Summary: It's pretty well been said by now:
They feel great.
They will seal small punctures if you have the sealant inside, but of course they aren't bullet proof.
No harder to get onto the rim than other tires. That depends on the particular rim/tire combination and these are certainly not the hardest, probably toward the easier end in my experience.
Don't overinflate or you increase the risk of breaks. Keeping it 100 psi or lower will allow the tire to resist road hazards (so they say). I ruined one tire by over inflating it and then hitting a driveway edge too hard. An underinflated tube-type tire may have pinch-flatted, but the overinflated Hutchinson suffered damage to its chords, which later blew.
They aren't hard to patch. You just put the patch on the inside of the tire. I bought the special Hutchinson patches, but I don't really see why regular inner tube patches wouldn't work.
I got mine with a set of the Shimano 7850 wheels as a package price for 800 including 4 tires.
Strengths: They feel great on rough roads.
good cornering confidence. I don't know how close to the edge I really ride, but these tires make my "feel" more secure (wishful thinking?).
Weaknesses: Hard to seat the bead withough a compressor or a CO2 inflator. Carry a tube for flats out on the road. I only use mine for racing.
Similar Products Used: Michelin Pro2 Race, Continental 4000S, plus numerous utility/street/commuter tires.
Would you like to Comment? Join RoadbikeReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
Summary: Rear tire cut and punctured at mile 40 and delfated like a tube clincher. Try to fix this on the road without CO2. Can't get the bead to seat with a frame pump.
Strengths: Smooth ride
Weaknesses: Too easy to cut and impossible to inflate on the road.
Similar Products Used: Many tires from various brands.
Summary: Updating my review below. I really like these things. I have ridden 2 wheel/tire combos over the last few months and these are by far my favorite...so much more comfortable. I have about 1900 miles on them and have yet to get a flat. About 500 miles ago I briefly locked up the back wheel while stopping exposing some thread, and the tire developed a slow leak there. Put in some Stan's sealant and all was well. In fact, I don't even carry a flat kit anymore when I ride these. As far as durability...they're about done now, so I'll call them a 2000-mile tire for my riding style. I rotate them for even wear, but the tire on the back is now showing a thread in multiple locations. But I like them so much that I'll continue to risk being stranded rather than run my other wheels/tires while I wait for the mailman to bring my new ones. Overall, I just don't understand why anyone would ride anything else. I think word is spreading, because they're out of stock in many places.
Would you like to Comment? Join RoadbikeReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
Summary: After more than 2200 miles I've yet to have a flat while riding. This is 3 or 4 times as long as I could go on other tires. I think the kevlar belt that goes over the top instead of just the sidewalls does a lot to protect the tire from flats.
It also seems faster in the coasting racing we routinely do.
I'll never change back to tubes.
Strengths: durable and fast
Weaknesses: expensive and sometimes hard to get but this is a small problem and the long term value is in fact superior to the others (miles to destruction)
Similar Products Used: Pro 2's, standard fusion 2's, Conti 4000's, several others
Would you like to Comment? Join RoadbikeReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
Summary: I decided to try Stans No Tubes conversion after seeing an article in Road Bike Action and watching the demo video. The video gave very clear installation instructiions. I found doing the conversion really not much different than installing new tires. The bead on the tires is very stiff and you need to be careful not to damage the bead of the tire. I laid the tires out in the sun to warm them before installing the tires.
I have done a a few rides on these tires for maybe 100 miles trying them on two different bikes, TREK 5200 and Litespeed. The tires feel good on each bike. I am running them at 100 psi. I haven't tried any lower pressure. I was using Michelin PRO 2 and Continental 4000 before. The ride and handling is closer tot he Michelin tire.
I haven't had a flat yet to test the sealing properties of the Stans sealant. Time will tell on that aspect.
Would you like to Comment? Join RoadbikeReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.