Originally Posted by
spectastic
so back to tires.. continental gp4000 ii vs vittoria corsa cx.. the gp4000 has lower rolling resistance, and has around 160 tpi. the corsa cx is 320 tpi, despite marginally higher rolling resistance. Is it safe to assume then that you get a hell of a lot more grip with the corsa cx? sliding out is a constant worry of mine, particularly for crits. I see videos of guys sliding out at tulsa tough on that final corner, and it scares the bejesus out of me.
so in that respect, are sworks turbo and corsa cx still the top of the line in racing not only because of lower rolling resistance, but also grip? What are some other characteristics that's desirable in a racing tire?
in my testing, the corsa cx came out faster than the gp4000s ii in terms of rolling resistance. (tires can and do vary based on the samples you've got.)
that said, by subjective feel i believe the gp4000 has 'more grip' than the corsa cx. neither one is an issue in dry conditions, but i notice it when pavement is wet/slightly wet.
s-works turbo (gripton; not the turbo cotton) has a subjective grippy feel to it. rode them for the first time in the wet the past few days and i'd rank them at least as good/grippy as the gp4000.
i never rode the turbo cotton in wet conditions. it does offer a nice ride -- very similar to the Corsa in terms of quality. i feel like of the tires mentioned the gp4000s are the most harsh. we're not talking gatorskins, though.