Zipp Tangente Tubular Tire Review

[easyazon_link asin=”B00AQX4NQS” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”taicoaandthed-20″]Vittoria Corsa CX tubular[/easyazon_link], with a different tread affixed to the core.  That tread is what sets the Tangente apart from other tires: it's been developed and tested in the wind tunnel.  Zipp took the concept pioneered on their wheels and added the ABLC dimples to the shoulders of the tread.  They claim that the dimples, much like the dimples on a golf ball, help to disrupt the air flowing over the tire's surface, reducing drag and saving watts.  Zipp actually claims between 1 and 3 watts savings just by using these tires.  Zipp also worked closely with Vittoria to create specific tread compounds and tooling to maintain aerodynamics while offering grippy, sure footed handling characteristics.  Finally, they claim that the dimpled design reduces stress cracking as the tire ages, prolonging its lifespan.  It all congeals into a nice mass of a tire that sounds great on paper.  How does it perform on the road?

Race Ready

Instead of my usual

[easyazon_link asin=”B001EBV2WE” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”taicoaandthed-20″]Continental Sprinter tubulars[/easyazon_link] that I tend to ride on my training days, I decided to roll with a pair of Tangente tubs glued up to my

[easyazon_link asin=”B00A55ORKO” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”taicoaandthed-20″]American Classic[/easyazon_link] racing wheels for the criterium season.  Gluing was relatively straightforward: stretch tires on a spare set of rims for a couple days, remove and apply a coat of glue to the basetape.  After slopping glue on the rims and stretching the Tangentes over the (now tacky) rims, I began the process of lining up the tread so that it rolled straight.  With the design of the dimples and the center tread, I found it to be pretty easy to line the tread up straight.  Leave them to dry for a day and they were ready to roll.

Light, Fast, Supple

After a season of racing, including warmups and cool downs (sometimes on rollers) and some occasional rides to “feel out” the bike, wheels and tires before the races, these tubs have about 1000 miles on them.  The Tangentes epitomize everything that I love about riding tubulars: the ride is exceptionally supple (with proper inflation), with excellent handling characteristics and very predictable cornering, even in less than perfect conditions.  As a matter of course, I've ridden these on unpaved roads more than once, with no detrimental effects.  Cornering in rough and loose terrain, with the proper tire pressure, is actually very confidence inspiring.  In terms of speed, it's nearly impossible to measure the supposed 1-3 watt savings in the real world, but they FEEL faster on the road (now take that with a grain of salt: it's tough to quantify how something feels, especially when you don't have matching pairs of wheels with different tires on them.)

In terms of feel, the higher the inflation, it seemed the faster the tires went….in a straight line.  I found that at my racing weight of 150 pounds, anything higher than 100psi made the tires less supple and more “skittery” around corners.  This was especially true when pavement was anything less than smooth as glass (ahem…Raritain Cycling Classic) or there was any kind of debris in the road, so be SURE to set your tire pressure accordingly.

Wear wise, they look pretty damn good for 1000 abusive miles, if I do say so. A few excursions over unpaved road even proved that the 21mm tubular casing can stand up to plenty of abuse, and is NOT just a fairweather tire.  No significant nicks, cuts or flat spots developed, despite the occasional “lock up” you experience in racing situations and emergency stopping situations.  In all that time, I didn't experience any flats either, but I also tried to pre-empt that by putting some

[easyazon_link identifier=”B001GSKL4A” locale=”US” tag=”taicoaandthed-20″]Stan's sealant[/easyazon_link] in the tire before mounting, and ensuring that the tire was properly aired up before each and every ride (the latex tube inside the tubular core tends to lose air very quickly, about 1/3 the pressure, in the span of 24 hours.)

Bottom Line

MSRP on these tubs is around $90 USD.  That's really pretty impressive for a tire that is more durable and (feels) faster than the tire it's based on: the Vittoria Corsa Evo.  Compared to $115 for the Corsa and $130 for a Continental GP4000s, the Tangente is a steal.  With similar (and in my opinion likely better) handling characteristics than the Corsa, it would be silly to spend the extra $50 per pair in order to have the name “Vittoria” on your sidewalls and drop 50 grams from your ride.  Especially with closeout discounts abounding at the end of the season, you'll be able to more than get your money's worth out of these tires.  The biggest downside, if I had to give one, would be the extreme sensitivity of these tires to higher inflation pressures.  Don't trust the chart Zipp provides and feel out your own tire pressures.  You'll be thankful you did, and it'll make you thankful you glued on these tubs.

Zipp Tangente Product Page

[easyazon_link asin=”B00AGAQSFK” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”taicoaandthed-20″]Zipp Tangente Tubular[/easyazon_link] 21 and 23mm.  Clincher model also available.