Weight Weenies

Hi

My question isn't exactly WW, and I am sure many of the contributors with experience of riding tubs are getting tired of answering tubular questions, but here goes.

I have recently converted my old custom steel steed into a fixed for the road (nice sensible road geometry and two brakes).
I have taken the time to keep the bike as period as possible (which is 1984), but I need help with a reliable tubular tire - and I really want them to have tan sidewalls for that period look.

I have been using Vittoria Rally, but they keep failing on me (a puncture or a tear or the valve fails).

I have been considering the Veloflex criterium, but this bike gets used in all weather conditions and I hear that Velofex tend to pick up a lot of road debris in the wet and then puncture.

What I am currently leaning towards is either a dugast or FMB paris-roubaix tire, probably in a 25mm section.

I am not expecting these tires to be as puncture-proof as Sprinter Gatorskins (although they must have better ride quality), but I am hopeful that they are as good as Vittoria CG.

If anyone has first hand experience of the dugast PR or FMB PR and can comment on their suitability as a reliable training tire for poor road&weather conditions that would be great.

You might look at some of the Challenge tubulars as well, they have some that are wide with tan sidewalls. Can't comment on the durability, I have a narrower set but haven't mounted them yet.

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Yikes. For an occasional rider steel 'vintage' build, FMB and Dugast would be overkill, especially given the cost.

I would recommend a simple Vittoria CX, which would give a period 'correct' look and feel. You could also go with a Vittoria All-Weather, which would also give a 'period correct' feel, as the tread pattern is an evolution of the Vittoria CG that we used to use on the rear in conjunction with the CX up front.

Hi,

I have been considering the Veloflex criterium, but this bike gets used in all weather conditions and I hear that Velofex tend to pick up a lot of road debris in the wet and then puncture.

Nope, they don't tend to pick up road debris in the wet but, yes, they do tend to flat more when presented with new debris and water at the same time.

None of the tyres you're currently considering are any more puncture proof IME but if you want a nice tan walled tubular which performs great for no money at all I'd consider the humble Schwalbe Milano.

The trick to get around punctures in wet conditions is to lower tyre pressure and keeping your eyes peeled.

Ciao,

Thanks, this is exactly the sort of insightful feedback I was after.

I'm currently running 105PSI in the rear and 95 up front, (I am 80Kg). I'll try reducing that by 5 or 10 psi.

I've had no trouble with punctures on 'quality' tubs (conti comps, vittoria CX and all-weather) but these Rally's are a real PITA.

If I keep having trouble I'll try those schwalbes.

Thanks once again.

Wester-Ross wrote:Hi

I have been considering the Veloflex criterium, but this bike gets used in all weather conditions and I hear that Velofex tend to pick up a lot of road debris in the wet and then puncture.

I've had a lot of luck the past 2 years with the veloflex criterium. I use my WW bike from March thru December in upstate NY in all weather and I've found the criteriums to be very puncture resistant. As a matter of fact, the last 2 that I've used have only flatted after 2000 and 3000 miles (not km's) because I let them get threadbare.

Of course I'm only 1 person and I may have just gotten a good batch of tires.

How about Continental Giro's ?

Vittoria cx natural..

Any new developments in the puncture proof "retro" tubular department lately? Or is it still between the (expensive) Veloflex and Vittoria vs Schwalbe Milano?

Either of the Dugast or FMB are really nice tires. I don't think that they will be the solution to your problems if you are getting perforation punctures and casing cuts from road debris, though. If those are the types of flats you are getting now, I suspect that the Rally's are not the cause of your problems.

I might be hijacking this thread a bit, but could people recommend one of those larger volume tubs that could handle the occasional gravel session? Would the Veloflex Roubaix be up to the challenge, or does it cut easily on rocks?

What about this ones? I didn't test them out yet.. Someone???

http://www.yellowjersey.org/tt.html

wassertreter wrote:I might be hijacking this thread a bit, but could people recommend one of those larger volume tubs that could handle the occasional gravel session? Would the Veloflex Roubaix be up to the challenge, or does it cut easily on rocks?

I have ridden hundreds of kilometers on gravel with Veloflex Roubaix tubulars, no punctures or cuts.

wassertreter wrote:I might be hijacking this thread a bit, but could people recommend one of those larger volume tubs that could handle the occasional gravel session? Would the Veloflex Roubaix be up to the challenge, or does it cut easily on rocks?

Roubaix is perfect or the FMB Paris Roubaix.

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I agree, I have been amazed at how cut resistant the Velolex Roubaix's have been. I was expecting a quick wearing tread similar to the vittoria's but hundreds of miles on them including the gravel roads of Battenkill and they look perfect.