Why are there virtually no tan wall tubeless tires? Well if you want that look then Veloflex have your back. These tires have the "pro" tan wall look (and look amazing on my all black bike), puncture resistance appears good so far, they are light, supple, ride well and appear to be wearing well too. They also fitted my Zipp 303's easily and sealed straight away. However, I switched the tires over to another set of wheels (Hunt 4050's) after a couple of months and they had stretched noticeably. Hunts are know to be a tight fit (although I've never had an issue) but these were soooo loose when I transferred them. I got them to seal eventually with extra layers of rim tape. Also, they are close but they don't roll as well as Conti GP5000TL. All in all I am happy, because of the tan side walls, but the amount of stretch in the bead was alarming. If tan walls aren't your thing then get Contis (if your rims aren't hookless and they are in stock), they are better, but these are a nice aesthetically pleasing alternative.
These tires are fairly heavy (~1000g), but the downsides stop with that. Reflective sidewall, high volume design, semi-slick tread, beefy sidewalls, perfect manufacture, rock-solid puncture resistance and a feeling of confidence make them completely trusty as daily commuters through goatheads, glass, and random road junk. I ride them almost daily and am 250+ miles in with no concerns whatsoever. Run at 60 psi they are a comfortable and fast tire on a mt bike converted for road use - I routinely hit 25mph pedaling on flat stretches. Will take them on a tour in NM soon and have no worries about flats. Only thing I think that might sink them would be a roofing nail or the like, which would do in any tire. I ride through broken glass both ways to work (bridge sidewalk, no way to avoid it) and though I keep stopping out of habit to pull glass out after particularly bad patches, I have yet to find a single piece embedded. I bought these hoping they could kinda stand up to this but am blown away. Much better than Panaracer TourGuard Plus and on par with Schwalbe Marathons, for like half the cost.
I am extremely pleased with these after having taken a chance - never had Vittorias before this and these didn't have many reviews. For the $35 or so WBW charges they are a steal, especially if they last.
I ride 5-10,000 miles a year. Less so now with Covid and working from home. No commuting. I have been riding mostly Gator skin duraskin or hardshell for commuting the last 10 years. Continental 4000 for road. Like most note the 4000 blew out on the sides after awhile, have a pair of 5000 which have not had the same issue but they are fairly new. Switched to the 4 seasons on my gravel bike, commuting bike and one of my road bikes. Only tire I buy now. I am not racing or going for time so a little slower roll is an acceptable pay off for me. The extra grip with these is nice on some tight down hill corners I ride in the summer along the bluffs. Love those S curves. These roll well, are a bit grippy and good puncture resistance. In town our roads suck so on my commuter and gravel bike I do add some of the Ultra-thin Tuffy tape. Not one flat in 2-3 years since I switched!! Awesome! If you want a super clean roll, speed and time are a consideration for you the 5000s are probably a better tire for you. If you want a tire with decent roll, bit of extra grip, and some decent puncture protection these are the tire for you. They last longer than my other tires too which is a bonus.
Yeah they're a smidge heavier. The weight equals out once you wear the tire down a bit. The tire looks amazing on my carbon wheels. We're they a challenge to put on? Yes. But I warmed them up in the bathroom heat and they went on with determination. I usually ride 25s so the size wasn't limiting for me like it might be for you. I use tubes on the road but for you tubeless folk this might be an issue for you. I think Conti has another tire coming with tan sidewall that'll work for y'all. Get em on sale and you won't be sorry. Or you can blame me over coffee.
