Easy to fit tubular tires: Vittoria vs Velofex

Back by popular demand, the general all-things Road forum!

Moderator: robbosmans

Post Reply
nemeseri
Posts: 794
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2015 5:40 pm

by nemeseri

Everybody seems to agree that vittoria corsas are easy to stretch and fit. On the other hand I found conflicting information on veloflex carbons. A lot of complaints about tight fit regarding veloflex tires, but most of these seem to be clinchers and not tubulars. How do they compare to the vittoria corsas regarding easy fit?

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



fabriciom
Posts: 160
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2015 8:42 pm
Location: Madrid, España

by fabriciom

I was watching a video from GCN for the mechanics in a pro team. Basically their procedure was to do the normal steps to glue the tire (2-3 layers on tire and 2-3 layers on rim). Their trick was that the last layer before you place the tire on the rim you let it dry for like 1hr so when you went to place the tire on the rim you would not get glue all over the place. I've done this with a pair of continental sprinters and was very satisfied with the results. Obviously I had the tire sitting in the rim for a couple of days stretching.

LionelB
Posts: 1595
Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2008 8:09 pm
Location: Aix en Provence

by LionelB

Veloflex tubs are easy to mount, fairly similar to Vittoria.

sungod
Posts: 1702
Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2010 9:37 pm

by sungod

veloflex carbon and arenberg are easy, i just fitted one of the vittoria corsa g+ it was just as easy

these are the only tubs i've used, over 3-4 years i've never stretched a tub before mounting, they all go on fine without it

helldiver
Posts: 85
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2014 5:46 pm
Location: Slovakia
Contact:

by helldiver

From my experience (Vittoria Corsa SL tubs and Veloflex Extreme/Carbon tubs), they are fairly easy to fit and similar in that regard. Never tried the dreaded Conti tubs :lol: .

sedluk
Posts: 412
Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2009 3:10 am

by sedluk

Lay them in the sun on blacktop and they get warm and stretch more easily. This helps with all tires but Vittoria and Veloflex are super easy, unfortunately both tires also flat very easy.

joeyb1000
Posts: 488
Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2016 8:37 pm

by joeyb1000

about the same

Zigmeister
Posts: 938
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 8:09 pm

by Zigmeister

No issues with either. But prefer Veloflex quality personally over Vittoria. Not sure what has happened to Vittoria tubs the past two years. Quality went way down...so moved to Veloflex. All around great tire.

User avatar
kgt
Posts: 8749
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 10:29 am
Location: Athens, Greece

by kgt

Every tubular tire needs to rest on a rim (without glue) for a day in order to get stretched. Even the stiffest tubulars become smooth and fit easily then.

User avatar
Calnago
In Memoriam
Posts: 8612
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2010 9:14 pm

by Calnago

I find that Veloflex can be mounted fairly easily without stretching at all if you want to. I still like to stretch them however, habits and all. Continentals on the other hand, at least the Competitions, definitely need to be stretched for as long as you possibly can (weeks, months, years) and even then your thumbs will ache for a couple days afterwards. Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration but not by much. However, Conti Comps are my favorite wet weather tire yet ironically I would never take one along as a spare just because they're too damn hard to mount at the best of times let alone if it's cold and wet out and your hands are numb.
Colnago C64 - The Naked Build; Colnago C60 - PR99; Trek Koppenberg - Where Emonda and Domane Meet;
Unlinked Builds (searchable): Colnago C59 - 5 Years Later; Trek Emonda SL Campagnolo SR; Special Colnago EPQ

fabriciom
Posts: 160
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2015 8:42 pm
Location: Madrid, España

by fabriciom

kgt wrote:Every tubular tire needs to rest on a rim (without glue) for a day in order to get stretched. Even the stiffest tubulars become smooth and fit easily then.


I usually do 2 days at full pressure on continentals and they are still very hard to fit.

User avatar
Asteroid
Posts: 222
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2016 8:43 pm
Location: Los Angeles, California

by Asteroid

About the same, from my experience. I prefer Veloflex, as they give a superior ride. Very buoyant and straight as an arrow. Never understood the appeal of Conti tubs. Thick sidewalls give a harsh ride. Interesting that many pro teams use Conti's, although a special version made specifically for the teams. They probably buy from Veloflex! :lol:
Oldbie

User avatar
Calnago
In Memoriam
Posts: 8612
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2010 9:14 pm

by Calnago

As far as I know, the "Pro Limited" version of the Conti Comps that the pros use differ only in that the Pro Limited version have latex inner tubes. I'd really like to get my hands on a set and try them for no other reason than to see just what, if any, a latex tube versus a butyl tube actually makes in ride quality.
Colnago C64 - The Naked Build; Colnago C60 - PR99; Trek Koppenberg - Where Emonda and Domane Meet;
Unlinked Builds (searchable): Colnago C59 - 5 Years Later; Trek Emonda SL Campagnolo SR; Special Colnago EPQ

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



nemeseri
Posts: 794
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2015 5:40 pm

by nemeseri

Thank you guys for the comments. I think I will try out the vittoria corsa g+ and see what happens (it's gonna be my first ever tubular tire). I just heard good things about veloflex, so those are on my list if I don't give up with gluing after the first pairs. ;)

Post Reply