Veloflex releases new "carbon safe" clincher tyres

[robertbb]

Veloflex just blogged that their clincher "open tubular" line-up has been redesigned to incorporate a "Sidewall Protection System" making it supported for use with carbon clinchers.

https://www.veloflex.it/en/blog/post/veloflex-sps

Great news for those of us who run carbon clinchers. Hopefully other manufacturers will follow suit.

(I wonder if the redesign will improve sidewall puncture resistance, or affect ride characteristics in any way)

[buddybikes]

Now if they joined the competition (least semi) and put up some challenges to Renee Herse Compass...

[robertbb]

What makes those tyres so good?

Why does one guy design a tyre so much better than anyone else (including ones that spend millions in R&D)

[ergott]

Originally Posted by steveandbarb1

Now if they joined the competition (least semi) and put up some challenges to Renee Herse Compass...

If only Ferrari could join the competition and make a pickup truck that tows 14500lbs.

[Black Dog]

Originally Posted by robertbb

What makes those tyres so good?

Why does one guy design a tyre so much better than anyone else (including ones that spend millions in R&D)

Because they are made by one of the major tire makers. He specs what he wants out of the tire and they design and engineer the tires for him.

[sales guy]

Originally Posted by robertbb

What makes those tyres so good?

Why does one guy design a tyre so much better than anyone else (including ones that spend millions in R&D)

Originally Posted by Black Dog

Because they are made by one of the major tire makers. He specs what he wants out of the tire and they design and engineer the tires for him.

Actually, Veloflex is owned by 2 older brothers. They design and make everything in Italy. They used to make tires for Vittoria before starting VeloFlex in the 80's. They make a very small number of tires yearly for retail sale compared to the big companies. At one point is was only 8000 pairs every six months. They make custom tires for people like S and B and others to use in the Pro Tour. Some even have them make their production ones but usually it's just the Pro Use ones.

[ergott]

Originally Posted by robertbb

Why does one guy design a tyre so much better than anyone else (including ones that spend millions in R&D)

I've read many complaints about how fragile they can be. What good is a nice riding tire that can't reliably get you to the finish?

[m4rk540]

Originally Posted by sales guy

Actually, Veloflex is owned by 2 older brothers. They design and make everything in Italy. They used to make tires for Vittoria before starting VeloFlex in the 80's. They make a very small number of tires yearly for retail sale compared to the big companies. At one point is was only 8000 pairs every six months. They make custom tires for people like S and B and others to use in the Pro Tour. Some even have them make their production ones but usually it's just the Pro Use ones.

Robert was referring to Jan Heine.

[jpritchet74]

This is great news! I have always love Veloflex tires.

I have a feeling that other tire manufacturers will follow suit though. Lots of reports out there about the new Vittoria tires getting these sidewall cuts.

[robertbb]

So if I was to call Panaracer, tell them I want a tyre with a particular tread pattern, width, height, weight, characteristics and put in an order for a few thousand pairs they'd do all the engineering and production and slap my logo on it? And it'd be better than anything they themselves produce?

That's like me going to Giant, giving them a description of a bike that's "really aero and light and laterally stiff and vertically compliant"... and stuff... and they go ahead and build me better frames than their highest-end in-house TCR SL.

What a brilliant idea. Think I'll do that... now to pay velonews, cyclingcentral and that British show on youtube to run some articles...

[YesNdeed]

Originally Posted by ergott

I've read many complaints about how fragile they can be. What good is a nice riding tire that can't reliably get you to the finish?

Begs the question about geographical specificity, and what your race day tire is depending on where you ride. The Southwest is as harsh as it gets, in my experience. Your Corsa tubulars in the Northeast will get you a DNF or DFL here in the dry, goat head, lavic shard ridden high desert.

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by robertbb

So if I was to call Panaracer, tell them I want a tyre with a particular tread pattern, width, height, weight, characteristics and put in an order for a few thousand pairs they'd do all the engineering and production and slap my logo on it? And it'd be better than anything they themselves produce?

Define "better".

There is no absolute measure of "better" for anything. Everything has a combination of characteristics, some of which may be better in some ways and worse in others. Its entirely possible that a company makes a product which is great for one set of customers, but that would be "better" for a different set of customers just by modifying a few parameters.

An excellent example is frame building. Many large production frame builders produce "stock" builds, with geometries and features that serve most customers well. But sometimes a particular customer needs or wants a different spec (geometry, features, etc.), and often the frame builder can produce a custom frame (sometimes at a small upcharge). For that particular customer, the modified frame is "better" - even if it is not better for most other customers. I see no reason that similar customization of tires isn't possible.

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by robertbb

So if I was to call Panaracer, tell them I want a tyre with a particular tread pattern, width, height, weight, characteristics and put in an order for a few thousand pairs they'd do all the engineering and production and slap my logo on it? And it'd be better than anything they themselves produce?

That's like me going to Giant, giving them a description of a bike that's "really aero and light and laterally stiff and vertically compliant"... and stuff... and they go ahead and build me better frames than their highest-end in-house TCR SL.

What a brilliant idea. Think I'll do that... now to pay velonews, cyclingcentral and that British show on youtube to run some articles...

That's sort of how manufacturing works, no?

[robertbb]

Can't tell if shills or trolls.

Don't care much either.

[happycampyer]

Doesn’t Panaracer make Jack Browns and Roll-y Pol-ys for Rivendell exclusively? For the longest time, if one wanted a premium, reasonably supple 32mm tire, the Jack Browns were it. Most tires in that category were designed for commuting, and puncture resistance was prioritized over other qualities (ride quality/suppleness, etc.). The kings of supple race tires (Veloflex, Vittoria, FMB, Dugast) made/make 30+mm tubular tires for ‘cross, but none with a file tread. I suppose one could special order some 32mm file-tread tubulars from FMB or Dugast with a big enough order (and perhaps even splurge for silk casing). Of those companies that even make clinchers, the widest clincher was/is typically 27 - 28mm.

Afaik, Jan Heine was the first person to get Panaracer to make a more supple, wide tire, at a time when none of the other big-brand makers (Schwalbe, Kenda, Continental, etc.) had anything comparable. Now that the niche has proven itself, the bigger companies have started to make competing products. I wouldn’t hold my breath for Veloflex or Vittoria to jump on the bandwagon.