Tyres

Michelin Power All Season tyre – review

The All-Season sibling of the Power tyre family combines reassuring hardiness and grip without sacrificing too much speed or feel

Recently, we got our hands on the Michelin Power Competition tyre, and were very impressed with it’s composed liveliness, speed and great grip in dry weather – a great summer tyre. Now, we’ve got a set of All Season tyres shod to our test rig, so were interested to see if the Power family’s genetics are recognisable in Michelin’s all-weather tyre.

So how exactly do the tyres match up? Both use Michelin’s latest technology to reduce rolling resistance, to save you effort as you ride. On the All Season rubber, you can expect a saving of up to five watts on the 25c size we had on test (compared to the existing Pro4 Grip tyre), whereas the Competition could save you up to ten (compared to the old Pro4 Service Course).

However, naturally the tyres aren’t created equal, with the Competition geared up as a race tyre and the All Season as a hardy winter/foul weather rubber. It’s in the new Grip compound and tread where the All Season is mightily impressive, improving grip levels by a claimed 15 per cent on slippery surfaces.

Michelin’s Power range is made up of three tyres, with the All Season designed to offer improved grip in wet conditions

Specification
Price: £33.99 each
Weight: 270g (25mm)
Sizes: 23mm, 25mm, 28mm
Website: Michelin

Such claims are always difficult (nigh impossible) to test on the road, but what we can report is that grip on wet and greasy roads is certainly incredibly reassuring. With the tyres shod to the same Mavic Ksyrium Pro SL hoops we used to test the Competition set (as well as a set of Pro-Lite carbon hoops we also currently have on test), the adhesion while leaning the bike over is impressively grippy – and informative, which adds to the sense of security. The tyre gives enough feedback to let you know you’re in control when pushing the limits.

Not only is the compound designed to mould to the ground, helping interaction and adhesion, the tread also assists with this, with strategically-placed cutaways (Michelin refer to them as ‘voids’, while most will think of them as tread) to help the resulting edges of rubber dig into the ground. Throw in a little water shedding capability, and if you’re caught in the rain and are trying to ride hard home, this is undoubtedly one of the best tyres out there when you’re tipping the bike into a fast corner.

Weighing in at 270g for a 25c size (23c and 28c sizes are also available), the All Seasons don’t feel like you’re trying to climb with proverbial Wellington Boots attached to your feet. No, they’re not a patch on the Competitions for sheer responsiveness and feel, but on feeling alone they’re right up there with the best – the Continental Grand Prix All Season tyre – which is remarkable considering the GPs are 30g lighter.

The All Season gains an improved puncture-resistant layer over the Power Competition, partly accounting for the extra weight (the Competition is 215g for a 25mm tyre). It’s called Amarid Protek+, which also features on the long-distance Endurance version of the Power tyres too, which goes to show how much faith Michelin have in it as a reliable layer.

The All Season’s grip comes through the compound and strategically-placed cutaways

We can hardly counter their faith; the All Season tyre compound is extremely resistant against knicks and cuts, and we experienced no punctures over the course of our testing. For the record, the Competition versions, which feature a pared-down version of the Amarid Protek technology, have also continued to prove resilient since our tests, with no punctures to report.

Conclusion

The Michelin Power All Season tyre is an excellent tyre for winter riding, when the weather can rarely be relied upon. It provides excellent grip when the weather is doing its best to unnerve you, while still feeling quick, sharp and responsive on the road.