Vittoria is an Italian bicycle tire manufacturer, headquartered in Madone, Italy. Established in 1953, the company is one of the leading bicycle tire and tube manufacturers in the world, and produces around 5 million tires annually. We got the opportunity to test the Vittoria Corsa Competition 700x25c road tires and here is what we thought.
Vittoria Corsa, incorporated with the latest Graphene technology is Vittoria’s flagship racing tire and is one of the best racing tires I’ve used in recent days. Its supple cotton casing and soft rubber making it a great choice in dry conditions, but its high price made it a raceday-only option, as the tire doesn’t offer very high mileage.
The Vittoria Corsa Competition comes infused with graphene, a very light and strong form of carbon fiber that is proven to enhance wear and tear, improve gripping when rolling over sharp corners and considerably reduce the rolling resistance. The tire has a small marking on it that says “4C”, meaning that it is a product of Vittoria’s innovative technology of combining 4 different graphene compounds in the same tire. There is a harder compound on the base of the tread to provide puncture protection, longevity and improve speed. Two different compounds on the sides of the tire are control the rolling resistance and comfort and provide superior grip. There is one more super grippy compound placed on the sidewalls that come into play during cornering, to ensure the tire doesn’t slip when going off the main tread layer.
The tire comes in 3 different widths, 23C, 25C and 28C. The 25C clincher version that we tested had a claimed weight off 240 grams, which is a tad heavier than most other racing tires in this segment that weigh anywhere between 200 to 220 grams. The tire however tipped the scales at almost 255 grams when I checked. The thickened tread at the center of the tread is 2.4 mm and the average thickness of the sidewall is around 0.75 mm. This means that the tread is thinner, making the tire faster and the rolling resistance lesser, but at the same time, making it more prone to flats, and the sidewalls are thicker which make it a delight to effortlessly take those sharp corners without worrying about the tire slipping.
The Vittoria Corsa Competition is capable of handling higher tire pressures and can be inflated comfortably up to 145 psi (10 bar). This means that the tire would roll easier and faster over smooth surfaces when inflated to a higher pressure. The claimed rolling resistance of the tire is 12 watts at a pressure of 120 psi, which makes it a good choice for racing on flat roads. However, the thickness, or rather the thinness of the tire makes it more susceptible to punctures and the reduced tread thickness would also mean that the mileage of this slick racing tire would be lesser than most training tires and hence would wear out faster with everyday use. It would be sensible to keep these tires for race day only, as this would maintain the life of the tire and would also improve performance greatly compared to a set of regular training tires.
Overall Rating
These tires roll effortlessly and handle well on dry as well as wet conditions. The Rolling resistance has been kept as low as possible at an impressive 12 watts for a tire of this segment. It however doesn’t offer the same puncture resistance that most other racing clincher tires offer at this price range, but then again, it makes up well for it with its improved speed, handling and cornering abilities. The Rs. 2,990 spent on this tire doesn’t blow a huge hole in the pocket, and it is a justifiable amount to spend on the Graphene infused technology that makes the Vittoria Corsa Competition 700x25c tires a champion in its segment.
Prices are subject to change by the brand, without due notice.