Rubino Pro - lacking in grip?

proto

Needing some winter/commuter tyres I bought a pair of these tyres, 25mm folding, treaded, not slick, but first impressions are they ars very poor in terms of grip. Initially had them at 120psi and it felt like I was riding on marbles. Dropped the pressure mid ride, guessing to 100 or so, and they seemed better, but on a climb yesterday my back wheel was slipping when out of the saddle, something I've never experienced with other tyres (I usually use GP4000S @120psi).

Is it just me? Anyone else have much experience of Rubino Pros?

Nairnster

Never had any issues with them and have always been normal go to tyre.

I have just bought some 23mm gp 4000 and can't use then as they don't fit without rubbing. Can I ask you how you find the Rubino measure up in size compared to the 4000s?

Were you stomping a big gear?

bobinski

Running my rubino pros for about 2 years and found them to be fast and durable, about 3500 miles out of them so far. Never had a problem with grip when its wet BUT a mix of wet and leaves will someotimes result in wheel slip going up hill. I tend to deal with this by staying sat in the saddle. I am not sure rubino pros are worse in such conditions than any other tyre. I recall having to apply the same technique when running Ultremos-difference is the flimsy sidewalls(ime) were not durable enough.

brownbosh

If i'm skint I buy rubino pro 3's. Excellent tyre for the money and a good compromise of durability and grip. As you rightly stated pressure has a huge influence. Possibility you have had an awesome increase in gun power since last climbing in the wet???

ugo.santalucia

Rubber with good grip in the cold is expensive and generally is not used in cheap moulds like Rubino and the likes. Vittoria Pave' have a grippier compound for the cold, but it wears quicker, of course

Bozman

I used them for a lot of last winter and never really had an issue, I do find that Vittoria tyres need scrubbing in though and if you don't they're mare in the wet.

elderone

I run these all year on my training/winter bikes and not had an issue. For the price they are a very good all rounder.

GGBiker

It's a scrubbing in issue, had the same last winter for 200 miles then they were great. Some people recommend a rub down with sandpaper to break them in

rickeverett

I went to gp4000's after lots of slips with Rubino Pros. They also loose corner grip badly too. Like you said, I had issues with hill climbs and slipping.. Especially if the road was damp.

Had two sets of these tyres too and both were the same.

Not only did they have poor grip unless the road is Italian style dry, they also cracked up quickly IMO.

So yeah for me the gp4000s have been a eye opener and are doing really well in the damp. Have had no slips in the wet and crap.

Bozman

The only place that I had an issue was with wheel spin on steep climbs.
I use them on my turbo now and they just don't wear out, there's an endless fine spray of rubber behind the wheel but they're still fine where others would have failed hours ago. Hard compound?

proto

Thanks all.

Hoping it is in a scrubbing in issue, but I'm not convinced. I'd used Rubinos only once before, eight years or so ago, and they too suffered from cracking, thought it was just circumstance (bike used to live outside) so didn't take a lot of notice, but maybe it's a feature of them. Maybe they are just harder than everything else I've been using. I'll keep going with them for a while and see how I get on.

Anyone care to recommend tyre pressures? Not too bothered about comfort, more concerned with avoiding the p***ture fairy and staying upright.

trek_dan

There is a good app on the Vittoria website where you put in your weight, tyre type and it'll tell you a recommended pressure. Always a good starting point. Never had an issue with my Rubino's for the record, always found them good enough, I've got the cheap £7.99 Rubino 2's on my winter bike and they have been fine.

bigmat

I find Vittoria tyres pretty poor for grip particularly in wet. Only run Diamante, Rubino and Rubino Pro though, so can't comment on the Corsas, Paves etc.

Rubino are particularly bad, I regularly lost the front end last winter, managed it a couple of times coasting along in a straight line. The Rubino Pros seem better but don't inspire massive confidence - good enough for commuting / training though and the price / durability makes up for it. Just back off a little bit more in corners and you should be fine. 120PSI is on the high side I reckon (whatever Vittoria recommend). I tend to run mine at around 100PSI, higher than that and they became really skittish in the wet. I'm 83kg at the moment so pretty heavy for a cyclist and have had no issues with punctures at that pressure (apart from when I smacked a pothole at 35mph in the dark, but that would have taken out most wheels!).

cheers drive

I've put some 28 Rubino pros on my winter a few weeks back and have lost the back end a few times when cornering on damp roads. 90psi at the back 80psi at front. I had no issues with my krylion carbons before but couldn't find their replacements the pro 4 endurance in 28c.
I think I'll stick with them for now as it's flat around here but if I was descending often I'd get shot.

andy_wrx

I love Rubino Pros.

I had some of the highly-regarded Conti GP4Seasons and thought they were cr*p, dreadful wet-weather grip and wooden, punctured easily, difficullt to get on and off

Replaced them with Rubinos

I've even used the mega-cheap Zafiros happily - althought the wire-beaded Zafiros in red were better-gripping than the folding Zafiro Pros in blue

rolf_f

I've just started using Rubino Pro Slicks after I got fed up of unravelling bits of carcasse cord from my Durano S tyres. I have to admit I suspect that they do not grip as well as the Duranos and I've done a fair distance on them already. I have a feeling I won't be getting another pair but I'll give them a bit more time - I'd rather have bits of string coming off the carcasse and good grip than the alternative!

I'm light and run them at 100psi when I've remembered to keep them topped up which maybe too high but I've had at least 3 pinch punctures off them already so reluctant to reduce pressure further.

gabriel959

The Rubino Pro's haven't got amazing levels of grip in the wet but there is an easy solution, get the Rubino Pro Tech version. They grip really well in the wet and are really worth the extra.

DeVlaeminck

They may well have changed the compound since but Rubino Pro Slicks are the only tyre I've binned because I thought they were dangerous rather than worn out. Going back a few years but they would slide out very easily to the extent I even stopped a couple of times just to check I didn't have a slow puncture and soft tyre.

rickeverett

My Rubino Pros were the 2012/13 version with white stripes. Crap in the wet, uncomfortable too.

Changed to 4000s and they glide over rough roads and are miles better in grip and rolling. It was a very noticeable upgrade compared to a lot of things.

petemadoc

I've switched to rubino pros this winter, I was under the impression that they are a staple big mileage commuter tyre.

I have to say the grip is shocking. Not leaning in too much going round corners I can easily make the back wheel slide out. I'll be looking for something else next.

rolf_f

I'm almost relieved it wasn't just me! I came off the other week going in a straight line on a straight road at a steady speed. I still don't know why. It turned out that the road surface was very greasy (maybe leave mulch/oil mix??) but no-one else came off. I think I will be relegating them.

So, Rubino Pro - crap, Open Corsa - crap. Can anyone tell me if Vittoria make any good tyres?

petemadoc

I was going to try corsas at some point, have I missed something? Are these rubbish too? There's usually some good deals on them.

rolf_f

Most people seem happy with them. My problem was that I bought them for my summer wheels - Campag Neutrons - which have a very shallow inner rim. The Corsas just won't go on them. I broke two tyre levers and made a mess of my hand trying. Veloflex Masters were absolutely fine. I couldn't work out what the problem was until I compared the two tyres and discovered that the Corsas are round about 6mm smaller in circumference. Probably not enough to matter if you stick them on deep rims but it makes all the difference on the Neutrons. Really very sloppy design as I can't really see there is any benefit from making them smaller than every other 700c tyre you can find when there is a big disadvantage to it.

Bozman

PeteMadoc wrote:

I was going to try corsas at some point, have I missed something? Are these rubbish too? There's usually some good deals on them.

Probably the best clincher about.
Rolf had well documented issues, I've yet to have a problem in the last few years using Mavic and Shimano wheels but these issues do arise from time to time.

Nairnster

There are the Rubino Pro Techs which I think are intended more for wet (and perhaps winter) use.

rolf_f

Bozman wrote:

PeteMadoc wrote:

I was going to try corsas at some point, have I missed something? Are these rubbish too? There's usually some good deals on them.

Probably the best clincher about.
Rolf had well documented issues, I've yet to have a problem in the last few years using Mavic and Shimano wheels but these issues do arise from time to time.

And they are OK on my Vento Reactions which are hardly deep rims. But then I don't want to use a tyre like that on a relatively heavy wheel!

Are the Open Corsas really better than Veloflex Corsa/Master? Aside from the Veloflex actually being made in Italy, they will always be easier to get on and they seem pretty similar to me in performance.

Bozman

Rolf F wrote:

Bozman wrote:

PeteMadoc wrote:

I was going to try corsas at some point, have I missed something? Are these rubbish too? There's usually some good deals on them.

Probably the best clincher about.
Rolf had well documented issues, I've yet to have a problem in the last few years using Mavic and Shimano wheels but these issues do arise from time to time.

And they are OK on my Vento Reactions which are hardly deep rims. But then I don't want to use a tyre like that on a relatively heavy wheel!

Are the Open Corsas really better than Veloflex Corsa/Master? Aside from the Veloflex actually being made in Italy, they will always be easier to get on and they seem pretty similar to me in performance.

I was going to go down the Veloflex road next, the 1.5k mile life expectancy put's me off slightly but Corsas aren't that great when it comes to mileage too, though I do tend to get about 2.5k out of a rear and 7.5k out of a front.
When you get used to a tyre and it feels good it's hard to make the move.

petemadoc

Veloflex are the dogs balls. Supreme confidence in all conditions. In fact I can't think of any reason to try the Corsas other than maybe price.