Veloflex Master vs Vittoria Open Corsa SC

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Marin
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by Marin

Any notable difference in comfort, wet grip or puncture resistance between the 2?

I'm going to get a 23/25mm combo and will probably be running latex tubes.

Anyone ridden them both?


Cheers,
Marin

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audiojan
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by audiojan

Never had much success with Vittoria Open Corsa's… just wear out too quickly and prone to flats. Veloflex tires on the other hand… rides amazing and seems to last a decent amount of miles.

Could just be bad luck, but I would stay away from Vittoria's
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Marin
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by Marin

Thanks! Did you try the Veloflexes in the wet?

c50jim
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by c50jim

I rode Vittorias for years because they were so smooth and supple. However, I found that rears only lasted about 1,000 km before becoming very susceptible to flats so started trying different brands. I used Vredestein for a couple of years. They didn't ride as well as Vittoria but lasted a lot longer. A couple of years ago, I started using Veloflex and have tried various models. Ride is almost as good as Vittoria and durability is much better so they've become my go to tire. I don't ride a lot in the wet but am always really cautious there so can't really say they're great in the wet. On the other hand, neither were the Vittorias.

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WMW
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by WMW

Marin wrote:Any notable difference in comfort, wet grip or puncture resistance between the 2? I'm going to get a 23/25mm combo and will probably be running latex tubes.


Veloflex tires are much smaller than Vittoria. The 25 is no bigger than a Vittoria 23.

Neither lasts very long on the rear (very hilly where I live). They ride about the same. Both seem equally susceptible to glass cuts. In tests the Vittoria usually have lower Crr.

To speak about wet grip I'd need to practice sliding out on corners, and I try to avoid contact with the pavement...
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Stefano
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by Stefano

Tried both: really love my veloflex master. I got almost 5000km on shitty midwest roads from them before I replaced the rear. Can't say snough good things. Vittoria were basically the same tire wrt ride/handling, they just didn't last as long: 1500km for me.

Edit: for puncture resistance, I got two flats in 5000km on veloflex. First was pinch flat from massive pothole, second flat was a slice from some train tracks that would have killed anything. Vittoria, the tire just got so many cuts on the tread that gravel I picked up started causing flats every other ride or so.

petromyzon
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by petromyzon

Playing devil's advocate.... construction is similar between the two brands, one being made in the other's old factory. How likely are substantial differences in puncture resistance, for example?

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WMW
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by WMW

petromyzon wrote:Playing devil's advocate.... construction is similar between the two brands, one being made in the other's old factory. How likely are substantial differences in puncture resistance, for example?


Vittoria has updated their tread compound a couple times, and I don't think Veloflex has.

IME longevity and cut resistance seems pretty close. Way less than a GP4000 in both cases. But the Veloflex tires might be sensitive to aging... just guessing.
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Marin
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by Marin

Thanks for all the answers.
I'm now considering getting S-Works Turbo Cottons, which seem to be a Vittoria(-like) carcass with a GP4000-like tread strip - Specialized hired the conti tire guy, Wolfgang Arens. If only these weren't so insanely expensive...

2nd option is Veloflex.

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WMW
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by WMW

Marin wrote:I'm now considering getting S-Works Turbo Cottons, which seem to be a Vittoria(-like) carcass with a GP4000-like tread strip - Specialized hired the conti tire guy, Wolfgang Arens.


I didn't know that. The reports I've heard led me to believe that the puncture, cut resistance, and longevity was more like Vittoria. At 2x the price.
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petromyzon
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by petromyzon

I haven't tried the Turbo Cottons, but the latest Turbo compound is excellent. Yes, they are far more fragile than Conti, about on a par with Vittoria, but they are grippier than either too - stick really well in the wet. Apparently the cotton carcass ones are market leaders in terms of speed too.

I think Arenz has probably used the same Conti know-how but put the tradeoff between grip, speed and life in a different position. Shame they are so expensive in the UK but still probably a cost-effective upgrade when compared to some of the shite people spend money on.

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by bm0p700f

I use the clincher version of the vittoria tyre. I live in flint strewn area and these are reliable tyres for me. Rear last 1500 miles and is then toast. I do not flat often. The tubs will be better in many ways and I am mounting them on some new wheels. In winter I ride conti tubs for flat resistance and durability. Never tried velour ex except for the corsa clincher tyres and they last one mile before they flatted in damp conditions. Tried them again a couple of weeks later and got 0.1 mile, never again. Too narrow as well. The 25mm tyre on a pacenti sl25 rim was 22.5mm wide and the ride was awful.

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Marin
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by Marin

Got Turbo Cottons in the end. I have a pretty accurate roll down test protocol in the garage of our condo, and they do roll better than Conti Tt/Force, and are very comfortable. I hope they last, bloody expensive tires.

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