alexihnen 

I'm looking at some early 90s NOS Specialized Turbo clincher tires but cannot seem to find any verification of what R, S, or C denote. I'm guessing something like R=Race, S=Sport, C=Competition, or something like that?

nomadmax 

The Turbo R was a slick, the ones I used were foldable. At the time, they had more dry grip than any clincher I'd ever ridden before

The Turbo S had a herringbone tread, was almost as light and I used them for wet weather training.

I don't know about the C model but those two I mentioned put Specialized on the map as far as I'm concerned.

Bad Lag

I have at least one Turbo R in storage. It is from the late 70's or early 80's. It is so old, and has been folded for so long, I'm not sure it is really viable any longer but I do have one.

Hobbiano 

I had some Turbo S's new in the box for about 25 or 30 years - at least. They had been stored in the house in a drawer. They still looked really good. rubber felt ok and no cracks, so I mounted and inflated them. About a week later I thought I'd take them for a ride but both of them had developed longitudinal splits in the thread, oh well. Can't say I was surprised. Yes, the R's were slicks, the S's had herringbone thread, and there was also a LS and I think an LR - don't remember what that was - maybe wire bead and less tpi? It was cheaper. I don't remember a Turbo C.

droppedandlost 

wasn't the C for cotton?

Drillium Dude 

I will have to dig a bit, but I did have pics of one version of the Turbo on my '73 Super shortly after I completed the restoration - it had a raised center rib, with herringbone tread either side. Might represent the "C" version.

Always thought it was humorous that everything that had anything to do with performance in the early/mid 80s carried the "turbo" appendage.

Apparently Gary Larson thought so, too:



DD

bamboobike4

Ditto. The folds are still in the tire with 110 psi.

Chombi1 

BTW, IIRC, there was also a "Turbo VS" tire..... It was the last version Turbo tire I remember using. It came out in the later 80's.
What kills tires is ozone gas and UV light which causes them to dry rot.
​​​rot. I suspect that what's even in "ambient" air can cause the degradation, but at a slower rate, so storing them in a cool dark place might not be enough to save them.
I think, just in general, 30 - 40 year old high pressure tires like the old Turbos are just too old to safely use.......

Fredo76

I was riding my Turbo Rs from way back until just recently, when I fitted 28mm tires. I'm saving them, as they still seem good. I removed one to repair a flat the old-fashioned way, remounted it, and rode it several times afterward. Mine were always on their wheels, never folded, and still retain their shape well when off, like some Marathon+ that were shipped to me, round, like a rim. Now I'm wondering if there were wire-bead versions? I can also state that despite the '25c' printed on the label, on a Mavic MA40 rim, mine measured at 21mm width.

Chombi1 

A few years ago, I decided to ride a wheelset that still had my old Turbo VS tires from the late 80's on them, just to see if they will hold up. The tires still look decent, except for maybe some checking at the gumwalls. It took only one ride around my block to cause the gumwalls to turn into powder and fall off the tires. The sidewall chords were pretty much bare when I parked the bike in my garage.
Then, overnight, the sidewall and tube on the front tire blew out when the chords let go of the Kevlar bead.
​​bead. I would have crashed for sure if it happened during that short test ride. I won't ride old tires after that......

Drillium Dude 

Found these pics today on ebay:





A used pair of Turbo/S tires. Looks like foldable (Kevlar?) beads, and a full-herringbone tread prior to use/wear.

DD

alexihnen 

Of course. I'm looking for tires to put on a wall hanger and trying to understand which Specialized tires for racing, training, TT, etc.

Drillium Dude 

Again from ebay, a pair of Turbo/R tires that actually look pretty decent for their age (I still wouldn't trust 'em to ride on, however):





Full slick tread. I'm thinking for sure the Turbo/Cs must be the combo center rib/herringbone but as yet haven't been able to confirm. Having fun looking, though

@alexihnen these are currently available for less than $40 for the pair, with free shipping. For a wall hanger, you can't beat that with a stick. Auction here: Specialized Turbo/R

Note these are 27 x 1 1/8" and not 700c; I didn't see a size called out in your OP, so...maybe they'll work for you, maybe they won't.

DD

alexihnen 

Looking for 700c. I have TURBO/S mounted currently. They’re not in great shape and I wasn’t sure which model would have been most common for pro racing.

Chombi1 

Uhmmm..... Pros used tubulars during most of the 80's when Specialized Turbo S, R and VS were being sold.....
Maybe some amatures used the Specialized Turbos, but I remember even all my amature racer friends in college used only tubulars.

alexihnen 

^ Of course, quite true. I guess I’m asking which model was the highest performance, lowest weight, etc.

Chombi1 

I think the slick (treadless) Turbo R model was the most "radical" of the Turbo tires......
If you want the lightest, just get the 19mm ones, which I think was the narrowest they sold.
​​Combine it with latex tubes and you get pretty close to tubular tire weights......but not the great ride that tubs always have over clinchers.

Chuckk

Those early Turbos were SO MUCH better than the competition.
At the same pressure, the other felt rock hard, while the Turbos were compliant.
And if you were lucky, you could pick them up for five bucks.as overstock from Nashbar.

jadmt

I stumbled across this forum and it got me thinking. I have a bunch of old Continental Grand Prix clincher from around 1990 or so I they have been stored in the dark still in the box and I just went to check and the rubber is still supple, I figured they would be powder by now lo..the C probably just for clincher. I have a couple of clemente silk sewups from early 80's that are not so lucky they are hard as rocks.