Challenge Criterium Tubular - only 1375 miles & kaboom

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ricorob
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Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2012 9:25 pm

by ricorob

I like the way they ride, but wish they had better longevity. Suggestions for something similar but longer life?Image

megalightman
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by megalightman

Stop doing skids!

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ricorob
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by ricorob

No smiley face, but I'll assume that was a joke. This was a gunshot flat at 16 miles an hour on semi smooth pavement. Can't say I recall ever skidding on a roadbike in 30 years of cycling.

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sugarkane
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by sugarkane

Veloflex carbons?

boolinwall
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by boolinwall

I'm not surprised. I had a pair of their clinchers and the casing kept getting progressively wider every week. Especially if you happened to get them wet. They started as a pair of 23's and worked their way up to 27. Fast as hell, but just as scary.

Geoff
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by Geoff

That looks like one of mine (save and except the puncture and the mileage). I often run tires down to the cords before swapping them out. I am a bit surprised to see the tire split open like that, though. Tell us a bit about you.

I am assuming that is a rear and that you are running it between 90 and 110 psi. How 'big' are you? Perhaps you just need a more durable tire like a Vittoria Evo CG or a Conti Comp.

mdeth1313
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by mdeth1313

I had a bunch of those several years ago and they sucked. They all flatted within 1000 miles of use. 1000 is being generous, most of them flatted within 300-400 miles (or less). They suck!
Speedplay is the devil!

LionelB
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by LionelB

try veloflex carbon

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N.T
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by N.T

LionelB wrote:try veloflex carbon

That is the same tyre but with black sidewalls.
Fuelled by kofein

bikewithnoname
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by bikewithnoname

N.T. are you saying Challenge and Veloflex tyres are the same? That would be news to me.
"We live in an age when unnecessary things are our only necessities." Oscar Wilde

5 8 5
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by 5 8 5

That tyre looks really squared off. Are you sure it hasn't done more miles?

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N.T
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by N.T

bikewithnoname wrote:N.T. are you saying Challenge and Veloflex tyres are the same? That would be news to me.

Sorry my mistake. I didn`t notice the challenge bit there.
Yes totally different tyre :smartass:

ricorob
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by ricorob

I'm meticulous about keeping track of mileage on my tires. Definitely 1375 miles. The one before that was about 1700 miles. I think this wore out a little sooner because of a 5 mile section of fresh chip seal that was put down a few months ago (such is life on the roads of the high Colorado mountains). And yes, this is my rear tire. I'm 172lbs and run about 105psi. I'm sure Veloflex carbons are great, but they are about $100 a pop. Too pricey for me. I get the criteriums for about $50 each (a friends connection).

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Calnago
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by Calnago

I think you're right in the ballpark of average mileage for a rear tubular. That seems to be about the usual mileage for me, 1300-1500miles before I'm thinking its time for replacement. Front gets substantially more of course. In my experience that holds for Conti comps (22mm) and Veloflex carbons (22 and 23mm). You have to admit though, you really ran that thing to its max. You're lucky the blowout didnt happen during a twisty fast descent. Anyway, much better to get 1300 miles than an irreparable flat during the first couple hundred or so.
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ricorob
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by ricorob

@Calnago - I couldn't agree with you more about running it to the max and the blowout scenario. Didn't even dawn on me that it would be threadbare so soon. I didn't notice it beforehand. Speaking of high speed blowouts, last year I hit some glass on a decent while doing 55mph on a curve. I was sitting on the toptube in a tucked position when it blew. Rapid flat, but stood up and amazingly had a smooth/controlled deceleration to a stop. Can't say it would have played out as well had I been on clinchers!

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