Michelin Pro3 Race Tire

This tire somehow performs across the board, seemingly without compromise: tacky, light, fast, durable, flat-resistant. I don't know how they did it. This is the one. The chosen tire. We are saved! Rejoice!

After 20 years of competitive mtb racing - I bought a road bike. I soon learned that OEM road bike tires don't grip much and I had a very hard fall early in the season on my new road bike Trek Madone 5.0.

I was quickly on the web to search for an uber-grippy tire, price not much of an object. I just didn't want to fall like that again! The ProRace 3 was actually recommended by some local Cervelo riders and I grabbed a couple of sets from BTD.

The reviews I'd read were all very polarized - either people LOVED this tire or hated it. I'm here to offer a middling data point.

It's certainly grippy and I feel much more confident on this set than the OEM Bontragers. They are very fast, perceptibly so on the first couple of ride but I have no empirical data to confirm this - seat-o-the-pants "feel". But I have to admit - I have not cornered them as hard as I did the Bonti's - since I'm now pretty cautious in tight, high-speed corners after my concussion.

My most puzzling finding is MODERATE wear and suceptibilty sp? to cuts and nicks. This contrasts many other reviews that say they are either unmarked at 3000kms or toast at 500!

I just did a thorough inspection of both tires on the bike and there are 3-4 little nicks total across both tires. Nothing I'd worry about. I'm about 1000kms into thier lifespan and there's no other appreciable wear I can see - despite several lock-up, panic stops over the season. I ride this bike like it's a mountain bike, through a lot of rough pavement, crappy wooden bridges, and a bit of gravel in some sectors of my local rides. So frankly - I'm really impressed with thier toughness.

RK

The Pro 3 Race is much improved in the areas of grip and road feel over the Pro 2. I think the jury is still out on flat protection - it seems about the same as the Pro 2 if you ask me. As a racing clincher, I don't think there is much that can beat it. If you're really looking for a tire that will last a couple thousand miles or more, then your priority is not maximum performance and you should be looking elsewhere like the Krylion Carbon for example. But if you want great grip, suppleness, and low rolling resistance, the Pro3 Race is just the ticket.

I do an occasional race but mostly use these tires for fast group rides. They have excellent road feel. You can push them hard and feel when you have good traction or not. But compared to most other clinchers I've run the overall traction is excellent.

Durability is good for a racing tire particularly considering the grippy rubber.

Flat protection seems pretty good but these are racing tires. I've had about the same number of flats with these as with other highend clinchers.

Bottomline I'll definitely use them again.

I have ridden these since they first came out, primarily because the Michelin Krylion's I used to ride became unavailable for a while with the introduction of the Pro3. Right away I noticed the difference in rolling resistance, my commute time was measureably better. Also they are nicely sticky on turns.

I have bought several sets of these, so my experience is based on more than a few rides, or one set. Truth is, I like these tires, but they have drawbacks. The ride seems pretty harsh to me. On L. A. city streets, I find they flat easily, and often, even when new. Perhaps a light rider on a light bike can get thousands of kilometers on these. I am 6', 170 lbs, and find they last me around 1000k, give or take 50%. The tread isn't worn off, but they have sustained many cuts, and I will suddenly start getting a bunch of flats on the same tire. Accumualted damage to the casing, I guess. Sidewalls also puncture easily, which pretty much kills the tire.

That said, I keep buying them. I always think "this is my last set", but when the time comes, I can't bring myself to give up the low rolling resistance for a more durable tire. That, and Krylion's are still rare where I live.

Not the perfect tire, but if you can live with durablity issues, they do perform well.

This tire grips like no other, but short tire life. I'm getting about 1,000 milesset. Downside is the life of the tire, but the upside is the grip. Great for racing

These are race tires with terrific grip and superb road feel. I've been confident on them in tight conditions, on technical descents, and in wet conditions. They are outstanding tires with one caveat They aren't very durable.

Of course the Pro3 is a racing tire, and they sacrifice that durability for performance, so prepare to wear them out sooner than you'd wear out a set of training tires. The most mileage I've gotten from a set is 1800 miles, and I always plan to replace them after 1500 miles. I'm a big rider, but I've had very few flats on them, and I ride a lot on bad roads. These are not bombproof tires. If you appreciate road feel, grip and low rolling resistance, you'll love the Pro3. I've been riding on the old Pro2 and the Pro3 for several years now, and I've considered switching to a more durable tire, but the one time I did, I missed the performance of the Pro3, and I came back to them. These tires give you terrific grip and a smooth feel. Buy a set if you value performance, but If you want durability, this isn't your tire.

Tire rides nice and grips well. I was using the Pro 3 for races only, flatted once. Put them on my training wheels, fatted a lot. I dont think they have the puncture resistance they claim. The wear is not that great either. I got better results out of the Pro 2. The Pro three feel better though. I would only use it for racing.

Value rating suffers because these tires ain't cheap. I received an unlabeled i.e., no packaging pair with my new Rolf Prima Vigor wheels, inflated them to my usual 105-110 psi, and flatted repeatedly. Thinking I had a bum rear tire the one that kept flatting I bought a new one. Lo and behold, this time it came in the proper packaging which told me the tire had to be inflated to match one's weight. Since I was about 220 lbs. at the time now 210 I put in the recommended 120 psi and have not flatted since knock on wood. Yes, wear is an issue -- as with high-performance car tires, one can't have "sticky" and "durable" in the same product -- and yes I have a few little nicks and cuts, but these tires simply ride great, smooth and supple. I've used several of the Performance products not bad and certainly good for the $$$ and my last rubber was the Pro Race 2s, so I have a little experience with various tires. These are excellent overall IMO.

I have been using the various versions of Michelin axial pros for 10 years. they have been the best tires that I have ever used. That is until I used the pro 3. The tire handles the same however The tread life on these tires is so bad that i feel like I'm getting ripped off. the company either blew it with the pro 3 or they are intentionally making a tire that wont last . Either way, I am not interested anymore. Looking for another brand

Very disapointing tire after the Pro2.

Normal settup is using the Pro3 on front, Krylon on the rear.

I think something is wrong with the Pro3 bead connection on these tires, at least running on Campagnolo Proton wheels very tight fit. Twice had severe 2 inch tear and separation of the bead from the tire, under normal preasure and usage, with less than 200 miles. Never had this problem with Pro2 or Krylons on same wheels. Not fun to try and stuff dollar bill boots inside tire, pump to 25psi and try to hobble home.

Minor issue, the inside surface has a very rough texture, so it is hard to find debris stuck through tire that caused a flat.

Will change to a different brand tire.

Tire wear is OK, tends to cut easy, ride is more stiff than the Pro2, more like the cheaper Krylon.

Getting too may deep slits where I felt I had to swap out the tire before it blew... The PRO-2 were the best... I switched to the Conti 4000s tires... Just as good rolling, MUCH better wear... Just ordered the schwable R-1, for racing...

Great tire..what amazes me is the soft and fast, grippy surface. The only but comes along the nicks and cuts my tires have. Given, I ridetrain in uneven pavement very often over loose gravel, and dirt. Not that I do Xcycling, but over here not everything is near smooth!!

I ride tubulars almost exclusively and to the extent I race I always race tubulars. I have only one set of clincher wheels that I train on when riding rough glass filled roads, and this tire is the only thing I'll put on them. They don't have the durability of the Tufo S33 Special tires I otherwise use to train, but they are the only clincher tire that perform anywhere close to tubulars. Everything else....well let's just say that aside from these tires I don't understand why anyone rides clinchers at all. But if you do, then these are it. Just replace them when they wear out, but you will have tons of fun riding these around.

product used on a tandem. Supple, puncture resistant, long lasting. Looking for another brand since the french no longer produce this tire at home, aka. made in Thailand. $4.00hr slave labor