vinuneuro

Seems like this Bikeradar test used a pretty legit lab to do this test, so testing protocol was probably good. They also did two tests, one being a slightly rough surface to simulate an actual road. For reference, here's the velonews test that was done sometime back.

indyfabz

Subscribed.

zymphad

They didn't say anything that hasn't already been said, they only confirmed Zipp's marketing claims.

Seattle Forrest

Annoying that this isn't dated. Noticed there are Schwalbe One but no Pro One on the list.

DBak

Definitely interesting to see the continued high remarks for the Pro One. I made the switch to tubeless last week and am cautiously optimistic after about 150 miles. The Pro One is without a doubt the best tire I have ever ridden considering the facts that I have yet to be able to really comment on the long term durability. I didn't expect to feel such a substantial difference in ride quality over my GP4000, but it is there. As long as I do not have to deal with many punctures (haven't had one in 3,000+ miles with the GP4000) I will be running the Pro One for the foreseeable future. The ride quality is so much better I don't mind that they claim to last about half as long (if that) as my old GP4000.

Psimet2001 

Not going to watch it. The fastest road bike tire is the one on the bike of the winner. That's how bike racing works. To think otherwise is to deny knowledge of the sport.

gsindela

x1,000

Seattle Forrest

x0

We're not limiting ourselves to bike racing.

zymphad

x 1,000

trailangel

Pismet2001, there is a lot of 'bench racing' that goes on here....get with the program.

wphamilton

I like to see how many watts I'm giving up to the guys with the fastest possible tires. Not that it matters, but curiosity. About 30 watts.

redfooj

well that sucks. ive already got the best tires at the best size and thus 1 fewer excuse for being slow

cycledogg

wphamilton

Yep, the race winner and his bike aren't anywhere near here, but we might still like faster tires.

Psimet2001 

This is where is get all Zen on everyone...

What's the point? The point is to go fast? For what end? So that one may hit the car on the road at a higher rate of speed? So that one may set new, meaningless personal records (triathlete)?

No....searching within oneself you will find the answer you seek. You intend to search out the "fastest" because you intend to go faster than someone else. This deep longing has a name. "Racing". It's one's deep nature to compete. We kid ourselves and say it's to compete against ourselves when in reality we only say that because we are unsure if we can actually defeat other humans.

We therefore "race" in all ways that aren't actual racing because to actually race face to face against real humans means to embrace the opportunity to fail.

If not to race then the proper tire is the one that is best fit for the application. If not racing then the application has little to nothing to do with speed. It has to do with longevity, feel, performance, cost, and/or durability.

What if I were to tell you that getting an aero helmet and wearing it all of the time will make you faster in orders of magnitude that are higher than any tire difference will make? What if I were to tell you that disciplined eating and focused power based training will far exceed any marginal speed gain from any variance in a tiny piece of amalgamated rubber product?

This information, while obvious, isn't pretty because it means real work and sacrifice. Work and sacrifice does not sell.

So - let's refocus once again to your application. If it is not to race then it must be to be something else. If you claim it is to be the fastest then the fastest tires are not going to make you the fastest....the right tires will. It's a simple thing that too many people just completely lose sight of.

Example: Wet day and your fast tires dump you on your ass destroying your bike as you corner downhill. These have now become the slowest tires. The tires with the best wet traction have become the fastest.

Cycling is 100% about the application. Not the speed. You don't have to take my word for it though - here's a bit of history for you:

It's about the application.

So...let me reassert my original sentiment. The fastest tires are the one's on the winners bike. Regardless of who or what those happen to be. If there is no winner then there is no race in which case fast is a meaningless term.

wphamilton

Point is to improve your capabilities. Equipment is part of that.

Plus, more fast is more fun - I'll know that I'm officially old when that's no longer true.

trailangel

Oh man, don't get all highbrow on me. I said Bench Racing.

LiquorLad

The fastest tires are powered by the fastest motor.

GuitarBob

Determining which tire is fastest under standardized circumstances is a legitimate question. Whether those circumstances or outcome matter to you or to the riders in a race is a different question.

Dave Mayer

Ha ha. Within the first 5 seconds it was obvious that the test was fundamentally invalid. The fastest road clinchers? Seriously? No tubulars were tested, which are obviously the fastest. Apart from inconsequential training rides, every pro is on tubulars during every stage in every race.

This test is like doing a performance road test with the following auto fleet:

• 1985 Yugo GV
• 1975 Trabant
• 1976 Chevy Chevette
• 1978 AMC Pacer
• 1961 Corvair
• 1970 AMC Gremlin
• 1971 Ford Pinto

Let's pick the weiner!

And in the real world, wheel/tire combinations with the lowest rotational inertia are the fastest. Tire frictional losses are tiny, and aero doesn't matter much if you are drafting 95% of the time. Having to deal with hundreds of accelerations per ride - this is where performance gaps occur.

Trsnrtr

Ask any LBS worker and he will tell you the two most common things he'll hear is:

1. I don't know what happened. I was just riding along/around. (JRA)

2. I'm not a racer, but...

In other words, I'm not a racer but I want to RACE around and act like one.

redfooj

a few teams/riders have already raced and still racing WT events on tubeless clinchers. same ones in this video.

if pro racing is the real world benchmark, why arent pros racing the absolute lightest wheels available to them ?

Seattle Forrest

You can take the "motor" "out of" one bike and put it "into" another. And then that motor winds up being capable of different speeds. Maybe the fastest "motor" is the one on the fastest tires. Maybe not, it kinda depends on the circumstances.

Better to understand things than not to.

Dave Mayer

Um - they are: low profile carbon tubulars. Except for sacrificial domestiques who are on medium-profile carbon tubulars as they toil away at the front of the peloton.

Tubeless clinchers? These are still clinchers, with the inherent and insurmountable disadvantages of the clincher rim profile. Are you sure these are being ridden in WT events, as in actual races? Or are simply on display during trade shows and marketing tents, and are quietly swapped out for tubulars on race day....

Doge

The roads may not be best for the light stuff.

The often have to add weight to the bike to meet weight requirements. The are doing weight distribution.

Many pro races are stage races and you have to live to ride another day vs go big or go home. So they may have a more robust setup.

Most teams have a wheel sponsor. So what is "available" to them may come at cost if they wanted to give up money to go to their favorite brands.
Some sponsors may allow a use of a wheel that is very different than what they make if the branding is removed.
Froome used an ax-lightness in the past for climbing. Sky used FMB. But seems things have changed with new sponsors.