Michelin Pro Light

Price Paid:  $26.00 at Nashbar

Favorite Ride:
harder and less traffic the better

Bike Setup:
LeMond Victoire

Race X-Lite wheels

Ultegra

Summary:
I have 1600 miles on these demons. That is one thousand six hundred miles! I'll probably retire them soon, although they look like they could probably go a little longer. But I want to be on the safe side and swap them before a failure/blowout occurs. They're FAST, SMOOTH, and corner well. I'm a buck 52 in weight.

I've had NO blowouts!

A word to the wise: Acquire tires from a company that specializes in tires and has a long reputable history in the market. e.g. MICHELIN!!!!

Anybody that has blowouts with these tires early in its use probably does not know how to ride. They probably are a magnet to sharp objects and major pot holes and don't have the ability or anticipation to avoid them, and/or they are overbloated tubbies.

Strengths:
FAST

CLIMBERS

DURABLE (1600 MILES AND STILL ALIVE WITH NO BLOWOUTS!)

SMOOTH

CORNERS WELL

No buffalo butts or fatties allowed.

Weaknesses:
Hard to mount, but this may be due to my rimes as well.

Similar Products Used:
Vittoria, Hutchenson, Continental

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Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I now have 1000 miles on them.

I'm 150-155 lbs.

Strengths:
Fast.

Durable.

Weaknesses:
hard to mount

Price Paid:  $26.00 at Nashbar

Favorite Ride:
anything challenging and without traffic

Bike Setup:
Lemond Victoire
Ultegra
Bontrager Race X-Lite wheels
Ritchey WCS stem and bar
Arione saddle
Thompson(zero setback) seatpost

Summary:
Actually, these tires excel. I've been testing them on an 11 mile circuit I ride around 4-5 times repetitively each day. The circuit has a steep hill, rollers and a flat section--basically everything to test a tire. The roads are a mixture of smooth and rough.

The tires are faster than anything I've ridden on so far, but I have not ridden the "light" version of the other tires.

So far I have 175 miles on them. I'll submit another review later stating how much mileage I accumulated on the tires.

Strengths:
Fast and smooth. It's really impressive how smooth these tires are for a lightweight racing tire.

Climbs and excelerates excellent.

Maintains speed excellent.

Durable so far, but I'm only 150-155 lbs.

Weaknesses:
Very difficult to mount; but that may also be attributed to my rims.

Similar Products Used:
Vittoria and Hutchinson

Price Paid:  $28.00 at nashbar

Favorite Ride:
any

Bike Setup:
Lemond Victoire
Race X-Lite wheels
Ritchey WCS Bar and Stem
Fizik Arione saddle
(Future) Thompson zero setback post.

Summary:
I used this tire in two races on different days and I wish I would have used my Vittoria Diamante Pro's or Hutchinson Fusions.

The Michelin Pro Light tire is sluggish for a racing tire. I do not know if I received a bad batch of tires or if this is actually the riding characteristics. The tire is also a very wide 700 x 23 b/c when I remove my wheels the tires rub hard against the brake pads unless I deflate them. My other tires don't do this when removing them. There is another review by someone stating the same thing about the tires rubbing against the brake pads when removing the wheels.

Maybe the wideness contributes to the "unracey" ride quality and sluggishness.

Michelin needs to improve their quality control or re-engineer their Pro Light tires b/c they are slow for a race tire.

My Vittoria Diamante Pros are faster and techinically they are supposed to be in a class below the Mich. Pro lights because the Vitts. are 20 grams heavier. But they ride faster and have a better ride quality. Vittoria also make a Pro Light.

I'm relegating the Michelin Pro Lights for training just to get my money out of them. They probably will not last long since they're meant to be used only for races.

Strengths:
They have not blown out on me and they're still rolling fine, not fast, but fine.

Weaknesses:
Sluggish for a racing tire.

WIDE. The 23 is more like a 24 or 25.

Similar Products Used:
Vittoria Diamante Pro

Price Paid:  $38.00 at Chain Reaction Vanco

Favorite Ride:
flat and fast

Summary:
These tires are light and fast. These tires are noticably faster than anything Ive ridden on. The blue is strange but I didn't notice when I was concentrating on the race. No frills race only tire

Strengths:
Fast, light, sticks like a double quarter pounder does on your ventricals

Weaknesses:
I rode them on my bike for 250 miles before a few races and they were noticably worn. Buy these to be fast in a race not to train on. The new Michelin Carbon for training.