Originally Posted by
Giant Doofus
My apologies for reviving a thread that's a couple of months old.
Tom - I'm curious if you are using these on your Bianchi Volpe and, if so, what size? I need to replace the tires that came on my Volpe pretty soon and was looking at the Vittoria Voyager Hyper. The bike came with 28mm Randonneurs, which have been been pretty good, but I'd like to bump up to larger tire, a 35mm if possible or 32 if not.
If you really want a bigger tire, this is it. It offers all the pluses and minuses of a wider, heavier tire, but given how big and heavy it is, yeah, it's fast. The good that you would expect is that it's cushy and comfy, and yes, it definitely is. You do lose that quick maneuverability that you get from a light, narrow tire, but if that's not important, it's fine. The bonus is that for a wide heavy-ish tire, yeah, it's fast in straightaways. I think my cruising speed might have actually increased from the Panaracer Pasela 32mm's I had on previously.
And yes, this is on the Bianchi Volpe which is my heaviest bike other than the Raleigh Twenty and the Rudge 3-speed. It's a good match for commuting and would be damned good for light or heavy touring. The flat protection it offers is excellent, and it's more than I actually require. I don't mind fixing flats every now and then, but with these tires, I don't expect many or any flats. It's tough where it needs to be.
The reflective strip is a very nice bonus which I would have lived without, but given that it has them, I'm very happy with them.
The other great thing about this tire is that it isn't a Schwalbe and doesn't have a Schwalbe premium price.
Is that a positive review or what? :-D
Would I buy them again? Yes, but in a narrower size. Some love wide cushy tires, and I like them, but I think I'll lean back onto narrower and lighter. Maybe next time I'll get the 32mm size. This is the 37mm rated size which I measure to be 35mm inflated.
Here it is with the Voyager Hypers.
