Beren
26th August 2011, 09:37
Having put 5,000 km's on a Shinko rear tyre over the winter I can say... that it wasn't a bad experience at all.
A few months back I went tyre shopping for by little Bandit 250 and thought I was set on getting one of the cheaper big brand tyres on the back. Eventually though I settled on getting a Shinko Apex on the basis that it is pretty much the top of the Shinko range and at the same price their best tyre was probably going to be at least the equal of what I was looking at.
First if like me you ever buy a second hand bike with a pretty worn rear putting new rubber on it is going to be probably the single most awesome upgrade you will ever buy!
After a trip down to Bikesport in Helensville to pick up the bike I took it pretty carefully home having read all the stories about scrubbing tyres in etc - Then I took it into work and back carefully to make sure I had given it a good chance to settle before I gave it any welly.
Before I go any further into my opinion please remember - a) I have now only done 8000km's of road riding so I don't know what 'great' would be. b) I have a 250... that is hardly going to be putting massive amounts of torque out! c) This bike is my only form of transport, so while I love to push on a bit I can't afford to be in a ditch... which is my excuse for still having an inch or so of chicken strip.
By far the favourite part of my commute currently is set of lovely sweeping corners which are great fun at only just above legal speeds, let me lean the bike a reasonable way over and open up nicely on the exits - basically they are great learner curves to build up some confidence on without having a great deal of challenge. Or so I had thought...
I went in at the kind of entry speed that I was used to and the bike leaned into the corner so easily I almost thought it was going to fall over! I had no idea just how much difference a properly round back tyre really means to how your bike leans into a corner. Over the next couple of days I was able to increase my average cornering speed by a good 10-15kmh just due to the level of confidence the grip gives me. I have still yet to push hard enough for the back to even think about giving up so the tyre is certainly not limiting my ability!
I have put it through some pretty stink weather over the last couple of months, wet with some reasonably high cross winds, and the tyre has coped impeccably.
So I guess I would rate these tyres as at least a 7/10 – and only my bikes lack of power and my lack of talent lets me rate them higher! I will update this in another 5000km to see how it is wearing, and what my opinion of it is after I get to go on some decent rides in good weather.
A few months back I went tyre shopping for by little Bandit 250 and thought I was set on getting one of the cheaper big brand tyres on the back. Eventually though I settled on getting a Shinko Apex on the basis that it is pretty much the top of the Shinko range and at the same price their best tyre was probably going to be at least the equal of what I was looking at.
First if like me you ever buy a second hand bike with a pretty worn rear putting new rubber on it is going to be probably the single most awesome upgrade you will ever buy!
After a trip down to Bikesport in Helensville to pick up the bike I took it pretty carefully home having read all the stories about scrubbing tyres in etc - Then I took it into work and back carefully to make sure I had given it a good chance to settle before I gave it any welly.
Before I go any further into my opinion please remember - a) I have now only done 8000km's of road riding so I don't know what 'great' would be. b) I have a 250... that is hardly going to be putting massive amounts of torque out! c) This bike is my only form of transport, so while I love to push on a bit I can't afford to be in a ditch... which is my excuse for still having an inch or so of chicken strip.
By far the favourite part of my commute currently is set of lovely sweeping corners which are great fun at only just above legal speeds, let me lean the bike a reasonable way over and open up nicely on the exits - basically they are great learner curves to build up some confidence on without having a great deal of challenge. Or so I had thought...
I went in at the kind of entry speed that I was used to and the bike leaned into the corner so easily I almost thought it was going to fall over! I had no idea just how much difference a properly round back tyre really means to how your bike leans into a corner. Over the next couple of days I was able to increase my average cornering speed by a good 10-15kmh just due to the level of confidence the grip gives me. I have still yet to push hard enough for the back to even think about giving up so the tyre is certainly not limiting my ability!
I have put it through some pretty stink weather over the last couple of months, wet with some reasonably high cross winds, and the tyre has coped impeccably.
So I guess I would rate these tyres as at least a 7/10 – and only my bikes lack of power and my lack of talent lets me rate them higher! I will update this in another 5000km to see how it is wearing, and what my opinion of it is after I get to go on some decent rides in good weather.