Weight Weenies

Bicycling Magazine Australia has just published results of a 32 tyre comparison test. Here are the top 10 results with max speed and rollout with tyre at 90 psi. In brackets is the result of max distance.
I included the Schwalbe and Vittoria as they are considered by many to be performance tyres.

1 Zipp Tangente Speed $94.95 - 33km/h / 178.33m (2)
2 Veloflex Corsa 25 $75 - 32.93km/h / 177.67m (3)
3 Bontrager R4 $120 - 32.77km/h / 179m (1)
4 Hutchinson X Light $79.99 - 32.67km/h / 175.5m (6)
5 Magic Yksion Pro $74.95 - 32.6km/h / 175.83m (5)
6 Arisun Vitesse $59.95 - 32.53km/ / 176.17m (4)
7 Specialized Roubaix Pro $69.95- 32.47km/h / 174.17m (8)
8 Continental GP 4000 II $79.00 - 32.4km/h / 175.33m (7)
9 Maxxia Dolomites $69.99 - 32.4km/h / 174m (9)
10 Duro Stinger $23.95 - 32.17km/h / 172.33 (10)
Vittoria Open Corsa CX III $65 - 31.8km/h / 171.5m
Schwalbe 1 $79.95 - 31.63km/h / 174.33m

Results for each tyre was the average for 3 runs, using the same bike, wheels, tubes rider, position and on a still day. Rollout was from rest down a hill. Price is RRP in Australian dollars.
The test does not take into account cornering grip, braking, puncture resistance or tyre life.
I am sure there are more scientific ways to test tyres but this is a good real world comparison.

Ozrider wrote:I am sure there are more scientific ways to test tyres but this is a good real world comparison.

Thanks for posting this, but the test is BS. A bad test is worse than no test at all.

There are no "calm days". I don't want to see an average, I want to see how much variation there was. And there needs to be more like 10 runs scattered over the test.

Did they do those 3 runs in order? Big demerits if they did.
Did they control for tire temperature?
How did they keep the position a constant?
Did the rider know which tires he was on?

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Rubbish test that's geared more towards the CdA of the tyre on the selected rim than Crr. Anyone with half a brain will ignore this.

I can't believe they used 90 psi?

@ozrider - thanks for bringing this to the forum's attention, i wouldn't have seen it otherwise. it is kind of fascinating that they would go and do this test, which must have taken alot of time and mucking about (mounting tyres for a start). the variation in rolling distance seems quite minimal and top speed high enough for minute variations in position to achieve them (i'd imagine). not to mention how straight or otherwise the rider was able to steer the "ship" each time. i see that the 10th placed tyre (for distance) is about 3% poorer than the "best". what was difference between dead last and best? and what was the worst for interests sake?

i presume that the magazine see the time and effort expended as being an investment in their brand and it is certainly more interesting than regurgitating media releases or pounding out pages of subjective sycophantic dross. surely we should acknowledge that empirical testing, even if not carried out in a well controlled fashion on this occasion, is a step in the right direction? presumably those that carried out the testing might think on some of the limitations of what they did and seek to improve next time they are out there having a go.

mrgray wrote:surely we should acknowledge that empirical testing, even if not carried out in a well controlled fashion on this occasion, is a step in the right direction? presumably those that carried out the testing might think on some of the limitations of what they did and seek to improve next time they are out there having a go.

It's similar to a test done by Bicycle Quarterly several years ago. I don't have a problem with the basic idea, but the first step is to establish that your protocol has sufficient accuracy, repeatability. It is easy to identify potentially huge error sources. Wind and rider position probably being the largest.

Just looking down the list and comparing their numbers to roller tests, I suspect the errors are too large to make anything of it. The Vittoria Corsa 2nd from last truly makes no sense. The GP4000 and Schwalbe 1 are other tires that have tested well.

Find it interesting that some tires rolled faster however didn't roll as far as some tires which rolled slower. From a physics point of view it does not really make sense.

Test results at 90 Psi. // Results at Max Rcommended Pressure

1 Zipp Tangente Speed $94.95 - 33km/h / 178.33m (2) // 32.47km/h / 176.67m (25mm)
2 Veloflex Corsa 25 $75 - 32.93km/h / 177.67m (3) // 32.63km/h / 174.83m (25mm)
3 Bontrager R4 $120 - 32.77km/h / 179m (1) // 32.87km/h / 178.5 (25mm)
4 Hutchinson X Light $79.99 - 32.67km/h / 175.5m (6) // 32.43km/h / 176m (25mm)
5 Magic Yksion Pro $74.95 - 32.6km/h / 175.83m (5) // 32.77km/h / 177.5m (25mm)
6 Arisun Vitesse $59.95 - 32.53km/ / 176.17m (4) // 32km/h / 173.17m (25mm)
7 Specialized Roubaix Pro $69.95- 32.47km/h / 174.17m (8) // 32.53km/h / 177m (25mm)
8 Continental GP 4000 II $79.00 - 32.4km/h / 175.33m (7) // 31.63km/h 174.33km/h (25mm)
9 Maxxia Dolomites $69.99 - 32.4km/h / 174m (9) // 32.47km/h / 175.67m (23mm)
10 Duro Stinger $23.95 - 32.17km/h / 172.33 (10) // 32.10km/h / 173.33m (25mm)
Vittoria Open Corsa CX III $65 - 31.8km/h / 171.5m // 31.90km/h / 172.17m(23mm)
Schwalbe 1 $79.95 - 31.63km/h / 174.33m // 31.73km/h / 176.83 (25mm)

The same rider, position on bike - hands on drops elbows locked, start procedure, bike, tyres, pump, gauge, and a few runs were deleted when wind was detected.
the wheels were Mavic Ksyrium Elite S
I'm not a fan of bicycling and just happened to pick up the magazine while away on a few days holiday.

Science doesn't live here.

jano wrote:Find it interesting that some tires rolled faster however didn't roll as far as some tires which rolled slower. From a physics point of view it does not really make sense.

I had the same thought at first, but then considered inertial differences and aerodynamic drag of one tire vs. another, which could account for some variation. Having said that, the signal to noise ratio of this test seems pretty poor, so I would wager that the relatively small inertial and aero effects between models would probably be immeasurable in any consistent way using this protocol.

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