Best winter tyres for the bike

It is the time of year for more relaxed conversational spins than the season permits, so what do people talk about when they are side by side on bikes for hours? The most common topic is gear. Specifically, gear choices for the cold and wet as winter approaches. Last week I bought tyres and had them on the bike at the weekend. I bought Continental Four Seasons as these have served me well for years. They hold the road like a lollipop to your car’s back seat upholstery. I’ve never come off the bike when riding on these and although they feel soft to the touch, they wear well (as long as you don’t melt them on an indoor trainer). They also resist punctures like my wife resists me upgrading my race bike. That is, nothing gets through anymore.

I have ridden a pair of these tyres until there were areas where the outer types had been worn through and still they didn’t puncture. Sometimes you get home to find a small bit of glass or something sharp embedded in the tyre, but you pick it out and while you are left with a tiny hole, it doesn’t split the tyre or pierce all the way through to the inner-tube. These tyres are not cheap if you buy them at full price, but you can usually buy them on one of the discount bike sites (try http://www.bike-discount.de/en).

Many riders stick to Continental tyres all year around though not all will use Gatorskins or Grand Prix tyres (in one of their manifestations). I find Gatorskins to be great for avoiding punctures but they are slippy and I don’t trust them. Some riders say Gatorskins are heavy, but who cares in winter spins? The main thing is to feel safe while avoiding punctures. Grand Prix tyres are brilliant for puncture resistance and for riding in all but the wettest conditions. I’ve raced in them in horrible downpours and they have been ok, they slip but not so much that you can’t right yourself. But they are not glued to the road in the way the Four Seasons seem to be. If I were regularly riding along wet, slippy and traffic filled roads, I’d take the time to change your tyres to Four Seasons. They might save your life. If not, they’ll help you to avoid standing on the side of the road fixing a puncture in Baltic temperatures.