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Vittoria Open Corsa EVO SL
After, literally, millions of miles of race testing, Vittoria has developed its new EVO line of Open Corsa tires. And while the each of these cotton-cased tires plays a specific role, the EVO SL differentiates itself from the SX and SC tires in the Corsa line by featuring a slick tread pattern. So, with an emphasis placed on low rolling-resistance over traction, the SL is particularly adaptable to racing and time trials. Or, more simply put, the SL is solely built for speed.
Now, if you're unfamiliar with how the Italians operate, we'll breakdown the title for you. 'Open' is the Italian terminology for clincher, as in the clincher-version of Vittoria's Corsa SL tubular tire. Meanwhile, 'Corsa' translates directly to 'race,' as in, this is a race-designated tire. Put the two together, and add in the evolution designation of 'EVO,' and you have a next-generation tire that's designed for speed. And while we understand that a name is simply a name, the Open Corsa line's results speak for themselves. Simply put, this line boasts more race wins than any other tire in history.
And now that we have your attention, let's dig into the SL's construction. Vittoria gave this tire a 320TPI casing composition, meaning that the casing of the tire (what the rubber is applied to) is comprised of 320 threads per inch. And if you're wondering why there are 'threads,' this is because the EVO SL is a cotton tire. But, don't think that this decreases durability. In fact, Vittoria used a corespun, or 'polycore,' technique for the casing's construction. Essentially, this means that the casing fibers are made by twisting staple cotton fibers around a central filament core, creating one yarn from multiple fibers. As a result, the material is between 40 and 50% stronger than typically spun materials, while retaining a similar, if not lower, overall weight. Additionally, the 320TPI cotton casing provides the ideal stiffness-to-weight ratio for the SL. By this, we mean that the tire's weight hovers around 210 grams, depending on width, while still retaining a perfect level of flexibility for cornering.
Along these lines, you'll notice that the casing's high TPI equates to finer-grade fibers used in its composition. Accordingly, the fine fibers are more malleable than say, 220TPI casings, and this flexibility creates a more adaptable interface for the tire's rubber contact surface during cornering. So, this design provides a higher level of grip than rubber, which is why cotton casings are used on nearly every high-end tubular in the world. Additionally, the weave's density also absorbs a great deal of impact, while also contributing to a low-level of rolling resistance. This equates directly to both comfort and speed.
For this generation of the EVO, the tire receives Vittoria's newest rubber compound, ISOgrip. After two years in development, Vittoria is confident that it's set the benchmark for racing rubber. According to Vittoria, ISOgrip expresses equal grip in both dry and wet conditions and features its lowest rolling resistance to date. However, like any racing tire, these benefits arrive at the cost of a relatively low wear-resistance, but on race day, you're not going to be worried about wear.
The Vittoria Open Corsa EVO SL is available in the color Black and in a 22mm width. And to reiterate, this is a clincher tire with a 'slick' tread pattern, and it's sold individually.
Price: $32.99 (55% Off!)
Regularly: $74.00
Buy Now
After, literally, millions of miles of race testing, Vittoria has developed its new EVO line of Open Corsa tires. And while the each of these cotton-cased tires plays a specific role, the EVO SL differentiates itself from the SX and SC tires in the Corsa line by featuring a slick tread pattern. So, with an emphasis placed on low rolling-resistance over traction, the SL is particularly adaptable to racing and time trials. Or, more simply put, the SL is solely built for speed.
Now, if you're unfamiliar with how the Italians operate, we'll breakdown the title for you. 'Open' is the Italian terminology for clincher, as in the clincher-version of Vittoria's Corsa SL tubular tire. Meanwhile, 'Corsa' translates directly to 'race,' as in, this is a race-designated tire. Put the two together, and add in the evolution designation of 'EVO,' and you have a next-generation tire that's designed for speed. And while we understand that a name is simply a name, the Open Corsa line's results speak for themselves. Simply put, this line boasts more race wins than any other tire in history.
And now that we have your attention, let's dig into the SL's construction. Vittoria gave this tire a 320TPI casing composition, meaning that the casing of the tire (what the rubber is applied to) is comprised of 320 threads per inch. And if you're wondering why there are 'threads,' this is because the EVO SL is a cotton tire. But, don't think that this decreases durability. In fact, Vittoria used a corespun, or 'polycore,' technique for the casing's construction. Essentially, this means that the casing fibers are made by twisting staple cotton fibers around a central filament core, creating one yarn from multiple fibers. As a result, the material is between 40 and 50% stronger than typically spun materials, while retaining a similar, if not lower, overall weight. Additionally, the 320TPI cotton casing provides the ideal stiffness-to-weight ratio for the SL. By this, we mean that the tire's weight hovers around 210 grams, depending on width, while still retaining a perfect level of flexibility for cornering.
Along these lines, you'll notice that the casing's high TPI equates to finer-grade fibers used in its composition. Accordingly, the fine fibers are more malleable than say, 220TPI casings, and this flexibility creates a more adaptable interface for the tire's rubber contact surface during cornering. So, this design provides a higher level of grip than rubber, which is why cotton casings are used on nearly every high-end tubular in the world. Additionally, the weave's density also absorbs a great deal of impact, while also contributing to a low-level of rolling resistance. This equates directly to both comfort and speed.
For this generation of the EVO, the tire receives Vittoria's newest rubber compound, ISOgrip. After two years in development, Vittoria is confident that it's set the benchmark for racing rubber. According to Vittoria, ISOgrip expresses equal grip in both dry and wet conditions and features its lowest rolling resistance to date. However, like any racing tire, these benefits arrive at the cost of a relatively low wear-resistance, but on race day, you're not going to be worried about wear.
The Vittoria Open Corsa EVO SL is available in the color Black and in a 22mm width. And to reiterate, this is a clincher tire with a 'slick' tread pattern, and it's sold individually.
Price: $32.99 (55% Off!)
Regularly: $74.00
Buy Now
