Old Panasonic bike tires replaced with Continentals

[Number_35]

Last Friday my wife and I rode across town for brunch. Coming back, her bike got a flat.

Interesting failure mode - the tread was not bad, but the sidewall on the back tire had developed some cracks, and the inner tube had oozed through, and and popped. Sort of like an aneurysm bursting I guess.

The tires were by Panasonic, from 2013. We rode from Banff to Jasper that summer, but then parked the bike for a few years. I did some mods to it about three years ago, and she's been riding it a lot ever since, so call it four riding seasons and perhaps 6000 km on the tires.

Anyway, I had repair stuff with me, so patched the tube and the three worst cracks on the sidewall, and we rode home avoiding rough patches. Made it home OK, which was good as 17 km would have been a long walk.


Later that day I bought two new Continentals in the same size (26" x 1.75"). I experienced a bit of sticker shock though - I had not bought tires in a while.

We rode 20 km yesterday and 33 km today, and the new tires have been really good so far.

 

[CKN]

I have that very tire on my Specialized e-bike (Cumo 4.0) that I purchased to replace the tires I wore out that came with the bike originally. That tire has handled everything I have ridden on-which includes smooth bike paths, and both compacted and lose gravel-some dirt.
You made an excellent choice.

 

[AZjeff]

Price some 29 x 2.50 Maxxis mountain bike tires and you'll have a stroke.

 

[daves87rs]

Afraid to replace my Kendras……

 

[Lubener]

I have been shocked with the price of new bike tires. My dealer has a lot of good used tires which I have been buying (26x1.95 or 2) for my two bikes. I have been buying them for ten dollars each. They last about three years. I have been doing that for some time now.

 

[Number_35]

Price some 29 x 2.50 Maxxis mountain bike tires and you'll have a stroke.

We run studded tires on our fat bikes in the winter. They get very pricey.

 

[Pablo]

Price some 29 x 2.50 Maxxis mountain bike tires and you'll have a stroke.

Yeah I know. Yikes. $75 or so, but only every bunch of years for me with two bikes and not riding a ton.

 

[circuitsmith]

I commuted to work for 31 years, mostly on various Continental touring tires.
Excellent durability and wet traction.
I would go for years without a flat.
I eventually learned that when I did get a flat it was time to replace the tires because they were worn thin.
So I stopped trying to use every bit of tread, thus no more flats.

 

[IndyIan]

Afraid to replace my Kendras……

New kenda's are pretty cheap still and fine unless you have to ride XC/offroad in the wet. I have bought a few high end tires now from bikeinn.com which has been quite cheap compared to anywhere else that ships to canada.

 

[Nessism1]

A few years back, buying bike parts from the UK was a great way to save a bunch of money. Now, not so much. Shimano cracked down on seller pricing below MSRP, and the UK split from Euro may have also contributed.

 

[Number_35]

The Continentals were listed at C$95 each. The LBS had other cheaper options, down to C$22 per tire. When I asked the staff person why the Continentals were priced so much higher, she had some good arguments for them - better traction wet and dry, nicer ride, and longer tire life. My concern was primarily for my wife's safety, and I mentioned that, and the staff person knocked off close to 20%.

My wife really likes the new tires, so the money is quickly forgotten (although installing such nice tires on a c. 1987 Bianchi Grizzly mountain bike does bring to mind the old saying about "putting a hundred dollar saddle on a fifty dollar horse").

 

[MRC01]

I started cycling in the 70s and I can say that bike tires are so much better than they used to be. Especially big improvements over the past 20 years. Back in the 80s the racing tires were so fragile I'd get flats on half my rides. Specialized, Avocet, Wolber, etc. Even on my ride to school bike with heavier duty tires, I'd get flats several times per year. These days the Conti 5000GP is the best road tire I've ever used. Faster than any of those old tires, yet also much more robust. I put about 4000 miles per year on the road bike, swap front & rear at 2000 miles and replace them annually (old tires didn't last that long either), and some years (such as last year) I don't get any flats at all. Then we get to mountain bikes, where tubeless was a total game changer. The tires we use today have the traction of motocross tires with the light weight of a bicycle tire and are essentially free from flats despite riding on rugged terrain.

As for commuter tires, the Conti Gatorskins work great on mine. Excellent durability and longevity with good traction and a nice ride.

 

[Number_35]

I was mistaken - retail price was $96, not $95 as I'd said. Regardless, sticker shock for me.

 

[zzyzzx]

I experienced a bit of sticker shock though - I had not bought tires in a while.

Yeah, it's like buying car tires, except without all extra installation costs.

 

[circuitsmith]

I was mistaken - retail price was $96, not $95 as I'd said.

FYI, they're $55 US on Amazon.

 

[Number_35]

FYI, they're $55 US on Amazon.

Thanks, good information - I'm now thinking the LBS gave me a very good price.

$55 US works out to c. $76 CDN. Sales tax + shipping would be additional.

With the 20% discount at the LBS, I paid $76.80 CDN (plus sales tax), got to see the tires before purchase, got them the same day, and didn't have to support Amazon.

 

[NYEngineer]

I dabble in pavement stuff from time to time. Two of my go tos are Schwalbe Marathons, (any of them) and Surly Extraterrestrials. The Surlys are fantastic but they're pretty fat so they don't fit everything.

 

[supton]

Just pulled a worn Conti 5000 on my bike, and I think I saw a date code, like used on car tires?

Looking over some old 4000's that I have, one might have a similar date code (but not in the raised oval), the other doesn't. I wonder if Conti is now date marking tires? Tangent I know, but if true, then I don't have to look at my records to figure out tire life.

 

[Number_35]

Just pulled a worn Conti 5000 on my bike, and I think I saw a date code, like used on car tires?
View attachment 234303

Looking over some old 4000's that I have, one might have a similar date code (but not in the raised oval), the other doesn't. I wonder if Conti is now date marking tires? Tangent I know, but if true, then I don't have to look at my records to figure out tire life.

46th week of 2022?

 

[supton]

46th week of 2022?

Yep, something like that. Looks just like car tires. (I really should start a logbook—but on my bike, I just ride, more stress reduction than not.)

Means I put on last summer, and took off halfway this summer. About 3k miles? something like that.