Vittoria Randonneur Cross
 

I just recently purchased these tires with "double shielding".. I was wondering if anyone else here uses them for commuting or touring.. They seem to be very durable.And today, as I was riding home for work, I did not see the broken glass until I was half way through it..My last pair of tires would never had made it..These didn't even succumb to the glass..I pulled over for thought of having glass in the tires but when I check, absolutely nothing..Tires? or just dumb luck?.. Anyway, so far I am convinced at this "double shielding" technology from Vittoria..

Does or has anyone else use these tires??

Free Spirit

I have these tires on a Novara Big Buzz. I rode them over 1,000 miles without incident. What I noticed about them is that the rubber is very tough, and doesn't nick at all. The only thing that has made a mark in the tire is a machining chip, and it did not make it through the shielding. Just plucked it out and rode.

These are on sale right now at Nashbar for $25 for 26". Great deal.

I bought mine from REI. I think about the same..For 700cc..32's..Love them..I agree..The rubber does look to be very tough, which I like that..I bought them on a wehlm because I was having repairs done to the bike and wanted to change the tires out..The employee knew what he was talking about when he said they were tough..

Enjoy them very much, and they ride smoother than the original tires..

They're good tires, but nigh impossible to fit on some rims (tight bead).

+1 on Randonneurs being tough to put on. Great tire for commuting though.

I have randonneur pro, 700x35, I like the ride a lot. Had it on the front for 1/2 yr and put it on the rear for 1/2 yr. Got a thick industrial staple through the tread and flatted the tire. Still like it though.

The 26x1.75 version came on my Novara Buzz. Awful tire... slow and feels just plain bad. I couldn't stand them for more than a couple weeks; they were replaced with Schwalbe Big Apples post haste.

the rando cross is an odd tire. it has the same shielding as the standard rando, but seems much flimsier in hand. seems to have less tread. it may be a lower mileage tire than the standard randos or a slightly different rubber compound or casing. the down and dirty is available from Vit, they describe, diagram and outline their tires quite transparently compared to some companies.

Pros - You might be able to shoot them with a rifle and still not get a flat

Cons:
- Heavy
- Slow (due to low pressure, heavy weight, inflexibility of casing)
- Stiff sidewalls make for a non-pliable tire, translating to a rough ride even on 32mm or wider
- Nearly impossible to mount on certain rims. (I actually kinked the wire bead on one trying to put them on a pair of DT Swiss RR1.1 rims)
- Low pressure makes for a "slushy" feel when cornering. (The 28mm version is only rated to 85psi?)

If they fit your rims without needing the hydraulic mounting tool found in automotive tire shops, and you don't mind trading the weight and speed for the flat resistance and multi-surface tread (they are great in light gravel, loose dirt, grass, hardpack, as well as having a center ridge for pavement), then they're a good tire. I'd rank them just below the flat resistance of the Marathon Plus, with a more versatile tread and more economical price point.
I couldn't tell you the wear-life, because I never had them on a bike for more than 300 miles.

I'll mostly agree with Clifton except they don't feel slow to me.
I put these on two city bikes last spring and they show little wear and I don't want to jinx it about flats so...

Overall, a damn good tire for the money.

I rode mine for a year and around 3500 miles with no puncture flats. Gravel, broken glass, random bits of metal, camping with 40 lbs of gear loaded onto the rear rack of a racer-ish road bicycle, nothing seemed to faze them. I had one flat that was from a valve failure on an old tube.

The problem with them was, as mentioned above, the tight bead. On my Xero XSR-4s (silly rims, long story why I can't switch to a different wheel) they were nearly impossible to get on and off, even after a year of having them on. I got scared that I'd get a flat somewhere, in the rain, and cold, and at night, and not be able to get my tire off the rim, or not be able to get it back on. When I did switch tires it took me half an hour to get each Randonneur off, and I tore the bead out of the front one.

I'll probably try them again with a different rim/wheel in the future.

+1; my experiences exactly, but put much more articulately.

I have them on my Cannondale, that is, the pro version in 700x32s. I LOVE these tires.

Convinced my roomies to put the 26x1.5 version on their Mountain Bikes, for around town riding also.

+1 to them being difficult to mount.

Those of you who had trouble with these may want to try the Rando Hypers. I have had a pair for a few weeks and they are awesome. Light, fast, comfortable, very easy to mount (Mavic rims), good grip, and they are pretty supple. I believe they have the same flat protection.

Yep, I have those now in 700x32. Love 'em.

The 32mm is reasonably light (only 30g heavier than my 32mm Pasela TG), but I don't know about that 70psi top inflation rating... How supple is the sidewall if they're such a low pressure tire?


On a related note: Supple sidewalls mean more possibility for sidewall damage, so a tire like my Pasela TG is prone to sidewall tears if you ride the sort of terrain which can cause it. I wouldn't ride heavy gravel with the Pasela TGs without carrying a backup tire or a boot.

I have the 32mm Hypers on my Bridgestone RB-T. The sidewall lists 45 psi min and 90 psi max; I run about 75 psi in the front, 80-90 psi in the rear depending on how much I'm carrying.

My Buzz also came with the Crosses. Can't stand the tread,too squidgy in corners. I've had nothing but good experiences with regular Randonneurs. They can be a pain to mount,but I've found Kool Stop's Bead Jack makes mounting them much easier,and I've never pinched a tube while using it.