Normally The Keepers reserve our Reverence articles for products we’ve used for years, or with new stuff that has had at least six months of duty. Riding the cobbles of Belgium and Northern France can put most gear (and bodies) through six months of abuse in just a few weeks, so in this case the work these tyres have been put through there and in the months since qualifies them for a deserved earlier dose of Reverence.
Selecting what gear to run for the Cobbled Classics Keepers Tour wasn’t too hard a task; there are some things which just go with cobbles bikes like double wrapped bartape, alloy steerer fork and of course box section rims laced 3 cross. Tubular or clincher was about the only tough decision I had to make. I managed to find a cheap pair of Ambrosio tub rims, but as they were 36 hole it proved impossible to find a cassette hub in time for the tour. How bad could clinchers be? After all, Freddy Guesdon won Roubaix on clinchers in 97, and the Pavé boys would have spare wheels if something went terribly awry. It wasn’t the cobbles that would claim my clinchers, but the ham-fisted rock apes generously referred to by airlines as baggage handlers.
Choosing a tyre to run was probably the easiest task. It had to be Vittoria’s Open Pavé CG‘s, based on what I’d seen gracing Pro’s bikes in just about every edition of the Spring Classics I’d witnessed. The distinctive green herringbone tread stripe is as synonymous with these races as are crazed fans, beer and frites en mayo. Unfortunately the ‘Open Tubular’ doesn’t come in the 28mm width of it’s tubular brethren, but a 24mm version only. That extra mm wasn’t a lot but it was something. The real benefit of the tyres though is the 320TPI casing, yeilding a super smooth ride on any surface. Coupled with Vittoria’s Latex inner tubes, the feel of cushioning under the bike is definitely noticeable. Over all of the 21 secteurs we rode on the way to Roubaix, then another 15 of the worst a few days later, topped with a full complement of Flandrian roads, I only once feared I might hear the dreaded hiss from my tyres. Nailing an edge of a nasty cobble hard enough to feel the rock hitting the rim, the tyre bounced off and the slippery latex tube stayed intact. On return to NZ, I inspected the tyres for damage and was surprised and delighted to find nary a nick or any signs of wear.
I’ve been riding the Pavés ever since the Tour, and don’t want to swap them out at least until the Kiwi winter is over. The ride continues to impress with their sheer suppleness (dare I say souplesse?) over rough surfaces. They aren’t the lightest or fastest rolling, but neither am I. For summer I think I’ll try the lighter Corsa Evo SC‘s, which look just as cool with their tan sidewalls and are another Pro favourite. And if you’re worried about a green stripe clashing with your bike’s paint job, I think there should be a Rule #8 ammendment that the only coloured tyre allowed on any bike, due to it’s unrivalled heritage, is the venerable and now ReVered Open Pavé CG.
Thanks to Graeme at Cycle Sport NZ for his generosity in supplying the tyres and tubes.
[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/brettok@velominati.com/Open Pav/”/]
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i rode The original Pave CG's (tubs) in the 80's & 90's and loved them. great for big miles and crappy Texas roads. They revamped them & turned them green, which was originally a big turn off, but their undeniable ability to keep inflated is the reason I keep coming back. I have now come around to green stripe- a nice contrast to the black & gold of my Merckx. I really like the Vredesteins and Schwalbes for their durability but when it comes to style and plain ol' bike sex appeal, you have to consider some CG Paves.
Still love my Vittorias, but think the green stripe should be saved for Northern European battlefields
@James
Regarding my choice of Veloflex, just to show how pathetic I am, I first made a list of all the tan walled tyres I could buy, then looked at which ones were least likely to throw me off on the corners of the mighty Pyrenean descents, then plumped for the Veloflex because they were actually made in Italy! (not sure I believe the hand built claim mind you)
@Oli
What made you chose them?
Recommendations from trusted associates followed by experimentation and assessment. I am slow as buggery up hills, but not too bad going back down them and am reasonably adept technically, so I know what I like in a tyre.
Also, let's be honest, most importantly the tan wall look does suit my aesthetic...
They are handmade, by the way. The tyres are spun up on the old Clement (I believe?) looms, and the treads are rolled on by hand. There is a video on the net somewhere, but damned if I can find it in the 90 second time-window I give to such searches...
@Oliwe share the same uphill/ downhill dynamic clearly - I'll tell you in ten days whether they corner well or not!(If not, you won't hear from me I guess!)
@frank
I'm at the other end of the Rule 9 bell-curve, which means different assessments of a tyre's worth: Last time I changed a tyre, I had to change the tube as well since the desert heat simply melted the two into what could only be described as a Homebrew Tubulincher. In the 20-30 days of rain we can, I run a heavy training wheelset with Conti UltraSport.
@Oli
Would those be a pair of Masters? These look very, very tempting.
Am I to understand that like the best cigars the best tyres are hand rolled?
Are thighs involved?
@Dr C
They corner superbly.
@tessar
They are indeed Masters, but they're not the widest tyres on the market if you're after big bags.
@the Engine
There could be if you ask nicely...
Have never tried the Paves but a couple of months back decided to try something different and bought a set of Open Corsa Evo CX's, what an absolute bloody disaster. Three punctures in the first three rides! After ten rides i found the inner tubes extruding from the side walls on both front and back and ended up binning them. They were skittish in the corners, often power sliding or skipping in a hairpin turn on the descent. And the worst bit is that the bastard things cost me 150 USD. Maybe the Pave's would have been better suited to the rough surface and potholes of the Malaysian roads, but this has put me off Vittorias for a long while.
On GP4000S' now and much happier. I'm not a stellar descender at the best of times and so really do not need the sphincter tightening fear of whether the rubbery bits are going to stick to the asphalt on every bend.
Hmm, everyone has different experiences and feelings on tyres, but here goes...
I have ridden many kms on Vittoria Evo Corsa CX clinchers on OP rims, Record hubs x32. The ride and feel are excellent. I often find myself looking at my rear wheel because the ride is so nice I fear I've flatted. And, I haven't even put latex tubes in there yet! (need to get on that). The wear and puncture resistance are not the best, but certainly very good. Definitely acceptable for the ride quality.
Dr. C/others - Also have a lot of kms on the Veloflex Master/Record tyres (they switched the naming at some point but they're the same). Had them on both the above wheelset and on my Tommasini wheels, which are Record hubs, Campa rims. Very nice ride as well. I think the Vittorias are a bit smoother, but not by much. I love the look of the Veloflex with the tan walls on a classic steel bike. Very cool.
With all of that said, when I run out of my clincher stock and find a sensei, I would like to give tubulars a shot. And, a little birdie told me one Mr. Gianni is giving road tubeless a try...hmm do I see an article in the works...