I had these on a bike and liked them. Saw them on eBay for $50 not too long ago

During the Pandemic, I tried to revive my old racing bike, where I only had tubular wheels. Not being able to find enough working tires in my big set of spares (almost all had punctures), I decided to buy a new one instead of messing with all the old parts. Once I found a good tubular, I used it in conjunction with the new bike's clincher front wheel and rode it maybe 5-10x last year.

Due to sending parts on the new bike for warranty repair, I tried to revive the old bike again, but in the midst of my first ride, the rear tire had a big blowout (probably case rot, like some of my other old tires). I was looking to get new set of tubulars, but was afraid of having to go back to the old opening up the casing, patching and sewing it back up routine again. I then read the modern trick of putting this goo such as Stan's inside the tube and let it slosh around until I get a puncture, where it would seal up. I read that those sealants are mainly for tubeless tires where it will have to be removed and re-applied every few months. I am mainly concerned about my low usage of the bike (probably will ride it once every few weeks), will the sealant inside the tube make the tire unusable before I wear them out, giving their relatively low usage.

I am also looking at Tufo S33 Pro (what are 28 inch tires?). Not sure how many miles they will last, but I had Kenda OEM clincher tires and they lasted roughly 800 miles before the tread was worn down to the casing and getting flats every single day. My Conti Gator Hardback are unfazed at 2500 miles.

28 inch tires are German-speak for 700

example:

Continental Tubular Sonderklasse Tubular 28 inch Road Tyre 28 x 23mm

Finally got these built up for the Vent Noir that I picked up for Cino last year. I wanted to see if a good set of tubulars could enhance what was already a perfect ride for me. All in, they probably cost more than twice what I paid for the bike (and it came with two sets of wheels). Went with older issue NOS Nemesis rims (note: squirtdad ), NOS 1st generation Dura Ace hubs, a very nice NOS Sachs freewheel (re-lubed per pastorbobnlnh), and plush FMB tires ($ilk casing). Haven’t put many miles on them but the first couple of short rides were sublime. They really provide an added “woot” factor and I couldn’t be happier with how they give the Vent Noir a bit more noir. They’ll also see some time on my wife’s Vent Noir Mixte that just I bought from Force

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...51f3e86e7.jpeg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...fd93f0e34.jpeg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1a235e791.jpeg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5a80c038b.jpeg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ca9d95dcb.jpeg

I like the look of the Nemesis but the price does not make a nice face! they are a bit heavy too. When they wear out, the likely replacement will be Mavic GL 330's
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...34f3dc04_b.jpgP1050284 on Flickr

Specialized has their $80 track tire in 23mm on sale for $29. If you ride relatively smooth roads or mostly paved trails, for the money = why not?

They'd still wear awfully fast and be pretty flat-prone, wouldn't they?

....but Specialized tubulars are all so fine. And as stated - smooth pavement. Carry some Stan's liquid latex. At $30 wear is not an issue for me. Not a tire for tourers, or people who want "the fattest tire that fits".

I'm watching for a sale on the $100 road tires.

edit: and for track riders = what a deal!

Anyone know who makes tubular tires for Specialized?

2sets of Specialized's Turbo road tires (24mm, from years back) have worn rather fast, but never punctured and remained nicely grippy. Very supple ride (for a 24 pumped to 110) as with my VeloFlex. They were marketed as a Race tire.

The 330s are nice ( I have a pair on 7400 hubs) but they are MUCH more delicate than the Nemesis or GP4. I am careless and abuse my rims. The Nemesis and the GP4 tolerate it.

$50 Veloflex tires?
 

I just ran across these on the electronic bay- Kenda SC tubulars
They say they're made by Veloflex. Also available in 25mm.
I'm rolling the dice on 4 of them.

Jimi

I don't see them anywhere else. I suppose it's possible they were for a team with Kenda as a sponsor. The condition listed suggests as much:

The tread looks like the Veloflex ProTour tubulars on my Griffon.

i've been watching these Kenda SC for a few weeks. now that the cat's out of the bag (i was hoping these would stay under the radar until my tax return arrives), here's what i've found from my internet 'research', take this info as you want to:

i think the seller is being genuine about their origin, and my speculation is that they are rebranded Veloflex Vlaanderen and Roubaix.
the lack of 'packaging' would correspond with them being a bulk team order. the 'yellow' of the sidewall and the "ribs" on the finish tape scream Veloflex to me. so if you like the Vlaanderen or Roubaix, are willing to take a chance, and can live with the rebranding, this *could* be one of the last times to get some? i haven't seen any other new or used ones for sale in a long time.
i just bought a pair of the 25 size, probable Roubaix. i'll be interested to see, feel, weigh, and smell them (ooooh, that Veloflex smell.....) when they get here.

the dates on the Kenda SC tires in the listing pics are:
Feb 2020 for the 27
Mar 2020 for the 25
this was right around the time when Veloflex was phasing out their old tires, and moving to the current production lines and changed names.

the size and diamond/file tread pattern on the 27 is the same as a Vlaanderen
the size and ribbed pattern on the 25 is the same as Roubaix
as far as i can tell, neither of these tread patterns are in current Veloflex production. the ProTour looks more to me like a marble texture rather than a diamond/file tread.

from the ebay listings-
tread on the 27:
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...989e610b37.jpg

tread on the 25:
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d1ffc22c4a.jpg





there is/was a Rally Pro cycling team, and these tires fall into the timeline of the team's existence.
https://www.procyclingstats.com/team...-2019/overview
https://www.procyclingstats.com/team...-2020/overview
https://www.procyclingstats.com/team...2021/overview/
https://www.visiontechusa.com/en/vis.../rally-cycling
they are now apparently Human Powered Health.
if you look at the team promo pics from the 2021 season, you can see they are still using Kenda SC branded tires, but with the current Veloflex tread pattern
https://feltbicycles.com/blogs/news/...-fr-road-bikes

there are plenty of pics of their team bikes using KENDA SC labeled tires, here's one as an example (from the 2019 team bikes)
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/00...g?v=1547164791

and you can see the diamond tread pattern in this pic:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/00...g?v=1547164035

Kenda SC in 27mm does not have tread similar to Vlaanderen (sp?). In 25mm with slightly raised center tread it might be Roubaix/Arenberg - that's like mine, almost - Veloflex (on mine) single, not double chevron pattern outboard from center tread.


Wild guess: If these tires are Team issue for Rally's cycling team they could be one-offs from any manufacturer(s). Checking sponsors for Rally Cycling 2021, one does not find a known cycling tire vendor as a sponsor - but Goodyear Tire & Rubber is a sponsor. They are big enough to pay for anything. Does Goodyear own any bike tire producers? (maybe I am just uninformed).

jingy2 - let us know how the dice rolled.

Vittoria Corsa models for around $50.
Road Bike Tyres | Free Delivery Available | Merlin Cycles

watch the 'free' delivery, you have to purchase a $$$$ minimum.
Merlin has been consistently dependable for me.

the ones i have here:
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ee9d5f1d2e.jpg

Looks like only blackwalls left in those Vittorias- I like the classic tan sidewalls on my tubs.
I think a black sharpie will do a good job "de-branding" the Kendas.

Jim

i don't have an "original" one in hand, but found pics online (this one from biketiresdirect).
and to be fair, i did also see, perhaps much older production, Roubaix with one row of chevrons, so...
https://static.biketiresdirect.com/p.../vfrbx2-15.jpg

Mine must be older. I see that tread now @ Merlin as a Veloflex Raven model 28mm for ~$55.

I do both tan (mostly) and blackwalls. Don't sharpie - they are 99+% likely Veloflex (based on hazetguy 's pic) and likely a Team issue tire, being sold off as excess.
What a story!!! ; even if only = 99% X 'likely' X 'ebay credibility' yields 'a good chance of being true'.

Mea culpa. Yes, you're correct. Vlaanderen instead of ProTour. I have bikes with both and just confirmed visually.

I have plenty of tubular tires at this point, so coupled with my aversion to Kenda products (nothing looks wrong with these tires though), I will pass on this deal.

Received the Kenda/Veloflex tires-they look good! Hold air at least.
No Veloflex branding at all.
Jim

Intro here. I've been a BFer a while and probably pitched in a comment or three here but now it's getting real. I have most of what I need to relace/build from scratch wheels for my three good bikes, the fix gear of my logo photo, my Peter Mooney which will run in both triple chainline fix gear mode and 3x7 gravel grinder and my "good bike"; a 3x9 TiCycles.

This is inspired roughly equally by two things. I rolled a clincher off the rim after a blowout 9 years ago and haven't been able enjoy fast downhills without the thought of that nightmare happening. Also that TiCycles fix gear announced that it was the finest bike out there you could have rolled up to the start of any 1989 road race if freewheels and gears had never been invented. The first time I rode it. All it needed was race wheels. The wheels I raced in 1977 would have been just fine (laced to the appropriate track hub). So now it's going to get them. Mavic 330 in front, a very nice and little used early deep V for the rear. For every day use, a less elegant deep V for the rear and one of those heavier, bulletproof Mavics. Haven't bought the regular tires yet. Have Vittoria 200g Corsas for "race day". (This bike needs a deep rim for the rear because I slide the wheel nearly 2" fore and aft going between 12 and 24 teeth on mountain days. Dropout slot is midway between horizontal and angled like a road dropout to keep the brake pads on a Velocity Aero rim and minimize BB height change.)

So all I need now is "training" tires, glue and spokes. I used to ride the Vittoria 300g cottons in ribbed tread and whatever brand name was on them. (I would have loved the ribbed treads I rode back them but I took them completely for granted until they disappeared in the '80s. Vittoria put them on the G+ tires and it was "oh yeah!"

Glue - a good hard race glue for the featherweight Corsas. Tubasti for the "training" tires. (I loved the fast tire changes in any weather, any light, any state of mental capacity - and enough stick for an uneventful rest of the ride. This will take a a few weeks; I've got projects up the ying-yang but every time I go into the garage I see all those rims (that I now have to move because the Mooney just came home with a new tux (paint).

Best of all, goodby to that nightmare that shows its face every hill and has awoken me a few times. (I've blown sewups at 45 and it was such a non-event I do not remember any of the details; where and when, or even which wheel. That clincher blow will be etched in my brain till I go.)

Quick questions on Vittoria Corsa Control G2 vs Vittoria Corsa Control G2+ Isotech

Does anyone ride these? I see both available on sale and 30mm should make for a nice ride vs 25s or narrower.

Asking about wear. I see claims that vary but lots of miles quoted and also puncture resistance. Any thoughts on that??

Seeing them for both $47 at Merlin

More questions on Corsas on general. What are they like to repair? Are they just another traditional hard to peel off base tape, stitching, that light cloth tape inside, latex tube like the good tires of old, only with modern fabrics and thread? I like the G+ (and I think I've ridden a G 2.0 or two) a lot. If the tubular equivalents are solid tires as well as being as nice a ride as the clinchers, I'm in. (I do have something of a soft spot for Vittoria tubulars as I believe most of the rib tread cottons I trained and commuted on in my sewup days were Vittorias rebranded to whatever.) The vast majority were decent tires. Not great but club race-able and not a hardship to ride. $15-20 with few surprises BITD.

The Corsa are ok to repair with that light cloth tape to tuck back in before you stitch it back up. The Rally's are a bear to repair and I think meant to toss in the trash.

This is a Pave... I think the same carcass as the Corsa.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0605c9339c.jpg
I haven't had to patch one because the Stans works so well. But this is what it looks like inside.

My tires show just "Corsa" and are 28mm. I like them. I'd say they compare favorably with the Veloflex tires I like, Vlaanderens or ProTours. I have over 1000 urban miles on them with no punctures and maybe less wear than I might have expected. I feel like I usually have to start putting sealant in my tubulars for small punctures at around 800 miles so I would say these are doing better but maybe it is just luck. The Vlaanderens I would get mileage right in line with Veloflex's advertised ranges - not quite 3,000 miles up front and 1800 in the rear. I have a Pro Tour with 2200 on the rear but it could go anytime. I'm thinking the Corsas may do better. If I were in need of tires right now, I would buy either of those at that price but I'm not sure which I would pick.

As for patching Vittoria's I haven't much, if any, experience. I have two Rally's as spares with only limited mileage. The Corsas haven't had a puncture yet. I've had two Pave. The rear failed from a sidewall tear at 1148 miles. The front hangs tubeless at 1191 miles. I had a puncture that sealant wouldn't seal and I couldn't locate so I was going to replace the tube but none of my tubes are small enough to pull through and I haven't been motivated enough to do anything more than hang it on the wall for a later day. I don't recall the tape being any particular chore to separate.

I think the corsa control is pitched as the pave replacement. I had a set in 30mm and ride and handling was great (moved them on with a wheelset as I have new wheel build on progress)

Anybody tried or use Flat Attack sealant? I got some Tufo tubs to replace all the dry rotted ones I had in which a couple exploded on me. I see alot of talk on Stans or Tufo sealant, but from what I know, those are latex based and eventually will gum or ball up. Flat Attack is supposedly one of those never dry ones, which suits me since I will likely use my steel/tubular bike infrequently once my reg bike is back in comission. I don't know if never dry also means not drying when leaking out while trying to seal a hole.