Larger diameter tires are quick becoming the
accepted standard in road racing, and have been the paragon of classics
racing since time immemorial. With this in mind Vittoria produces it's
Open 
Tubular (Clincher) in a 24mm diameter, and the tubulars come in 24
and 28mm varieties. A wider tire not only results in a broader more
effective contact path but also a smoother ride over all surfaces,
paired with an incredibly supple casing makes it an ideal tire for
rougher road racing.
My test set of Pavés were 24mm open tubulars, and in testing proved to be ideal for rougher roads. While Tucson is a poor analog for the country roads of the Ardennes it did offer up plenty of shattered road and precipitation during the monsoon season, as well as the world-famous Saturday Shootout.
The
first discernible difference of the tire came from sitting on the bike,
a quick look down revealed the tire deformation was much more
noticeable than similar race tires. This is an attribute of the cotton
casing of the tire; while many manufacturers rely on the rubber carcass
(outer skin) of their tire to be exceptionally tacky, Vittoria believes
good grip should be more than skin-deep. Cotton Corespun K casings in
the tires are a throwback to a time before synthetic fabrics dominated
the market, and allow a more flexible and supple performance from the
fully inflated tire, like a traditional tubular; they do add a bit to
the price, but the performance of the tire is more than worth it. The K
stands for Kevlar, as the Pavé is reinforced for more rigorous parcours
with a hint of the ubiquitous ballistic material. The rubber, a
standard silica and rubber mixture, on the outside of the tire is not
like the smooth treadless patterns of Michelin or Continental, but a
unique Twin Tread Technology. It features a series of small prisms in
the center of the tread and a set of elongated prisms on the edges. This
leads to enhanced cornering grip and water shedding. The pairing of
this tread with an ultra-soft casing with the highest commercially
available TPI provides, as the company claims, "A grip that never lets
go."
The first true test of the tires came high up on the slopes of Lake Peak in Santa Fe; rain had left the road strewn with gravel, as well as a good bit of moisture clinging to the road. The tires not only maintained speed well, but also accelerated comfortably. The descent down the mountain was a dream, and the cornering capabilities really opened up on cracked pavement, with less of the jarring feedback typical of fully inflated race tire. They performed just as well in flat, smooth, and wide open racing on dry pavement.
While as a training tire it was not very resistant to cutting or puncture, and was susceptible to quick wear, the tire is not made for day-in-day-out use. This is a race-tire, which means it only comes out for race day, or the essential Saturday group-ride. Vittoria's Pavé EVO CG belongs in any riders arsenal, whether racing clinchers on rough rural roads stateside, or tubulars in the pinnacle of the European spring classics season.
Tubular (Clincher) in a 24mm diameter, and the tubulars come in 24
and 28mm varieties. A wider tire not only results in a broader more
effective contact path but also a smoother ride over all surfaces,
paired with an incredibly supple casing makes it an ideal tire for
rougher road racing.My test set of Pavés were 24mm open tubulars, and in testing proved to be ideal for rougher roads. While Tucson is a poor analog for the country roads of the Ardennes it did offer up plenty of shattered road and precipitation during the monsoon season, as well as the world-famous Saturday Shootout.
The
first discernible difference of the tire came from sitting on the bike,
a quick look down revealed the tire deformation was much more
noticeable than similar race tires. This is an attribute of the cotton
casing of the tire; while many manufacturers rely on the rubber carcass
(outer skin) of their tire to be exceptionally tacky, Vittoria believes
good grip should be more than skin-deep. Cotton Corespun K casings in
the tires are a throwback to a time before synthetic fabrics dominated
the market, and allow a more flexible and supple performance from the
fully inflated tire, like a traditional tubular; they do add a bit to
the price, but the performance of the tire is more than worth it. The K
stands for Kevlar, as the Pavé is reinforced for more rigorous parcours
with a hint of the ubiquitous ballistic material. The rubber, a
standard silica and rubber mixture, on the outside of the tire is not
like the smooth treadless patterns of Michelin or Continental, but a
unique Twin Tread Technology. It features a series of small prisms in
the center of the tread and a set of elongated prisms on the edges. This
leads to enhanced cornering grip and water shedding. The pairing of
this tread with an ultra-soft casing with the highest commercially
available TPI provides, as the company claims, "A grip that never lets
go."The first true test of the tires came high up on the slopes of Lake Peak in Santa Fe; rain had left the road strewn with gravel, as well as a good bit of moisture clinging to the road. The tires not only maintained speed well, but also accelerated comfortably. The descent down the mountain was a dream, and the cornering capabilities really opened up on cracked pavement, with less of the jarring feedback typical of fully inflated race tire. They performed just as well in flat, smooth, and wide open racing on dry pavement.
While as a training tire it was not very resistant to cutting or puncture, and was susceptible to quick wear, the tire is not made for day-in-day-out use. This is a race-tire, which means it only comes out for race day, or the essential Saturday group-ride. Vittoria's Pavé EVO CG belongs in any riders arsenal, whether racing clinchers on rough rural roads stateside, or tubulars in the pinnacle of the European spring classics season.
No comments:
Post a Comment