Test 2018: Road bike tyre Vittoria Corsa Speed Open TLR - The fastest tyre: Vittoria Corsa Speed Open TLR

As is typical for Vittoria, the tyre is constructed with a fine cotton carcass - currently the only tubeless-ready tyre based on natural fibres. It is airtight thanks to the grey rubber coating and sealant. The tread of the 239 gram tyre is only 0.8 millimetres thick, which corresponds to around a third of a normal tyre. This means you can't expect many kilometres, but Vittoria promises that the addition of graphene - tubular nanoparticles of graphite - makes the rubber comparatively durable.

But before the riding pleasure comes the work, because Vittoria has tailored the tyres tightly; fitting was not possible without tools. The tyre foot rubs a lot, which makes it even more difficult to drive the tyre into the rim seat. Typical tubeless: sometimes it was relatively easy to fit, sometimes we had to dig deep into our bag of tricks to get the tyre to inflate at all. Valve out, pumping directly into the valve stem with the compressor, spreading soapy water, investing hundreds of litres of air and reworking with our hands at the same time. The final sealing with sealing milk can then take a few days. If you really want to, you can do it. But fitting new tyres just before a race? We advise against it.

Nomen est omen: The Speed rides firm and very, very fast and buzzes brightly. The ground is not damped out, but is always present. You are constantly encouraged to keep the pressure on the pedals high - a driving force that is ideal for setting best times on the tarmac.

Turn-in behaviour is lively and the tyre feels agile. In fast bends, the rubber with the pronounced longitudinal tread moulds its path without wobbling. When riding on slightly damp roads, the tyre provides good grip, but it doesn't give you the full feeling of safety of a generously rubberised all-round tyre. Rather, the tyre creates the feeling of riding on a razor blade. But that's fine too, because that's what a time trial is.

Perceived speed can be deceptive, but our lab test shows that the Vittoria sensationally distances itself from the competition. 12 watts at 35 km/h on concrete is the new best mark. The next best tyre, Specialized Turbo Cotton, achieves 15.2 watts, while the classic Conti 4000 S II achieves 17.3 watts. The differences are even greater on rough roads. The protective layer of the Vittoria is not as cut-resistant as that of good all-rounders, but is still in the midfield. The milk also seals small cuts. This concept only reaches its limits with larger cuts.
In the battle for best times, the "speed" is a power and actually a must, because nobody is faster. This competition tyre can achieve more than small aerodynamic improvements.

Technical data

Foldable tubeless-ready tyre with cotton carcass
Weight 239 g
Dimension only 622-23 available
Permissible pressure 6-9 bar
Rolling resistance (8 bar) 12 W 35 km/h, 85 kg (concrete); 20 W 35 km/h, 85 kg (rough road)

Price 77,95 Euro
Info www.vittoria.com