I have been riding vredestein tricomps for over 2 years now and not 1 flat. Prior to riding tricomps I seemed to flat on every or every other ride with pro 3s, continentals, specialized and vitoria's. So to now have a mentality that I can go out and not have a thought in the back of my mind that I need go make sure I have more than one spare if I go riding , is a great at thing. Its time to buy new tires again because mine are nearing the end of their life cycle and my gut says "tricomps" no question, but my early stages of weight wennie is telling me to look for a lighter tire. We all know how fragile the mental psyche is to a cyclist, so the feeling of assurance and tust in a tire is very important. I'm not racing and don't intend to. I will be looking into replacing my tubes as well for some added weight loss.

I say "sell to me", because Im not looking for the traditional..."this is what I use, so you should too". I'm looking for someone to really point out some real key factors to a light weight tire that will also be durable. I'm in sales myself, so I relate best if one can sell.me on the details as to why I should pick this or that verses telling me to pick this without explaining the benefits of why.

Also, since I'm really a weight wennie rook here what is considered a "lightweight" tire(grams wise)? For instance when I was looking into getting new bars, stem and seat post I didn't know what was considered light until someone told me that if I can stay under 200g for a bar than that is considered pretty light to most people. That gave me a target to aim for and put the weight of all other bars in perspective.

Sell me....(please)


As was pointed out to you (and as you seem to have already realised) please use Search

I hate to say this, but I think it is appropriate this time.

Please do a search, this has been discussed on here many, many times before.

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Bianchi10, you've answered your own question. Tricomps work well for you so stick with them.

I know its been discussed, hense the "again". 1/2 of the information on these forums are regergitat information about the same topics. How many light wheel, light bars, best cranks, this tire vs this tire...etc threads are there here. Of course I could spend a couple hours searching forums and archive threads. Half of the threads started could be told the same. I'm asking for specific info on different tire options which is no different than someone asking zipp vs Easton or fsa vs ritchey. I understand what your saying, but I'm hopeful that i can get some info from someone.

Yes the vredesteins have worked, but km looking to see if there is a lighter option that may be just as durable.

I use the lighter end of tyres a fair bit but nothing is going to give you as good a puncture resistance run as you've had from your vredesteins, I suspect. Most light tyres (that roll well......and that, for me, is a serious consideration) will puncture much more easily. The Vreds are about 230g+/-10g so you could try a 4000s to save about 40-60g a pair but they don't roll very well (they are hard-wearing and reasonably puncture resistant (only)) but they are basically a 120TPI tyre (conti count all the layers to claim their stupid thread count) and roll like a rubbery 120TPI tyres does (badly).
All the great feeling tyres (veloflex, fmb, dugast etc) puncture really easily. Despite veloflex claiming a puncture resistant layer.....they don't really have one. Veloflex masters/corsas typically weigh about 185g (181-187 from a sample of about 20 tyres in 20mm) so you will lose weight and gain riding pleasure but the penalty will be fixing a few more flats.....about 90g/pr saved if you can tollerate the 20mm (that is more like about 22mm).

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Used to race....got too wrinkly and old Updated: Racing again! Thought this was unlikely! Eventually, I may even have a decent race!

Hi,



I can only speak for Veloflex and I suspect the same goes for FMB and Dugast; Veloflex do have a puncture protection in the way of what is called a callicot belt.
This is an extremely tight woven carpetlike tissue that sits under the thread. It actually does provide for sufficient protection provided the tyres are used for what they were set out to do namely racing.
Aging the tyres helps a lot as well but there no tyre that allows you to run through fields of broken bottles or other sharp objects.

Frankly, for what I use these tyres for and especially for where I ride them, you won't here me complaining about puncture resistance. I think it's excellent.
If however you ride in urban/suburban areas then yes, you maybe better of rolling out the tank instead of that Lambo...

(I am also the kind of bloke that would pull out the butyl inner tube out of a Schwalbe Milano (which definitely has no protection whatsoever) to replace it with a Vredestein latex one just to dare the puncture odds.....)

Ciao,

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Being a snob is an expensive hobby.

@fdegrove:
Since you've gone ahead and taken tubes out of tubulars, have you ever thought abound cannibalizing an old Conti tire, clincher or tubular, for its Vectran breaker?

Hi,

Actually I've never even thought about that as most of the time those anti-puncture layers are vulcanized to the rest of the tyre's rubber.
Vectran is some sort of liquid crystal, isn't it?

Anyhow, next time I feel like cannibalizing one of those Conti's I'll take a peek. Promise.

Would love to see a Veloflex covered in Black Chili sauce though.....

Ciao,

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