the 25mm route and see what happens and if they suffer from the same plight?

The winter tyres in question are Continental 4 Seasons, which are on the expensive side to keep throwing away!

Try a pair of Vittoria Open CG-The best winter tyres you will ever own, made for Paris Roubaix, 24mm Really comfy, loads of grip and LOTS of **flat** protection.

or Michelin Krylion, another highly rated tyre.

Ed Moss wrote:Try a pair of Vittoria Open CG-The best winter tyres you will ever own, made for Paris Roubaix, 24mm Really comfy, loads of grip and LOTS of **flat** protection.

I must admit that I had looked at these, and I have read so many good reports about these tyres, but crikey they are blooming expensive aren't they!

What are they like for wear?

Johnnyc wrote:or Michelin Krylion, another highly rated tyre.

I'll admit that this is not a name that I have looked at, so thanks for the info.

Cheapest I've found is £35 on ebay, I get around 5-7000 miles on them.
I probably spend as much on winter tyres as racing clinchers, it's one time of the year I want loads of comfort and grip, and they really do grip

25mm Michelin Krylion for me in the winter, 23mm in the summer.

I previously used Conti 4 Seasons in the winter (23mm though), no real problems with them but I like the Krylions better. The Krylion's are about to be renamed, not sure what to, just a marketing thing, the tyres are the same.

Michelin Kryllion now discontinued.Buy while you can.Replaced by a heavy robust version o Pro4.

Ed Moss wrote:Cheapest I've found is £35 on ebay, I get around 5-7000 miles on them.
I probably spend as much on winter tyres as racing clinchers, it's one time of the year I want loads of comfort and grip, and they really do grip

Yes, I had a root about on the net and saw them on ebay. thanks.

I just need to decide on trying these or the Krylions next, but I'll admit that because I had already looked at the Vittorias first, I'm tempted togive them a go first.

Rod Goodfellow wrote:Michelin Kryllion now discontinued.Buy while you can.Replaced by a heavy robust version o Pro4.

Remaining stock of 25mm at http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=20460 or in 23mm if you don't mind yellow.

Being replaced by Pro4 Endurance, same construction slightly different rubber compound and no doubt an upgraded price.

I've been running 23mm Bontrager Hardcase tyres for ages with no problems, and they are less than £15 a tyre. On my winter bike i've been using a 25mm Schwalbe Marathon Plus on the back for 2 years now and, touch wood, had no fl@ts at all... I've also started using it on the turbo without changing the tyre and am still having no problems on the road (although I guess i will accelerate the wear). Grip does sometimes leave something to be desired though...

Ed Moss wrote:Try a pair of Vittoria Open CG-The best winter tyres you will ever own, made for Paris Roubaix, 24mm Really comfy, loads of grip and LOTS of **flat** protection.

I think that I should add a quick update since using these since January on my ride to work bike. These are indeed a great tyre and lovely to ride on, pity that they only come in green and that they are also expensive too.

nothing like reviving an old thread ...

... anyway just to say Ribble Cycles are selling Conti GP4000S for £27 each this weekend only (£38 on Wiggle))

Only 25c but if you require 23C, try Parker International at £28.

I have just bought a pair of the Pro 4 Endurance tyres from Ribble at £25.40 each - Link

As I understand it, these are the replacements for the Kryllion version, but better?

Andy Terry wrote:...just to say Ribble Cycles are selling Conti GP4000S for £27 each this weekend only (£38 on Wiggle)

The German website Bike-Discount (http://www.bike-discount.de) sell 23mm GP4000Ss cheaper than I've ever seen them in the UK. They're currently at €26.95 each, plus postage of €5.95 per order. That works out at about £48 for the pair, including postage. I ordered some a couple of months back and they arrived within days - I was very impressed.

AlanW wrote:As I understand it, these are the replacements for the Kryllion version, but better?

I stocked up on 25mm Krylion and 23mm ProRace3 before the new improved (more expensive) versions replaced them.

Post on YACF from someone who "loved Krylions" and has tried Endurance 4....

They are the most disappointing tyre I've ever bought. I started using them in early October when the roads were still pretty clean and dry. They performed OK, but I noticed they started to cut up almost immediately. Then this month, when the weather turned for the worse, things really went to shit. I've had 4 p!nctures in the last 6 rides! All small bits of stone. 3 in the rear, 1 in the front. They are absolutely shredded. Cut to ****. There is no way I can continue using them with any confidence.

I've been using 28mm Schwalbe Marathon Racers and Roger has similar on the tandem. Still allowed large thorns to do their worst.

I've just bought some Conti GP 4 Seasons. Meant to get 2 x 25mm but must have scrolled the mouse and got a 25mm + a 23mm (note to self - don't order stuff late at night without specs on).

Before I send the 23mm back, has anyone tried this combination?

Yes...

..... on different bikes.

You could always get another pair like that

Grogz wrote:I've just bought some Conti GP 4 Seasons. Meant to get 2 x 25mm but must have scrolled the mouse and got a 25mm + a 23mm (note to self - don't order stuff late at night without specs on).

Before I send the 23mm back, has anyone tried this combination?

Dont worry, its a fairly common combination Greg - HERE

Grogz wrote:I've just bought some Conti GP 4 Seasons. Meant to get 2 x 25mm but must have scrolled the mouse and got a 25mm + a 23mm (note to self - don't order stuff late at night without specs on).

Before I send the 23mm back, has anyone tried this combination?

Nope, but some reasons for doing so are given by Sheldon Brown.

Thanks, guys. Following my crash the other week, my thinking was that the 25mm would have a larger contact patch and give a little more grip, particularly at the front. But considering the other variables, such as rubber composition and road surface (ice?) maybe it would not make too much difference?

Still undecided, though...

It may be in my mind but with 25s I feel a bit more secure on wet roads and a bit more comfortable on rough roads but on ice 2mm isn't going to make a difference unless that happens to be the size of your studs.

It's easy to see from the wear line down a well-used tyre that, most of the time, only a few millimeters in the centre of the tyre is in contact with the road. Increasing the overall tyre width by 2mm probably increases the contact surface by less than 1mm (if other factors remain the same). It's hard to see how that can make a big difference to grip. Where it may make some difference is that fatter tyres feel to me as if they give less dynamic response to your movements -- the bike is less 'twitchy' with fatter tyres, which must make keeping your balance a little easier and therefore coping with slippery conditions a little easier. However, purely from the point of view of the grippiness of the tyre, I should think that switching to a softer compound and/or running the tyre 10psi softer makes more difference than increasing width.

George wrote:and/or running the tyre 10psi softer makes more difference than increasing width.

And wider tyres can be safely run at lower pressure.