I am going to put some new tires on my race wheels before my “A” race of the year in October. It is an IM distance race so I want to avoid any problems while maximizing comfort and minimizing weight. In the past I have used Continental Super Sonics (650 folding) on my clincher Rolfs but they a real pain in butt to get on and off. In fact I work up more of a sweat trying to remove and put the darn tire back on than the workout (and that doesn’t count the technical terms that utter). I have read that the Continental rim tape helps but can’t find anybody who carries it. I would appreciate any suggestions as to what tires to consider or take a look at. Sources would also be appreciated especially for the rim tape.
I like the Vittoria Open Corsa Evo-CX’s on my clincher 404’s. I’ve done a 1/2 IM and two oly’s this summer on them and they’ve held up quite nicely (even with long skid on a tight turn and a little off-road drama at the Hudson Valley Tri). Compaired to the Michelin Carbon’s on my training wheels, the Vittoria’s are like dancing slippers. Their smooth durability intills just the righ amount of confidence in me during races. Good luck in October.
As long as you don’t go for Michelin pro race light, they take forever to change!!! But on the other hand there are perfect for Sprint distances, since they are lovely to ride!