Bike tyres - Pirelli P Zero 4S real world review

I bought a new bike last year and got the stock wheels which came with it but saved up for a set of pretty HUNT Carbon wheels. I love them. The new wheels meant I needed to buy new tyres and after a search I opted for the Pirelli P Zero 4S roadbike tyre. The price is decent and cheaper than the Continental 4000 s I had on my other bike. My new bike came with Hutchison tyres which I liked a lot but couldn't find them available in in Switzerland so the Pirellis were a good alternative. They are made in the Hutchison factory in France (I`m told). Reviews are decent but like a lot of product reviews I don't agree with the good reviews and I have different experience.

They are really light and easy to fit to the wheels. Getting them going and stopping is good too, wet weather braking has not been an issue either. I have no problem or complaint at all about their ability as a road tyre. My issue is their lack of robustness if I go a teeny weeny bit off road. By Off Road I mean light gravel which many Swiss cycling routes seem to include. Another road surface they don't like are cobbles. This is obviously an issue  when you want to go ov er the Gottard pass. The north side ramp has a few kms of cobbles right at the top and the south side to Airolo is entirely cobbles :), or that is what is feels like.

So far I have had to replace the back tyre because one of my excursions cut a slit in the sidewall and I have quite a few small gravel created slits and gaps in the front one. I am really disappointed that the slightest off road activity effectively means Im off to the shop for a new tyre.

The Schwalbe Pro Ones are now on order. Lets see how long they last.... My lovely Gazelle has only ever used Schwalbe Marathon Plus so I hope the hype is true about the Pro Ones.

Ride, Crash, Recover

After 10 years of using cycling as my main for of commuting I expanded it to be my main form of exercise about 2 years ago. My first new bike, which wasn't a Gazelle, for 15 years was a Bergemont Hardtail Mountain Bike.  I love it. It has allowed me to expand from my 20km round trip each day to exploring the local hills at the weekend. It really helped improve my overall fitness and I was out in all weathers.

Then I decided I wanted to go further still and bought a road bike. Getting on my road bike was like another world had opened up for me. I could go further and for longer and just look at all the lovely new kit I get to buy!!!

So I decided that I wanted to get a bit more serious about this training lark and bought the Cyclo90 program from CycloCore. I did the 3 month program, signed my self up for an event and enjoyed every sweaty minute of it. In May I cycled up Sustenpass in the Highway to Sky event and realised that I enjoyed this more that I had expected. So with that under my belt I planned my next big challenge... the Alpen Brevet.

Highway to Sky was in May, Alpen Brevet in late August giving me 3 months to prepare. I did this by using more of the CycloCore/SouloTV sessions and the occasional organised event all designed to get me to Meiringen in August ready and raring to go.

I took part in the Bike Festival Basel Mountain Bike Challenge on Aug 19th, my last training ride before the Alpen Brevet and disaster struck. I have no idea what happened.  All I know is that I crashed and woke up in an Ambulance on my way to hospital.  I had broken my left arm and right index finger as well as the severe lacerations to my left elbow, concussion, amnesia, dramatic bruising on my left hip and lovely bruises on my face. What a disaster, all of my prep gone.

So I went from being on my bike every day to nothing. I am surprised at just how little information there is about recovery form injury. There is loads of information about recovery between training sessions but hardly anything about being injured. So I decided I should write this down.

Crash Day

Operation to implant a metal plate in my arm and join the Humeral head to the remainder of the bone. I woke up wearing a harness to immobilise my arm, a tube and bottle sucking any spare liquid out of the affected area and a bandaged left elbow. 

Day 2

Visit from the surgeon, she cheerily explained that if in future the head dies due to lack of good blood flow, its OK because we can put in a replacement one. 

Day 3

The first of many Physio visits, I can hardly do anything and im still a in shock at the state I have gotten myself into.

Day lots

I found this in my DRAFTS - as you do - and its now 2 years to the day later.

I got the metal plate out a year ago because it was causing Bursitus and. after what seemed like an endless amount of physio sessions, I have most of the movement back but not the strength, Its still a bit sore but I am back on the bike and have never enjoyed a hobby so much. I will now actually post this because I`ve got opinions about the bike I feel the need to share - :)