Fastest racing road tyre

Mreckless
Mreckless Posts: 214
edited June 2014 in Road buying advice
Just want some opinions on what tyres are best for summer conditions. I'm currently using conti 4000s.

Comments

  • Veloflex
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • sharky1029
    sharky1029 Posts: 188
    GP4000s' are great tyres for wear grip and speed but if you want a clincher for just pure speed schwalbe ultremos are great tyres and still have very good grip on decents. Choose based on how much puncture protection you want or if you want tubeless they are available too. Don't know if they are straight out fastest but they are good even though I use GP4000s' as they wear better and are better in the wet on crappy roads
  • I'd stick with the Conti 4000s if I were you.

    I shifted to Schwalbe Ultremo ZX HD, and after 3 tyres in 3 months have gone back to 4000's on my training wheels.
    The Ultremo's are superbly grippy and fast :D but their puncture protection is awful :cry: . Two of my tyres were sliced right across the tread like a hot knife through butter and the other tyre was discarded as the sidewall ballooned appallingly, which could of caused catastrophic results. The guys from Schwalbe respond by saying they are racing tyres so are less puncture resistant, which, in fairness they are!

    There are many comments about their durability online.

    Either stick to 4000s or migrate to tubulars! but that would mean new wheels ! :D
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Mreckless wrote:
    Just want some opinions on what tyres are best for summer conditions. I'm currently using conti 4000s.

    You've got them already. Having said that, there isn't really a 'best tyre', just a 'best compromise' - depending on the type of riding you do, road conditions, weight, etc.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    Vittoria Open Corsa Evo CX (the newest one)
  • mike6
    mike6 Posts: 1,199
    Veloflex Pave. Light and fast. Never had a p******e in one yet! Doh!
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    markos1963 wrote:
    coriordan wrote:
    Vittoria Open Corsa Evo CX (the newest one)

    +1

    + again
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • pkripper
    pkripper Posts: 652
    smidsy wrote:
    markos1963 wrote:
    coriordan wrote:
    Vittoria Open Corsa Evo CX (the newest one)

    +1

    + again

    And again - very quick
  • blablablacksheep
    blablablacksheep Posts: 1,377
    Gp4000s I'm using as their very quick but honestly I would've say puncture protection is good, its pretty average, gators were fantastic buy god awful on corners.

    I've been tempted by a race tyre, but the Hassel for changing isn't worth the" increase in speed or getting up to speed"

    So I'm sticking to gp4000s.

    Out of interest how do you know if your getting the Vittoria Open Corsa Evo?
    London2Brighton Challange 100k!
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  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    Out of interest how do you know if your getting the Vittoria Open Corsa Evo?
    Same way you know you are getting GP4000s
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028

    I've been tempted by a race tyre, but the Hassel for changing isn't worth the" increase in speed or getting up to speed"

    So I'm sticking to gp4000s.

    The GP4000S is a race tyre
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    The Open Corsa Evo CX is the fastest clincher you can readily buy. There's a link on the net to a recent lab test. No idea about the latest version with isogrip though as it's too new.
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Assuming you're looking at clinchers then Veloflex Pave or Vittoria EVO with latex tubes - Conti GP4000s are hose-pipes and don't provide great grip in the wet either IME.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • bigpikle
    bigpikle Posts: 1,690
    for racing or road use in general? probably very different answers to these situations...
    Your Past is Not Your Potential...
  • Mickyg88
    Mickyg88 Posts: 289
    Based on the above, why bloody ask?
  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    Monty Dog wrote:
    Conti GP4000s are hose-pipes and don't provide great grip in the wet either IME.

    Finally find someone who agrees with me. I thought I was going insane as everyone else thinks they are great I'd I just find them disappointing.
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
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  • cenkee
    cenkee Posts: 71
    How much of a difference in speed is there between a fast and a slow tire?
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    Imposter wrote:
    The GP4000S is a race tyre

    Friend of a friend on a sportive saw my GP4000S and looking at the tread said "Are those racing slicks?!", clearly expecting me so say, no they're gravel / winter tyres.
  • arran77
    arran77 Posts: 9,260
    pkripper wrote:
    smidsy wrote:
    markos1963 wrote:
    coriordan wrote:
    Vittoria Open Corsa Evo CX (the newest one)

    +1

    + again

    And again - very quick

    Another vote here, excellent fast tyre.
    "Arran, you are like the Tony Benn of smut. You have never diluted your depravity and always stand by your beliefs. You have my respect sir and your wife my pity" :lol:

    seanoconn
  • natrix
    natrix Posts: 1,111
    But which size?? 23, or 25??
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  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,406
    cenkee wrote:
    How much of a difference in speed is there between a fast and a slow tire?

    it's very slight, leaving aside aerodynamics of tyre size/surface/shape, the coefficient of rolling resistance (crr) is the key factor

    a tyre with low crr absorbs less energy than one with higher crr, the energy saved goes into pushing you slightly faster through the air

    for race tyres at reasonable speed (40 km/hr) the difference between best and average is maybe 5-7 watts per wheel, just 2-3 watts between best and good; but sometimes even a small saving is useful, on a tt or long solo break it could be enough to make a significant time difference

    the best clinchers now have lower crr than tubulars, current best may be...

    http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... -11-44783/

    ...if you look at afm's crr tests, the spesh mondo was almost the lowest crr, they claim the new one is better

    http://www.biketechreview.com/tires_old ... g_rev9.pdf (there are more recent results on the btr forum)

    whichever tyre, you need a good latex tube to get lowest crr (though perhaps not if you'll be doing long descents with heavy braking)

    in racing, even though clinchers have lower crr, tubulars are still often preferred due to their tendency to failsafe and retain control/rideability even when flat, also tubular wheels are lighter than equivalent clincher ones

    the downside is that the lowest crr tyres make little/no compromise for durability/puncture resistance - i don't do tt so i'd never ride them, also i have to fix my own if they puncture!
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • cenkee
    cenkee Posts: 71
    thanks sungod.
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    I have latex tubes in my GP4000s tyres and I find no issues. I will try some veloflex corsa again soon but the 23mm contis on 25mm wide rims are 26mm and the cornering grip is superior to anything else I have tried even in the wet. Also nothing slows you down like a puncture, the GP4000s may not be the best when it comes to rolling resistance (although some test put it up there with the vittoria Corsa but then some put it lower down) but it is a good all rounder for training and racing. An all rounder is what I need rather than a tyre that punctures like a veloflex.

    Also the TT's I ride are on Suffolks country roads using a light low Crr tyre is fine for speed but with all the gravel and flint about it is a risky thing that could leave a long walk.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • dave milne
    dave milne Posts: 703
    michelin pro race whatevers - always been excellent

    for those not racing all black bikes you can match the tyre colour up too