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review

Halo Courier Twin Rail tyre

8
£19.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Lively, dependable road rubber for aggressive fixers and mile munching club bikes
Weight: 
325g
Contact: 
www.ison-distribution.com

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Available in a range of garish and not-so colours to coordinate with your wheelset, Halo’s Twin Rail courier tyres have as much to offer winter trainers and club mounts as urban fixers.

Every bit the proverbial wolf in sheep’s clothing, their hardy twin rail tread with centre ridge might lack the light trail capabilities of their wider siblings but weighing a moderate 325g their supple 120tpi casings run at 120psi really cut a dash through wet lanes and town centre alike.

24mm strikes an excellent balance between responsiveness and comfort and is just narrow enough to slip inside track framesets or training bikes with guards. Wire beads keep the cost low at the expense of folding prowess but they’re refreshingly easy to pop on most rims and the absence of directional arrows means straightforward swapping between sprockets on a double-fixed/flip-flop hub. Despite my best efforts, leaning hard into roundabouts, or at full pelt on long, wet descents they couldn’t be persuaded to turn spiteful.

Puncture resistant belts seem very effective through city streets, forgiving of detours through shards of glass and similar sharps. Heavier tread patterns might lack the zing of slicks but these aren’t far behind and will last longer if you’re coming from the skid-stop school of urban fixie speed management. Sidewalls are up to the job of carrying bigger riders and moderate loads but subtle reflectives and a dynamo track would’ve been nice on our black/grey test pair.

Those not worshipping at the fixed alter shouldn’t rule these out and Halo have really filled a void in the market for quick, yet durable narrow section rubber. They’d be my choice for winter/club mounts or crossers wanting agile, yet dependable road tyres that won’t turn bandit when the weather does.

Verdict

Lively, dependable road rubber for aggressive fixers and mile munching club bikes.

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Halo Courier Twin Rail tyre

Size tested: 700x23c

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

The Twin Rail Courier as their name implies are aimed at mile munching urban fixers but have just as much to offer winter and club mounts.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

120tpi casings with Kevlar, puncture resistant belts and wire beads deliver a surprisingly brisk ride that belies their moderate 325g weight.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Fast, yet dependable-just what you need from general use road rubber.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Quick, yet vety reliable.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Shouldn't present any problems but I'm sure the most determined and prolific of skid stoppers could eventually wear one through to the carcass

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
7/10

Moderate- heavier than some.

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
7/10

Moderate pocket of air gives good ride and rewards with a surprisingly graceful ride over rougher surfaces.

Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

They perform very well in most conditions and encourage spirited riding around town but are exciting enough on the open road. Puncture resistance didn't pose any problems despite regular rides through glass and the odd thorn for good measure.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Good performance in all conditions, nice profile for general road duties.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing, although reflectives might've been good on the more conservative colours.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 35  Height: 1m 81  Weight: 70 kilos

I usually ride: Rough Stuff Tourer Based around 4130 Univega mtb Frameset  My best bike is: 1955 Holdsworth Road Path and several others including cross & traditional road

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,

Shaun Audane is a freelance writer/product tester with over twenty-eight years riding experience, the last twelve (120,000 miles) spent putting bikes and kit through their paces for a variety of publications. Previous generations of his family worked at manufacturing's sharp end, thus Shaun can weld, has a sound understanding of frame building practice and a preference for steel or titanium framesets.
Citing Richard Ballantine and an Au pair as his earliest cycling influences, he is presently writing a cycling book with particular focus upon women, families and disabled audiences (Having been a registered care manager and coached children at Herne Hill Velodrome in earlier careers)

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2 comments

Avatar
ps | 14 years ago
0 likes

 1 I'd love a pair of black ones, please Just what I need for my blue Dawes street bike.  4
Do you need any other gear testing?

Avatar
DaveP | 14 years ago
0 likes

Fantastic!

If you need someone to 'test' the purple ones, just ask...
B)

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