Best Crit Tires?

[jgleaves]

Hello-

I'm a pretty devoted crit racer/sprinter and I am wondering about the best crit tires. I use tubulars on my "fast" carbon wheels and clinchers on my everyday wheels. Also, I weigh about 165 lbs (not sure if that matters much) Any suggestions for either? What about psi and mm? Should I try running higher or lower psi or wider vs narrow tires?

Thanks for your input

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

Wondering..... If you made it as far to determine your strengths as a crit racer/sprinter, wouldn't you have a tire preference already? What are you using now?

Here's my short list:
Conti Sprinters 22mm(light, fast, grippy, durable, relatively inexpensive, been using for many years)
Vittoria Corsa EVO CX 21mm or 23mm(better cornering grip then the Sprinters, but wears out faster. more expensive)

PSI is personal preference, and is also determined by surface conditions. I usually run split pressures, 130-160 for the back, 100-120 for the front.

 

[Oldman]

Wondering..... If you made it as far to determine your strengths as a crit racer/sprinter, wouldn't you have a tire preference already? What are you using now?

Here's my short list:
Conti Sprinters 22mm(light, fast, grippy, durable, relatively inexpensive, been using for many years)
Vittoria Corsa EVO CX 21mm or 23mm(better cornering grip then the Sprinters, but wears out faster. more expensive)

PSI is personal preference, and is also determined by surface conditions. I usually run split pressures, 130-160 for the back, 100-120 for the front.

+1. Add the Vittoria Pave' Evo as even better all around. Try the 23mm for all around durability (lasted one full season). I'm a smaller rider so I run 110 psi for the usual trashy crits and 120 for road races. Lowered the psi to 80 for a wet crit and was able to ride the field off my wheel without having to attack.

 

[twothirds]

I really love the panaracer stradius line. I know they're clinchers, but if your back up wheels are clinchers, then it's also a good idea to have some good tires on those in the pits. These tires grip really well, and seem to wear like iron and can take 140 psi as well. For tubs I've always liked the Sprinters.

 

[Bustedknuckle]

Hello-

I'm a pretty devoted crit racer/sprinter and I am wondering about the best crit tires. I use tubulars on my "fast" carbon wheels and clinchers on my everyday wheels. Also, I weigh about 165 lbs (not sure if that matters much) Any suggestions for either? What about psi and mm? Should I try running higher or lower psi or wider vs narrow tires?

Thanks for your input

Vittoria and Challenge are the most supple(talking tubulars here), being cotton. Conti is less supple but more durable. For crits, where tire flexibility is a huge factor, suppleness(also meaning comfort) is key. For pressure, to have the tire be comfy and handle the best NO need to put a lot of air in them. 100 PSI max, front or rear or you defeat a lot of tubular's advantages. No need for 120-130 psi on any tubular. Makes them ride like rocks and a small hole = a big, loud puncture, particularly with latex tubes(Vittoria and Challenge).
This from a guy that rides on tubulars everyday.

 

[Oldman]

Vittoria and Challenge are the most supple(talking tubulars here), being cotton. Conti is less supple but more durable. For crits, where tire flexibility is a huge factor, suppleness(also meaning comfort) is key. For pressure, to have the tire be comfy and handle the best NO need to put a lot of air in them. 100 PSI max, front or rear or you defeat a lot of tubular's advantages. No need for 120-130 psi on any tubular. Makes them ride like rocks and a small hole = a big, loud puncture, particularly with latex tubes(Vittoria and Challenge).
This from a guy that rides on tubulars everyday.

+1-The Vittoria's have survived chuckholes that blew a spoke through Zipp Rims with the lowered pressure Knuckle's suggests. He's right and remember-the service car isn't always right behind you. You need tires to finish a race.