The Best Road Bike Tyres [Kees' Choice]

Right now is the perfect time to get yourself some new tyres! The debris thrown around during the winter is relegated once more to the side of the road and you encounter more and more clean and dry tarmac. These are perfect conditions for the very best tyres to perform in. Whether you really need them or not, the top-end tyres have never been more attainable. Kees lines up three of the best road bike tyres for you.

Riding a proper tyre can completely change the way your bike feels. A top-end set of tyres on your road bike won’t enable you to descend like Il Falco Savoldelli or put down a TT like Dumoulin, but it does significantly improve the feel of your bike!

In order to show you that a good tyre really doesn’t have to be that expensive, I’ve lined up three of the most popular road bike tyres for you. I’ll explain the differences between the three, and hopefully help you get started on a great cycling season with the right expectations and the right road bike tyres.

Kees’ Favourite Road Bike Tyres

Popular Road Bike Tyres - Continental Grand Prix 4000sII

This is by far the most popular of the three. Something clearly shown by the 9.1 average score out of 1678 reviews! Its predecessor was known for offering a good blend of puncture resistance and grip. The SII only improved on that.

Ever since its introduction in the fall of 2014, the Continental Grand Prix 4000s II has had quite a name to live up to. Something which it has managed with ease. The combination of the soft Black Chili compound, which offers excellent grip, and the Vectran Breaker layer ensures a grippy tyre with excellent puncture resistance.

The Vectran Breaker protective layer make this tyre into the preferred choice for many roadies. The fact that it wears fairly quickly comes with this level of performance and is something its users can live with.

Best Road Bike Tyres - Vittoria Corsa G+ Isotech

Now this is a purebred racing tyre! The tyre is an open tubular. This means you use it like any other clincher -with inner tubes that is- but that the way they build them is entirely different to the competition.

You notice as soon as you take it out of the box: the tyre is completely flat and won’t assume its natural shape until it’s seated and inflated on the rim. The tyre is extremely supple because of the high number of threads per inch and because there’s no dedicated puncture protection layer.

That lack of puncture protection isn’t a major disadvantage. This tyre is bought purely to perform in both wet and dry conditions. With an 8.7 out of 195 review, it’s pretty clear we’re not the only fans of the Vittoria Corsa G+.

Beste Road Bike Tyres - Schwalbe One (2017)

The Schwalbe One is praised for its sublime grip and easy installation. The three rubber compounds used in its design -combined with the V-guard- inspire confidence at speed.

The design of the tyre has been altered slightly over the winter and now features a light tread. The high level of performance remains unaffected however! The Schwalbe One is also available in the more popular 25 mm size.

You also have a choice of colour to match your bike: black, blue, red, or white.

How Do the Various Tyres Fall onto the Rim?

A frequently asked question concerning tyres is how they sit on the rim. After all, looks matter. Besides, there are clear differences in height and width for these tyres. We fitted a 25 mm version of each tyre onto the same rim to compare them side by side. The width and depth of the rim really affect the actual width of the tyre on the wheel.

The Three Best Road Bike Tyres on the Rim

The tyres were measured while fitted to a Fulcrum Zero C17 front wheel. The weight isn’t entirely unimportant either, which is why we’ve mentioned that as well. These high-end tyres all rank as some of the lightest tyres out there. Since not all tyres are identical, we’ve taken the average weight measured over 5 tyres.

The Best Road Bike Tyres Go Head to Head

	Continental 4000s II	Vittoria Corsa G+	Schwalbe One
Puncture Protection
Rolling Resistance
Grip
Durability
Looks
Width of a 25 mm tyre	26.6 mm	26.1 mm	26.2 mm
Height of a 25 mm tyre	24.4 mm	23.6 mm	24.1 mm
Weight	218 grams	247 grams	247 grams

So What Road Bike Tyre Should I Get?

Let me first say that all these tyres are closely matched when it comes to performance. The Continental Grand Prix 4000s II is the choice of most riders. The low weight combined with the excellent puncture protection and low rolling resistance make it an absolute winner. It’s suitable for both touring and racing applications. Since you see it everywhere, it does look the least special on your bike.

The Vittoria Corsa G+ Isotech looks extremely good. It has about the same rolling resistance as the GP 4000s II but with the sole downside of puncturing slightly easier. This tyre can make any bike look even better, which is why it’s the tyre of choice by many fans of high-end equipment.

The Schwalbe One is the sensible choice of the three. It has better puncture protection and is more durable. Ideal then for touring or training. The difference in rolling resistance might be quantifiable on a test rig, but it’s negligible on the open road.

Kees’ Final Tip

If you’re going to run a great set of tyres such as these, then don’t ruin their performance by using a heavy, inflexible and thick inner tube. A set of latex inner tubes will really help these tyres perform optimally..