3speed

Lots of people have spoken well of this tire and I'd like to give it a try, but I do ride some gravel trails and there isn't much tread there. Do you think this tire would be fine in a 700x38 size for some gravel?

And while I'm at it, does anyone know the best place to get them in 700x38? Seems like they're ~$50 on Amazon and I can't really find them elsewhere. My LBS doesn't have them, could order them but I'd have to want to wait a few weeks, and said they'd be $55+, which is more than suggested retail. I'd rather not go that route.

sstorkel

I've used the Hyper in 700x35. If I were going to ride more than a few hundred feet on gravel, especially with a loaded touring bike, I'd want a tire with a lot more tread than the Hyper! I might also want a tire with better puncture protection. The Hyper isn't bad, but the Randonneur Pro is a bit better in my experience.

The name of this tire changed somewhat recently. Used to be known as the Randonneur Hyper and is now know as the Voyager Hyper. You might search using both names. The last time I looked for them, both names were still in use. Aside from that, these tires have always been somewhat difficult to buy. If you have a source that will sell them for $50, I'd say that's a bargain. I've seen then going for as much as $70/tire! You might have better luck buying from some of the U.K. dealers (ProBikeKit, Wiggle, etc).

3speed

Thanks for the info. I'll look into the Pro. How would you compare the ride quality of the Pro to the Hyper? Looks like the Pro would have enough tread to make me feel better about gravel trail riding.

surfjimc

I have about 2500 miles on a set of Hypers. Some of those miles have been on dirt and gravel. I love the tires, have had no flat issues, and thought they rode fine on dirt roads and I never thought that I needed a beefier tire for dirt. YMMV

shelbyfv

Nashbar currently has good prices for three different Vittoria Rando varieties. Vittoria's nomenclature is certainly fluid!

dwmckee

We ride Hyper 35s on our tandem and just finished our second tour on C&O & Great Allegheny Passage. Maybe 2,000 miles on crushed limestone on past 2 years. Great tires. Are you going to be riding compacted crushed gravel or deep coarse stuff on logging roads? Hypers are cat's meow on railtrails. I have ridden Conti Gatorskins, Schwalbes, Pasela TGs and a few others; Hypers are our fave and it is only tire we have ridden on our tandem and never had a flat.

mm718

I wonder how the Hypers compare (rolling resistance, durability, ride quality) to Marathon Supremes? Have you tried the Supremes yet?

iforgotmename

I ride Hypers daily on all surfaces including quite a bit of gravel lately. Flats are nearly nonexistent. The rear does wear faster than my old supremes but the ride is awesome.

ClemY

I have been using 700x38c Hypers on my Vaya for several years with no flats. Not only are they very comfortable, but they are also quite fast. I was very pleasantly surprised. I rode the GAP and C&O Canal Tow Path with 700x37c Conti Sport Contact. They worked ok, but I think the Hypers would have been better. My wife rode on 700x32c Hypers and did just fine.

Barrettscv 

I'll use the Hyper in both the 700x38 and the 700x32 on gravel and find the tire to have very good traction on dry gravel and can also be used on wet gravel with good results. The tire has very poor traction on wet earth or wet silty gravel. I can still ride across wet earth or wet silty gravel if I'm not leaning the bike while making a turn. If you need good traction on wet earth, you really need a knobby Cyclocross tire.

I also have Schwalbe Supreme. The Supreme is a little more rugged and should last longer than the Hyper. However, the tire does not have same level or speed or suppleness. The Supreme feels tough but sluggish compared to the Hyper.

mm718

This is helpful. Which of the two would you choose for a cross country tour?

I am looking for a fast safe tire that has decent flat protection. I could tolerate changing 3-4 flats on a 10 week tour but much more than that and I'd probably go with a tire with greater flat protection.

Barrettscv 

Both of these tires are highly flat resistant. Both tires use layers of a tough fabric to provide flat resistance and these lighter and more supple fabrics improve ride quality and rolling speed while maintaining reliable flat resistance.

The Schwalbe Supreme is a little heavier and more durable than the Vittoria Hyper. If I was taking a 3500 mile 10-week tour, I would take the Schwalbe. The margin of tire life that the Schwalbe provides would be significant after 3000 miles. Below that mileage, the Hyper is as tough and flat resistant as the Schwalbe, IMO.

mm718

Since neither rear tire (Supreme or Hyper) would likely last across the TransAm (4200 miles) would it make sense to take the Hypers to benefit from better rolling and ride quality and plan on replacing the tires when needed. I'll be carrying a spare so I could change the rear at roughly the half-way point and then have another folding tire mailed to me to be my spare and replacement for the front when and if needed.

Two more questions... I read a couple of reviews that said the the Hypers were loud. Did you find this to be true? Also, any problems with sidewall failures with the supremes? Thanks very much.

Barrettscv 

Yes, this is a solid plan. The Supreme is better than most touring tires in terms of speed and comfort, but the Hyper is still enough of an improvement over the Supreme that I'd be willing to carry a spare and replace the faster wearing Hyper. Having a spare has plenty of merit. Both the Supreme and Hyper fold into a tight ball and are easy to pack and carry. You never know when some unexpected hazard will damage a tire beyond repair while touring.

The Hyper is not only faster rolling with a supple ride, It also provides a little more traction on wet pavement and on all gravel. With the Supreme, I know the tire has limits, and I'll slow to maintain traction in wet conditions. The Hyper feels very secure on wet pavement or gravel as long at the surface isn't greasy from vehicle oil or from damp topsoil.

djb

heres another idea, as rears wear out maybe twice as fast as a front as a rule, perhaps at some point during your trip, rotate your tires back to front, and perhaps you will not even have to use your spare?

3speed

I plan on taking a spare folding tire on my tour in the spring. If I destroy a tire along the way somewhere, the used tire will go in the rear and the new tire in the front, at which point I'll pick up another spare when the opportunity arises. Or if my rear wears out then I'll rotate the front tire to the rear and put the spare on the front. In whatever situation, I'd rather have the new, better tire on the front. In my experience, a front tire is more likely to slide out, and if a tire is going to slide out, I'd much rather it were the rear. Therefore, I keep the better tire in front.

Slowhead

I bought the 38's @ Backcountry on-line, $50 ea, delivered. At 440 grams, it's a light and fast tire.

dwmckee

The Hypers are noticeably faster and noticeably more comfortable riding. Since the speed and comfort pat dividend every mile, I vote that as premium to go Hypers. The flat protection and durability are close in my opinion. The Pasela T/G s are faster yet but you would be changing too many flats with them. The Hypers are my touring choice hands down any distance and any surface except where you need a cross or knobby tire. I started buying the model with the reflective sidewall also adter I saw them light up in a distant headlight.

Sine I found and started riding hypers, I have not even thought about my tires. Before I was always unhappy with something or other, flats, speed, comfort, handling... I put the Hypers on and have never thought about tires since, For me they are the best solution regardless.

I think the people that love Conto Gatorskins are just people that have not tried Vittoria Hypers yet.


Noise - I have never had a problem with that; probably a random comment from someone.

3speed

I didn't know they came in a version without the reflective sidewalls. I wish I could find that. Does anyone know if you can take off the reflective ring? Or would coloring over it be the only option?

mm718

Thanks everyone for sharing your experience with the Hypers. I am excited about giving them a try.

I am confused about which Hyper we are talking about. Is the Voyager Hyper a new name for the Randonneur Hyper?

On tire rotation, here's something from Sheldon Brown

https://sheldonbrown.com/tire-rotation.html

plodderslusk

I put on 35 mm Hypers for two Challenge rides with my CX-bike in Belgium this spring. Kept them on all summer and have logged over thousand miles of fast gravelgrinding with them. Love the speed on the tarmac in and out of the forrestroads. No control on loose gravel but that is quite OK as long as you remember it and in fact easier to live with than some control that suddenly disappears. Great tires !

Barrettscv 

The Randonneur Hyper and the Voyager Hyper are the same tire. Same construction, flat protection, tread compound and tread design. Same everything.

Vittoria created a new product line-up of tires under the Voyager brand about a year ago. That is when the Randonneur Hyper became the Voyager Hyper. If the tire you are shopping is the Randonneur Hyper, it's older inventory. If the tire you are shopping is the Voyager Hyper, it's newer inventory.

The Randonneur brand is now limited to urban, trail and commuter tires. The Voyager line is for Touring tires.

robow

Just curious why you would want to do this? I will generally pay more for the increased visibility and safety.

mm718

Got it, thanks. This explains why I haven't been able to find the Randonneur Hyper.

3speed

I just think it's ugly and I never ride at night anyway, so I'd rather not have it. If I did ride at night and being seen was a concern, I would probably put up with the look of reflective rings in order to have the safety, but I don't so I'd rather not. I also feel that it would be an ever-so-slight giveaway when stealth camping, and since I don't need it, I may as well not have that factor.