Julius Kusuma/Wikimedia Commons
What To Look For
The main issue for buying road bike tires is the type of riding you plan to do. If you are a casual cyclist, you should stick with the standard clincher tire. On the other hand, if you are interested in getting into competitive racing, make the switch to tubular tires. These tires are lighter, but they are also more expensive and time-consuming to repair and/or replace. Clinchers are both cheaper and easier to maintain.
Common Pitfalls
Road bike tires don't actually need treads. The surface of the road itself provides all the traction you will ever need for a bicycle, so the best bike tire is one with a smooth, knob-free surface. This isn't widely known among even regular cyclists, however, who feel uncomfortable with a tread-free bicycle. If you intend to keep your bike entirely on concrete and asphalt, look into getting "slicks," or tires with almost-smooth or smooth surfaces.
Where To Buy
Unless you have a close relationship with your local bike store (and many serious cyclists do), it pays to use the bargain-hunting power of the Internet and shop online.
Cost
Diamente's Pro Tires, which won Bicylcing magazine's Gear of the Day and Buyer's Guide awards in 2009, were priced at between $50 and $60 per tire in 2009. Overall, road bike tire prices were between $20 and $80, depending on the make, model and retailer.
Insider Tips
One other factor in picking road bike tires is matching the thread count to your needs. Tires are essentially rubber poured onto a thread frame, so the actual structure of the tire is made up of the threads. Over 100 threads per inch (TPI) is a racing tire, which is faster, but more fragile and more expensive. Under 100 TPI will be tougher, slower, but cheaper, and therefore suitable for training or casual riding. Also, if you are a casual road cyclist, always use Schrader valves, as most bike pumps and all gas station air compressors are sized to fit them.
About The Author
Richard Thomas has been writing since earning his M.A. in international affairs in 1997, frequently writes about hiking and scuba diving for Trails.com, and also works as the Budget Travel topic manager for eHow and the senior travel editor for Associated Content. His 2009 work on Portuguese hiking and artisanal cheeses has also appeared in print.
