Customer Reviews

Michelin Pro 3 Race Road Tire

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Put these tires on bike. Ride 2000 miles. Repeat. All of 2 flats in 2 sets - that's it. Light, tough, puncture resistant when properly inflated (110-115 psi). Joe-bob sez: check em out.

After swooning at the price of Continental Grand Prix 4000 folders (close to 70 clams at my LBS), I decided I would try to save some cash and picked up a pair of Pro Race 3s at $40 each. Judging from specs, it seemed like they were probably comparable to the Contis, which I have used for years.

However, my initial experience in mounting these tires has produced false savings. Between mounting two new tires on my Reynolds Alta wheels, I have blown out five tubes, and still don't have the rear wheel completed. These tires are unreasonably tight...and I am not a novice at this, having installed probably 200-300 tubes over the past 25 years. I have installed Contis and Hutchinsons on these rims in the past with no problems, but these Michelins are impossible, even with tire levers and talcum powder. I can only hope that the durability and riding experience surpass my initial experience with these freakin' tires.

After years of riding the Pro Race 2 on my Giant TCR C1 with Mavic Equipe and Elite wheels I decided to go
with the Pro race 3 on my Kestrel RT-800 and my Columbus steel cafe bike. Here's the skinny: there are no
grippy-er tires on the market. Rain or shine these are the best. The tread is very durable, in spite of the
stickiness, which is very cool.

However, the puncture resistance is poor. The sidewall strength is poor. I have had too many pinch flats going
through potholes in the city. I keep them pumped up above 110# to combat the flaws in our pavement here in SF
and get decent rolling resistance for my 170# weight (my top weight has been 178#). But I still get bead breaks
and pinch flats.

They are extremely light. This makes them fast in a race. However, the max pressure is only 116#'s which is low
for a race tire at this price point. My other wheels with Vittoria Diamante Pros, which go safely to 145#'s
offer less rolling resistance and have NEVER had a flat.

Since I no longer race I am changing tires to the Diamante Pro and the Ultremo DD.

Best handling, most secure road grip tires (700x23, foldables) that I've ever ridden. Great on twisty, steep descents.

Over 3K. I haven't seen the problems with flats, cuts, wear that others have reported.

Like them a lot better than the Continental Ultra Gatorskin foldables I previously reviewed.

I have been riding on these tires for 4 weeks now. I live in a very crowded area where there are lots of road debris; for the amount that the tires had to endure, I am very satisfied with the results so far. When I used to ride with cheap tires, I did not suffer from external punctures that often. But when I did, glass would be found embedded deep into the previous tires I used.

With the Pro 3's, I have not experienced one single puncture so far. I am impressed with the way these tires were designed. Although the front one is developing some cuts, the tires have proven that: one, they effectively shield against glass; two, the inner layers are resistant enough to withstand piercing, even if the outer layer is cut (the outer layer of any tire is going to be cut at some point, under harsh conditions).

Do yourself a favor and give the Michelins a try. Replacing several tubes and applying multiple patches can end up costing more money and time in the long term, more so than expensive tires that reduce puncture risk to a minimal level, so you might as well buy high-end tires.

Terrific rolling resistance, good tread life (about 3000 miles), smooth riding, and very puncture resistant. Michelin Pro Race 3 is my new standard tire for high performance riding on all my bikes. If I got back into racing these would be my tires there also. Switched from Continental Grand Prix about 3 years ago. I'm amazed about how much difference these tires make. Better to put a few bucks here than just about anywere else for a serious cyclist.

When I first put these tires on, I loved how much quicker and light they felt, especially when climbing. Cornering was about the same as my previous Bontrager Race. However, the sidewalls on these are paper thin and cannot take a pounding. I think it's because I'm 6'4" about 215lbs, and if I hit a large enough bump or pothole at speed, then a tire is going down. I called Michelin and sent my first set of tires to them. They replaced them for free which was great. I use Michelin Kryliums in the winter and have not had a flat. I changed to the new Pro 3 Race they sent me and went on a quick ride, 7 miles and my front sliced open!
If you are heavier or ride on harsh roads, these are not for you.

I've been running Krylion carbons for years with little to complain about. Tried these after a friend recommended them. First ride on them I got a side wall tear that destroyed the front tire. Chalked it up to bad luck and swapped out for a new Krylion. Less than 200 miles later the other of these got a cut from some unknown object that once again spelled the end of the tire. I ride on fairly well kept roads in southern Connecticut. This quality is unacceptable. I'll be using maxxis re-fuse training tires for training rides and krylion carbons for racing from now on.

Switched from Specialized to Michelin tires and so far am very happy. I'd say I've put about 600 miles on them with no problems. Rough pavement, wet, dry, several NYC potholes and so far so good. I have Easton EA90 wheels and had no problems putting these on.

I've put about 500 miles on these guys in the past month or two and have not had a single flat. They look fresh and unworn and I'd guess I could easily put another 1000 or 1500 miles on them. (I ride in New Jersey so I can't claim the cleanest roads around, either.)

I'm primarily a runner who rides for crosstraining only, though I still do hammer away for a couple-few hours on weekends. These tire have added just over 1 mph to my rides (I normally cruise at 18-20 mph) and, surprisingly (to me at least) have added a level of comfort to my rides that I never would've imagined. I normally ride base commuter tires, but recently read how much faster race tires really are - and it's true.

I spent $70 for the pair (delivered) and haven't looked back since. A GREAT buy.