Of the five race clinchers listed, which is the most satisfactory?

-Veloflex Pave'
-Schwalbe Ultremo ZX HD
-Gommitalia Targa K
-Hutchinson Atom Comp
-Vittoria Open Corsa CX

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Due to the urging of all the ladies...I do NOT shave my legs!

Veloflex will get lots of love around here.

For racing or training? What kind of roads do you ride on? What is more important, ride or durability?

There really isn't one tire out there that fits all (though some seem to come closer than others).

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I've used only the Hutchinson Atom Comps clinchers in your list, but I wasn't very satisfied with them because the tire (rubber itself) begins to crack in a very short period of time. Although I'll have to say they are very sticky and fairly light.

Hi,



Veloflex Pave does not exist (but no doubt very good )

Schwalbe Ultremo: anything Ultremo from Schwalbe rolls well but does not last very long and borders on the downright dangerous. Not sure if they'll ever sort that compound out. (Kinda their attempt at outdoing Conti's Black Chili stuff. No cigar so far)

Gommitalia does not manufacture tyres AFAIK, most of their top tyres are made for them by Veloflex (or so I hear). Not sure where the rest comes from.

Hutchinson: No idea but I don't know a single soul actually raving about them.

Vittoria Open Corsa: a disaster recipe on anything remotely moist. Go for the SC if you do not mind the para sidewalls.

If it were for my own use:

1/ Veloflex (any Veloflex)

2/ Vittoria EVO SC (almost as good as Veloflex but probably cheaper to most people)

1/ + 2/ Are handmade, so called "Open Tubulars" meaning their tread is not vulcanized onto the casing but glued on. They are worth buying well beforehand so the glue can fully outgas and stabilize.
Veloflex uses natural rubber as opposed to synthetic rubber, which also benefits from "aging" a couple of months prior to use.

Keep in mind that none of the tyre on your wishlist are particularly reknowned for being puncture proof (for what that's worth) and only bring out their best performance when using a good quality unpigmented latex inner tube.

Ciao,

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Being a snob is an expensive hobby.

every pair of vittoria's i had so far live a short live due to small cuts, they just don't seem to last for me

gommitalia made verry happy at half the price of the vitorria's and at least twice the life span

im missing vredestein, they do make very nice tires

I've been a user of Conti GP4000s for a number of years but recently switched to schwalbes. I like the schwalbes but found out by accident that you can flat spot them fairly easily if you lock up the wheels.

Hi,

Any soft compound would do that. That doesn't mean the tyre is bad, quite the contrary.

Ciao,

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Being a snob is an expensive hobby.

Not complaining at all...just a little surprised that they would flat spot so easily. Overall I prefer the schwalbes to the Contis but don't have any data to support it.

Oh man! You left out Michelin! And little known Challenge, or how about Grand Bois? Seriously! And where is Continental?!?!?

Hi,



Don't those need to be mounted on lovingly crafted wooden rims?

I mean Grand Bois and Continental in thew same sentence.....Ahemmmm

Ciao,

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Being a snob is an expensive hobby.

Actually, no. Grand Bois tires can be mounted on alloy rims.

Grand Bois and Continental were written... get this... in 2 separate sentences.