veloflex corsa 22 vs. pro3 race - first impressions

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kgt
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by kgt

There's really no comparison between Veloflex and Michelin.
Veloflex competes at another level.

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neeb
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by neeb

fdegrove wrote:Hi,
Veloflex tyres benefit from maturing in a dry cellar away from U.V. rays.
I know it sounds like a cycling myth but just try it, it just redifines puncture resistance no end.

How long would you leave them there for? I assume a cupboard or a bottom drawer would do? Any way to accelerate the process, e.g. curing in the oven at a very low temperature?

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ultyguy
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by ultyguy

I've been running both (the older Veloflex Paves w/ the kevlar strip) at around 110-120psi. I've actually found the opposite on a few points. I've been riding in a lot of horrid conditions on bad road lately (early season training in the alps, even got snowed on last Sunday!). I've been having a lot of issues with punctures on the Veloflexes and they have gotten cut up to hell. I switched back over to and older set of Pro3's that I had lying around and they've been bulletproof so far, fingers crossed.

As far as road feel is concerned, yes, the Veloflexes are silky and the Pro3s do bounce around a bit, but they also are quite narrow for a 22 tyre and the Pro3's are notieably wider which helps w/ cracks and bumps in the road. In the dry I'd give the cornering edge to the Pro3's, in the wet I'd go w/ the Veloflexs.....but....not having to fix a flat when it's 4 degrees and pissing it down....priceless.

fdegrove
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by fdegrove

Hi,

neeb wrote:
fdegrove wrote:Hi,
Veloflex tyres benefit from maturing in a dry cellar away from U.V. rays.
I know it sounds like a cycling myth but just try it, it just redifines puncture resistance no end.

How long would you leave them there for? I assume a cupboard or a bottom drawer would do? Any way to accelerate the process, e.g. curing in the oven at a very low temperature?


I'd suggest at least six months.
Trouble with the open tubular range is that there's no date of actual manufacture on the tyre contrary to their tubular range.
With tubulars I try to leave them in the cellar for a year whenever possible.

Ciao, ;)
Being a snob is an expensive hobby.

Murphs
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by Murphs

fdegrove wrote:Hi,

neeb wrote:
fdegrove wrote:Hi,
Veloflex tyres benefit from maturing in a dry cellar away from U.V. rays.
I know it sounds like a cycling myth but just try it, it just redifines puncture resistance no end.

How long would you leave them there for? I assume a cupboard or a bottom drawer would do? Any way to accelerate the process, e.g. curing in the oven at a very low temperature?


I'd suggest at least six months.
Trouble with the open tubular range is that there's no date of actual manufacture on the tyre contrary to their tubular range.
With tubulars I try to leave them in the cellar for a year whenever possible.

Ciao, ;)


Interested to hear your thoughts and age old wisdom on the second part of the question?

fdegrove
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by fdegrove

Hi,

About curing in an oven?

Nah, just store them in a relaxed state in a cardboard box or whatevever you fancy for as long as the environment is dryish and....darkish...

If you must have someting tubular for dinner try calamars.... :mrgreen:

Ciao-ish, ;)
Being a snob is an expensive hobby.

Murphs
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by Murphs

But, hypothetically, if you had a tubular or open tubular that was not too old, but you needed to use it, could you accelerate the curing process by putting it in the oven?

parajba
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by parajba

Might be slightly OT, but perhaps not.

How does the Corsa 22mm (clincher) compare with the Carbons? (tubulars) For argument's sake, let's assume we fit a decent butyl tube or a latex tube. If latex, let's assume it's the standard Michelin as it's easy to find pretty much in every country.

I'm curious to understand the difference and the benefit of the Carbons over the Corsas. Is the hassle of tubs worth it in this case? Or is the Corsa a very close call? Who's got the best cornering?

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kgt
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by kgt

In my experience this clincher with a latex tube felt very close to its tubular version.

fdegrove
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by fdegrove

Hi,

I'd doubt anyone would notice the difference in a blind test.
Yet, latex inner tubes have their disadvantages when used with clinchers.

@Murphs: Heat would accelerate the outgassing of the solvents. Other than that, I wouldn't know.

Ciao, ;)
Being a snob is an expensive hobby.

Robroyski
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by Robroyski

kgt wrote:In my experience this clincher with a latex tube felt very close to its tubular version.



+1

I run Extreme Tubular and Corsa clinchers with latex tube and the difference is very small.

parajba
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by parajba

@kgt, @fdegrove and @Robroyski:

I was expecting a big difference between the Corsas and the Carbons. At least to justify the higher maintainance and costs of the Carbons. I was expecting a much better cornering so say the least.

Why is it that the Corsa corners and offers the same comfort/ride quality of the Carbons?

The only real difference is the wheel then. You can buy top of the range super light full carbon wheels and mount Carbons, whereas with the Corsa you are bound to have those additional 300 grams of rotating mass being clinchers (compared to their tubular version).

If the ride quality/cornering is almost the same, I can see two clear advantages of the Carbons over the Corsa:

1. Safety. If properly glued, a tubular is safer than a clincher. It won't explode, it will still be rideable for a few hundred meters until you can safely stop if you puncture. The tyre won't come off the rim exposing carbon or alu if you puncture.

2. Lack of pinch flats. Again, this can be seen as safety. You can go faster over bumps because there are no pinch flats too.

Am I missing something here?

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kgt
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by kgt

I think you 're right. Just think the Corsa and the Carbon as the same tire. The Carbon is just more expensive since it is a tubular. But if you add the price of a good latex tube to your Corsa then the price difference is not that great. Maintainance is theoretically the same. Same durability, mileage etc. etc. In my experience with tubulars both points 1. and 2. are correct. I would add as point 3. the fact tubular wheels are usually better than clincher. No, if you want to keep clincher wheels then a good open tubular such as Veloflex Corsa will give you about 95% of the ride quality of a good tubular.

Quickdraw
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by Quickdraw

parajba wrote: If the ride quality/cornering is almost the same, I can see two clear advantages of the Carbons over the Corsa:

1. Safety. If properly glued, a tubular is safer than a clincher. It won't explode, it will still be rideable for a few hundred meters until you can safely stop if you puncture. The tyre won't come off the rim exposing carbon or alu if you puncture.

2. Lack of pinch flats. Again, this can be seen as safety. You can go faster over bumps because there are no pinch flats too.



This may be off-topic, but are pinch flats really an issue with clinchers used on the road at roughly 100-110 psi? In my experience they would seem to be a very rare occurrence on road, especially in the U.S., where roads are generally good.

When I flat, I always check my tire for thorns or other sharp objects on the tire that caused the flat (so I do not re-flat when the same sharp object pierces the newly installed tube). Almost invariably I can find the source of the flat being a sharp object that punctured the tube. Accordingly, I can't say that I ever really "pinch-flat." Are pinch flats the stuff of urban legend?

Similarly, as a general rule, I can't say that tubulars behave all that differently from clinchers as they deflate. And neither are safe to ride on when flat. Are these more urban legends or are we, at the least, talking about very rare exceptions, so as to be not worth much consideration in the tubular vs. clincher debate?

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neeb
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by neeb

This may be off-topic, but are pinch flats really an issue with clinchers used on the road at roughly 100-110 psi?

I effectively never get them, but I always run my tyres at highish pressure (115psi or more) and I am only 63kg. I also check my pressure before every ride.

I think it's an issue with heavy riders and lower pressures.

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