Bike

Bike



Wednesday 28 November 2018

The Michelin Power Competition Tyre

Last year I went out and purchased a set of the Michelin Power Competition tyres. The An Post-Chain Reaction cycling team were using them, and I had read some positive reviews, especially in relation to their low rolling resistance numbers, so I thought I’d give them a go. And I was not disappointed.

For the last few years I have been using Vittoria Corsa G+ clincher tyres on my training wheels. And whilst they are fast, they do not last very long in my experience. Furthermore, they are somewhat thin (as is typical of a fast tyre) and I found myself suffering from far more punctures than I’d like. And lastly, I had the sidewalls blow out or more than one occasion, leaving me on the side of the road looking for a lift home. So I was on the hunt for a tyre that was still fast, but provided a little more life and protection.

Out of the box the Michelin tyres do seem a bit odd.

They are coated in a gritty white substance that makes you think something has gone wrong with them. But fear not – it’s simply a protective coating that you can rub off by hand once they tyre in installed on the rim (or before you install even). And unlike some brands of tyre, they actually fit onto the rim relatively easily the first time. 

My very first ride proved my choice was the correct one. I can’t say they felt faster than any tyre I’ve used before as the Vittoria is a very fast tyre. But they certainly matched up nicely. They roll beautifully and despite having no discernible tread on the surface of the tyre, they still grip the road when needed. I was able to push my bike through corners with no loss of grip or handling. 

I have ridden these tyres with different pressure in them to see what works best (for me). I’ve ridden from between 80 and 120psi. And I haven’t noticed a massive difference in handling or comfort at either end. On some of the rougher local roads, the lower pressures are probably better though.

I initially purchased the 23mm version of the tyre as I prefer a narrower tyre normally. After using the tyres for a few months and clocking a several thousand miles (long training camps), I did notice the tyres seemed to be wearing down a bit. However, this is primarily due to the fact that the Power Competition is a ‘race’ tyre (the clue is in the name). Despite them wearing down, I still hadn’t had any punctures or sidewall issues as I’d had with the Vittorias. But anyone can tell you, no matter how good a tyre, getting a puncture is sometimes just luck of the draw.

After my overwhelmingly positive experience with the Power Competition, I thought it would be worthwhile to try out Michelin’s next tyre in the line-up: the Power Endurance – and go up a size to 25mm. Once again, I was not disappointed. In fact, I found my ‘every day’ tyre of choice!

The Power Endurance looks virtually identical to the Power Competition. But when you hold it in your hands and examine it a bit closer, you can feel the difference. It’s (tiny) but heavier and the tread section is (a tiny bit) thicker. This is where the ‘Endurance” part of the name comes in. They are designed to still provide that excellent rolling resistance and road feel of the Power Competition, but have a much longer life and improved puncture resistance due to the thicker tread.

And I found after a few rides that I actually prefer the 25mm width, especially for the rougher roads where I live. I run these tyres at 90psi and find them super-comfortable. The handing is still perfect as the tyre seems to share all the same handing characteristics of the Competition.

I have since started using the Endurance variant for my daily training wheels, and running the Power Competition tyres on my race wheels. I normally use tubular tyres for racing but Michelin don’t yet offer these tyres in tubular format (although the Cofidis pro cycling team were using them all year and I expect them to be publicly available soon). However, for many of my races, I started using the clincher Power Competition tyres. They are that fast and handle that well, that there was little reason to keep using tubular tyres!

I train and race all over the world in all sorts of conditions from perfectly smooth dry roads, to rough and wet country lanes. I put in thousands of miles a year in training (and far less in racing) and need tyres that can not only match up to my high expectations, but handle everything I throw at them over the course of a season. I don't have to settle for second best and therefore am always looking to find the best equipment I can get, especially at prices I can afford.

I think these tyres are often overlooked. I am very happy I ‘found’ them and made the switch, and am looking forward to using them again next year (and hopefully get my hands on the tubular version as well). They have not let me down yet and I can happily recommend them to anyone looking for a tyre that is both fast and lasts a while (and at a VERY affordable price).





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