Tyres for TT's

[Sharky]

What's the favourite clincher tyre at the moment?

I've been using race pro 2's (20mm) for the last 4 or 5 seasons, but there are a few cuts appearing, so might have to replace them this year.

20mm tyres seem to becoming hard to get - are 23mm tyres faster? Some reviews seem to imply that they are?

I only do about 350 racing miles a year - our club 10's each week and the occasional open event.

Thanks
Keith

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I've just bought a pair of 19mm tyres from Planet X (10 quid each) to see how I get on with them at the club 10s this year. Even if they are not up to much it doesn't matter, cos neither am I. Haha

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TYVTOCCXTT/vittoria-open-corsa-cx-tt-folding-tyre

 

[oldroadman]

Smooth tread 23c, pump rock hard. Suffer horribly. Welcome to bike racing.

 

[Rob3rt]

Depends on your rims and the roads you race on most often if you want to get serious about it, but in reality it probably won't make much difference, get some latex inner tubes though.

I use 22mm tubs because they match the width of my wheels.

 

[HLaB]

@Sharky Conti GP4000s's seem to be a popular choice, it what I use anyway.

 

[jdtate101]

Vittoria Open Corsa EVO CX in 23c. Can pump them up to high psi yet they maintain a smooth ride, fast too.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

S-Works 24c Turbo's are my tyre of choice at the moment, incredibly fast and getting rave reviews.

 

[Sharky]

I've just bought a new back wheel. A Mavic cosmic elite and it comes with a tyre already fitted. A Mavic yksion comp 23c. If looks are anything to go by, both the wheel and tyre look fast even next to the settee. The tyre is smooth and looks like my old Mich Race Pro 2's..

It's been a rebuild project on my Focus, the one with a square back wheel and I've added aero bars and 145mm cranks and going to alternate it with my fixed wheel bike to try and prove to my self which is the faster gears or fixed.

Just have to wait until April and the start of our evening 10's.

Thanks for the replies above.

Keith

 

[gds58]

S-Works 24c Turbo's are my tyre of choice at the moment, incredibly fast and getting rave reviews.

Ditto to this! Outstanding tyres, lovely round profile for good cornering and superfast. Exactly these tyres were used by Tony Martin to win the World Time Trial title last year (yes, Clinchers!!) They also do a 26mm version which research has shown is even faster on the newer breed of slightly wider rims. £50 each but worth every penny. I use the 26mm versions and love them.
Graham

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I've just bought a new back wheel. A Mavic cosmic elite and it comes with a tyre already fitted. A Mavic yksion comp 23c.

I have these fitted just now, and they are very good - I only bought the above-linked tyres as they were cheap! The yksion tyres have done me well and I doubt I'll change to the linked tyres other than to see how they ride and then change back

 

[jowwy]

GP4000s for me too - first TT on them in 7days time

 

[oldroadman]

I've just bought a new back wheel. A Mavic cosmic elite and it comes with a tyre already fitted. A Mavic yksion comp 23c. If looks are anything to go by, both the wheel and tyre look fast even next to the settee. The tyre is smooth and looks like my old Mich Race Pro 2's..

It's been a rebuild project on my Focus, the one with a square back wheel and I've added aero bars and 145mm cranks and going to alternate it with my fixed wheel bike to try and prove to my self which is the faster gears or fixed.

Just have to wait until April and the start of our evening 10's.

Thanks for the replies above.

Keith

Are you sure about that???

 

[derrick]

Have been running the Mavic tyres for a couple of months, just gone back to ultremo's, i am happy again.

 

[Sharky]

Are you sure about that???

Yep 145mm cranks. Rode with 150mm all last year and they are really comfortable.
Cheers keith

 

[gds58]

Yep 145mm cranks. Rode with 150mm all last year and they are really comfortable.
Cheers keith

I can't help thinking that if 150's were really comfortable then why have you changed to even shorter cranks? Do you have these specially made as I don't think I've ever seen good quality cranks this short (sometimes short cranks are found on kids bikes) and surely you are drastically reducing the amount of leverage by coming down by 20 - 30mm. Can I ask (I am genuinely interested from a professional point of view) do you use short cranks to suit your own body geometry, i.e. are you quite short in the leg and this is the only length that will properly suit your leg length? Hope you don't mind me asking. Graham