Does anyone know much about the durability of say Vittoria Corsa Evo-CX’s on fresh chip seal.
Doing a race this weekend and the town just chip-sealed the freaking road. Really rough. Large chips as well. I didn’t know if I risked cutting the new tires. If thats the case, then I’ll race on training wheels.
Any thoughts?
I can’t think of a worse tire for that condition. They are the finest in clinchers but the tradeoff is the soft, easily cut casing. Michelin Pro’s of any variety would be my choice.
I was ill-informed regarding Vittoria’s. I thought they only came in Tubular for theCorsa EVO-CX
I will 100% guarantee you will cut those tires. Corso Evo-Cx is a fine race tire with excellent grip for smooth surface but may not be the best choice on chip and seal. It’s what I race on. When I train and race on chip and seal and I have found Conti 4-season most durable for large chips on the seal.
Hmmm, maybe I should consider using an older setup I don’t care much about…
Are the Corso Evo-Cx tires going to make it through a race with chip and seal, or are they going to flat? I’d give up a faster tire with only a few races in them than a slower tire that lasts 10 races.
Last year I had a race to do that was on a really hilly and technical course. I just didn’t feel comfortable attacking that course on my race wheels (that I hadn’t ridden very much at that time). So I decided to use my training wheels. But I bought some really nice tires … Vittoria Evo Corsa-CX tires (clinchers). This was in early October.
I was too lazy after the race to remove those nice tires and they’ve been on the bike all winter. I’m in South Carolina. Where I live I ride all through the winter and I ride nothing but chip and seal. Through the winter I rode my road bike more often than my tri bike, but I’ve ridden those tires on that bike an average of twice a week. I’d guess I’ve got 1,000 miles on them on chip and seal. I’ve had no problems with the tires whatsoever. In fact, they’ve been the best tires I’ve ever ridden on that surface … and they look darned near as good as the day I put them on. I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to recommend them to you for your race. And I’m serious … I have some seriously crappy roads I have to ride.
I’m not a tire expert (though I’ve ridden tons of miles on many different brands of tires), but it seems the high thread count and high-quality casing of these tires really takes the harsh buzz out of riding on that surface. They’re a better ride at 135 psi on chip and seal than most tires are at 110 on anything else.
Bob C.
Thanks a bunch for the feedback. I’ve ridden everything from Vittoria’s to Conti’s to Tufo’s to Zipp’s and always liked the Vittoria’s. I’m glad to be back on them. This will be the first race of the year on the new tires and was curious about how they would handle. Done more races than I can count but never on really bad chip-seal, so this will be a first. Ahh, I take that back. Every race at IMmoo they lay down fresh chip seal at the top of Sugur Rd. or whatever the road is called. Nothing like going 40 mph downhill on fresh hard rocky chipseal ehh.
Sorry about the comment regarding clinchers. I gues I was the one who was ill informed…