RETARDED TIRE BREAKAGE

While trying to adjust to the cycling-challenged city of Albany, NY (well, compared to DC at least), I'm still in search of my first trouble-free ride. You see, my latest adventure has put me 15+ miles from home with a rear-tire sporting an ugly growth. It turns out my back tire has worn through with the threads going all stupid on the inside allowing my tube to deform the tire itself and make this gnarly shape that doesn't like passing through the break-clearance or riding anything close to smoothly.

The bike shops I've visited thus far are a far cry from stunning which have me turning to the internet for advice on a new tire purchase. After HOURS of running around in circles thinking I had just about found the tires for me, I have settled on these three options:

Continental Grand Prix 4000s (700x23c)
Vittoria Rubino Pro
Michelin Krylion
Serfas Seca RS

It seems the Contis, Michs and Vitts lowest price-points are mid-$40s+ whereas the Serfas tires come in at $25/each. Also, the first three options, while better tires, have me waiting at least a week for delivery whereas the Serfas tires are right up the street at my local Donkey Bike Shop. At this point I think I'm going to lean towards the Serfas tires and just keep an eye on them so that I can splurge a little on my next go-around with tire shopping.

Of course, if YOU have better advice for me, I'd love to hear it.

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Oh, and wtf is up with my Performance water bottles smelling and tasting like shitty plastic ALL THE TIME? They're clean, believe me, but I can't shake that stench unless I load it up with gatorade powder or something. Is this the case for water bottles across the board or do I just have shitty bottles? PLEASE tell me it's shitty bottles and I'll gladly go and buy something new/different.

Thaaaaanks.

p.s. check out my DailyMile widget in the sidebar to track the utterly embarrassing situation that my running game is in these days. At least the knee works and I'm running though, right?