Which Bicycle Tires are Best?

Mark Heneson is asking which tires he should be using; this is not an easy question to answer. There are many tires to choose from, but you need to match the tires to your local road conditions, here we discuss the problem.

Question:
I do not understand what makes a quality tire for road bikes. I am trying to understand what to look for when buying new tires and tubes. I like to do centuries.

Hi Mark,

Yes you are correct there; it’s hard to pick which is the best tire to use. Quite often you need to take into consideration the road conditions in your area, as in one area I lived in Michelin smooth tires were the best for the roads there, they rolled well and lasted a long time. When I moved to an area with different road conditions the tread ripped up and didn’t last very long. I now use Hutchinson tires and they suit my local conditions, I have also found that Continental tires are hard wearing and depending on which ones you buy; they roll well.

So, what is the answer? I suggest that you need to talk to your ride mates or ask at the local bike shop to get a few different views on your local conditions and which would be best for where you ride. The main, good quality, tires are Michelin, Hutchinson and Continental, also Vittoria and Specialized, you cant really go wrong with any of these, you just have to try them until you find one that fits all your needs. I hope this helps?