The Schwalbe Stelvio Plus tires are the most puncture-resistant, durable tires I've ever used or heard of. I've used mine for over 9 months now, non-stop, rain or shine, dry or wet, not even checking their surface for bits of broken glass or debris, and I've only had one flat. One. And they still have plenty of life left: I'm planning on riding them for another winter.
They're not light tires (300+ g), and they look like 25c, rather than the 23c they are. And they're a bit pricey, for a training tire, but worth every penny. And you might be able to get them for a reasonable price at Tati (I think he's carrying the full Schwalbe line).
You can buy a "glamorous" version, the Schwalbe Ultremos, as durable and puncture-resistant as the Stelvio Plus, but much lighter and faster. Some people claim it's the best clincher out there right now. But those sell at a "glamorous" price.
I don't think I'll ever get tired of my Stelvio Plus (no pun intended).
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11 comments:
Yup, the shop carries the full Schwalbe lineup and UCVC folks qualify for a 30% discount. I wrote a short article on tires a couple of months ago, but it mainly focuses on urban/commuting tires, so I guess a proper overview of the road tire market is in order.
For those who care about such things, the Schwalbe Ultremo has a major cult following. One German Guy documented how he got over ten thousand km out of a pair. In general, I'd agree with Francisco's assessment of the Stelvio. It's probably the best all-around high performance tire on the market. Remember that different tires are designed for different types of riding conditions, and no single tire will work best for everyone.
I rode Continental Gatorskins with Slime tire liners on my training wheels for three years and never got a flat. Last year, I swapped out the Gatorskins for some Vredesteins, kept the liners, and was still flat free.
My Vittoria Randonneurs have earned my loyalty--three years, 3 thousand miles, one flat from a nail. But now I've gotta get something nobbier if I'm gonna try to ride the cx beginner in Indiana in Nov! Thanks for your recs, J, I'll come stop in and see what you've got in the shop. With more functions come the need for more wheels too... alas!
Whoops, my website died last night and therefore the tire article I posted earlier is broken. Sorry. I guess that means I need to write a new one. Coming up...
Tire decisions are really tough because much of the information available on the web is riddled with inaccuracies and marketing babble. It's best to rotate through a few designs and decide for yourself, or really talk to someone with first hand experience and/or the same weight/riding style/terrain as you.
But generally speaking for Chicago-area training -- I would agree with all JT, Jeremy, and Francisco thus far. Each has essentially suggested training with a reinforced road tire with rain displacement in the 300g range. (Specialized Armadillos, Panaracer Duro/Tourguard, Michelin Krylion too) That's a good place to start. Save the <200g tires for racing only.
Also, as important an issue as rotational weight is, understand that listed weights are often wrong by as much as 15%! I've a gram scale in the shop if you want to verify before purchasing...
I use Kenda Konstrictors. In about 2800 miles, I've gotten 2 flats and both of them were pinch flats when I decided to go out for a ride without checking my pressures.
I got tons of flats with my Kenda Konstrictors, especially when the road was wet. It might have been bad luck, but I'm staying away from Kenda from now on.
By the way, why does Kenda only have three models of road tires but a zillion models of commuter tires and off-road tires?
Kenda is traditionally a low end (and OEM) tire manufacturer. Its first entry into the high end market was with cross country, and then downhill MTB designs. Only very recently has it entered the road market, which is why there are only a few models. My feeling is that the designs are not proven, but since it's a team sponsor and the prices are so attractive, folks on a budget should give them a try.
But understand that these tires are basically intended to compete based on price with racing tires such as the Michelin Pro2 and Conti GP. This is why they are all <230g, and so as such, they're not really designed to be bulletproof training tires. It would be nice to see Kenda offer a proper belted 250-300g training tire. If you are a lighter rider, you could probably train *and* race on Kendas without too many problems, but it's really a good idea to try out a few different designs (borrow a friends' wheels for a day) before racing.
The upside of the Kenda designs are their price. The downside is low-moderate durability and moderate grip in bad weather and corners. Thus if you are a hard cornering crit rider or intend on doing hillier races, you might want to consider using something else.
I hope that's a neutral enough answer. I think it's an honest assessment of where Kenda is today. Surely as they expand their offerings there will be more and better choices. I just don't want to see folks buying them simply because they're cheap and then being disappointed at the wear and/or performance.
BTW, I've finally fixed my site and am publishing this week a few articles about tire selection.
What pressures does everyone run? I go with 110-115 but I've heard that lower pressures are better because you get more grip and don't bounce around as much, giving a better ride. I'm a little wary of pinch flats at lower pressures though.
Suchandra, Jan Heine has been writing about this topic for a number of years in the journal Bicycle Quarterly. Conventional wisdom is shifting on the topic. When I was racing, clinchers were not yet widely accepted and anything wider than 21mm was perceived as too fat. Nowadays, 23mm is the standard for racers and 25-28mm the emerging standard for club riders.
The data from recent tests show that larger volume tires do not have variable rolling resistance, so in running lower pressures, there is only upside (comfort). Lower volume tires actually do increase resistance at lower pressures and of course are more prone to pinch flats.
There are many variables and considerations to be made in this area -- most having to do with a rider's weight, frame flex, and saddle type. My belief is that even performance-oriented riders should optimize for comfort/safety first, and speed second. And so for most folks that means training on tires between 240-320g in widths of 25-28mm and at pressures between 85-105 psi.
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