which bike tyre for my wheel?

encephalopathy · 25 Sep 2011 at 14:50

i have a boardman hybrid comp but find the tyres on it are not giving me enough grip when not on tarmac now the weather is changing...

Rims: 700c Alex double wall black 32 hole disc rim with CNC braking surface
Tyre size: 28c
Tyres: Vittoria Zaffiro 700x28c rigid black

any suggestions on a grippier tyre/size i could change to for the winter?
will 700x30c tyres fit on those rims ok?

thanks for any suggestions

[DOD]Asprilla · 25 Sep 2011 at 21:36

What surface are you cycling on?

If it's road then the best tyres you can get are slicks, anything with a tread on it will just reduce the contact surface area and give you less grip. On my road bike I use 23c tyres in the summer and 25c in the winter with few issues.

touch · 25 Sep 2011 at 23:44

I have continental mountain kings on my cyclocross bike. Pretty good for grass/mud/gravel but the tread is very soft (i think mine are a softer compound rubber than standard - cant really remember) which makes them slow on tarmac and they wear down quickly.

Could also try schwalbe racing ralphs. Never used them but heard good things about them.

"andy" · 25 Sep 2011 at 23:55

tried letting a bit of pressure out ?

whatever you do your going to have to lose a little speed to gain a little grip so you might aswell try the free option first

Jonny ///M · 26 Sep 2011 at 14:23

I'd fit 28c continental gatorskins and be done with it. Loving mine in the wet so far and I'm on 23c.

Can still spin the rear wheel on white lines which is scary sometimes.

Edinho · 26 Sep 2011 at 23:53

What are you doing on it? Handbrake turns? Seriously if you are loosing grip on those you are either doing something really stupid or they are at the wrong pressure.

touch · 27 Sep 2011 at 09:11

Edinho said:
What are you doing on it? Handbrake turns? Seriously if you are loosing grip on those you are either doing something really stupid or they are at the wrong pressure.

He has 700x28 tyres which dont have a very good tread pattern for off road riding. It would be very easy to lose grip with those tyres on wet grass or mud.

Supercow · 27 Sep 2011 at 12:02

Edinho said:
What are you doing on it? Handbrake turns? Seriously if you are loosing grip on those you are either doing something really stupid or they are at the wrong pressure.

Bicycles do not have handbrakes.

Murf · 27 Sep 2011 at 12:28

Supercow said:
Bicycles do not have handbrakes.

Pretty certain I operate both brakes on my bike with my hands.

Supercow · 27 Sep 2011 at 12:41

Murf said:
Pretty certain I operate both brakes on my bike with my hands.

They are clearly fingerbrakes, not handbrakes

Murf · 27 Sep 2011 at 18:29

Supercow said:
They are clearly fingerbrakes, not handbrakes

Touché.

encephalopathy · 5 Oct 2011 at 09:04

well quick update
bought a pair of schwalbe cx 700x30 cyclocross tyres from chainreaction. they have a little tread in the centre and knobbly bits at the sides. first impressions are the bike ride is less crashy, grip is much better when not on tarmac but flipside is i am going a little slower than before. they cost 13 quid each.

i plan to use them over the winter and swap back to the slicker tyres when the weather improves in the spring.

Participant · 5 Oct 2011 at 09:17

Murf said:
Touché.

Not really, fingers are attached to the hands and when I operate a car handbrake with my fingers, it does not suddenly become a fingerbrake

.

My Gatorskins have been awesome so far, not a single puncture in 6 months and really grippy in most conditions. However they were a BITCH to put on.