Continental vs Vittoria for UK road racing?

[Ruds]

Hey guys,

I have some new tubular wheels coming (some may remember my previous post) as well as my current 808's. I have always used Continental Competitions which I liked, good grip, puncture resistance etc.. However I've recently been using a Conti Sprinter on the front and a Vittoria EVO slick on the back. The Sprinter has very good grip for cornering, it's the best I've ever used but it is quite heavy (IIRC 260g). The Vittoria is very easy to mount, lightweight, has better valve extensions and Latex inner tubes which are meant to roll better ( ), but as long as it's lasted it did seem to pick up cuts easily and finally punctured at the weekend.

What is the consensus with Conti vs Vittoria regarding road racing? Do people find Conti's more puncture resistant? Do Vittoria have the same cornering or wet weather grip as Competitions or Sprinters with their equivalents?

It would be great if Vittoria's held up to UK abuse but my hunch is Conti's are more robust, what do you guys think?

[Geoff]

Personally, I believe the Conti Competition to be more durable than the Vittoria CX. The Conti Sprinter, definitely so. Having said that, I also believe that the Vittoria CX is a 'nicer' tubular than the Conti tires are.

Others seem to take a harsher view than I do about the Conti tires. I find them a reasonable alternative to the more traditional tires. While it is true that the Conti does not seem to be as close to the paragon of tubular manufacture as, say a Dugast or FMB, it is perfectly servicable. I have lots of friends racing important events using the Conti Competition and it is not stopping them from being successful.

If you need a durable tubular, Vittoria used to make a general-purpose tire called the All-Weather. The All-Weather was basically the Vittoria CG. It was a very durable tire and you may still be able to find it. The All-Weather has be replaced by the Evo Pave CG, which is basically the same tire, only not available in a 22mm size.

[dcl10]

I do like Vittoria's as they are a nice, supple, and smooth riding tire. Plus they are light, well made, and I like their valve system. That said I prefer conti's. I know a lot of people don't like them because they are difficult to mount and the ride quality is not great. However they are fast, corner well, and are extremely durable. Everything I'd require of a race tire. I basically have to have a good sized gash in the tire to flatten one of them and most get replaced only due to wear. Most of my Vittoria's seem to flatten via small pinholes and I've only had a few last more than 1,000 miles. Honestly if Vittoria could come up with a halfway decent protection belt I'd probably prefer them, but to me ride quality and ease of mounting are niceties, durability is a necessity. So in my case the Conti's are my 1st choice.

[Geoff]

You are right, the Conti Competition is a durable and very servicable all-purpose tire.

I still don't get the issue with mounting Contis. I have never been able to replicate that problem. With respect to the tire itself, I actually like them just fine as a general-purpose tire and ride them quite abit (now, to be fair, I have quite a stash of them so am not paying money on them). It is also true that they aren't nearly as nice as some that are available.

[stoweaway]

I love the supple ride of Vittoria, and Vittoria always seems to come out near the top in rolling resistance tests.

However, neither of these will do you much good if you aren't at the finish.

Contis are more durable, and they work quite well with Vittoria valve extenders.

[Ruds]

I'm going to go with the Vittoria Corsa Evo CX, I think I should give them a fair try. I totally agree that Conti are more reliable but I prefer the ride quality of the Vittorias I've used so far. The suppleness difference if noticeable and I believe the Evo CX is a heavier weight tub than the Vittoria that I just punctured, so I shall see

Their going on a set of 202's, can't wait to try them out. I also love how quickly and easily I can fit Vittoria's compared to the fight I have getting Conti's on.

Maybe I'll end up back with Conti it would be great if the Vittoria's where up to it though.

Anyone know why Conti don't use Latex inner tubes? Am I right in thinking the 'pro edition' ones do use Latex inner tubes?

[Geoff]

I have Team versions of the Conti Competition with butyl and latex tubes. Go figure.

[Ste_S]

Contis above Vittorias for road racing for me, purely because I don't trust Vittoria's grip in the wet

[theremery]

It's been said many times before but the best choice between Conti and Vittoria is Veloflex
From memory, the Vittorias that have the butyl tubes are the triathlon versions so they don't go flat while waiting at transition (overnight).

[Geoff]

On riding Vittoria tires in the wet, the CX is not really designed for that application.

Back 'in the day', we used the CX in the front and the CG in the rear in wet weather. The CG became the All-Weather, which is one of the great tires of all time. Now discontinued, you can probably still find them around (I have a pile in my basement). The 'new' iteration of the great CG is called the 'EVO Pave CG', which is not available in 22mm (unfortunately). This is a big hole in the Vittoria line-up.

On Veloflex, I can ride either FMB and Dugast for the same price, so I have never bothered with them. I have friends riding for a living who think they are pretty good, though FMBs and Dugast are still better.

[goffer8]

Where to buy FMB or Dugast i EU? when I do a google search only american sites pop up.

[Geoff]

You can get them directly from Francois and Richard directly!

[HammerTime2]

I have Team versions of the Conti Competition with butyl and latex tubes. Go figure.

Is there any difference, other than labels, between the butyl version of the Team version of Conti Competition and the "regular" Conti Competition?

[Geoff]

For some of them, yes, definitely. As an example, I have T-Mobile ones that have magenta-coloured sidewalls! Most of them appear just to have a different logo on the side of them. Manufacturers often use the Pro Tour as a testing ground for new products. It would not suprise me to learn that those tires also include experimental liners or rubber compounds, too.

[HillRPete]

I've got a related question, hope it's ok to re-use this thread.

What is the best Conti tub for a wet weather climbing (descending) alu front wheel? Something bigger than 22mm would be great. Seems to be between a Comp 25mm and putting one of those new "Force Comp" tubs on the front.

And what about the Sprinter's wet grip? It's only 22mm, but if it lives up to the bill, I might consider it.

Would consider Vittorias though, if people find them to grip better in the wet, Pavè or Corsa SR anyone? ("Tubular feel" is not as big a concern as grip, however).