First and foremost, Bike Tires Direct seems to be the only remaining outfit that has the real McCoys from brands you like - I have had about 1/2 dozen complete failures of name brands that had to be some kind of Chinese counterfeits over the past year. You can trust these people, especially if you like to ride sew ups that perform decent and don't develop bulges after one ride.
I don't compete. I don't need gear that makes feathers seem heavy. I don't try to impress anyone. I just ride.
For just riding, these tires are ideal. (The valve stems are ridiculously long, but why quibble.) The upper end of road tubulars make the tires on my Alfa Romeo seem cheap, so the Rallys are a reasonable option. Besides, they make my 50-year-old Frejus feel young again. Sort of. (They don't do anything for me; I still creak more than the bicycle, and my parts are much harder to grease and replace.)
So ,some of the reviews are mixed on these tires and I shall add to that. I used these tires for a local event ( Bike Virginia) of which I rode two separate days. A metric than a full century. Road conditions included, fresh paved, fresh milled, damp, dry, gravel, good climbs and bombing descents, old and worn out surfaces. The tires did great and the tread was unblemished. So for what I was looking for ( Value and durability ) these worked great. FYI I am 230 pounds so I can put a tire under stress.
The Vittoria Rally Tubular Tire is one of the BEST value in the cycle market place. With other tubular tires costing up to three or four times the price of this product item it is the best deal in the industry. It wears great for mileage and it has just as good durability. The best thing is that BikeTiresDirect is extremely fast on delivery and easy to deal with.
I have been using Vittoria tubular tires for 50 years. Still have the same top quality and they hold up on the miserable pot holes in New Jersey. Tread wear is good considering the punishment I give them
I bought two of these tires, both installed fine but on my second ride (100 total mi), rear tire flatted. The front lasted a little longer but only around 500mi before the next puncture, which was about weeks after. This tire seemed to start separating from the gluing surface, I'm actually not sure if it was a puncture, the product may have started leaking between the glue surface and the rubber, the rubber seemed to start fraying off the glue surface, shoddy craftsmanshipmaterials! In a nutshell you get what you pay for, these tires are more trouble than they're worth, look into a higher quality tire. I've since moved over to Tufo Jet Special, these tires show little wear after 2 months and are still rolling like champs.
I purchased two of these tires a couple of years ago, then got really sick and didn't get around to mounting them until last week. Was all excited to get back on the road and have the feel of tubulars beneath me when I discovered the front tire had gone flat....sitting on a hook in the garage. Two days later, the rear tire went flat. A little inspection showed that both had developed leaks around the valve stems, which, as others have noted, is basically irreparable. I've got older tires sitting in boxes that haven't come apart the way these did. The Rally seems affordable, but if it's not going to hold up sitting quietly, I can only imagine that it would leave me in a bind on the road. Definitely will not look at these again.
I was using this tire for training but these tires would cut and flat often. with a good tire, I can go for months without a flat. and to use these for spares is just asking for trouble. don't waste your time with these.
Hello Folks!
Here are my adventures
I am restoring a soviet Start-Chauss (&1057,&1090,&1072,&1088,&1090,-&1064,&1086,&1089,&1089,&1077,) tubular racing bike, bought a month ago for 4,500 rub. ($150 USD) )))
It's a futuristic cutting-edge technology of late 50's, but the bike was made in about 1990
Advised by Jon Bryant of 70-ish feel of these tires, and hoping that the problems noted by LA Cyclist arouse after Vittoria moved production to a new site in Thailand and these problems were fixed by now, and being seduced by the price and retro yellow-black color, I bought three Vittoria Rally Tubulars 600-23.
IMPORTANT DISCOVERED FACTS (Series Number 09030954 3021)
1. Valve base is (heat) glued to the outer side of rubber tube. There is a 2mm mountain near the valve base. Therefore, in your rim MUST have inner hole for valve twice as large as the diameter of valve with its edges rounded. Otherwise, the tubular near the valve will fit with a gap and will be get cut shortly thereafter.
2. On retro Start-Chauss (&1057,&1090,&1072,&1088,&1090,-&1064,&1086,&1089,&1089,&1077,) rims After, I pump the Vittoria Rally Tubulars 600-23 above 40psi, 1mm gap starts forming between the tubular and edges of the rim. For one of two reasons
a. In good old days, thinnest soviet tubular was 24 mm width as opposed to the 23 mm tubular I was putting on.
b. Vittoria Rally has 2mm edge (bump) on most inner diameter, where it's sewed. It could be a design feature for tube stability on modern rims or for fitting rims designed for thinner tubulars. However, Start-Chauss (&1057,&1090,&1072,&1088,&1090,-&1064,&1086,&1089,&1089,&1077,) rim bed is perfectly round.
3. Twin Tread compound is harder in the middle for longer wear and softer on the shoulders for grip when cornering. Softer sides of Kevlar 3D compound does not seem as puncture resistant as in the center. I guess it is supposed to be an advantage for racing vittoria tubulars.
Vittoria Rally is a nice looking tire. I am only describing how it might not fit many retro rims.
Have Fun!
Nikolay.
I only ride for fun and in non-competitive centuries. I don't have a support crew. My old road bike has tublar rims and hese tires are great for durability. I carry two, just in case.
I use this tire for daily street riding and it works well. Its hard to find tubular sew ups that arent outrageous in price. Thanks for you great prices and excellent service.
This tire feels just like the training tire (290 gram cottons) that everybody rode on during the week when I was racing in the 1970's.
The fact that it is actually cheaper - inflation adjusted - than back then is amazing.
If you have never ridden on tubulars, I highly recommend you try these, with one piece of advice during your ride, keep them clean by peridically putting your hand on them to avoid pounding a piece of glass through - a small price to pay for the very lively feel they afford.
As for the stories about a piece of glass cutting your finger when you knock it out of the tread, they are old wives tales.
I was a little concerned when I bought these tires that they would just be a cheapcrappy tire that might last a month. I was WRONG!! For the price you pay, you CAN NOT beat these tires!!I've riding them HARD for three months and I love them!! When this set finally goes I'll be purchasing another set!
Pros At 23mm width, it has a decently smooth ride at reasonable pressures. Can be opened, patched, resewn and remounted (unlike higher end tubulars with bonded tubes in the casing).
Cons Heavier tire. Poor total mileage. Valve core no removable (making use of sealant difficult).
I've ridden tubulars for 30 years, including plenty of Rallys. Unfortunately, their quality seems to have plummeted. The Rally isn't just a bad tire, but an expensive one and, in my opinion, ultimately dangerous. Fightin' words, perhaps, but this has been my experience.
I had two, 5-month old Rallys. When my previous rear tire wore thru the tread (a Tufo Hi-Comp Carbon that turned 2,500 miles without a flat), I decided to use the Rallys as temps until the front Tufo needed to be replaced. The first Rally turned 100 miles before the valve stem detached, an irreparable flat. The second Rally turned 40 miles before flatting. Using sealant on these tires is not an easy option as the valve core cannot be removed. To their credit, these tires can be unstitched, patched, and resewn, but it's a tedious job.
Unfortunately, the valve stem on the second tire had also detached, though not visibly. The cost of two (delivered) Rallys, glue & tape, sealant, etc. is $80.00. After 140 miles, that's $1.75 per mile. My previous tire, delivered, was $70.00. After 2,500 miles, that's $0.03 per mile. Further, I've never had a Rally last more than about 500 miles, while I've had plenty of expensive Tufos, Continentals, and Vittorias last 2,000 miles and more. Thus, a $30.00 Rally over 500 miles is 6 cents per mile, while an $80.00 Tufo, over 2,000 miles, is 4 cents per mile. While it's true that there are no sure things, do yourself a favor and spend money on good tires, there are plenty at BTD to choose from, and your wallet (and your backside) will thank you for it.
Finally, a tire that can't be easily repaired on the road, or be relied upon to perform even in a temporary capacity is simply - to me - a dangerous tire.
I ride smooth paved roads. I have lots of experience with tubulars, which I generally prefer. I've gone through many expensive and inexpensive tires. I bought four of these on a trial. Two puctured the first time out, both on the rear wheel. I've never had such poor luck with any tire, tubular or clincher. To my experience, these things were Junk with a capital J.
I have 3 sets of wheels, One of the nicest tires sets of the three wheels is the Michline Kryons, Then I put on my Carbons and for trainning with these Tires, and thats what stays on from spring thru fall. New England roads and back roads training ,,,TUBULARS RULE,,,,AT THESE PRICES do yourselfs a favor and put on tubulars and this tires, you'll never go back!!
