jpescatore

I echo the question - for me, 32mm tubular with good wet road performance, err on the side of lower rolling resistance vs. higher durability were my criteria for replacing the stock Bontrager R2s on my Trek Domane.

The 32mm part eliminated the Grand Prix 4000s. I use Schwalbe on my touring bike but those are great on durability and wet road, not so great on rolling resistance. Last year I put on Bontrager AW3s and so far so good - but only about 750 miles on them and only one wet road ride before winter hit.

mister

I may be the lone voice of descent, but I noticed no difference between Continental Gatorskins and similar tires; it seems like I get flats regardless of what tires I use. I personally like the Vittoria Zaffiro III. They’re inexpensive, and do the job well.

Dave Mayer

$$$ no problem? If you are a elite level athlete riding for money, then you'll be on tubulars. There is no performance overlap between tubular wheels and clincher wheels, no matter how much money you pay for the clincher setup.

BTW: tubeless is just another variant of a clincher, with most of the associated disadvantages of this rim type.

So if you're riding clinchers, then don't overthink this or pay too much money. Gatorskins are fine.

duane041

I happen to really like my Vredestein Fortezza Senso All-Weather tires. Great on dry pavement, really great in the rain. And they ride nicely, too.

Psimet2001 

Actually this has shifted in the last 10 years. Those of us who love tubulars can agree that there really is no substitute but almost every single pro that I work with on road has converted to clincher. There is little to no loss of performance and the ease for them while traveling can not be beat.

In fact I can't find a team to sponsor with tubulars anymore. I have some rims ready and sitting but the demand just dropped to next to nothing on the road in the last few years. Like a light switch. *poof*

Racing Dan

There is no ONE best tyre. They are all a compromise between durability, grip, puncture resistance, rolling resistance, weight, ect ... Get one that best matches the properties you value.

scott967

I'm not elite, just an old and slow guy, and don't need to spend $$$ but I've been on Yoeleo carbon T38s and Veloflex Arenberg tubs for the last year and see no reason to go back to clinchers. Still have some Fulcrums with Michelin Pro4 Endurance v2 on them which have never flatted as backup. So I don't subscribe to the whole "tubulars are too mysterious/trouble for "normal" riders" view.

scott s.
.

phtomita

Not an elite rider - just trying to enjoy riding and taking some centuries and double centuries.
Comfort and lower rolling resistance comes first. Then, flat resistance and durability.
Riding on road with some level of debris, but not too bad and some potholes along the road sometimes.

Just ordered a pair of Conti GP4000 SII - looking forward for the first ride

noodle soup

This!

/thread

Psimet2001 

I get it but when you're racing 60+ races a year and living out of a suitcase for the vast majority of that you don't have consistent tools access and/or ability and time to get it done quickly and correctly when sometimes you only have a few hours between races. Smuggling glue into your suitcase for travel, etc. Just not worth it for the vast majority of teams.

Whats more - there is less and less of a demand for tubulars at the wheel company level. Some other companies just don't even offer them anymore. Hard to race tubulars if your wheel sponsor doesn't even make them anymore.

As for the "mysterious/trouble" angle: we can say what we want. Not hard, very hard, art/craft, whatever. Fact is I charge a lot of money to glue tires and there is no shortage of people willing to drive a long way just to pay me to do it. Capable, intelligent people what would never dream of having anyone else work on any other part of their bike.

So we can debate the "merits" of each type of tire until we are blue in the face - people speak with their wallet and in that regard - for road - the tubular is dying again. it has died and come back in the past so... meh.

Da Reef

Like others have said, Specialized cotton.

steinercat

They do ride great, but puncture easy (3x in 1 year). At least in my case. Riding the same exact routes with Conti GP4 Season and no punctures for same amount of miles.

McBTC

I have to look for 25s... or smaller-- the next size up, 28s, won't fit on my bike. If you don't have that limitation, does that mean you're only looking at 25s because 28s are undesirable?

Shuffleman

I do think some exaggerate the difference between tires but at the same time, there is a difference. It just depends on how much you are willing to pay for that difference. Is the difference 10%, 15% or more? Who knows. Personally, I think it is nice to have a better tire but it's not like we are talking about the difference between a rough ride and silky smooth ride. If you can afford the Corsa, go for it. If you can't, the Zaffiros are still fine.

canklecat

Yup. My used road bike came with a new set of Zaffiros. Rode 'em 500 miles before switching to Schwalbe One V-Guards. The Zaffiros weren't awful. A bit harsh at full pressure on chipseal, but otherwise okay. They seemed pretty tough. Got a couple of nicks from road debris but no flats. I still have 'em in the closet. Probably good for another 1,000 miles if I needed them.

When I first rode those Zaffiros I was impressed with my Strava times. The tires felt a bit sluggish at 90-100 psi, just as the reviews said, but my times seemed good, averaging around 16 mph without really trying.

Then I reviewed Strava more carefully via the browser and realized I was experiencing a lot of GPS sync errors on those rides. There were skips of hundreds of yards or more between syncs. So the speed estimates were way off. My actual average speed was closer to 14 mph. So they were about as sluggish at lower pressure as the reviews say. But no worse than riding my hybrid with 700x40 tires.

For around $12 a tire, sometimes even cheaper, the Zaffiros ain't bad. But the Schwalbe One V-Guards are much nicer. Too bad they're discontinued.

kbarch

I wouldn't call it a consensus on what's the best tire, but those Contis are probably the most popular and widely available tires for enthusiasts. There's something to be said for that, even if they aren't the absolute best. One can be very happy with very good tires, and unless one is super sensitive and in love with tires, searching for the "best" is just a headache. Personally, I'm sold on Vittoria Corsa.

mercator

+1 There is no best.

I really like the feel of the Vittoria Corsa (and that's why I recommended them) but get better mileage with the GP4000. On the other hand, I find the Pro4-SC may roll slightly slower but they are more flat resistant and significantly cheaper.

noodle soup

Lab tests prove this to be true, but I doubt anyone would notice the difference on the road.

BTW, the PRO4sc replacement tire(Power Competition) is faster rolling than the GP4000sII in lab tests.

kansukee

You can't go wrong with Veloflex. It's all I ride, in tubulars.

kbarch

I was expecting to mount Arenbergs on the wheels I just bought, but part of the deal was some new tires, in particular some Vittoria Paves. I figure they'll be OK for the time being.

nymtber

Vittoria Rubino Pro for me. I had one flat this year, not sure what it was as there was no evidence left behind. Very grippy tires, otherwise good flat resistance, affordable, light for the price, and the ride is supple given the flat resistance.

I don't race and the roads I ride are not too bad. I was too lazy to change tires for riding rollers this winter, so I'll be buying new tires (or a new bike?) by spring...

noodle soup

looking for a sweet deal on a very good tire? Try these https://planetcyclery.com/components...endurance-tire. Same specs as the Michelin PRO4 Endurance V2(now discontinued). I have about 2k miles on this pair, and can't tell any difference between them.

nayr497

I do love me some nice tires! Here is what I ride:

Tommasini Diamante: Veloflex Masters 700x25 (this tend to be undersized for stated width)
Casati Laser: Vittoria Corsas 700x25 (largest I can fit under the fork crown)
LOOK 566: Vittoria Corsas 700x28

All three are paired with Vittoria latex tubes. Used to be a Vredestein fan, but had an odd and long bout of punctures and failures. Zero issues with the Vittoria tubes.

If you are willing to put up with the price and the extra attention needed to install/use latex tubes, I find the ride quality to be superb. Continental 4000s are excellent tires, just not the nicest ride quality.

caloso

Good to know. Thanks.

noodle soup

BTW, Planet Cyclery is selling them for about $5 less than dealer cost at QBP. I doubt you'll find them cheaper anywhere.