"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Anything better for all road/crit racing than Veloflex Carbon Tubulars?

I know there are lighter tires out there but most are thinner/flat prone. Over the past 2 years I have tried the Veloflex carbons, Conti Comp 22's (black chilli), and Vittoria CX's. Might be placebo but the Veloflex tires felt "better" with the Conti Comp's coming in a close second.

What do you guys use? Looking for a good compromise between flat protection and nice feel.

My Veloflex's came apart, the outer casing delaminated in less than a season. Sticking with the Conti's.

Armadillos or Tufos.

I've had 3 veloflex SC develop a bubble at the vavle stem. I'm sticking with vittoria.

Armadillos or Tufos.

For a second there I thought you were serious.

For a second there I thought you were serious.
+1 Way to choose the worst rolling resistance out there.

I've always had luck with Conti sprinters, though my favorite clinchers are the Schwalbe Ultremos, which also come in tubulars. Anyone(besides team Columbia) have any feedback on them?

I've always had luck with Conti sprinters, though my favorite clinchers are the Schwalbe Ultremos, which also come in tubulars. Anyone(besides team Columbia) have any feedback on them?

Oh my god the ultremo's are 80 dollars a tire!

You'd be better off spending the money on a professional bike fit, if you've never had one.

You'd be better off spending the money on a professional bike fit, if you've never had one.

What PSI can you run in those?

What PSI can you run in those?

did i strike a nerve?

Oh my god the ultremo's are 80 dollars a tire!

clinchers are $32 on totalcycling

clinchers are $32 on totalcycling

He was asking about the tubulars.

That being said, while I'm bummed that I didn't get carbon tubulars, I'm really glad that I didn't because $50/flat is not something I can afford at this point of time!

Thanks for the clincher link though!

+1 Way to choose the worst rolling resistance out there.

Urban myth based on one test at below optimal tire pressure. At higher pressures the difference was minimal. I don't run them at the moment but I've won races on the Tufo's and trained on them for several years. Much better constructed than anything coming out of Thailand, downside is other than sealant you can't repair them if they go flat.

Uniformly disappointed in the Veloflex at any price, let alone what they are getting for them. Found the tire chattered under hard cornering (this might have been due to the casing coming apart), wore pretty quickly. Construction wasn't all that great from first glance.

Urban myth based on one test at below optimal tire pressure. At higher pressures the difference was minimal. I don't run them at the moment but I've won races on the Tufo's and trained on them for several years. Much better constructed than anything coming out of Thailand, downside is other than sealant you can't repair them if they go flat.

Uniformly disappointed in the Veloflex at any price, let alone what they are getting for them.
I never saw the tests at higher pressures, although I'm not so sure the test I was referring to was "below" optimal pressure, unless you're racing on a new wood velodrome. Got a link?

I'm sure there's a rather tiny difference between all of the top tires, otherwise people wouldn't be racing (and winning) on the crappy ones.

I like the CXs. I don't like the Contis (Sprinter and something else, the $90? and $120? tires) but will ride them since I spent a lot of money on them (trying to help out an LBS). I tried the Veloflex way back when but for whatever reason didn't like them. This was right after the Clement Criterium went "Asian" (or wherever), and up until that point I used the Criteriums. I dunno, maybe I was using the Asian Criteriums and didn't know it.

Given the choice I'm sticking with CXs.

cdr

I never saw the tests at higher pressures, although I'm not so sure the test I was referring to was "below" optimal pressure, unless you're racing on a new wood velodrome. Got a link?

I'm sure there's a rather tiny difference between all of the top tires, otherwise people wouldn't be racing (and winning) on the crappy ones.

How bad are the vittoria rally's?

I never saw the tests at higher pressures, although I'm not so sure the test I was referring to was "below" optimal pressure, unless you're racing on a new wood velodrome. Got a link?

Not offhand. Hit the Google. I've got the chart that you're probably referencing though, tires were tested no higher than 8.5 bar. I regularly ran my Tufo's to 10 bar, the study I saw showed a huge narrowing of RR at that number.

Don't know if you've used them, but they only tested one of the tires in that study, I found a pretty big range in performance across the line.

How bad are the vittoria rally's?
Don't know. Since my tubulars were always race only, I only used higher quality. Besides, this was over 10 years ago. Conti Sprinter, Vittoria Corsa CX/CG, Vittoria Pro L, etc.)



Don't know if you've used them, but they only tested one of the tires in that study, I found a pretty big range in performance across the line.
My personal experience is limited to Vittoria, Continental, and some Wolbers that came on my first track bike. I can tell you they felt faster and cornered more confidentially than my clinchers, but that's about it. I do agree that 10 bar is too much on most road surfaces. It actually made me bounce and lose traction on the Encino Velodrome.

Don't know. Since my tubulars were always race only, I only used higher quality. Besides, this was over 10 years ago. Conti Sprinter, Vittoria Corsa CX/CG, Vittoria Pro L, etc.)


My personal experience is limited to Vittoria, Continental, and some Wolbers that came on my first track bike. I can tell you they felt faster and cornered more confidentially than my clinchers, but that's about it. I do agree that 10 bar is too much on most road surfaces. It actually made me bounce and lose traction on the Encino Velodrome.

The Rally's are 12 dollars a tubular tire at PBK, I'm not sure I'd ever pay that little for even a clincher haha.

I do agree that 10 bar is too much on most road surfaces. It actually made me bounce and lose traction on the Encino Velodrome.

Most likely a tire specific thing, 140-150 PSI on the Tufo's in the rear produced a pretty lively (fast) tire that gripped really well. I ran the fronts at 140. Most of their tires are rated at 180-220, a bit above all the conventional tubulars. Couple of buddies running them called me up saying they felt dead, told them the pressures I was running, they gave it a shot and never looked back.

I've eyeballed and run all major brands but Schwalbe, Tufo's are unique in design and finish.

I'm kind of on my last legs with the Conti's. It may be just luck but I've had a lot of flats with them. I ran S3 Lites on my trainer bike and had one flat in a year +. Might rotate to the Vittoria's. Tufo needs to hook up with a Pro team :)

The Rally's are 12 dollars a tubular tire at PBK, I'm not sure I'd ever pay that little for even a clincher haha.
Yeah, I'd at least go for the "3 for $50" deal from yellow jersey if I was looking for an every day tire. They seem to think highly of them.

How bad are the vittoria rally's?

I've never had the displeasure of trying them, but from all accounts I've read, and the 2 people I know who've used them, they are the absolute worst-i.e., not worth the rubber they're made out of. I have one I got as part of a lot that has sat there for about a year. If anyone would like to try it, I'll send it their way.

He was asking about the tubulars.

That being said, while I'm bummed that I didn't get carbon tubulars, I'm really glad that I didn't because $50/flat is not something I can afford at this point of time!

Thanks for the clincher link though!

It's not too late. Get them on Ebay with the live.com discount for less than Chainlove.

It's not too late. Get them on Ebay with the live.com discount for less than Chainlove.

They're going to be too big of a PITA for me. Plus, the tires are a little too pricey. Besides, if I was going to get carbon wheels, I'd want to get 2 sets to race and train on. I guess Icould just use swiss stop pads that work on both types of rims but those, again, are wicked pricey. Plus, my room would smell like glue. Yuck.

These are still tempting me, but I'm guessing that the soul 4.0's I just ordered are going to be about as aero since they have bladed spokes instead of round spokes. They're about 150g heavier though. Here's what I'd wanted: ebay link (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140284492936&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:US:1123)

Still, it's a little risky to spend money on a wheelset I know nothing about. If I was going to go for it, I'd probably buy reynolds carbon clinchers. A set of attacks and a set of DV46 clinchers. I'll keep dreaming till I can afford a set of each of those haha.

Plus, it was a little windy out this morning with 12mph winds and gusts up to 20ish. That's not crazy windy, but I felt myself being pushed around by the winds. It wasn't scary, but if I had 50mm rims, it might have been!

I guess Icould just use swiss stop pads that work on both types of rims...
Actually, I've heard that's not a great idea as the pads can still pick up pieces of the aluminum rim and scratch the carbon rim with them.

Hi wfrogge,

Reading your first post, I'm not clear about when you're using tubulars -- for racing or for racing and training?

I WAS using Continental Podiums on my TT and race wheels. Probably jinxing myself by typing this, but I never punctured them and pretty much completely wore out a rear tire on my race wheels. I used the race wheels mostly at industrial park crits but also a few road races on the open road. TTs were on all kinds of road surfaces.

I am waiting for some Vittorias for my new, used TT wheels because I am also going to use them on a wooden track and I was told that the Vittorias would work on that surface. I hope they work well on the road too.

Also got some TUFO tires for my race wheels this past summer. So far so good.

Hope this helps. YMMV.

Plus, it was a little windy out this morning with 12mph winds and gusts up to 20ish. That's not crazy windy, but I felt myself being pushed around by the winds. It wasn't scary, but if I had 50mm rims, it might have been!

i rode in gust up to 40mph down in corpus christi got blown sideways about 3-5 feet at times...that was fun

Anyone have any thoughts on Challenge tubulars (Strata, Criterium, and Forte models)?

In cross, they're all the hype right now. I'm looking to purchase some new tubulars in the next couple weeks. I've had pretty good look with the Tufo S3 Lites and Vittoria EVO-CX's, but wouldn't mind trying something new. I had thought about going with the Conti Sprinters, but reading some other thread, it sounds like you've got to run really high PSI in them, and they're pricey.

Anyone have any thoughts on Challenge tubulars (Strata, Criterium, and Forte models)?

In cross, they're all the hype right now. I'm looking to purchase some new tubulars in the next couple weeks. I've had pretty good look with the Tufo S3 Lites and Vittoria EVO-CX's, but wouldn't mind trying something new. I had thought about going with the Conti Sprinters, but reading some other thread, it sounds like you've got to run really high PSI in them, and they're pricey.


The conti sprinters are a crap shoot quality wise.. Some are good but some are not. They are pretty cheap over @ probikekit.com

The conti sprinters are a crap shoot quality wise.. Some are good but some are not. They are pretty cheap over @ probikekit.com

If you want cheap tubies, get the 3 for $50 deal at yellow jersey.

If you want cheap tubies, get the 3 for $50 deal at yellow jersey.
I'd actually like to hear from anyone who has raced on those babies.

I have the 24 mm cotton Veloflexes (can't remember the model) which I've only raced once but I was quite impressed. The front end felt very confident in the corners.

I went ahead and ordered some Conti 4000 Tubulars from PBK. I really like the clincher version of the 4000s, so hopefully I will be equally pleased with the tubular version. PBK's prices are great right now!

I bought some Vredesteins. Look good, be a month or so till they're on the road though.