In this article I’m going to provide you with an overview of the best vintage road bike tires.
With vintage road bike tires, I actually mean retro. I would not suggest mounting true vintage tires on a road bike for your own safety, unless you’re a real restoration purist, which I very much can appreciate. Just look at the domain name of this site.
That’s because tires are made from rubber, and the shelf life of rubber is about 10 years for ideal storage conditions. After 10 years rubber starts to deteriorate, dry out and become brittle. In turn it means the tire loses durability, grip, and puncture-resistance, which are all very important for your safety.
On top of that, I associate vintage road bike tires with skinwalls. And skinwalls are exceptionally prone to the damaging effect of UV, which basically disintegrates it to the extent you can peer through the sidewall.
Luckily, there are a number of outstanding examples of vintage or vintage-looking road bike tires, and I’ve used them on multiple occasions to wrap up a project or build.
Personally, I would argue that you’d want a true skinwall, because that’s what they used back in the day. The entire tan lineup of Panaracer is made up of skinwalls, as are a number of tires from other brands, most definitely the ones which have a “transparent” sidewall.
With that out of the way, here’s my overview of the very best vintage road bike tires. You can find a handy table at the end of my article for easy comparison.
Continental Grand Prix 5000
The Continental Grand Prix 5000 is a clincher tire and dubbed as the best allrounder in the field.
And on paper at least the numbers are very impressive. A 330 TPI tire (very supple) at a claimed weight of 200 grams for a 23 mm width version. It has the exact same Vectran breaker as the other ones on this list, so as far as puncture protection is concerned, this tire performs equally impressively.
And this tire comes in a tan wall version or transparent as Continental calls it. But if you want the lightest version of this tire, you’ll have to stick to black.
- Best all-round road bike tire on the market, supple, light, good puncture protection, tan wall option available
- None
Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR
Continental is known for their light-weight tire offerings and the Continental Grand Prix 500 S TR is no exception. It’s the tubeless ready version of the standard Grand Prix 5000, which is a clincher tire.
The tubeless ready Grand Prix 5000 has the same excellent stats. A 220 TPI moderately supple tire, that comes in your standard 25 and 28 mm width versions. At 250 grams for the 25 mm and 280 for the 28 mm version, these tires are pretty light. And on top of that, this tire scores extremely high markers in the rolling resistance department. That means you can check both light and fast of your list of requirements, when you go for this tire.
A tan wall version is included among the sizes for those who want to mount them.
- Light, very fast-rolling race tire, tan wall option available
- None
Continental Grand Prix Classic
The only road bike tire from Continental with a tan sidewall. With the revival of retro road bikes and tan wall tires, Continental decided to jump the bandwagon and made the Continental Grand Prix Classic with a tread pattern reminiscent of eighties road tires.
The tire comes with their patented BlackChili compound, which offers above average puncture protection and durability. Just like Panaracer, my other favorite brand of bicycle tires, Continental are well-known for making very light tires, and the Grand Prix classic is no exception with just 235 grams for a 25 mm version.
Offering one middle-of-the-road size of 25 mm, this gorgeous tire is the perfect companion for any classic road bike, which will ensure you can enjoy the open road for many miles.
- Budget friendly, fantastic option for retro road bikes, very light
- You get what you pay for
Michelin Dynamic Classic
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.
- Cheap, great for retro builds
- Not the most durable
Panaracer Agilest
The Panaracer Agilest is the newest addition to the Japanese tire manufacturer’s road bike tire lineup.
The standard clincher variant is one of the lightest tires available, with the “wide” 28mm version sitting at just 210 grams per tire.
They’ve achieved this weight with the new and much lighter ZSG Agile compound, which is a combination of a single 120 TPI ply with a puncture resistant breaker.
Coming in a variety of color combinations, including a gorgeous amber one, and being a long-time fan of Panaracer, I can do very little but instantly count this road bike tire among my favorites.
- Light as a feather, with multiple colors. Another hit with Japanese build quality.
- None
Panaracer GravelKing (Tubed)
The tubed version of the Panaracer GravelKing inherits the compound and puncture protection technology of the entire lineup, but is offered in road bike tire dimensions.
This means you have your standard 23 to 28mm variants, with the durable ZSG compound, and the very reliable ProTite Shield Plus breaker. Which is a step up from their standard ProTite breaker, and also reinforces the sidewalls.
I use these tires for my daily driver, which is basically a road bike with panniers and fenders. They look great, ride even better, and though after many miles, there are small cuts on the well worn carcass, I haven’t had a flat.
All Panaracer tires are very low weight, including these ones. So whether you’re going to use them for a fast commuter, or a puncture-proof 4-season option for your road bike, know that these are some of the best road bike tires out there.
- Fantastic fast, and supple commuter, or 4-season road bike tire.
- None
Panaracer GravelKing SS (Tubed)
The tubed version of the Panaracer GravelKing SS comes in a single 28mm width.
At 310 grams it’s slightly heavier than the 270 of the standard GravelKing version, which means you pack a bit more rubber, and slightly pronounced knobbies at the side.
And 310 grams isn’t heavy at all, 270 is just very light. I would say this tire, with this tread pattern is meant for touring, and very light gravel riding on standard road bikes. The knobbies are so small, that I’m afraid that for more heavy duty stuff, they will simply wear out too fast, turning these tires into something just as slick as the classic GravelKing.
- Tour-oriented road bike tire, with slightly more grip than the standard tubed GravelKing
- None
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.
- Fantastic all-round tire, very light, true skin wall tires. Go-to option for retro commuter builds.
- None
Panaracer Race C Evo 4
The true racing offering from Panaracer in a tan-wall jacket. The Panaracer Race C Evo 4 is quite a mouthfull, for one of their lightest road bike tire offerings. The 26 mm width is just 220 grams.
The Race C Evo 4 is meant for speed. Besides the weight, the tire has a tread pattern light enough to provide just a bit more grip than a true slick would have. It’s faster, grippier, and more durable than previous iterations of the tire.
Panaracers look good on any retro build, and this tire is the must-have choice for people looking for speed.
- Fast, grippy, durable, one of the best tires for retro road bike builds
- None
Panaracer Race D Evo 4
The Panaracer Race D Evo 4 is the 4-season option from the Japanese brand’s race lineup.
The tires feature a 3D casing (Double Dip Duru Cover). That’s a fancy name to tell you that they offer dual breakers, the ProTite Belt sitting underneath the center tread, and a bead-to-bead one which reinforces the entire casing including the sidewalls.
That’s impressive, and certainly helps to prevent punctures and snake bites even more, making this a very solid contender and a high-quality all season option.
- Dual breakers, and reinforced sidewalls make a fantastic 4-season road bike tire
- None
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.
- Fantastic grip, durability, and puncture-protection for a 4-season tire, very fast.
- A bit on the heavy side
Schwalbe Pro One Tube Type
The Schwalbe Pro One is a top-tier tire from the German brand, which can also be used for time trials.
It’s very light and has one of the best low rolling-resistance numbers. Like many super-fast tires it’s still a clincher tire.
The 23 mm version weighs 215 grams and the 25 mm version 235 grams. The 25 mm version also comes as a tan wall.
- Super fast, lightweight, tan wall option available, one of the very best race tires on the market
- None
Vittoria Corsa
The Vittoria Corsa tops many lists as one of the best road bike tires in general. And lucky for us, they also offer a tan-wall version of this beauty of a tire.
The Vittoria Corsa is a tire for the current generation of road bikes. At 290 grams for a 25 mm width it’s not lightweight. But the combination of that weight and an extremely high 320 TPI carcass means this is one of the most comfortable road tires on the market today, and an obvious choice for many road cyclists.
Not only is this an extremely comfortable tire, grip, handling, and cornering confidence is also at a maximum with this tire. And for years the Vittoria Corsa has set the benchmark of being the tire with the lowest rolling resistance. All of these characteristics combined make the Vittoria Corsa a failsafe option for sure.
- Stunning tire, very comfortable, great grip and handling
- None
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.
- Added puncture protection, tan option available, tube
- None
Vittoria Corsa Speed
The Vittoria Corsa Speed is basically Vittoria’s time trial version of its regular Corsa. A tubular tire where a considerable amount of rubber has been shaved off to create a 23 mm width 200 gram tire in either black or tan.
All that reduction in weight does of course come with a penalty, so this tire is best reserved when you really want to go really fast. Or else the 140 dollar price tag for a tire that isn’t all that durable might not be the best option for the average rider.
But if you do decide to go for this tire, just to experience what it feels like, you can rest assured that the 320 TPI count will provide both a very smooth and very fast ride, which will hopefully make you forget how much money you spent for that ride.
- Very fast, lots of grip
- Meant for race day, very pricey
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.
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.
Specifications vintage road bike tires
Name | Size | ETRTO | Weight (gr) | Tread color | Sidewall color | Compound | Puncture protection | Tire bead | TPI | Buy at Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Continental Grand Prix 5000 | 700Cx25 | 25-622 | 230 | Black | Transparent | BlackChili | Vectran Breaker | foldable | 3/330 | |
Continental Grand Prix 5000 | 700Cx25 | 25-622 | 255 | Black | Cream | BlackChili | Vectran Breaker | foldable | 3/330 | |
Continental Grand Prix 5000 | 700Cx28 | 28-622 | 275 | Black | Cream | BlackChili | Vectran Breaker | foldable | 3/330 | |
Continental Grand Prix 5000 | 700Cx28 | 28-622 | 245 | Black | Transparent | BlackChili | Vectran Breaker | foldable | 3/330 | |
Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR | 700Cx25 | 25-622 | 250 | Black | Transparent | BlackChili | Vectran Breaker | tlr | 2/220 | |
Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR | 700Cx28 | 28-622 | 280 | Black | Transparent | BlackChili | Vectran Breaker | tlr | 2/220 | |
Continental Grand Prix Classic | 700Cx25 | 25-622 | 235 | Black | Tan | 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 Agilest | 700×23 | 23-622 | 180 | Black | Amber | ZSG Agile | AX-Alpha / TF Super Belt | foldable | 120 | |
Panaracer Agilest | 700×25 | 25-622 | 190 | Black | Amber | ZSG Agile | AX-Alpha / TF Super Belt | foldable | 120 | |
Panaracer Agilest | 700×28 | 28-622 | 210 | Black | Amber | ZSG Agile | AX-Alpha / TF Super Belt | foldable | 120 | |
Panaracer GravelKing (Tubed) | 700Cx26 | 26-622 | 240 | Black | Tan | ZSG Natural | AX-Alpha / ProTite Shield Plus | foldable | 126 | |
Panaracer GravelKing SS (Tubed) | 700Cx28 | 28-622 | 310 | Black | Tan | ZSG Natural | AX-Alpha / ProTite Shield Plus | foldable | 126 | |
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 Race C Evo 4 | 700Cx23 | 23-622 | 220 | Black | Tan | ZSG Advanced | AX-Alpha / ProTite Belt | foldable | 120 | |
Panaracer Race D Evo 4 | 700Cx23 | 23-622 | 240 | Black | Tan | ZSG Advanced | AX-Alpha / ProTite Belt / 3D casing | foldable | 120 | |
Panaracer Race D Evo 4 | 700Cx25 | 25-622 | 260 | Black | Tan | ZSG Advanced | AX-Alpha / ProTite Belt / 3D casing | foldable | 120 | |
Panaracer Race D Evo 4 | 700Cx28 | 28-622 | 260 | Black | Tan | ZSG Advanced | AX-Alpha / ProTite Belt / 3D casing | foldable | 120 | |
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 | |
Schwalbe Pro One Tube Type | 700Cx25 | 25-622 | 235 | Black | Transparent | ADDIX Race | V-Guard | foldable | 2/127 | |
Schwalbe Pro One Tube Type | 700Cx28 | 28-622 | 250 | Black | Transparent | ADDIX Race | V-Guard | foldable | 2/127 | |
Vittoria Corsa | 700Cx23 | 23-622 | 245 | Black | Tan | Corespun K | Protection Belt | foldable | 320 | |
Vittoria Corsa | 700Cx25 | 25-622 | 255 | Black | Tan | Corespun K | Protection Belt | foldable | 320 | |
Vittoria Corsa | 700Cx28 | 28-622 | 270 | Black | Tan | Corespun K | Protection Belt | foldable | 320 | |
Vittoria Corsa Control | 700Cx25 | 25-622 | 265 | Black | Tan | Corespun K | Protection Belt | foldable | 320 | |
Vittoria Corsa Control | 700Cx28 | 28-622 | 280 | Black | Tan | Corespun K | Protection Belt | foldable | 320 | |
Vittoria Corsa Speed | 700Cx23 | 23-622 | 200 | Black | Tan | Corespun T | Protection Belt | tubular | 320 | |
Vittoria Corsa Speed | 700Cx25 | 25-622 | 205 | Black | Tan | Corespun T | Protection Belt | tubular | 320 |
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.
You might also like
The 5 most important criteria on how to choose road bike tires
Apart from your frame, tires are probably the most important bicycle component that creates your riding experience. In in this article you’ll learn everything there
The 5 best selling road bike tires
In this article I’m going to share the best selling road bike tires of the last few months. The list is compiled based on aggregated sales statistics from Amazon worldwide, including the United States
The top 18 narrowest road bike tires for 2023
I always like looking up the extremes for a certain industry. With this list I’m going to cover another extreme, namely, what are the narrowest road bike tires you can fit onto your bike.
Before I co
The top 10 best road bike tires for city riding for 2023
In this article I’m going to cover a list of the best road bike tires for city riding.
I live in Amsterdam, which is the biggest city in a country known for the popularity of the bicycle for commutin