winter tires for PNW ?

[one60]

Time for a new set of tires on the rain bike. I am looking for recommendations for a true 28c sized clincher that has great wet weather traction and flat protection. Coming off of Gatorskins. Great flat protection but traction in wet and ride quality is not the best.

I know there's lots of guys riding year round in the Pacific NW...what are you on?

[cachagua]

I guess there's no way you'd ride a bike that takes bigger tires? As economical as used former-gravel-bikes are (because now a gravel bike is unrecognizably different from what one was last summer) as as little as you give up in ride quality, it's easy to make the switch... and then you get all the advantages that made Jan Heine a household name.

Or: old Vittoria CGs in 27c size, if you can get 'em.

[AngryScientist]

Vittoria Corsa Control

[KidWok]

Schwalbe Marathon Supreme

[bironi]

I'm a fan of the Schalbe One in 28. Won't be as durable as your Gatorskin, but a great compromise. Don't over inflate, experiment to find your sweet comfort spot.

[Andy sti]

Michelin Pro4 Endurance - great training tire.

[hmai18]

Have been running Panaracer Gravelking 28s for the past two winters without any complaints up in Vancouver.

[Kirk007]

Panaracer D. Get them from Excel sports. Or Panaracer A and add some orange seal to tubes for extra flat protection. Some people love the new Vittoria but I didn't like the tread pattern on our wet streets, rear tire slide out a bit on me too many times.

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[Dsteiker]

Going to give these a try on my gravel bike for a winter/road set of wheels. Teravail Rampart in 28mm

http://teravail.com/tires/rampart

[m_sasso]

Panaracer RiBMo, puncture protection and a bit less rolling resistance than a Gravelking.

If most of your riding is on wet paved roads as opposed to wet gravel trails, I also live in Canada's third most rainy city, Vancouver, the RibMo is a better tire choice, closer to the Gatorskins with a bit softer sidewall and supplier ride.

I tour on 700 X 28C RiBMo's and the last two 4000+ km adventures, zero punctures.

[hampco]

I'm really liking the Panaracer Gravel EVO but I don't, coughcough, ride in the wet all that much.

[jr59]

Panaracer RiBMo, puncture protection and a bit less rolling resistance than a Gravelking.

If most of your riding is on wet paved roads as opposed to wet gravel trails, I also live in Canada's third most rainy city, Vancouver, the RibMo is a better tire choice, closer to the Gatorskins with a bit softer sidewall and supplier ride.

I tour on 700 X 28C RiBMo's and the last two 4000+ km adventures, zero punctures.

These work good, as far as flat protection goes. Also someone just posted a PSA about a sale on 4 seasons

[pdxharth]

You've been given some really good options, but I want to throw another out there: Specialized Armadillo Elite. I know the Armadillo name will make some folks curse and spit, but these are a new beast altogether. They are thick and tough, very puncture resistant, but still ride well, somehow. Weight isn't bad, either. Add to that the fact they had the best traction I have ever had on a road bike, and this was through the brutal icy winter we had two years ago. I loved those tires. The only downside was they didn't last super long.

I replaced them with the Schwalbe Marathon Supremes in the same size, but these are visibly narrower tires and ride more like a solid rubber hoola-hoop, no matter the pressure. Traction is ok and they seem to be slightly more puncture proof than the Specialized, but the ride just makes me not like them.

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/all-condition-armadillo-elite/p/133571?color=228589-133571

[efixler]

I was pretty happy with Vredestein Fortezza Senso 28s last winter.

This year I decided to try GravelKing 32s; they're a little slippery in the wet.

[one60]

Curious to give the Panaracer a try...do they run true to size? Using a traditional clincher rim but due to fenders can just fit a 28c tire. Are they tall like the GP4000?

[mingc]

I rode Conti 4 Seasons for 2.5 winters in Portland for their puncture resistance and they held up well; one carpet tack puncture in that whole period. But they felt relatively sluggish.

The last 0.5 winter I was on Bontrager AW1 Hard-Case Lites that came with my new Trek rain bike. I think they ride better than the 4 Seasons even though they have wire beads; the sidewalls of the AW1s feel thinner and the rubber feels stickier just running your fingers over them. No flats over 850 miles. The AW1s are cheap, $30 full price.