New boots
New boots
While reducing rotating mass is the name of the game when making your bike more responsive to input at the pedals, often replacing your winter rubber with a fresh pair of summer tyres will have a dramatic effect on how your bike rolls and is, of course, far cheaper than replacing the wheelset.
With better conditions out on the road in summer and less debris to contend with than during the winter months, a tyre built for performance instead of pure durability and puncture protection will certainly shave some noticeable weight from your wheelset – typically by using Kevlar instead of a steel bead, along with a carcass with a higher threads per inch (TPI) count to provide a more supple ride.
A slight trade off in durability comes with an increase in grip and overall performance provided by the softer compound of tyres more suited to summer conditions, so if you’re looking for an easy and affordable upgrade, then pop a pair of quality tyres on your wish list now and trade when summer rolls around.