[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[Woodchip]

I still have this, somewhere, and the wristband.

I can't believe it was 6 years ago.

View attachment 35600

Shame the wrist band is a little getting now.

 

[1066familyman]

Anyone ever ridden on these tyres and/or bought from this shop before? http://www.probikekit.com/uk/vredestein-fortezza-tricomp-road-tyre.html?gclid=CLnbt-map7MCFanItAodTAUA3g

They get excellent reviews everywhere I look and that seems to be a great price compared to everywhere else. Thinking of what to go for as a good overall tyre in terms of performance, safety in wet weather and puncture resistance. Nothing exactly wrong with the Michelin Lithion and Vittoria Rubino that came with the bike but I'd quite like an upgrade and keep these as spares.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Anyone ever ridden on these tyres and/or bought from this shop before? http://www.probikekit.com/uk/vredestein-fortezza-tricomp-road-tyre.html?gclid=CLnbt-map7MCFanItAodTAUA3g

They get excellent reviews everywhere I look and that seems to be a great price compared to everywhere else. Thinking of what to go for as a good overall tyre in terms of performance, safety in wet weather and puncture resistance. Nothing exactly wrong with the Michelin Lithion and Vittoria Rubino that came with the bike but I'd quite like an upgrade and keep these as spares.

Can't speak for the ones you mention, but I've just bought a set of 25mm Continental Gator Hardshells for winter and will keep my 23C Conti 4000's for when the weather improves. So far the Gator's are great in the wet, not a noticable drop in performance and appear to be pretty bomb proof. I've dropped the psi a bit for the winter so I have about 105 in the rear, 95 in the fronts...

This is a good article for tyre drop and pressure suitable for conditions and your weight http://www.bikequarterly.com/images/TireDrop.pdf

 

[1066familyman]

Can't speak for the ones you mention, but I've just bought a set of 25mm Continental Gator Hardshells for winter and will keep my 23C Conti 4000's for when the weather improves. So far the Gator's are great in the wet, not a noticable drop in performance and appear to be pretty bomb proof. I've dropped the psi a bit for the winter so I have about 105 in the rear, 95 in the fronts...

This is a good article for tyre drop and pressure suitable for conditions and your weight http://www.bikequarterly.com/images/TireDrop.pdf

Thanks for the link. Had a brief look but it's a bit late in proceedings for me to get my head round all the figures I'm afraid so will have another look another time.
I've been putting in 110 on the front and 120 on the back. The back is a 25mm the front a 23mm.
I just want to go 23mm front and back as I want the same tyre and not keep changing them over for different seasons - perhaps I'm just being lazy, or worse, foolhardy?

 

[Woodchip]

Shame the wrist band is a little getting now.

D'oh. Stupid phone. getting was meant to be dirty.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Thanks for the link. Had a brief look but it's a bit late in proceedings for me to get my head round all the figures I'm afraid so will have another look another time.
I've been putting in 110 on the front and 120 on the back. The back is a 25mm the front a 23mm.
I just want to go 23mm front and back as I want the same tyre and not keep changing them over for different seasons - perhaps I'm just being lazy, or worse, foolhardy?

I'm not experienced enough to say! I just looked at it and thought if I run 2 sets of tyres for half the year each, theyll last twice as long, so budget wise it's the same. Got to say and I know it's only 2mm but I feel a lot happier on the wet roads with leaves & shit everywhere on the 25's than the 23's. I'll get the 23's back out come spring...

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

I'm not experienced enough to say! I just looked at it and thought if I run 2 sets of tyres for half the year each, theyll last twice as long, so budget wise it's the same. Got to say and I know it's only 2mm but I feel a lot happier on the wet roads with leaves & shit everywhere on the 25's than the 23's. I'll get the 23's back out come spring...

There's not much in it really 23 v 25. Personal preference for general riding I think.

I've got gatorskins, 23mm, that I've used all year round and haven't had a single puncture since getting them in February last year. Don't feel super zippy but then neither do I these days!

 

[Bold Seagull]

There's not much in it really 23 v 25. Personal preference for general riding I think.

I've got gatorskins, 23mm, that I've used all year round and haven't had a single puncture since getting them in February last year. Don't feel super zippy but then neither do I these days!

I think you've summed it up nicely, there probably isn't a huge difference really for general use. I had the 23C 4000's on the bike when I bought it and did get a puncture when the weather turned with all the crap on the road. So I decided to keep those for summer (as they are super zippy) and get the gator hardshells for winter. While there isn't a massive difference in the size 23 - 25mm, where you can really tell is the thickness of the rubber on the gator's, they are definitely made for not getting punctures, but you are putting a lot more tyre on the bike.

 

[teaboy]

There's not much in it really 23 v 25. Personal preference for general riding I think.

I've got gatorskins, 23mm, that I've used all year round and haven't had a single puncture since getting them in February last year. Don't feel super zippy but then neither do I these days!

Nice way to jinx it there....

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Nice way to jinx it there....

True. Couple of nasty punctures waiting for me on the way home this afternoon!

 

[Bold Seagull]

Brighton Mitre Cycling Club take a hardline approach to punctures! I may go out with them for a ride Saturday morning.....really hope I don't get a puncture!!

http://brightonmitre.typepad.com/weblog/2010/11/winter-club-ridespunctures-how-to-minimise-them.html

 

[Pantani]

Thanks for the link. Had a brief look but it's a bit late in proceedings for me to get my head round all the figures I'm afraid so will have another look another time.
I've been putting in 110 on the front and 120 on the back. The back is a 25mm the front a 23mm.
I just want to go 23mm front and back as I want the same tyre and not keep changing them over for different seasons - perhaps I'm just being lazy, or worse, foolhardy?

I would lower your pressures a bit for the winter, depending on how big you are. Personally I find 23mm fine all year round, you just need to be a bit more careful on the variety of off camber down hill corners Sussex's roads have to offer. I would back the Conti gatorskins in all their varieties as a winter tyre, my commuter/winter hack has a two year old set of the cheapest non foldie ones they make and I can only think of one puncture in that period. I'm sure SB said it at some point but well inflated tyres are so important with regards to puncture avoidance.

 

[Stat Brother]

Brighton Mitre Cycling Club take a hardline approach to punctures! I may go out with them for a ride Saturday morning.....really hope I don't get a puncture!!

I hate stopping at the best of times.
It would have to be a seriously big cake, or that lump of ham in that retro vid a few weeks back.

I'd be a complete arsehole (well more than usual, anyway) if I had to stop 8+ times on a ride out.


I didn't even stop when presented with a 2 litre tube of jelly beans, on a sportive.
I was still able to grab a few shovel hands full, though. Much to the surprise of my mate, esp as I was still eating them 5 miles down the road, and he never saw a thing.

 

[Stat Brother]

Alex Dowsett Joins Movistar | Cyclingnews.com

Didn't really see this coming, although I'm not that familiar with AD's career.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

I hate stopping at the best of times.
It would have to be a seriously big cake, or that lump of ham in that retro vid a few weeks back.

I'd be a complete arsehole (well more than usual, anyway) if I had to stop 8+ times on a ride out.


I didn't even stop when presented with a 2 litre tube of jelly beans, on a sportive.
I was still able to grab a few shovel hands full, though. Much to the surprise of my mate, esp as I was still eating them 5 miles down the road, and he never saw a thing.

Fair point. Would be tedious but then I think any group of 30 riders would be a bit unwieldy. I think 8-10 is optimal.

 

[Stoichkov]

Another happy Conti Gator Skin user here!

23mm's all year round for me...

 

[Motogull]

If anyone is interested, this is how my ride pans out if I do both hills.



Vigo Hill and Birling Hill.

Went out for a 1.75 mile run last night and was pleased to find more running than jogging if you know what I mean. Now I've found that second hill, I'm gonna have to go check it out.

 

[Woodchip]

Looks like a couple of cheeky climbs in there.



This is a ride I mapped near me. Sadly the road at about 9mile is closed due to earthquake damage. Hopefully it will open for the summer.

Climb	Start	End	Length	Start Elev	End Elev	Avg Grade
Cat 2	3.24 mi	8.19 mi	4.95 mi	72 ft	1337 ft	4.8%
Cat 5	11.03 mi	11.67 mi	0.63 mi	1171 ft	1281 ft	3.3%
Cat 5	12.52 mi	13.58 mi	1.06 mi	1143 ft	1324 ft	3.2%

 

[Stat Brother]

Funny how neither of you live at the top of a hill,

Couple of nice descents there.

 

[Motogull]

Now that's a proper climb! Sounds like a lot of repair work needed before you can get out there. Shame