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The top 8 best semi-slick road bike tires in 2023

In this article I’m going to give you a list of the best semi-slick road bike tires.

A semi-slick tire is a tire which has a minimalistic tread pattern to decrease rolling-resistance as much as possible. Basically all road bike tires are either slicks or semi-slicks, with semi-slicks reserved for 4-season tires, commuter and touring tires, and riding on something else than smooth tarmac.

The difference between a slick and a semi-slick when looking at the tread pattern, makes the least difference of all cycling differences. It’s easy to understand the impact between a knobbed mountain bike tire, and a semi-slick one. But there aren’t any knobbed road bike tires (with a tire width up to 28mm). Knobbed cyclocross tires usually start at a width of 33mm, which is a tire width you can’t use for your standard road bike frame with respect to frame clearance.

What you do see is that semi-slick road bike tires in general offer more durable compounds, and more puncture resistance, with single or dual breakers being used. And a semi-slick tire does offer a bit more grip, especially in wet conditions.

Here’s the overview of my top picks for the best semi-slick road bike tires.

Continental Sprinter Gatorskin

Continental Sprinter Gatorskin
Continental Sprinter Gatorskin

If you’re looking for puncture protection that comes in a tubular package, the Continental Sprinter Gatorskin is your best bet.

It offers the same DuraSkin layer wrapped all around the tire as does the Continental Grand Prix 4-Season. Where it differs is both the breaker and the compound.

The Sprinter Gatorskin has a 3-layered 180 TPI all-weather casing and the SafetySystem breaker is made from kevlar reinforced nylon.

The tire is available in a black 22 or 25 mm width.

Continental Ultra Sport III

Continental Ultra Sport III
Continental Ultra Sport III

The Continental Ultra Sport III is a budget-friendly slick tire for commuters and road bikes.

It offers a no-frills tire in an affordable package, and one of the cheapest big brand tires money can buy

It’s a solid option for people who understand they get what they pay for.

Michelin Dynamic Classic

Michelin Dynamic Classic
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I’ve seen vintage road bike resellers dress their entire lineup with Michelin Dynamic Classic tires. The reason for this is that it’s a perfect match for any vintage road bike at probably the lowest cost for a tan wall road bike tire.

In the quality department this tire will not be top of its class, but it does come in an affordable package. And with prices ever going up that’s always a good thing.

Panaracer Pasela ProTite

Panaracer Pasela ProTite
Panaracer Pasela ProTite

Panaracer makes very nice mid-level priced tires. And they also offer some of the best-looking ones for retro builds. I choose the Panaracer Pasela ProTite over the normal Pasela, because it’s lighter, comes in a folding version and has better puncture protection.

The ProTite bead-to-bead protection covers is a tightly woven fabric covering the entire width of the tire, and sits in a mid-tier casing, offering a great combination of puncture protection, and low weight.

In general the Pasela ProTite are lightweight and true skin walls, that’ll look great on your bike.

Panaracer RiBMo

Panaracer RiBMo
Panaracer RiBMo

At 26 x 2 inches and 560 grams the Panaracer RibMo is among the lightest tires for its size on this list. Its minimal tread pattern moves it into the direction of being a slick tire, perfect for fast urban commuting.

The Panaracer RiBMo uses their proprietary ProTite technology, which is an extra puncture-resistant layer which runs the entire length and width of the tire. And they offer a more durable, commuter-friendly compound.

The conclusion is this tire will make your bike feel fast and nimble for many many miles at a reasonable enough price.

Pirelli Cinturato

Pirelli Cinturato
Pirelli Cinturato

If you ask me, Pirelli Cinturato’s understated design is one of the best on this list. This tubeless-ready tire is far more robust than the P Zero on this list, going in the direction of a gravel tire.

A kevlar-reinforced breaker offers bead-to-bead protection, besides a smaller one sitting underneath the tread. The more durable 60 TPI casing is heavier, but will last you longer. Called Armour Tech, it’s the solution of choice for making these tires truly all-weather condition tires, offering great grip and puncture resistance all through the year.

That added protection does mean they will tip the scales at 300 and 340 grams for the 26 and 28 mm versions. So it’s no weight-weenie tire.

Vittoria Corsa Control

Vittoria Corsa Control
Vittoria Corsa Control

If you want a bit more puncture protection but still have Vittoria emblazoned on your sidewall, the Vittoria Corsa Control will suit your needs.

It’s obviously heavier than its other namesake, but with it comes extra protection. It has an extra tread inserted into the tire, which adds control and durability for less than optimal road conditions like cobblestones and rougher roads.

It’s also a perfect companion for those who don’t mind riding in wet conditions. So choose this tire over the normal Corsa if rough and wet is what you like.

The Vittoria Corsa Control is also the only tan-wall road bike tire on this list that comes as a tube. So if you have a very premium vintage road bike or a very premium set of modern-day wheels you can take advantage of everything tubes have to offer as well.

Vittoria Rubino Pro Control

Vittoria Rubino Pro Control
Vittoria Rubino Pro Control

The Vittoria Rubino Pro Control is the stiffer, heavier and more puncture protected version of the standard Rubino.

It’s a training tire with bead-to-bead protection besides an enhanced puncture protected layer. Its nylon casing is meant to withstand the elements of all seasons.

Available in standard sizes 23 to 28 mm as a 60 TPI folding tire.

Road Bike Tires Weight Rating

I’ve always been fascinated by bicycle tires, and road bike tires offer some of the most premium pieces of rubber you can put on your rims. It’s a good place to save quite a bit of weight without paying a really large amount of money. It’s not like there are titanium or carbon tires, which are traditionally materials to make bicycle products lighter that are very expensive.

The lightest 700C tire I’ve looked at is the Veloflex Record, which is a track tire sitting at 135 grams for a 23 mm version. The heaviest tire I’ve taken into account is the Schwalbe Lugano II Endurance weighing 490 grams for the same 25 mm tire width.

In the following graph you can find the weight ratings for each tire. The weight ratings represent a relative percentage irrespective of tire width and only looking at 700C versions of the respective tire. The numbers are compared against each other resulting in a percentage of 0 for the relative heaviest tire and 100 for the relative lightest tire.

Continental Sprinter Gatorskin
63%
Continental Ultra Sport III
66%
Michelin Dynamic Classic
57%
Panaracer Pasela ProTite
73%
Panaracer RiBMo
49%
Pirelli Cinturato
61%
Vittoria Corsa Control
75%
Vittoria Rubino Pro Control
55%

Road Bike Tires Puncture Protection Rating

Nobody likes a flat tire. It’s one of the most jarring things to break the flow of a ride. That’s why puncture protection is an important factor when considering a certain bicycle tire.

Puncture protection sits at the other end of the tire weight, suppleness and possibly grip. The more rubber you add to a tire, and the more layers of protection sit underneath it, the more weight you add, and the stiffer your tire gets. That’s why racing tires have the most minimal protection, and touring or 4-season tires the most.

The puncture protection ratings you see here are a function of TPI, in combination with tire weight, and puncture protection technology added to the tire. From sidewall protection, multiple breakers and tire belts.

Continental Sprinter Gatorskin
67%
Continental Ultra Sport III
40%
Michelin Dynamic Classic
45%
Panaracer Pasela ProTite
44%
Panaracer RiBMo
59%
Pirelli Cinturato
56%
Vittoria Corsa Control
43%
Vittoria Rubino Pro Control
50%

Specifications semi-slick road bike tires

Name
Size
ETRTO
Weight (gr)
Tread color
Sidewall color
Compound
Puncture protection
Tire bead
TPI
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Continental Sprinter Gatorskin
700Cx25
25-622
275
Black
Black
BlackChili
DuraSkin / SafetySystem Breaker
tubular
3/180
Continental Sprinter Gatorskin
700Cx22
22-622
265
Black
Black
BlackChili
DuraSkin / SafetySystem Breaker
tubular
3/180
Continental Ultra Sport III
700Cx28
28-622
295
Black
Black
PureGrip
foldable
3/180
Continental Ultra Sport III
700Cx25
25-622
270
Black
White
PureGrip
foldable
3/180
Continental Ultra Sport III
700Cx23
23-622
255
Black
Yellow
PureGrip
foldable
3/180
Continental Ultra Sport III
700Cx23
23-622
255
Black
White
PureGrip
foldable
3/180
Continental Ultra Sport III
700Cx23
23-622
255
Black
Black
PureGrip
foldable
3/180
Michelin Dynamic Classic
700Cx20
23-622
Black
Tan
foldable
Michelin Dynamic Classic
700Cx25
25-622
Black
Tan
foldable
Michelin Dynamic Classic
700Cx28
28-622
Black
Tan
foldable
Panaracer Pasela ProTite
700×25
25-622
250
Black
Amber
ZSG
ProTite Shield / 400D Lite Extra Cord
foldable
66
Panaracer Pasela ProTite
700×28
28-622
270
Black
Amber
ZSG
ProTite Shield / 400D Lite Extra Cord
foldable
66
Panaracer RiBMo
700Cx25
25-622
340
Black
Black
Mile Cruncher
ProTite Shield / 800D Strong Cord
foldable
66
Pirelli Cinturato
700Cx26
26-622
300
Black
Tan
SmartNET silica
Armour Tech
tlr
66
Pirelli Cinturato
700Cx28
28-622
340
Black
Tan
SmartNET silica
Armour Tech
tlr
66
Pirelli Cinturato
700Cx26
26-622
300
Black
Black
SmartNET silica
Armour Tech
tlr
66
Pirelli Cinturato
700Cx28
28-622
340
Black
Black
SmartNET silica
Armour Tech
tlr
66
Pirelli Cinturato
700Cx32
32-622
360
Black
Black
SmartNET silica
Armour Tech
tlr
66
Pirelli Cinturato
700Cx35
35-622
410
Black
Black
SmartNET silica
Armour Tech
tlr
66
Vittoria Corsa Control
700Cx25
25-622
265
Black
Tan
Corespun K
Protection Belt
foldable
320
Vittoria Corsa Control
700Cx25
25-622
265
Black
Black
Corespun K
Protection Belt
foldable
320
Vittoria Corsa Control
700Cx28
28-622
280
Black
Black
Corespun K
Protection Belt
foldable
320
Vittoria Corsa Control
700Cx28
28-622
280
Black
Tan
Corespun K
Protection Belt
foldable
320
Vittoria Corsa Control
700Cx30
30-622
280
Black
Tan
Corespun K
Protection Belt
foldable
320
Vittoria Rubino Pro Control
700Cx23
23-622
290
Black
Black
Nylon
Protection Belt
foldable
60
Vittoria Rubino Pro Control
700Cx25
25-622
300
Black
Black
Nylon
Protection Belt
foldable
60
Vittoria Rubino Pro Control
700Cx28
28-622
340
Black
Black
Nylon
Protection Belt
foldable
60
bio vanseijen

Johan van Seijen

FoundeR Restoration.bike

Johan van Seijen is the founder of restoration.bike. His passion for cycling in general, and restoring older bikes turned into a website to share his knowledge with a broader audience. Starting out on his father’s road bike and riding classics as the Amstel Gold Race and Liege Bastogne Liege he has shifted his attention to trail, XC, and gravel riding since. No matter how much he loves writing about everything related to cycling, nothing beats actually using his ever-expanding bicycle collection.

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