Of course, you don’t want that low price to equate to any fragility that could leave you changing a tube by the side of the road. I have tested the Zaffiros through some abysmal weather – rain, snow, and sub-zero temperatures – and more typical damp roads, and they have been consistent and reliable throughout, throwing up no surprises. High TPI is most of the time seen as a plus point but in reality, it isn't essential. Use it to inform your buying decision but it isn't critical in a tyre. Should I go tubeless on my road bike? Graphene is something that Vittoria has been using in tyres for a few years now. The claimed benefits are that it improves rubber strength, cut and abrasion resistance, which is good news in a tyre that is designed for distance and durability.

The Zaffiro Pro is a non-tubeless clincher only model and is available in 25, 28, 30 and 32mm widths. Installation of the 32mm on test was very simple, with no tyre levers needed; inflated to 50psi, the tyre measured 34mm when installed onto a rim with a 21mm internal width. Where I live in the south west of England, we’ve experienced a range of hostile winter weather so far this year, so it hasn’t been hard to put the Rubino Pros through their paces. Veloflex tubulars have always been a staple of the lightest, most purposeful climbing bikes. Now, though, you can get them in clincher format and they are tubeless-ready. The 350 threads per inch casing is extraordinarily supple, and these are also perhaps some of the best-looking tyres out there (if aesthetics are important for you), but with low weight and supple cotton comes a corresponding drop in durability. Don't be daft, don't slap these on for the winter. How to choose the best road bike tyres What type of bike tyres are best for the road? Many tyres have some kind of wear indicator. These usually take the form of a pair of dimples that disappear when the tyre is worn beyond its safe limit. For those that don't have this just keep an eye on things; if you can see canvas it's too late.For several years now, Vittoria has been using the magical material, graphene, in the production of its tyres. In 2019 Vittoria introduced the second generation compounds: Graphene 2.0. For these compounds Vittoria uses 'functionalised graphene', whereby the amount of graphene in a compound varies between 1 and 10 percent so that the compound can be adapted to the circumstances. In this way, Vittoria is able to bring the tyre's performance to a higher level in terms of speed, wet grip, durability and puncture protection. So we've already made the big step in improvements of Graphene 2.0 over 1.0, but 3.0 and then 4.0 is somewhere down the road, although that also goes along with the development of graphene itself in the industry," said Anton.

Vittoria's Graphene 1.0 was pure graphene: so-called 'pristine graphene', with very small impurities – very pure carbon," he continued. "Graphene 2.0 is the next development of graphene. It's functionalised: we add chemical groups to the carbon material, which allows us to have a better combination between rubber compounds and the graphene – so better dispersion in the rubber, and a better kind of chemical reaction between the rubber and the graphene, which bonds even stronger than Graphene 1.0. If the rubber starts to perish, or the tread begins to peel away from the casing in the case of cotton tyres it's probably approaching the end, or if it's worn particularly flat. If you find yourself getting regular punctures it could also be an indication that a new set is required, as sharps have less rubber to penetrate before impacting the air reservoir within. Should I ride 25mm or 28mm?During the test period, at identical pressures, the Bontrager are more obviously compliant and anecdotally, rolling resistance is also slightly lower than the Vittoria. Otherwise, there’s little separating them in the handling stakes-wet, or dry. These weight indications have been provided by the manufacturer; they may differ from the actual weight. This deviation is usually small and is due to variations in the production process.