For some, a tire is a personal choice, while for others, it’s whatever they can find cheapest and run till it dies. For me, a tire should be a balance of things driven my your first priority – rolling resistance, tackiness (or how grippy it is), cornering ability, durability or flat protection.

Flat protection is my number one priority in a tire, followed by durability and then feel. Actually, all the factors listed above are important — it’s just the order of which is more important than the other. Flats are a scourge and a ride-killer. No one wants to repair a tire far from home nor do they want to be brought down in a race by a “Pfft…”

A good tire is a tire that you don’t think about. One that keeps on truckin’ but that you trust and need not worry about. For the past six years, I’ve placed that trust in Continental’s Gatorksin. It has the order of factors that I’m looking for in a tire. The flat protection, the durability, the tackiness (some find Gatorskins a bit too grippy) and the feel. The other tires riders place in a similar category are Schwalbe’s Marathon, Specialized’s Armadillo and Vittoria’s Randonneur. I’ve not tried the Marathon but the other two I have and while they provide excellent flat protection, their feel and rolling resistance count them out for me. They feel, dead.

Perhaps paying compliments to a tire may seem silly but it only occurred to me the other day that I hadn’t had to think about my tires in a long while. Say thanks.