I put Protek 1.85 tires on my go-to bike, a 1983 Trek 850 Rough Terrain bicycle. That bicycle has been with me consistently since '83 though another 20 bicycles have come and gone since I bought it new. This bike has been used for single track, multi-use trails, bush whacking, around town and on 3,100 mile self supported tour. I've worn out a lot of tires on this bike (as well many other components!). I also have special purpose tires for the bike for bush whacking and riding on ice (Schwalbe Ice Spikers). Through all of that I've found that these Protek tires have proven to be the most versatile, comfortable, and safest tires I've used in urban, rural and rough rail trail conditions. Gone for me are the days when riding tubulars was the way to go!
These tires are good quality for a good price. My wifes 26 trek bike needed some love and she wanted me to remove the mountain bike tires and replace them with tires that could be more efficient on roads and still handle some off road use. She really likes these and we road on a rail trail last week and they were perfect.
I went from mountain tires to these & I'm glad I did. I mainly ride on roads so, I don't know about grip on trails.
That being said, the 55-65 psi seems top me to be the best compromise of rolling resistance vs smooth ride.
My friend was amazed on how illuminating the reflective part of the tires were. For me, these tires are great.
Is this a 5 star tire? No. Is this a 5 star value? Absolutely! Don't misunderstand, this is a very good tire. It features low rolling resistance and some puncture resistance. I would buy these all day as an all around best buy if you're just looking for something for casual riding. Not sure about long term durability or professional use? Maybe. I was very impressed. Smooth riding on pavement, even took these on a 30 mile ride on gravely fire road. They dont grab the loose road but they roll over it well and didn't feel loose. If that road were wet, I would have been S O L, but they held up well the low rolling resistance makes the riding much better. This is a great buy.
As far as the source, Tires were delivered on time, packaged well, and cost effective...
And so far so good on the quality...What I liked especially about the Michelin Protek is how easy it was to setcenter the bead when installing, they fit so well that they basically centered themselves when adding the air and it seems to easily handle the 87 Lb max air pressure because of the very strong tire beads...It holds up my 250 lb frame easily and seems to have VERY LOW rolling resistance on my Trek Navigator aired all the way up....Only time will tell on the puncture resistance but So Far they seem to be a very well made tire for the price......Now time to put on the miles and really test them out.....
after mtb tires on my bike these tires are like a cloud. so smooth and easy to pedal. the mtb tires wore me out, a real struggle. i mainly ride on cement and smooth grass and these tires are perfect for both and the price can not be beat. also has reflective white stripe around tires for night safety. a great deal all round.
This is an update to my previous review. I have since put over 1000 miles on two different sets. The tires are holding up well and so far no flats. I am loving the reflective stripes that help make me more visible at night. Not many tires have it and for $XX very few do. I like the way they ride and handle. The tires have a round profile that really does not do anything but handle well. The compound holds the road well and works well enough on gravel. They can also take higher pressures than some tires so they have lower rolling resistance on the road. Strangely the 26x1.85s can take more pressure than the 26x1.4s. They are wearing better than another name brand I had and no flats so I am very pleased with my purchase. I recommend them. I have both the 26x1.85 and 26x1.4 models. I'm sure the 700c versions are equally good.
I am a Deputy Sheriff and work on the Bike Patrol Unit. I have had Kenda Komfort K841A tires for 3 plus years with no flats. I felt my time was coming and have been a Michelin fan for many years with my two trucks with them.
I bought Michelin Protek (reflective) along with the Michelin puncture resistant tube, (only way to go). I have only put about 50 to 75 miles on them. I can tell you they run so much quieter than the Kenda. In the Patrol Unit, we ride in all types of environments and terrains., to include off road. So far so good!
The gentleman that assisted me was well informed on all products of interest.
As a professional rider, I recommend these products.
I ususally use the kenda 838 which runs closer to $20 but is softer, more comfortable, but this Protek is not too hard. I use these tires on a motorized bike with a friction wheel and this seems a little better than the Kenda(1.95 width). I like the Kenda, but I also like this tire much too. I am expecting less flat tires as this feels tougher. I use the bigger size (wider 1.85 inch). Definintely buy this for your motorized bike, 1.85 width.
Great budget friendly tire. I got these for my 8yr old sons bike. he has a little over 100 miles on his bike so far now. We are running them at 65psi and they are great. Good traction, much better rolling resistance than the knobbies that came on it. No puncture protection. The rubber is nice and thick, i would not expect glass to be an issue, only sharp metal objects. He ran over a thumb tack, put it right into the tire. had to patch the tube. Oh, these DO have a reflective strip in the sidewall, super bright white, great work.
Over all great tire, will buy again when these wear out.
Replaced the knobbies on my mountain bike with these Proteks and transformed my bike to a pleasant, easy to ride bike again. My mountain bike days are over, so I made the switch to street tires and glad I did. I didn't realize how much drag was being caused by the knobbies until I put the Michelins on. Needless to say, I'm very happy with these tires.
I put some of the 26x1.4 inch tires on an old MTB to use as a backup to my daily commuter. They roll and ride nicely and can be inflated to pressures appropriate for my 240 lbs (50 psi front and 74psi rear per the internet's recommendation). I liked them so much I ordered a 2nd set for another bike this time in the 26x1.85 with an 87 psi max. For under $20 per tire they are hard to beat. Typical discount tires max out at 40-50 psi.
Seems like a really good tire. Just put these on 8yr old sons 26 xs frame bike. Cant wait to see his reaction. he rode 22 miles on 2.10 light knobby mountain bike tires with me, can't wait to see what he does on these! He loves going distance and theses should really let him get out farther with me. Tires are nice and tacky, really like the tread, just hat i was looking for moderately slick, but some tread if we have to go through grass or dirt. super happy. He says that roll a lot better and faster than his old tires.
Centers well on the bead when installing, holds the higher pressure like a champ, very low rolling resistance for its diameter, and grips well on pavement and chipseal surfaces....No long term report but very impressive in the short term...