Which tubular tire?

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andy2
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by andy2

Couple of infamous Tour tests both with predictable German winners.

Old type Vittorias too.

You'll have to do better than that to stop me from believing in my own experience.
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bobalou
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by bobalou

JBuck wrote:Got my first set of tubular wheels and was wondering if anyone could suggest a good all around tubular tire?

Tires will be used for fast club rides on open roads.

Considering

Conti compeitition
vittoria corsa cx

All opinions appreciated

Thanks


You can't go wrong with the Veloflex Carbons IMO. I've run through three pairs and love them. Low rolling resistance, nice ride, only one flat in two years. Although I'm getting ready to try the Continental GP4000 tubulars which, based on whats been written at least, are worth a look.

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sedluk
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by sedluk

I think Andy2 makes a good point. Two independent tests and low user reviews like:

http://www.roadbikereview.com/cat/wheel ... 81crx.aspx

Are not about to change his mind. He has made up his mind that Vittoria Corsa are the best.

For the rest of us, I think we realize that it is difficult for a new tubular rider to make an informed decision. For that matter it can be difficult for an experienced rider to truly know which tires are more resistant to flats.

User reviews can be biased, people that are unhappy with a tire are probably more likely to post reviews. Not a representative sample. Happy riders are spending more time riding and less time writing poor reviews.

Independent tests sound like a great idea, Andy2 thinks they are biased based on nationality and patriotism. They might be, how do we know? Are they lying, or is there some underlying bias in their test that favors their favorite brand. If they use a machine to scrap a sharp tool across the tire, while it may not exactly mimic road conditions, how would it be biased toward tires from a particular country?

I am often more interested in the "how" we know, as much as to "what" we know. Bike tires are a good example.

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andy2
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by andy2

I have done actual A-B tests between Veloflex Carbon and CX II.

I friend and I swapped them between exactly matching Edge wheels back
and forth over a few rides.

We have both been on and off bikes since the late 70's, always on tubes.

The Vittoria CX II tires are the best so far - by far.


/a
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juuzo
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by juuzo

Hi, I just bought a new set of zipp 303 firecrest tubulars and now i'm considering new tires. I have earlier ridden with tuff elite pulse which was awful and conti competitions which I liked pretty much. Now I am trying to find good all-round tires with decent weight. What is your suggestion?

Dammit
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by Dammit

What riding will you be doing with them- racing, club runs, training rides, all of the above?

What weather conditions are typical for where you will be riding?

What is your budget?

juuzo
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by juuzo

Tires will be actually for all purposes. Mainly training but sometimes also racing. Weather conditions are dry sunny days. When it rains I usually choose mountain bike. I don't care about the price. I bought 2400$ wheel set so I don't mater how much tires cost.

Geoff
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by Geoff

Personally, if you are looking for 'the best' all-around race tire, I would recommend either of: the FMB CX or SC; or, the Dugast Strada, either in the cotton casing. When aged properly, any of those tires will prove worthy additions to your wheelset.

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HammerTime2
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by HammerTime2

juuzo wrote: I have earlier ridden with tuff elite pulse which was awful and conti competitions which I liked pretty much. Now I am trying to find good all-round tires with decent weight.
If you earlier pretty much liked conti competitions, you probably still will pretty much like them on your new wheels. They can be considered to be all-round tires with decent weight. As for whether they are "good", remember, the person riding them will be you, who pretty much liked them, not fdegrove or some other people who pretty much don't like them.

fdegrove
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by fdegrove

Hi,

not fdegrove or some other people who pretty much don't like them.


Coming from Tufos who would not like these Conti Comps?

I follow Geoff's line of suggestions: FMB, Dugast and Veloflex and Vittoria (if you ride in silex free zones). Not necessarily in that order.
Ignore Hammertime2, he confuses all Frankies. :mrgreen:

Ciao, ;)
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sawyer
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by sawyer

andy2 wrote:I have done actual A-B tests between Veloflex Carbon and CX II.

I friend and I swapped them between exactly matching Edge wheels back
and forth over a few rides.

We have both been on and off bikes since the late 70's, always on tubes.

The Vittoria CX II tires are the best so far - by far.


/a


CXII main weakness is in wet weather. I've been down on them and don't trust em in the wet. Not did Vittoria it seems which is why they introduced the SC - which I really like.

Other weakness of CXII is puncture resistance but that's more debateable given the low CRR upside.
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rennradu
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by rennradu

I have about 3000 Km on Conti GP4000 and I'm very pleased with them. Had no flats, they roll fast and grip well in the wet.
I also had Conti Competitions, but they wear faster on bad (gritty) roads,
and Vittoria corsa evo cx which are smoother but I didn't trust them in the wet either(I mean they don't slip that easy, but with the Contis I can corner faster)

...just my 2¢
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vamoots58
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by vamoots58

I actually thought the Conti Comps were OK. Currently riding the Veloflex Arenberg's. I believe this is Veloflex's 'version' of the Vittoria Pave. Very comfortable tire, great feel and grip. Have a set of FMB Comp CX's on the stretching rims and will swap into those when the Velo's go. It's not a particularly sound approach economically, but I like to swap tires more frequently than needed. Life is short, try lots of different tires. Great tires are a luxury, but compared to the rest of the components on a bike, they are not outlandish...so splurge!!

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Roundabout
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by Roundabout

For a race specific application... Evo Corsa CX with an ounce of Orange Seal/Stan's/your preferred tire sealant.

Friends don't let friends ride gatorskin tubulars.

Dammit
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by Dammit

I commute on Gators, with 60ml of Revo sealant in them- every now and again I have to pump them up a bit but other than that they're great.

I'd not use them on the fast bike, but they're not without a use-case in which they perform very well.

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