Which Tubs ????

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

Moderator: robbosmans

roadiesean
Posts: 64
Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2008 10:29 am

by roadiesean

Hi

Having been massively disappointed :cry: with the quality of my last set of Vittoria Pave CG tubs, they were out of round and wouldn't hold air or even blow up to anything over 100psi I am rethinking my unwavering addiction to Vittoria tyres.

What is a really great, puncture resistant race tubular with some training and the odd sportive thrown in ???

Basically I'm looking for a Pave equivalent. Is the Sprinter Gatorskin any good ? I've never been happy with Contis on clinchers, but as they are genuinely made in Germany and not stitched together by some baby in Taiwan with her teeth as Vittoria are, thought they might be better.

Any advice/recommendations greatly appreciated !

Thanks
Sean

CBRE
Posts: 219
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2003 1:37 am
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Contact:

by CBRE

Gatorskins are great but a tad heavy, new Evo CX 2's seem to hold up OK and ride great, Tufo S3's can be ridden to the cords with no issues or flats.
Curt Brown

2016 Cannondale EVO Etap 13.8#'s
2012 Cannondale Supersix EVO etap 13.7#'s
2017 Cannondale SUPER X Force 16.0#'s
2016 Cannondale FatCad2 28.1#'s
2011 Cannondale Carbon Flash 1 17.9#'s

by Weenie


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

www.starbike.com



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

by Geoff

Vittorias are still 'real' tubulars with pretty nice, supple casings and latex tubes. The Contis, on the other hand, are quite 'clincher-like' with butyl tubes. Having said all that, I have a large stash of 'donated' Competitions which have proven themselves very durable and are quite serviceable.

roadiesean
Posts: 64
Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2008 10:29 am

by roadiesean

Does the butyl innertubes on the Contis help them to actually hold their air ? I am loathe to lash out on another pair of tubs that don't even hold onto the (Limited) air you can get in them !!!!

roadiesean
Posts: 64
Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2008 10:29 am

by roadiesean

Curt, how do you find the CX2's (320tpi) ride compared to the original 290tpi CX's ??

And do you mean Tufo S3 Lites ?

User avatar
HammerTime2
Posts: 5813
Joined: Thu May 04, 2006 4:43 pm
Location: Wherever there's a mountain beckoning to be climbed

by HammerTime2

Conti tubulars with butyl tubes hold air about the same as clinchers with butyl tubes, and much better than tubulars or clinchers with latex tubes, presuming of course that you're not losing air due to leaky extensions.

What do you mean by "limited" air? If you are using a floor pump, it should not be difficult to inflate them to recommended pressure, and indeed even to maximum allowable pressure. If you are using a crummy mini-pump, then of course it could be a different story.
Last edited by HammerTime2 on Tue Apr 17, 2012 3:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Frankie - B
Admin - In the industry
Posts: 6573
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2003 8:17 am
Location: Drenthe, Holland

by Frankie - B

My favorite for the conditions you discribe is the sprinter in non gatorskin version.
'Tape was made to wrap your GF's gifts, NOT hold a freakin tire on.'
If you want to see 'meh' content of me and my bike you can follow my life in pictures here!

User avatar
WasFab
Posts: 261
Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2012 1:40 am

by WasFab

I ride the sprinter gatorskin tubes and they're brilliant, excellent tubes puncture protection and to my taste great roll feeling. I rode the Vittoria slicks CX before and didn't like as much


---
I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?pf4bp2

roadiesean
Posts: 64
Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2008 10:29 am

by roadiesean

Thanks guys, HammerTime, I agree, but with a floor pump they were leaking faster than I could put it in ! I know that extenders aren't brilliant, but nothing should be that bad.

Reckon I might give the non-gatorskin Sprinters a go.

Any other last minute additions ?

User avatar
HammerTime2
Posts: 5813
Joined: Thu May 04, 2006 4:43 pm
Location: Wherever there's a mountain beckoning to be climbed

by HammerTime2

roadiesan, you must have something wrong with your pump, the tire (and its valve), and/or the extensions. A Conti tubular should get inflated with no trouble. Perhaps your extensions are not only not brilliant, but in fact really "stupid".

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

by Geoff

+1. Your original post now make more sense. I suspect that there is nothing wrong with the Vittoria tire. The valve extender must be incorrectly installed for what you are describing.

Are you using a Hed or Zipp-type 'sleeve' extender? While those can be made to work, the best ones to use are the type that install betweem the valve body and the valve core. Put a wrap of teflon tape over the threads for a better seal.

roadiesean
Posts: 64
Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2008 10:29 am

by roadiesean

Nah, its not the extenders I've used them before and they are tickety-boo. PTFE tape and a good seal, it was the Vit's it wasn't only the not holding air problem, but the worst thing was they were "square" ! Seated and glued well, they were "rouched" up opposite the valve, they had (I think) been folded and stored badly and had a kink in them. A right faff, all that gluing and they were for the bin. Sent them back and got a refund but still WOFT ! Will see if the Contis are better, fingers crossed ;-)

CBRE
Posts: 219
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2003 1:37 am
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Contact:

by CBRE

roadiesean wrote:Curt, how do you find the CX2's (320tpi) ride compared to the original 290tpi CX's ??

And do you mean Tufo S3 Lites ?



I think they ride the same, they weigh just about the same too. I have S33's and S3 21mm lites(215g), both are bulletproof but do not ride nowhere near as well as the Vittoria's.
Curt Brown

2016 Cannondale EVO Etap 13.8#'s
2012 Cannondale Supersix EVO etap 13.7#'s
2017 Cannondale SUPER X Force 16.0#'s
2016 Cannondale FatCad2 28.1#'s
2011 Cannondale Carbon Flash 1 17.9#'s

User avatar
Kabush
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2009 10:04 am
Location: Prague, CZE
Contact:

by Kabush

Very good are Challange tubular tires from normal version. Perfect are dugast or fmb

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

by fdegrove

Hi,

I think they ride the same, they weigh just about the same too.


Unfortunately the EVO 320 TPI had a change in the compound of the central thead. Vittoria are quietly working on so in the meantime I'd advise the SC version which is very good.

Tufo S3 lite must be among if not the worst tubular in history. Light, yes but that's it.

Very good are Challange tubular tires from normal version. Perfect are dugast or fmb


I've seen quite a few far from perfect Dugast and FMB tubulars although the latter are getting better over the last couple of years. Dugast however seem to be too involved in CX to bother with good road stuff.

Challenge are surprisingly good but suffer from a poor image.

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

by Weenie


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

www.starbike.com



Post Reply