Veloflex Black Tire

Price Paid:  $32.00 at wcp

Favorite Ride:
country, no cars

Bike Setup:
Fuji Team RC, DA, X-lites and Zipps

Summary:
People! If you are wanting the best ride quality, suppleness, spin-up rate, and low weight in a clincher, THIS IS IT. Stop looking. Vulcanized tires can not touch a handmade, cotton casing, real rubber tread open tubular like these. And the 300tpi and flawless construction is better than Vittoria. Small company- think master craftsmen. Add a latex tube and you just created 95% of what tubulars offer at a much lower cost. I'll give you that tubs. still corner better due to sidewall deformation. But Veloflex delivers low rolling resistance, lively feel (latex tube matters here), satisfactory puncture resistance and killer grip. They can be expensive but if you surf you'll find something acceptable. Think $60 for tire and latex tube. When have you ever seen a top quality tubular for that? No glue, no ridiculous repairs. Get em! (I am in no way associated with any arm of the bicycle industry. Just a masters racer with kids who wishes he'd found this combo years ago). One final note to the younger generation. You can not damn a tire's puncture reputation unless you keep your tread clean even while riding. Put your hand on the tire if you ride through some junk and you'll be happier with the durability of any tire.

Strengths:
Ride quality with latex tube. Weight. Cornering grip. Quality and beauty of construction. Old school sidewalls or black. Tread color choices.

Weaknesses:
Potential cost but still less than sew-ups.
Lifespan

Similar Products Used:
Vittoria Open Corsa EVO CX, Contis, Michelins, Vredestein, Panaracer you name it.

Price Paid:  $59.00 at Cyclebits.com

Favorite Ride:
Any ride

Bike Setup:
Madone SSL, D/A 10 sp, FSA K-Force
Alex Nexus 1, D/A 9 sp
Guru Strada, D/A 9 sp
Giant TT, D/A 9 sp
Nishiki single speed

Summary:
These are the best feeling clincher tyres I have ever used. If I didn't know any better, I'd think they were tubulars.
Value for money, I think they are fantastic, hand made tyres, real hand made Italian tyres, are rare and should be much more expensive than this. Sure they wear fast, but what do you want from a tyre that is so grippy and light.
Matched with Maxxis flyweight tubes and a 1350gram set of American Classic wheels, they are hard to beat.

Strengths:
Excellent grip, low weight, great road feel.

Weaknesses:
Can be tricky to fit on rims. Be patient, don't rush it.
Be extra vigilant about sharp nasties on the road.

Similar Products Used:
Nothing could be classed as similar, but...
Michelin Pro2 Race, Clement Gavias, Vredesteins, Continentals, Hutchinsons, Bontragers

Price Paid:  $49.00 at Colorado cyclist

Favorite Ride:
Anywhere with rolling hills

Bike Setup:
Merckx Titanium, Campy Record components, Dave's Speedream wheels

Summary:
I've been riding these tires (first the Pave and now the Black) for 3 seasons. I get about 1000 miles on the rear and 1600 miles on the front. They have good grip in wet or dry conditions and have a super ride. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I've never had a flat and the roads I ride have a lot of potholes and gravel. I'm a real fan of these tires so I know I won't switch brands any time soon.

Strengths:
Light weight, puncture resistance, great "feel", and reasonable price for what you get

Weaknesses:
Only average wear
Hard to mount on wheel

Similar Products Used:
Michelin, Continental, Panracer, Vittoria

Price Paid:  $0.00 at mail order

Favorite Ride:
Salmon Arm

Bike Setup:
04 Argon 18 Helium, mix of parts.

Summary:
One of the best tires out there for the money.Longevity is about what I'd expect for a tire of this weight,and puncture resistance is better than Vittoria EVO's.

Strengths:
Value,longevity,puncture resistance.Along with the EVO's, a very tubular-like ride.

Weaknesses:
These tires are marketed as open tubulars.Those of us who ride or have ridden tubulars (+20 yrs,myself) know that to maximize the return on your often sizeable investment, its a good idea to wipe your tires with your gloved hand whenever you ride through glass or gravel. If you do that with these tires, you'll see your puncture rate drop, guaranteed.

Similar Products Used:
Vittoria EVO CX, Michelin clinchers,
Vittoria,Clement,Wolber tubulars

Price Paid:  $45.00 at CBike

Favorite Ride:
Topanga to Ventura PCH

Bike Setup:
Colnago CT1, Campy Record, Campy Nutron wheels.

Summary:
A great tire. Light (fast) great traction wet or dry.

Strengths:
The tire is quite light with excelent ride quality. Price is quite resonable if you conpare it to Vittoria Open Corsa. I've had no problems with cuts, Black sidewalls are more cut resistant than hte Pave (gum walls).

Weaknesses:
Wear is not excelent but I'd rate it fair.

Similar Products Used:
Vittoria Open Corsa, Michelin Pro Race