"Have been looking for something not so heavy and harsh as Aramadillos, but with a measure of flat protection more than racing slicks. Think I may have come up with something. Was looking to get a set of Michelin Kyrillion-Carbons when a local shop ower suggested a set of Panaracer Extreme Duros.
http://aebike.com/page.cfm?PageID=30&action=details&sku=TR6214
They appear quite tough, comparable in construction and flat resistance (we'll see). And even though they *feel* heavy -- the beads and sidewalls are quite substantial, enough for a tire lever to work with -- they weigh 240G.
Qualitatively they are grippy and the ride is quite nice at 118 PSI (range 100-150 PSI), comparable to the 700x28s Armadillos I've been used to.
Am OK with the ""mocha"" sidewall. They actually look like the red Armadillo sidewalls after they get dirty. Frankly, any color is useful that lets you quickly inspect if the inner tube is peeking out from under the bead.
Not expensive at $30 per online. Pricing at your LBS may vary.
Panaracers are manufactured in Japan and my one experience with their customer service has been excellent.
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Also, the 700x25 version is 266 grams and have a 90-140 PSI range
http://aebike.com/page.cfm?PageID=30&action=details&sku=TR6216
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Nothing yet on RoadBikeReview but I found these:
http://www.bikeman.com/content/view/459/72/
http://www.bikeman.com/content/view/561/48/"
I think I found some 700x23s I like
...$30 is not cheap in my book. I recently bought 6 IRC Road Winner II tires on eBay for $11 each. For me, $20 or less per tire is cheap.
"""...$30 is not cheap in my book. I recently bought 6 IRC Road Winner II tires on eBay for $11 each. For me, $20 or less per tire is cheap.""
I agree. I've been very impressed with the IRC Road Winner II in 700 x 28 (actual width 25 mm). They're sometimes available from Nashbar for $9.95 or less with a promotion code.
I don't think I've ever paid more than $15 for a tire (except for Clement sew-ups back in the day).
""Chainwheel""
"
"I didn't say they were ""cheap"", I said they were ""not expensive"", compared to the Conti/Michelin/Specialized models I had been considering.
I've certainly had my share of bargains, but I had a number of criteria I was trying to satisfy with minimal trade-off.
Let's just say price was the lesser concern and I'm happy I found something I like -- and to share the suggestion with others."
"And thanks for the review. Didn't mean to sound dismissive.
But Michelins and Continentals are not much more expensive. At biketiresdirect.com, for example:
Michelin
Pro2 Race - $35.95
Pro Grip - $32.95
Krylion Carbon - $28.95
Megamium 2 - $24.95
Continental
Ultra 3000 - $25.95
Ultra 2000 - $24.95
I have nothing against Panaracers, having just mounted a new pair of Pasela TG tires on my commuter (got them for $20 each at Nashbar)."
