waters60

I have a friend who insists on ridingVittoria Corsa G+ clinchers despite constant flats. He weighs 215-230 and puts 110-120 psi in.
I have suggested trying a different tire, perhaps Gatorskins but he is immune to advice.
Any feedback would be appreciated.

Sy Reene

There's typically a weekly Graphene Anonymous support group at regional LBS locations. Your 'friend' may want to give it a try

rubiksoval

Friends don't recommend gatorskins.

MSchott

Has he considered backing the pressure down to about 90 psi? A big guy on a tire that rides narrow at high pressure is a bad combination I’d think.

TimothyH

Corsa G+ gave me flats every 250 miles.

Roads near me are nice and I rarely if ever get flats but the Corsa seem to pick up every shard of metal and sliver of glass. Sand and leaves even stick to the rubber. I've heard riders say the same about Turbo Cotton, that they pick up every little bit of debris. .

Vittoria Rubino G+ Speed are 50 grams lighter than Corsa G+, roll better and don't get nearly as many flats. I switched back and am very happy.

Again, roads in Georgia are nice and flats are generally not a problem outside of urban centers for those who don't roll on worn out tires. YMMV if you live in an area where roads are not that good or winter debris piles up.










-Tim-

smashndash

a) 25mm tires are way too narrow for someone who’s 230lbs. See if he can get a very wide rim (21-25mm) and put a 28mm tire on that. Of course, he must then reduce the pressure to the “equivalent” hardness. This will reduce the frequency of cuts and, to a certain extent, punctures as well.

b) tell your friend to try orange endurance seal in his tubes. Yes even if they’re butyl. Use a good amount - somewhere between 1 and 2 oz. As long as the flats are not on the sidewall, they should seal. Even if they are, it has a good chance of sealing.

I agree with the sentiment that nobody should be forced to ride gators if they don’t want to.

Cyclist0108

Get 28mm and ride them at lower pressure. I weigh almost 200 lbs and inflate mine to 75 psi.

79pmooney

Every tire is a balance of rolling resistance, flat resistance, grip, thread life, reliability and cost. If you were to apply numbers to each of these and get the values right, they would add up to a constant number - until graphene. Now the number is higher. But Vittoria continues to juggle its balance so the grip and rolling resistance are high and flat resistance less so. Think racing tires. Vittoria's focus for 50 years. These new tires grip better than Vittoria's old Corsas (by a bunch) and last at least as long. I used to only run the Corsas in the dry summer months. Open Paves for their grip the rest of the year, despite their many flats and short thread life. Now it's Open Paves when I want super grip and G+ all the rest of the time. I've been riding G+ for two years and have retired one.

I like the G+ a lot. But I don't pretend they are magic. I get flats. I love that these $70 tires go many thousands of miles, grip to keep this ancient body off the pavement and roll like high quality race tires. (And thank you, Vittoria for bringing back the best tread pattern ever - the ribs. Now better tread to climb out of cracks, ruts or back onto the pavement from the shoulder. Common training tubulars used this tread 40 years ago. I took it for granted until it disappeared for 25 years. Forgot how much I loved it. Actually started thinking that ribbed tread couldn't really be that good, that my memories were wishful thinking.) But riding into the city at night - Paselas are a much better bet. Oh well.

Ben

colnago62

I have been in the 230 range most of my riding life, which is close to 30 years, and have never had issues. I spent my time early on as a trackie. All the speed guys where on the heavy side. You learn how to ride light as at heavier weights, cycling equipment is really not designed for you.

Doge

Me too (weight part - not track). I use the tubulars. I think the casing is the same. I use them on the tandem. 28 rear, 25 front. No flats so far. I am not flat prone.
I ride a 20 hole front on the tandem 360# and 16 often on the single. I think I have a 20 hole on there now.

Also kid races on the 25s - tubulars.

surak

Interesting, I probably made it to about 250 on my new G+ and flatted. Compared to thousands of miles on a mix of GP4Kiis and Pro4 Endurance tires with only 1 puncture. I'm going to try tubeless because in 3 weeks I'm doing STP in 1 day. But the Corsas look so nice, will try throwing some Orange Seal in them later.

Sy Reene

There's always Corsa Controls for a bit more flat protection as well. They look and feel fairly similar.

DOS

Vittoria Rubino Pro III is among my all time me favorite tires. I have yet find a reason to get any other Vittoria tire. Rarely flat, fairly light, roll well, relatively cheap, and last forever. I was tempted to try the G version but I don’t see any advantage. I weigh 215 and have 25mm on my commuter.

Sy Reene

Bicycle rolling resistance has some catching up to do.. what with 2.0 versions of Corsa G (regular and Speed varieties), and Rubino 2.0 G Speeds and regulars, etc..

fwiw.. the Corsa 2.0 G+ Speed is showing pretty well in their tests.

https://www.bicyclerollingresistance...pro-speed-2016

TimothyH

Yeah, but last time I priced the Corsa 2.0 G+ Speed...

Sy Reene

Yeah.. even though pretty much the same MSRP as the Corsa (nonSpeed).. Give it another month or so for the street prices to drop from the current MSRP values. At least if you run it tubeless, you save all that money on not having to buy a tube.

woodcraft

Some folks will flat more with any tire by riding 'heavy',

and not paying attention to debris on the shoulder.

+1 on the Rubino pro 28mm

63rickert

My Corsa G+ do not flat. My wife uses same tire and she does not flat. If a particular brand and model of tire is not working for you do not use them. Were I flatting every 250 miles the Corsa would not be on bike.

Cost is under $70 for a pair, tubes included.

My experience of Rubinos says they don't ride so abysmally as Gatorskins, but so different from Corsa there is no comparison. Apples and oranges. If you have different experience, if it all feels the same to you, go ahead and ride the cheaper tire.

Corsa 25 mounts at 26mm on old skinny rims and 27mm on newer rims with inner width of 17-19mm. Either way pressures mentioned in top post are excessive. High pressure always causes more flats. If a 230# rider is using 23mm skinny tires flats should be expected.

TimothyH

Based on the above statement I’d guess you’ve not tried the Rubinho G+ Speed.

It it is a completely different tire from the regular Rubinho G+ and the older Pro III. Night and day.

-Tim-

bruce19

I have ridden and loved Vittorias for years. Went to Mavic USTs and I'm not going back. It's like going from prop planes to jets. A total leap forward.

colnago62

I agree. When riding with others, am appalled at what some riders will ride the group over without even pointing towards the issue. I always tell riders that they will have less flats if they would stop riding over things that cause flats.

TimothyH

Sometimes you can't help ride over stuff and not every flat is the result of carelessness.

When someone rides close to 5000 miles on tire X without a single flat and gets three flats in 750 miles with tire Y on the same roads, wheels, rim tape, same tubes, pressure and same bike, one has to conclude that the tire is more prone.

I've been using Vittoria Rubino Pro III Slick and now Rubino G+ Speed for over 15 years and have never had to pull nearly microscopic slivers of glass out of the tire with tweezers and a magnifying glass. I had to do that twice in 750 miles when I tried Corsa G+.

It is not possible to see every tiny sliver of glass or metal on the road as one rides. Riding light doesn't help when the tire compound is sticky enough to pick up and hold on to small pieces of leaves and sand as one rides.


-Tim-

colnago62

I ride these tires and have not had the issues you have described. I must be lucky.