The beauty of having several bicycles is that you can configure your older bikes for riding in inclement weather. I’ve outfitted one of my older road bikes specifically for riding in the rain and light snow. In addition to fenders, reflective tape and a few mechanical adjustments, I added a pair of Continental Touring Plus Road Bike Tires.
Continental Touring Plus road bike tires are lightweight, puncture resistant and have an aggressive enough tread pattern to make it easy to ride in the rain. I bought a pair of these tires (700X28) and have them inflated to the maximum recommended pressure, which is 100psi. My “sunny day” road bike is a Trek Madone with Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase tires inflated to 120psi. Surprisingly, the ride on the Continental tires is very similar to the Race Lite tires, even though there is a substantial difference in tire pressure.
Continental Touring Plus Road Bike Tire (note the reflective stripe)
I’ve put around 2,000 miles on these tires and all of them have been in the rain or light snow. As you probably already know, rain has a tendency to bring all sorts of debris up to the surface. Even with the road debris these tires felt very secure on the road. I have also found these tires to give decent traction in light snow.
One of my favorite features of this tire is the highly visible reflective sidewall. Riding in the rain almost always means you are also riding in low-light conditions. The reflective sidewall on this tire is incredible! I wish every bicycle tire had this feature. After 2,000 miles in the rain and snow the reflective stripe on the sidewall looks rather dingy when it is in my garage, but it still shines bright when an automobile headlight hits it.
Tread On The Continental Touring Plus Road Bike Tire
In addition to the 700×28 tires, Continental Touring Plus road bike tires are also available in several other sizes, including: 24×1.75, 26×1.75, 28×1.25, 28×1.5, and 28×1.75. The 700×28 tires retail for around $45, but several online shops offer them for around $37. However, consider the cost of shipping you might be better off buying them from your local bike shop.
lovethybike
October 21, 2011 at 11:04 AM
I would love a second bike – lucky you!
pathguy
October 21, 2011 at 11:21 AM
Thanks, I am such a newbie that I have not changed my original tires yet, but now I feel like I know where to start when the time comes. Maybe I should do it during this winter. I think the tires that came with my bike are original and although they hadn’t been ridden much or at all, they might be more dangerous due to aging of the rubber.
All Seasons Cyclist
October 21, 2011 at 7:02 PM
Pathguy, everyone you see on a bike was a newbie at one time. Aging tires can make for a dangerous ride — and a better chance of getting a flat (at the worst possible time).