Vittoria Zaffiro - what's the catch?

[swee'pea99]

After too many visits from the p***e fairy recently, I've been googling around for some p****e resistant tyres that won't break the bank. I've found lots of people saying good things about Vittoria Zaffiros, and they're easy to find at under a tenner apiece. Is there a catch? Oh, and is there a significant difference between the basic model and the 'pro' folding version?

 

[Steve Austin]

the basic (wire bead) is heavier than the pro ( kevlar bead) tyre.
As for the tyres themselves: they don't last too long, grip ain't that good. But for cheap tyres they are very good. I would rather buy more expensive tyres that work better, but for budget tyres they are hard to beat.

 

[rich p]

I put Schwalbe Stelvios on to counter too many punctures from grit etc and they appear to have worked. They're heavy -ish and £50 a pair but I shall swop back in a few weeks to the normal tyre and hope that I'll get my moneys worth out of the Stelvios next winter!

 

[Tynan]

tyres ain't worth saving on surely? difference between cheap and expensive ain't much and they might mean the difference between coming a cropper and not surely

 

[fossyant]

Do some internet searching - you can often find top tyres for really good prices....my Pro-race 2's were about £15. each - 4 tyres ordered at that price last year for both road bikes....

 

[andy_wrx]

I've used Zaffiros in the past and reckoned they're fine : very puncture resistant, good grip wet or dry, last ages, fit on-and-off tight rims.

I still have one very worn pair on my TT bike for winter use indoors on rollers.

In fact, I think they're far better than the Conti GP4Season I tried next - which are twice the price and have so many punctures, so little wet-weather grip, so difficult to get on&off that I'll never buy them again !

 

[spire]

I had Vittoria Open Corsa EVO CX and they were really fast and had great grip – but I had an unwelcome deflation experience every 150 miles or so. I've switched to Conti GP 4000s and they seem bullet-proof. The only thing I hate is the huge 'Made in Germany' flashes, which seem most inappropriate on my Italian steed.

 

[andy_wrx]

Ah, Open Corsa are my tyre of choice on the TT bike in Summer, but as race tyres - very fast but no puncture protection.

Ideal for TT's, not for a sportive or general training.

The Zaffiro is a different tyre altogether.

 

[iacula]

I didn't ask the question but fantastic advice, thanks. I pick up my brand new Trek 1.2 on Saturday my Giant X1500 was nicked a fortnight ago. First tentative commute 10 days later.

Last time I did really heavy commuting I tended to get p*****s nearly every day, very discouraging, especially as it was 24 miles each way, needless to say I gave up.

 

[swee'pea99]

I didn't ask the question but fantastic advice,

Last time I did really heavy commuting I tended to get p*****s nearly every day, very discouraging.

Just a thought, but if you're planning to start again and on the same route, even if your 'one a day' was an understandable exaggeration (I know it can feel that way sometimes) if you were getting anything like that number - one a week, say - then I think it would probably be worth getting some specific anti-p****e tyres, such as Marathon plus, rather than zaffiros, which are apprently quite good, but aren't designed purely with that in mind.

 

[gkerr4]

i like vittoria tyres - not tried the zaffiros, but use the rubino's loads - the std ones the pro's and the slicks. i think they are great - they are all under a tenner too (actually thinking about it, the rubino pro's might be about £11)

i really rate them - for ease of fitting to both campag and shimano rims and for p****ure resistance too.

 

[iacula]

Thanks SP, I've started commuting again, this may well come in very useful.