27 of 28 customers found this review helpful.
I was lucky enough to snag a pair of these brand new tires before we even got our first shipment, and—this being the dead of winter—I threw them on my road training bike to abuse them outside of their comfort zone. Traditionally, Vittoria's elite Corsa models are thoroughbred race tires through-and-through, so for training purposes I was signing up to accept the risk of a few extra "roadside breaks." A couple of minutes spent patching tubes would be worth the promise of an extra supple ride and super amazing handling, right? To my surprise, this new Corsa design actually surpassed my pessimistic preconceptions, raising the bar on pretty much every front.
First off, the ride quality rivals that of tubulars. Yeah, everyone says that when talking about high-end clincher tires, but this is the real deal. I'm on the lighter end of the spectrum, and have been running the 700c x 25mm variety a little below 90PSI. The result is super speedy and road-conforming, even on rough pavement and gravel. The supple casing construction allows the tire to float over surface imperfections without any of the buzz or chatter you get with rigid training tires or lesser race tires (it makes them easier to mount too, but your experience may vary :) ). As for the grip, the brand new G+ compound is a shockingly noticeable step up from the already pretty great multi-stage compounds of the previous Corsa and Rubino lines. Combined with the slightly lower pressures I've been running, this new rubber layup delivers such positive cornering feedback, it actually begs you to lean a little further than you might normally when navigating twisty, technical decents.
Finally, despite these major performance enhancements, and after a couple hundred harsh winter miles, I am surprised to have not yet experienced any significant trade-offs in the durability department. That said, I should still point out that obviously these are far from the toughest tires on the block. As I eluded to above, they're designed for competitive conditions and the demands of pro riders—all-out speed and superb cornering traction come first. So while the Corsas are absolutely ideal for groomed course conditions and summer hammer-fests, if you're going to use them in a similar training capacity to my experience on them, you'll have to be a bit careful about where you aim your wheel (broken glass and potholes should be avoided, for starters). All disclaimers aside, they're tougher than they let on.
So, if you've stuck with me so far I'll do you a favor and wrap this up quickly. By way of summation, I'd dare to say that with an exceptional ride, outstanding grip, and surprising durability for a competition-worthy race tire, Vittoria's new Corsa design is up there with some of the best tires I've ever had the pleasure to ride. Another glass of Kool-Aid please.
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