Sources for really cheap tires?

[p nut]

I used to buy 700x25 "Forte" tires from Performance Bike. They were usually $9 (or sometimes cheaper). I see they've doubled that now.

Curious if there are other sites that sell cheap tires. This is just for a bike I ride occasionally (fixed gear), so I don't care about ride quality, performance, etc. Thanks.

[shovelhd]

Somebody's good used high quality tires.

[Ken Robb]

Surely Performance will have Forte tires on sale soon.

[bfd]

I used to buy 700x25 "Forte" tires from Performance Bike. They were usually $9 (or sometimes cheaper). I see they've doubled that now.

Curious if there are other sites that sell cheap tires. This is just for a bike I ride occasionally (fixed gear), so I don't care about ride quality, performance, etc. Thanks.

I like the Michelin Lithion 700x25 folding tire. Check the UK retailers, I recent bought a pair plus 2 Michelin tubes for like $29, bargain! First, I use to ride Michelin ProRace 3 tires and couldn't tell the difference. Second, they are a very durable tire until they square up, so they last a long time. Since I "rotate" my tires in the "new tire in front, old front tire to the rear and old rear tire to the trash" style, my tires last pretty long. Of course, YMMV! Good Luck!

[Ken Robb]

Look at Performancebike.com closeouts. Lots of tires for $12-19 and quite a few with an extra 30% off so $12x70%=$8.40 each.

[choke]

I suppose it depends on your definition of 'cheap' but Bike Tires Direct has several name brand tires - Conti, Michelin and Vittoria - for around $16 each.

[AngryScientist]

ribble has vittoria zaffiros for under 10 bucks. these are actually pretty decent tires....

https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/vittoria-zaffiro-rigid-tyre/#pid=23315

[jtakeda]

I just bought some Vittoria rubino g+ for $17 or something from
Wiggle a couple days ago

[MagicHour]

Vittoria Zaffiro or Rubino Pros are decent and often on sale, try Nashbar, Wiggle, Merlin or Ribble.

[jmoore]

Maxxis Detonator are my inexpensive go to. They also have the Fuse and Refuse which can be found on sale too. Perfect fixie tire

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[vqdriver]

i have used tires that i wouldn't want to sell, but you can have a pair for the cost of shipping

[yinzerniner]

The problem I've had with cheap tires is that they have zero puncture resistance. So even if I get a pair for $20, they end up costing me tons of time, patience and tubes over the course of their life.

You can get brand new sets of GP4000s for something like $70-80 and they will not only ride better than almost anything out there, but they'll never puncture unless you ride over thumbtacks.

Now, if you're talking about for performance only then that changes the field completely.

[ColonelJLloyd]

I just bought some wire bead Clement LGG 700x28 for a single speed that I will finish up and sell to get it out of my basement. We'll see how they are; I'm not keen on going much "lower end" than that.

[oliver1850]

The problem I've had with cheap tires is that they have zero puncture resistance. So even if I get a pair for $20, they end up costing me tons of time, patience and tubes over the course of their life.

You can get brand new sets of GP4000s for something like $70-80 and they will not only ride better than almost anything out there, but they'll never puncture unless you ride over thumbtacks.

Now, if you're talking about for performance only then that changes the field completely.


I've had the opposite experience. I used to ride $7 Michelin Selects down to the cords without flatting. Have had less luck with expensive tires, especially tubulars.

You can sometimes find Conti Ultra Sport 25s in the $12-15 range. Nashbar has their 25 mm Prima 2 (250g, 60 TPI) for $15. Wait for a 25-30% off sale, buy 5 or more, and you should get them for under $12 each, shipped.

http://www.nashbar.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10053_10052_175385_-1___204729

[mtechnica]

Cheap tires? Lol.... why? From U.K. You can get decent continentals for not a lot of money. Don't ride on a garbage $8 tire.

[likebikes]

bike co-op.

[yinzerniner]

I've had the opposite experience. I used to ride $7 Michelin Selects down to the cords without flatting. Have had less luck with expensive tires, especially tubulars.

You can sometimes find Conti Ultra Sport 25s in the $12-15 range. Nashbar has their 25 mm Prima 2 (250g, 60 TPI) for $15. Wait for a 25-30% off sale, buy 5 or more, and you should get them for under $12 each, shipped.

http://www.nashbar.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10053_10052_175385_-1___204729

I never tried the Michelin Selects before, but had bad experiences with other Michelin tires before. Like constant flats, either from punctures or sidewall tearing.

Conti Ultra Sports are pretty decent, and $12-15 per tire is quite the steal. It's just that at any level below $15 per tire I think the sacrifices just aren't worth it, especially when you consider tube and time costs.

Are there any other cheap tires that haven't been mentioned that are durable if not great on performance or TPI?

[Cicli]

Look at Panaracers. Can be had fairly cheap and are nice tires.

[p nut]

i have used tires that i wouldn't want to sell, but you can have a pair for the cost of shipping

Thanks for the offer! If they're heavily worn, I'll probably pass, since the bike will be used (albeit occasionally). Very kind of you, though.

The problem I've had with cheap tires is that they have zero puncture resistance. So even if I get a pair for $20, they end up costing me tons of time, patience and tubes over the course of their life.

You can get brand new sets of GP4000s for something like $70-80 and they will not only ride better than almost anything out there, but they'll never puncture unless you ride over thumbtacks.

Now, if you're talking about for performance only then that changes the field completely.

I've actually had great luck with the Forte tires. No flats yet! They do ride like garbage, but again, it's on a fixed gear bike so I'm not concerned...

[oliver1850]

I never tried the Michelin Selects before, but had bad experiences with other Michelin tires before. Like constant flats, either from punctures or sidewall tearing.

Conti Ultra Sports are pretty decent, and $12-15 per tire is quite the steal. It's just that at any level below $15 per tire I think the sacrifices just aren't worth it, especially when you consider tube and time costs.

Are there any other cheap tires that haven't been mentioned that are durable if not great on performance or TPI?


Selects have been gone for at least 20 years, so perhaps predate your experience. I have a few Hi-Lites from that era still in service. Current Select equivalent is probably the Dynamic, though I suspect the Select was a better tire. The only recent Michelin I've put many miles on has been the CX Jet, with which I've had no reliability issues.

[yinzerniner]

Selects have been gone for at least 20 years, so perhaps predate your experience. I have a few Hi-Lites from that era still in service. Current Select equivalent is probably the Dynamic, though I suspect the Select was a better tire. The only recent Michelin I've put many miles on has been the CX Jet, with which I've had no reliability issues.

I think it was the Dynamic I used a few times and those were the culprits. Maybe it was a bad batch or something but they honestly never lasted longer than five rides without some sort or catastrophic failure.

When I get a CX bike later in the summer I'll def try the CX Jet, as it seems like there's nothing but great reviews on it. Hopefully my Michelin bias won't color my observations.

[stev0]

Wiggle's (UK retailer) house brand "lifeline" makes very acceptable tires for cheap. I bought them on a whim and they ride very similarly to the GP 4000 SIIs that I normally use. Few hundred miles and no complaints at all.

FWIW, I'm in southern california and almost never ride in wet conditions, so that may be something to consider - but i've ridden twice in the rain on these tires and didn't have any issues.

http://www.wiggle.com/lifeline-essential-road-tire/
http://www.wiggle.com/lifeline-prime-race-road-tire-1/

I've got the prime race version, which looks to be selling for $13 now but I purchased mine for $11 not long ago, so price may change slightly. Still, only a third of the cost of GP 4Ks at their very cheapest.