Continental Competition Tubulars
11-27-07, 02:29 AM
#1
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Continental Competition Tubulars
Are Conti Comps running internally with butyl or latex tubes.
Mine don't loose as much air as I would have expected from a latex setup.
Mine don't loose as much air as I would have expected from a latex setup.
11-27-07, 06:15 AM
#2
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Butyl
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11-27-07, 06:51 AM
#3
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Agreed.
I have a pair with the blue sidewalls and grey thread.
They are not as supple riding as my Veloflex Criteriums and they are a bit heavier.
Got them at 1/2 price from Performance 3 yrs ago ($70); aged them for 2 yrs before glueing them on.
I wouldn't buy them again even at 1/2 price
I have a pair with the blue sidewalls and grey thread.
They are not as supple riding as my Veloflex Criteriums and they are a bit heavier.
Got them at 1/2 price from Performance 3 yrs ago ($70); aged them for 2 yrs before glueing them on.
I wouldn't buy them again even at 1/2 price
11-27-07, 12:04 PM
#6
Senior Member
+1
I don't age on purpose but if I get some soft rubber Vittorias I let them sit. I have two extra right now - although I'm not "aging" them on purpose, I don't need to glue them on to any particular wheel. If I see a deal on tires I'll buy more. I've flatted a few of them with the super soft (new) rubber running over minute debris and they make for expensive and frustrating patching projects. If they're a bit older and the edge of the tread is firm I'll use them when I need to, in a day or a week or whenever.
My Contis I glued on and rode the next day (I paid $80-120 for the tires, not sure what the models are). I also agree on horrible Contis. I bought some of them to support the local (and now closed) shop but I'll be buying Vittorias from here on in. Contis - crooked tread, lumpy, yucky. Vittoria - straight, smooth, nice.
Tires definitely dry out with age - it's the wax and such that evaporate out of the rubber over time. They protect the rubber from UV light among other things. Squeeze a new tire and you'll see white waxy stuff. Old tire - nothing. A slightly older, harder rubber on a bike tire will help avoid sticky-item flats (little thorns, staple, bits of glass). I suppose a soft new tire might grip better but in the dry I can't tell and in the wet I slow down too much.
The same aging goes for car tires except you don't want a car tire to age. The smell of tires slowly goes away because the stuff in the rubber is slowly evaporating. To preserve car tires (which shouldn't be aged - and in fact old car tires are not as desirable) you should store them in plastic bags - like snow tires which are stored during the summer, or race tires waiting for the next track day. When your car tires dry out they're only good for doing long burnouts. Then toss them or line Turn 2 with them.
cdr
I don't age on purpose but if I get some soft rubber Vittorias I let them sit. I have two extra right now - although I'm not "aging" them on purpose, I don't need to glue them on to any particular wheel. If I see a deal on tires I'll buy more. I've flatted a few of them with the super soft (new) rubber running over minute debris and they make for expensive and frustrating patching projects. If they're a bit older and the edge of the tread is firm I'll use them when I need to, in a day or a week or whenever.
My Contis I glued on and rode the next day (I paid $80-120 for the tires, not sure what the models are). I also agree on horrible Contis. I bought some of them to support the local (and now closed) shop but I'll be buying Vittorias from here on in. Contis - crooked tread, lumpy, yucky. Vittoria - straight, smooth, nice.
Tires definitely dry out with age - it's the wax and such that evaporate out of the rubber over time. They protect the rubber from UV light among other things. Squeeze a new tire and you'll see white waxy stuff. Old tire - nothing. A slightly older, harder rubber on a bike tire will help avoid sticky-item flats (little thorns, staple, bits of glass). I suppose a soft new tire might grip better but in the dry I can't tell and in the wet I slow down too much.
The same aging goes for car tires except you don't want a car tire to age. The smell of tires slowly goes away because the stuff in the rubber is slowly evaporating. To preserve car tires (which shouldn't be aged - and in fact old car tires are not as desirable) you should store them in plastic bags - like snow tires which are stored during the summer, or race tires waiting for the next track day. When your car tires dry out they're only good for doing long burnouts. Then toss them or line Turn 2 with them.
cdr
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11-27-07, 05:04 PM
#7
shedding fat
These tires have proven to be surprisingly better than I expected. I have a pair with over 500 miles in them in one bke and another with 800 KM or so on them. The rear one with the 800 KM is slightly flat on the top thread, but has plenty of riding time left in it. The front one looks like new though. I suspect I will end up replacing the rear one in about 1500-2000 more KM but the front will likely remain for a few more thousand before it looks like it needs replacing.
I just got a pair of Veloflex Carbons and I am not very impressed so far from just looking at them. They do seem more supple to the touch, but they also look more fragile. Won't really know until I ride them though.
I just got a pair of Veloflex Carbons and I am not very impressed so far from just looking at them. They do seem more supple to the touch, but they also look more fragile. Won't really know until I ride them though.
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11-27-07, 05:59 PM
#8
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Tires definitely dry out with age - it's the wax and such that evaporate out of the rubber over time. They protect the rubber from UV light among other things. Squeeze a new tire and you'll see white waxy stuff. Old tire - nothing. A slightly older, harder rubber on a bike tire will help avoid sticky-item flats (little thorns, staple, bits of glass). I suppose a soft new tire might grip better but in the dry I can't tell and in the wet I slow down too much.
The wax you talk about is added to assist the removal of the tire from the mold. It is not part of the compound that the tread is comprised of.
The same aging goes for car tires except you don't want a car tire to age. The smell of tires slowly goes away because the stuff in the rubber is slowly evaporating. To preserve car tires (which shouldn't be aged - and in fact old car tires are not as desirable) you should store them in plastic bags - like snow tires which are stored during the summer, or race tires waiting for the next track day. When your car tires dry out they're only good for doing long burnouts. Then toss them or line Turn 2 with them.
cdr
cdr
A quick question. If Vittorias tubulars are so good why will the Italian Nation team (track) be switching to Continental?
12-09-07, 11:17 PM
#9
shedding fat
Well, I guess I have to eat my words here. Shortly after writing my review of these tires above, I had my first flat on the rear. I tried to fix the tire with Stan's no tube sealant only to fnd the tire seemed to be leaking form more than one place inside. There are 2 x 1/16th of an inch cut in the tire in different places, but I am not sure they are the culprit. I have no patience to cut the tire opena nd replace the tube, so I wil be sending it to someone to get it fixed/salvaged as it has plenty of riding life left in it if the inner tube is replaced. A new one is in its pace for now.
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Arguing with ignorant people is an exercise in futility. They will bring you down to their level and once there they will beat you with their overwhelming experience.
Arguing with ignorant people is an exercise in futility. They will bring you down to their level and once there they will beat you with their overwhelming experience.
