Time by Veloflex branded tubs

[bahn]

Picked up a pair of Arenbergs from Merlin and they have 'TIME by VELOFLEX' written on them.

I don't have an issue as such apart from non matchy wheels.. They have a ~3 years old date stamp but wondered the history of these - anyone seen these before or know the background?

[kgt]

Veloflex made some tires for TIME Alpe d'Huez. Maybe they still make them. In any case, just a normal Veloflex tire, nothing different or special I guess.

[markyboy]

Same here i ordered 3 from merlin came yesterday and its time by veloflex i will look at the date.

[Calnago]

Do you really want to be buying “new” tires that were manufactured 3 years ago? They’ve had some good time to “harden up” by now.

[bahn]

Do you really want to be buying “new” tires that were manufactured 3 years ago? They’ve had some good time to “harden up” by now.

So aging them in the basement 6+ months is good but do you think they can be aged too long or maybe in the wrong environment and then they are past their best?

[Calnago]

The aging thing these days is not necessary and in fact yes, the rubbers start to harden up and lose their suppleness with time. You can still use them for sure, but ask yourself why you’re buying nice tubulars in the first place... I presume it’s that suppleness and their superb ride quality. I certainly have tubulars sitting around that old waiting to be glued, but not on purpose. I just haven’t got to where I’ve needed them yet. But if I had my ruthers, for sure I’d be wanting to see a manufacture date of no more than a year before I was actually buying them, preferably less.
For sure at this point I’d say use them but the older they get, the more I’d be checking closely for cracks and other signs of deterioration, as I would with any tire.

[LouisN]

Got the same Tubs from Merlin this spring. The date is ok.
I emailed Merlin about receiving a different product from what's advertised, they replied that the product advertised was the one they sent me.
I kept them because too much of a hassle to return an item across the pond, etc...
I'm using them right now. They're as nice as the "regular" ones...
@Nago, in cold and humid countries, you can ride tubs for years wihtout ever "drying" the rolling band till it cracks. In warm and dry coutries, I can understand it happens. I bought a Kenda Volare tubular batch from the Jelly Belly team a few years ago. I never saw tubular tires so hard and dry !! ....

Louis

[Calnago]

Cracking is an extreme. But getting harder is just natural aging of rubber, and I don’t think it really matters where you are. I have some 24mm Roubaixs still waiting to mount (use them on Nemesis rims and the older 20.5mm width Boras. Really nice but definitely not as supple as a new one. But like you say, still great tires. And the Time Veloflex are no lesser of a tire, they’re the same, just branded for Time. I wouldn’t worry about them being 3 years old, just know that new ones you get next time will feel even better.

[markyboy]

Do you really want to be buying “new” tires that were manufactured 3 years ago? They’ve had some good time to “harden up” by now.

The tyres are advertised as veloflex arenburgs and not time.Dates are 2016 on mine which i did not ask for.
The pics shown on the website are different to the tyres you get.
.https://www.merlincycles.com/veloflex-a ... 65519.html

[Calnago]

I see, well I don’t like surprises like that. It’s happened to me with bars ordered from one of the UK companies as well. If there’s any doubt I always get them to check the actual stock they’re shipping me. But in your case, there would be no reason to ask if these are “rebranded Arrenbergs”.

[addictR1]

Do you really want to be buying “new” tires that were manufactured 3 years ago? They’ve had some good time to “harden up” by now.

The tyres are advertised as veloflex arenburgs and not time.Dates are 2016 on mine which i did not ask for.
The pics shown on the website are different to the tyres you get.
.https://www.merlincycles.com/veloflex-a ... 65519.html

Wow I’m glad I checked this thread update. Was about to order some from Merlin.

Why wouldn’t they just advertise as Time or have some remark saying it may show up as Time.

Guess they don’t have false advertising issues in EU?


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[bahn]

Exactly Calnago's thoughts about 'surprises'. It's not unexpected than buyers already run Arenbergs and may want matching tyres swapped in. They have, to be fair, the standard 'Arenberg' logo still so it's just the preprending of the 'Time by' that's a surprise.

Date Sept 2016. Rubber seems nice and supple like the few I have stored in a dark place at home.

I picked up some Vlaanderens from Merlin last year cheap that were also 'well aged' and they were faultless over the winter months.

[LouisN]

I just ordered two this morning.
I'll update if I receive something different, and the production date.

Louis

[markyboy]

Just fitted them up and they do still feel very supple althought they are stamped 2016.

[Calnago]

Yes, I’m sure they feel just fine. We’re kinda splitting hairs at this point. There’s the real world difference, which is often not much at all, if any, then the WeightWeenie difference, which if a minuscule difference can be detected in a lab under controlled conditions and then have those differences highlighted on a logarithmic chart or on a blown up scale, well... it’s HUGE!
I’ll admit to still having some 24mm Roubaixs, never mounted, with a date stamp of 2011 (just checked), but am I going to toss them... hell no. They are the most perfect fit for a Nemesis rim, and so gorgeous with the tan sidewall, which has become even more tan with age. As long as I don’t see any cracking or something like that, the harder rubber will probably just add to the puncture protection.