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RE: tough tires
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Ben Tufford
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Nov 02, 2006 12:48 PST
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I am a long time user of Continental GP 4-season tires. They offer a
good combination of their more race oriented models with added flat
protection. The added flat protection is achieved by adding additional
plies under the rubber instead of simply making the rubber thicker. This
means they tend to wear more quickly then a touring-specific tire.
I've done all my brevets and training on the size 25c 4-season tires.
They may disappoint those that are looking for an ultra-durable tire. On
the other hand, they tend to offer a better handling ride and improved
cornering.
I'm convinced of the superior flat protection. The last pair I replaced
was worn down to threads but continued to provide trouble-free miles of
riding.
A similar but more durable tire to consider is the Continental
Gatorskin. It has a thicker rubber compound and different tread pattern
but shares many of the characteristics from the 4-Season model.
Ben "Biknben" Tufford
bikn-@optonline.net
Leroy Varga wrote:
Continental's 4 Seasons and Specialized "armadilla" bike tires both have
Kevlar-Aramid bands on road and side wall areas, and are both "tough".
Armadillo's are slightly bulkier and heavier, so speed seekers generally
go for the lighter tire. Tire diameter clearance: trading a 28C
armadillo for a Panaracer 28C was tight in the main frame fork, so I had
to get an available 23C armadillo (maybe a 25C could have worked) to
give me rotation clearance.
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