Tyres - yet again

[drumwrecker]

I've been running PR4's for some time and graduated to Road 5 and have been very happy and confident of them but cost is making me look around.

Yesterday I got a puncture and had to be rescued home, thanks CN insurance. The leak is a small cut that I wasn't confident would be repaired by a Stop and Go plug and might spoil any chance of a professional repair and just in case it wasn't viable to repair I started looking around at the price of tyres and find from Demon Tweaks that a replacement Road 5 is £166 and an Avon Storm £113.36, plus fitting of course.

Question is, if I have to replace is the Avon anywhere near as good as the Road5?
 and if so would you mix it with a front Road 5?

I have a PR4 on the front of my VFR FL with a Bridgestone rear and it works very well in fact brilliantly well.

Nice to have your thoughts.

[raesewell]

I have tried the Avon Spirit ST and they were perfectly fine tyres. I run Angel GTs at the moment because they give me better mileage but would have no hesitation using Avons.

[CC Mac]

I wouldn't mix tyres personally. Bite the bullet and get the best you can for the best price. Tyres are expensive, but it's one area I wouldn't skimp on.

[black-k1]

I can't comment on the Avons other than to say I've not heard any bad reports.

For no reason other than it's not recommended by tyre manufactures, I'd be cautions of mixing tyres for too long. If there's still a lot of life in your non-punctured Road 5 I'd be inclined to suggest that you bite the bullet and buy another Road 5.

[CC Mac]

I found Michelin Pilot Power 3 a very good sporty tyre for the price, good in the wet or dry. Shop around for decent prices. I am currently using Pirelli Angel GT 2 and they are very good but not cheap.

[TomL]

It's only money Ron. Fit the best you can get.

[Phmode]

What was in the tyre Ron?

I have had excellent results repairing tyres with the 'sticky string'. One of mine went for three Wrinklies after a repair with no ill-effects.

A sticky string repair will tackle a hole as well as a small cut as it deforms to fit the gap in the tyre left by Nerg et al.

I've never bothered with a 'professional' repair after using sticky string, it becomes part of the tyre and is as good as any 'proper' repair and I've never heard of a failure yet. Brian

[raesewell]

I have found the Angel GTs to be the cheapest to run, initially expensive but I get more miles on the GTs than any other tyre I have tried.

[chriscanning]

I wouldn't mix tyres personally. Bite the bullet and get the best you can for the best price. Tyres are expensive, but it's one area I wouldn't skimp on.

+1

Still have a fair amount to do with the trade and the current topic of conversation is tyre prices...gone completely bonkers.

[farmer]

avon is my 1st choice tyre, i just like them... my last set came in about £15 dearer than the pr4 (think it was the 4) but there would have to be a big margin to change my mind. that said, any decent brand tyre should do the job.
as for mixing tyres, due to an unusual series of events i ended up with an avon on the front and 2nd hand pirelli on the rear for a while, didn't notice any problems but at new tyre time it was a new pair of avon's again ... just more "professional" looking i think.
tyre prices are all over the place at the moment.

[richtea]

I've run a Mich front and Pirelli rear with no problems. I prefer Pirelli but it's such a fine line with Mich that either would be perfectly acceptable.

I've also ridden pairs of both Dunlop and Metzeler on the K and been slightly disappointed, but realistically any modern tyre is way ahead of my riding ability. They felt different (probably just different shapes).

Finally there's also something to be said for sticking to what you're used to riding = no surprises.

First step though - see if the existing one can be rescued by a tyre shop (normally about £20) for the greenest & cheapest solution.

[drumwrecker]

What was in the tyre Ron?

I have had excellent results repairing tyres with the 'sticky string'. One of mine went for three Wrinklies after a repair with no ill-effects.

A sticky string repair will tackle a hole as well as a small cut as it deforms to fit the gap in the tyre left by Nerg et al.

I've never bothered with a 'professional' repair after using sticky string, it becomes part of the tyre and is as good as any 'proper' repair and I've never heard of a failure yet. Brian

Don't know if anything is in the tyre as far as I can see its just a cut. What cut it like that, I don't know. I have heard of "sticky string" but never seen it. I'll look it up.

The tyre is now with a repairer. He did say a cut can get longer with use and he will have to inspect the inside to see if it is small enough can take a repair. He also said mixing tyres is OK but it's important the profiles are the same or very similar

Thanks fellers for all the input, as Tom says its only money so may well stay with the Road 5 for the comfort of feeling more secure.

[Matt]

Zooming in on the one photo I took of my new bike, it looks like it has Angel GT II tyres on it. Or at least on the front . That'll be nice, I don't think i got to try those previously.

[chriscanning]

Run a Mich Power RS on the front of all my bikes, if it’s in the UK it’s an RS on the rear and if it’s a trip abroad...what ever happened to those... then it’s a 5 on the back, but when I think bought a job lot last year at £175 a pair...welcome to modern day inflation gulp 

[black-k1]

... if it’s a trip abroad then it’s a 5 on the back...

Is that a Power 5 or a Road 5?

Now that I don't do the long distance commuting that I did, I'm looking at sacrificing a little range (not too much though, I'm a Scotsman!!) in exchange for a little more grip/feel/turn in speed.