TheRef

Yesterday on a impulse buy a bought 4 Rubino Pro III 25c tires at a super price. Vittoria Rubino Pro III Road Tire

After getting home I went to read reviews and some say it's an excellent tire and some say they are not good and very prone to punctures and sidewall damage.

I only had time to mount one tire on a front well and was very impressed as how easy it was to install them on the rim but after inflating it I was surprised as to how narrow it looked. I haven't measured yet but it doesn't seem any wider than my Michelin Pro4 endurance 23c that I currently have.

Other than that what else should I expect? Can I really notice the threads on the tire? Does it grip well on dry and wet pavement? Is it resistant enough for light gravel and crushed limestone paths?

Campag4life

A great 'value' i.e. cost effective training tire relative to durability, speed and flat protection.
In rolling resistance with a thread count of 150 TPI, only a tick higher rolling resistance than excellent Conti GP II's which cost a bit more.
My fav training tire and what I ride. Either this tire or Conti's are the way to train.
Enjoy.

TheRef

What about grip on dry and wet? Can you notice the chevron patterns while riding? Every tire I've used before were relatively slick.

TimothyH

I use Rubino Pro III slicks exclusively on my both my road bike and on my fixed-gear bike which I ride on the road. 23's right now on my road bike but I've also run 25's. I run 25's on the fixed-gear bike. I have also used Michelin Pro 3 and Pro 4 as well as many Rubino Pro non-slicks. I commuted 40+ miles/day on the Rubino Pro non-slicks for over a decade.

Rubino Pro are very supple. The ride is nice. They are forgiving when you get close to the limit, won't bike you like some other tires. This is in contrast to the Michelin which are somewhat nervous when near the limit of adhesion. If you have used the Michelin Pro 3 then you will like the ride of the Rubino. Don't be afraid to push the Rubino's into the corner. They are an amazing value IMO.

I prefer the slicks. After riding both the Pro III and Pro III slick I really don't find an advantage to having the tread. I've never felt less confident in the wet without the tread nor more confident in the dry with the treaded version. The slicks seem to ride a little nicer.

You can tell when they are wearing out by inspecting the tire occasionally. Look for small cotton fibers starting to appear through the rubber - that will tell you that there isn't much rubber left between the surface of the tire and the cotton casing. My experience is that flats are sure to come when you see the cotton fibers and it is time to change them. You can see the cotton fibers showing in the picture below - not Rubino Pro tires but the same holds true for any tire with a cotton casing. The risk of flats goes up exponentially when you see the fibers.

TheRef

Thank you for your post. I can't wait to try them tomorrow. As far as size, did you find the 25c a bit too narrow or that's my eyes playing tricks on me?

D1andonlyDman

I have these in both 23s and 25s. The 23s are noticeably narrower than the 25s.

GeoKrpan

I clicked that link and the special price is $46.99.

I use the plain old Rubino wire bead, 700x25. I got a bunch of them on Wiggle for $10. They are a great tire .

The Rubino Pro III ought to be great.

I tried to buy the new Rubino wire bead with Graphine at Merlin UK for $16 but they won't sell them to US customers. US retailers charge at least $27 for them.

TheRef

I got 4 tires for under 100 bucks locally. Including local taxes which are the highest in the country.

Mr Pink57

I've had a set for about 3 years I did not use them much in the beginning but I really like them now. I have a set of 28s that I use from training to gran fondos. The tire feels real nice in your hand and has excellent flat protection along with a nice smooth ride.

12strings

Interesting...my bike only needs 2 tires...

TimothyH

FYI, the Rubino Pro is a folding tire, kevlar bead and weighs significantly less than the non-pro which has a wire bead and does not fold. I get the Pro Slick for $16 when on sale. ProBikeKit or Chain Reaction, forgot which.


No. I run the 25's on 18.2mm outside width rims and don't see them as narrow. Maybe you have wider rims and they look narrow in comparison?



Q: Why did the bicycle refuse to roll down the road?
A: It was two tired.

D1andonlyDman

True, but no self-respecting Bikeforums poster only has one bike.

Fiery

Rubino Pros run true to size, it's the Michelins that run wide.