Michelin Ironman Folding Tyre

Advantages: Light weight, durable well made tyres
Disadvantages: A little pricey

...After finding a set of these on Ebay for half the RRP, I patiently waited for them to arrive, and I was eager to see just how good these tyres were. On my previous experiences with Michelin tyres, I have always liked the stability and grip that was offered with their Downhill range of tyres, and was unsure what to expect with these lighter weight, more Cross Country orientated models. Once they arrived the first thing I noticed was how light the tyres were, probably due to the Kevlar folding beading and tough, but not overbuilt construction of the casing. One of my worries were that they would have skinny sidewalls like other lightweight tyres, but these have thicker than normal sidewalls giving added stability whilst still retaining a light weight. The tyres have a deep tread pattern that is flexible and helps the tyre clear mud... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: lightweight, low rolling resistence. longevity
Disadvantages: tend to start looking grubby after a few rides

...I've tried many different makes of tyres in my years of racing bikes, whether it be crits, road racing or time trails and these tyres are up there with the best, for a fraction of the price. These tyres weigh about 235g each, which is pretty light. The give a nice compliant ride at high pressures (140psi) and roll exceptionally well. I used to swear by Michelins but always found they wore out within about 1000 miles. These vredsteins seem to keep going ang going. The surface does tend to crack which give me concern at first but there seems to be no loss in grip or any other noticable from new, and they do get grubby looking very quicky. They grip in the wet as good as in the dry and I use these all year round on both my 'best' race bike and winter trainer without any problem. I have only suffered 2 punctures in the last 4 years... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Fast, light, exceptional cornering,
Disadvantages: Expensive, not the easiest tyres to fit

...Please bear in mind that since these are sold as out and out racing tyres that is exactly how I review them, if you want to ride to work every day in the wet or ride round the world and get 10000 miles out of a pair then look elsewhere! The tyres come in several different colour versions and 20,23 & 25mm widths. (The 25mm are hard to come by) The different colours all having one compound in the center of the tyre for less rolling resistance and another on the edges that is softer for better cornering. I ride the 23mm width for training & racing and find them perfectly comfortable. They have a fairly low maximun PSI of 110, being on the low side probably adds to the comfort factor but check the pressure regulary so you don't run them too low. Being that I'm 6'1" tall and weigh 175 pounds you'll only need the 25mm tyres for Paris... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful