Often taken for granted, the tyre is by far the most important weapon in your bicycle’s arsenal. It is, after all, the only point of contact your bike has with the ground and failing to recognise this fact can make or break the way your bike performs.
You’ll be surprised by how much a tyre can affect the overall efficiency, traction, compliance, rolling resistance and weight of your bike. Technology has also contributed to the evolution of the tyre where wider rim tracks have given rise to a whole new breed of options.
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The introduction of wider rubber has all but put paid to the 23mm tyre with the industry now very much in favour of 25-28mm, the benefits of which claim to yield greater comfort, lower rolling resistance, added cornering grip and better aerodynamics.
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And then, of course, there is the tubeless tyre which is slowly making inroads into the professional rungs. The potential benefits would suggest tubeless is the way forward: they’re light, fast, can run lower pressures and the sealant radically reduces the threat of puncturing, however, the additional set-up time and early teething problems have meant there is still some reluctance across the pro peloton. UAE Team Emirates’ Alexander Kristoff proved the technology's potential when he won Gent-Wevelgem and finished third at the Tour of Flanders on Vittoria Corsa Graphene 2.0 25mm tubeless tyres, but he went on to regret using the technology after three punctures at Paris Roubaix.
As for which tyre format is best - clincher, tubular or tubeless - personal preference is still very much the deciding factor, but like the mountain bike tyre, most manufacturers are convinced tubeless is the future of road cycling.
Scroll down to see Cyclingnews’ roundup of the best road tyres available to buy for 2019.
11 best road tyres you can buy today
1. Continental GP 4000 S II
- Price: (Starting from) US$42/ £34 / AU$60
- Protection: Vectran
- Tubeless: No
- Bead: Foldable
- Format: Clincher, tubular
- Width: 20, 23, 25, 28mm
- Weight: 225g (700x25)
2. Continental GP 5000
- Price: (Starting from) US$75 / £60 / AU$90
- Protection: Vectran
- Tubeless: Yes
- Bead: Foldable
- Format: Clincher
- Width: 23, 25, 28, 32mm
- Weight: 220g (700x25)
3. Continental Gatorskin
- Price: (Starting from) US$37 / £32 / AU$64
- Protection: Duraskin mesh, breaker
- Tubeless: No
- Bead: Foldable, wired
- Format: Clincher
- Width: 23, 25, 28, 32mm
- Weight: 250g (700x25)
4. Vittoria Corsa
- Price: (Starting from) US$68 / £54 / AU$96
- Protection: Corespun casing, graphene
- Tubeless: Yes
- Bead: Foldable
- Format: Clincher, tubular
- Width: 23, 25, 28, 30mm
- Weight: 255g (700x25)
5. Vittoria Zaffiro
- Price: (Starting from) US$17 / £14/ AU$25
- Protection: Breaker, graphene
- Tubeless: No
- Bead: Foldable, wired
- Format: Clincher
- Width: 23, 25, 28, 30, 32mm
- Weight: 280g (700x25, Zaffiro Pro)
6. Vittoria Rubino
- Price: (Starting from) US$45 / £35 / AU$64
- Protection: Breaker, graphene
- Tubeless: Yes
- Bead: Foldable, wired
- Format: Clincher, tubular
- Width: 23, 25, 28, 30mm
- Weight: 250g (700x25, Rubino Pro)
7. Specialized Turbo Cotton
- Price: (Starting from) US$80 / £61 / AU$120
- Protection: BlackBelt
- Tubeless: No
- Bead: Foldable
- Format: Clincher
- Width: 24, 26, 28mm
- Weight: 220g (700x24)
8. Specialized S-Works Turbo Cotton Hell of the North
- Price: (Starting from) US$80 / £63 / AU$130
- Protection: BlackBelt
- Tubeless: No
- Bead: Foldable
- Format: Clincher, tubular
- Width: 28mm
- Weight: 260g
9. Challenge Strada Bianca
- Price: (Starting from) US$80 / £65 / AU$116
- Protection: Double PPS
- Tubeless: Yes
- Bead: Foldable
- Format: Clincher, tubular
- Width: 30, 33, 36mm
- Weight: 355g
10. Michelin Power Competition
- Price: (Starting from) US$60 / £47 / AU$84
- Protection: Aramid Protek
- Tubeless: No
- Bead: Foldable
- Format: Clincher, tubular
- Width: 23, 25mm
- Weight: 215g (700x25)
11. Schwalbe Pro One
- Price: (Starting from) US$85 / £66 / AU$118
- Protection: MicroSkin
- Tubeless: Yes
- Bead: Foldable
- Format: Clincher
- Width: 23, 25, 28, 30mm
- Weight: 260g (700x25)
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/best-road-cycling-tyres-2019
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