Tubular Reccomendations Please!

Iamnot Wiggins

Time has come to replace my Mavic tubular tyres and I'm not really sure what to get. I found the Mavic's wore out quite quickly so will not be getting some more.

I'd like to try something in a 25 and was looking at the Vittoria Corsa CX - any thoughts? Good choice, bad?

I don't race but do like the ride quality of tubulars but also want something that is reasonably hard wearing with decent puncture protection. Not too many requirements

Any other ones that I should take into consideration? Thanks all.

Grill

Corsa CX rides pretty nice. I'd recommend the Schwalbe One off the back of my experience with the Ultremo HT.

Iamnot Wiggins

What kind of life did you get from the Schwalbe tubs, Grill? I read that the Ultremo HT don't last too long.

bmxbandit23

Our team run Schwalbe tubs, as mentioned the ht's were not fantastic for wear. They're on 24mm one's this year and have nothing but praise, great grip, few punctures and none have worn out yet. Would definitely recommend them.

racingcondor

The Corsa SR (all black 24mm) are really good but you won't get much mileage out of them or a CX. I'd use Pave's for the extra tread if I were you, fast, plush ride and great grip.

My vote - SR for the best overall tyre. Pave for the sensible choice.

bernithebiker

My Mavic tubulars are wearing quite well I think.

Certainly better than my Vittoria Corsas did.

(All in 23mm)

sloppyschleckonds

I've got corsa cx and usually get about 2000 miles out of the rears, I've also got 25mm Paves on a set of lightweight 23mm wide carbons, that is one nice ride

Iamnot Wiggins

Think I'm going to go for a set of Veloflex Arenbergs in 25mm.

sloppyschleckonds

Iamnot Wiggins wrote:

Think I'm going to go for a set of Veloflex Arenbergs in 25mm.

Pricey, but nice performance

Iamnot Wiggins

Wiggle has them at £63 each which I don't think was too bad, certainly better than the full RRP! Took the plunge and ordered.

StillGoing

Veloflex Extreme. Have used them in all weathers and for miles along gravel strewn roads assisting the DOT to repair the road surface without a problem. Good grip in the turns and low rolling resistance. 23mm width but if it's 25mm you want have a look at the Veloflex Arenburg. If you're in no rush to get your tubs look at Jedi Sport in Germany to order. They're way cheaper than any outlet here for most brands.

cycleclinic

Vittoria Pave are excellent too.

ivanoile

Nothing more than Conti Competition

dennisn

Hmmmmm. !3 posts and 6 or so different opinions.

DHA987S

Running Carbons at the moment. Love them. Moving to Arenbergs when they wear out simply to get a bit of a wider tub.

cycleclinic

there you go then run what ever you like better still try all of them and find which ones you love the most. No substitute for personal experience but it would kill this forum off quickly if riders were willing to gamble.

dennisn

thecycleclinic wrote:

there you go then run what ever you like better still try all of them and find which ones you love the most. No substitute for personal experience but it would kill this forum off quickly if riders were willing to gamble.

There's no gamble to it. Someone wants to run tubulars? This someone most likely has a budget of sorts. If he has plenty of money then he spends 100+ dollars on top shelf tubes. Any brand you like. No gamble, as there are no bad ones. Same holds true, pretty much, for mid price range ones(i.e. Conti Sprinters, etc.). The part that's a gamble is listening to, and believing, the people who chime in praising this or that or badmouthing this or that. All of it usually in equal amounts aimed at any tire you care to mention. Now, that's the gamble.

charlie_potatoes

dennisn wrote:

thecycleclinic wrote:

there you go then run what ever you like better still try all of them and find which ones you love the most. No substitute for personal experience but it would kill this forum off quickly if riders were willing to gamble.

There's no gamble to it. Someone wants to run tubulars? This someone most likely has a budget of sorts. If he has plenty of money then he spends 100+ dollars on top shelf tubes. Any brand you like. No gamble, as there are no bad ones. Same holds true, pretty much, for mid price range ones(i.e. Conti Sprinters, etc.). The part that's a gamble is listening to, and believing, the people who chime in praising this or that or badmouthing this or that. All of it usually in equal amounts aimed at any tire you care to mention. Now, that's the gamble.

If you have been around the forum for a while then you can sort out some wheat from the chaff.
I value some opinions more than others.

dennisn

Charlie Potatoes wrote:

dennisn wrote:

thecycleclinic wrote:

there you go then run what ever you like better still try all of them and find which ones you love the most. No substitute for personal experience but it would kill this forum off quickly if riders were willing to gamble.

There's no gamble to it. Someone wants to run tubulars? This someone most likely has a budget of sorts. If he has plenty of money then he spends 100+ dollars on top shelf tubes. Any brand you like. No gamble, as there are no bad ones. Same holds true, pretty much, for mid price range ones(i.e. Conti Sprinters, etc.). The part that's a gamble is listening to, and believing, the people who chime in praising this or that or badmouthing this or that. All of it usually in equal amounts aimed at any tire you care to mention. Now, that's the gamble.

If you have been around the forum for a while then you can sort out some wheat from the chaff.
I value some opinions more than others.

All very true.

Still, can you name a BAD 100+ dollar tubular? Is there really anything WRONG with, oh say, a Conti Sprinter or any of its price competitors?

I think the problem is that the people who write in complaining about a certain tire are are simply the bad luck boys. "I had 3 flats in a week on brand X". "brand X came out from under me on a wet road." Then there is always the "..Brand X's rolling resistance can't compare to brand Y." All this, of course, means that said tire is junk.
All ot the above is refuted, of course, by people with good luck. "Never a flat." "Great wet weather traction." 'Rolls like a dream." And they are talking about the same tire. :?

The only real decisions to be made are price range, tire width, color, and is it on sale.

cycleclinic

Trying out tyres for your self means you get to know first hand what good and whats not that is the point I am trying to make. This is quite important I think and should be encouraged. I know that I will never try cheap conti giro's again and now I know what the sprinters are good at, what the paves are good at and what the corsa are good at and what the plus point of the GP4000 tub.

All the suggestions so far (although I have no personal experience of veloflex tubs) are good ones they all have there plus points but all work well as road tubulars. Which one the OP will like the most no one can predict as that will depend on his luck at the time of trying, the type of riding the OP does (we do not know), the quality of the road and the amount of debris on them so definitive recommendations are impossible. Ones worth trying are worth mentioning and they have and they should be tried. the gamble is trying one like that you don't like for some thats the sprinter as some prefer the supple veloflex or vittoria's. My self I like all the ones I have tried (including the Geax Saguaro MTB tubular) apart from the conti giro's. They all have their place.