help with which Tubular to use

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cycleforlife
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2008 6:35 pm
Location: MASS

by cycleforlife

first time using tubular tires ,I live in New England roads are not great.

I need some advice on tires, looked at contis and vittorias so far thanks


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Geoff
Posts: 5395
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2003 2:25 am
Location: Canada

by Geoff

Good choice. We have a bit of a thread going which may be of assistance to help you get going, too.

Personally, I think both Conti and Vittoria make very serviceable, all-purpose road tires. We have lots of frost-heave here and either have all-around tires that will survive well.

For the Conti, I like the Competion. I did try prototype GP4000 tires and I like the Competition better. Conti does have a more 'clincher-like ride. I will say that, while I don't have a problem with them myself, some people find that the Conti tires are harder to install.

For the Vittoria, I really like the All-Weather, but they are getting harder and harder to find. I may be down to 3 or 4 now. If you want a nice alternative, the SC has a similar tread pattern to the All-Weather/CG of old.

Good luck!

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Max Gravity
Posts: 534
Joined: Sat May 26, 2007 11:57 am

by Max Gravity

I ride Conti Comp only since they are the most reliable tubulars I tried.
They have improved over the years. Never liked the 4000 that is a
different construction all together.
Softer more supple tubs are nice until you have 2 flats long way from home.
Nowadays I use 25mm in the rear and 22mm in front as the trend is.
Max Gravity, unfairly treated by gravity!

fdegrove
Tubbie Guru
Posts: 5894
Joined: Tue May 03, 2005 2:20 am
Location: Belgium

by fdegrove

Hi,

Personally, I think both Conti and Vittoria make very serviceable, all-purpose road tires.


Serviceable is a relative term in my book. I think both companies make a lot of effort to make their product ..... not so serviceable.

I also think that Conti are vastly overpriced (much in the same way most Americans are paying through the nose for Veloflex) for a tubualr that rides like a mediocre clincher. Granted, puncture resistance is way above average and grip in the wet is simply on a class of its own. Still....

Vittoria seems to have dropped the ball somewhat due to some unclear engineering decissions giving the same helmless impresions as riding the product would. The SC was and still is a good reply to the increasing criticism from users and put their brand back in competition with its parent company Veloflex. All that at an even more competitive price. In Europe at least.

Then of course, there is Schwalbe, often overlooked, competing its heart out to beat or equal Conti.
My quible with both German companies is that although their compounds and puncture restistance are usually fine, they should understand that a more supple tyre does not need all these belts and braces. Not pure racing tyres anyhow....

Oh, BTW, Schwalbe, we want that best of yours back: the humble Milano. That tyre is a design simpleton that would beat almost all of the competition. Funnily it was a "inherited" product from a Thai take over (Swallow).
Too good for its own good it has of course been phased out.

Plus ca change,...... :cry:
Being a snob is an expensive hobby.

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