GROUP TEST
Tim Russon tests six al l-season tyres that take the rough with the smooth
Traditionally, winter tyres were heavier than their summer or performance equivalents, due to the additional rubber and thicker sidewalls. This added weight reduced the tyre’s suppleness and compliance, making it less comfortable and slower. But as tubeless technolog y and puncture-proofing have advanced, winter tyres have been relabelled endurance tyres and now offer a superior ride feel and experience, making them ideal for anyone who covers big miles and doesn’t require lightweight, race-ready performance.
Thankfully, due to a combination of tubeless technolog y, sealant, extra rubber and embedded layers of puncture-proof material, these tyres still stand up to potholes and rough winter road conditions.
The tyres on test range from the sprightly Continental GP5000 AS TR to the chunky Hutchinson Challenger, but all of them performed well over a couple of thousand k ilometres on Derbyshire’s and Yorkshire’s crumbling roads.
Mounting them and getting them to seal was a different story though, with some considerably more frustrating than others in this respect.
Each tyre was seated using and A irshot tyre inflator and then ridden at 60psi, which is my usual pressure for 28mm tyres. I used one of our favourite and best-performing sealants, Muc-off No Puncture Hassle, with around 30ml per tyre, and each tyre was mounted onto my Scribe R ace-D wheels with an internal width of 17mm. Some manufacturers say that their quoted tyre widths are based on wider rims than mine, and so will naturally come up a little narrow on my wheels.
Continental GP5000 AS TR £89.95
An addition to the popular GP5000 range, the AS TR (All-Season Tubeless-Ready) is a beefed-up version of the highperformance GP5000 S TR, suitable for year-round use. The rubber is a little thicker and the familiar tread pattern slightly deeper for better wet-weather grip and there’s an extra layer of 110 TPI fabric used in the construction too. Puncture protection comes from the Vectran Breaker, a synthetic fibre that is supposed to be tougher, lighter and more flexible than the nylon used by other brands.
Our test pair came with reflective sidewalls for extra visibility, although the cream-coloured version doesn’t get this.
The GP5000 S TR is my usual summer tyre, but I have always found them tight to mount, so I wasn’t looking forward to fitting these. However, a bit of deft tyre lever work and a blast from the Airshot had them popping and cracking onto the rim fairly easily; at 60psi they measured the full 28mm while the sealant did its job and the tyres held air overnight. They did, however, require top-ups every few days.
Despite their extra protection, these tyres felt the quickest of those on test, with no suggestion they were holding me b
