Re: [CR]TUBIES and Clincher tire Rant

(Example: Framebuilders:Bernard Carré)

Date: Mon, 03 Jan 2005 08:57:43 -0500
From: Marcus Coles <marcoles@ody.ca>
To: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR]TUBIES and Clincher tire Rant
References: <010320050408.10305.41D8C52700053C2F000028412206999735020E000A9C9D0A08@comcast.net> <032401c4f14b$cfb36be0$22e0fea9@man>
In-Reply-To: <032401c4f14b$cfb36be0$22e0fea9@man>


P.C. Kohler wrote:
>Of course an issue for those of us who want to keep the machine looking
>prototypical and "period" is the fact that most modern clincher tyres look
>like ****. Sorry, but I'm not putting a lime green and fushia tyre on my
>Cinelli no matter what it rides like. And an all-black one looks just as odd
>on a classic lightweight. And you loose the original rims, too, by changing
>to clinchers and that's a shame.
>
>Even proper looking tubulars seem to be harder to find... I was told the
>Vittoria Corsa CX is no longer made with the traditional tan sidewall and
>black tread. The single most off-putting aspect of contemporary cycling has
>got to be the appalling aesthetics of it. Cycle as circus wagon. And tyres
>are among the worst offenders... yuck.
>
>I am tubular newcomer but I like them a lot, even the cheap Vittoria Rallys
>I use. They have zero mojo quality but look traditional, ride ok, wear well
>and allow me to keep the nice original rims. And on eBay they are cheap. But
>I am splurging and fitting Veloflex Criteriums to my new wheelset for my
>Team Raleigh Pro.
>
>
>

If one looks tan wall clincher tires are still produced, I have been favourably impressed with the feel and appearance of the Vredestein Fortezza available in black with a gumwall, 25mm is the widest though. It's good to see one of the "This year's rainbow of colors" tire manufacturers still catering to the traditionalists.

One wonders what will happen in the future for people restoring a 200x bicycle and unable to find the "correct" green and fushia tires, paint perhaps?

On the cheap tubular front, I'd like to report good luck with the Gommitalia tires, the ones I have tried are round and straight, look good and hold air for weeks. I have not weighed them though and the ability to hold air probably indicates a heavy butyl tube.

I have always thought tubulars made the rider feel more as one with the bike, but perhaps it's just a bonding thing. ;-)

Marcus Coles
London, ON, Canada.