Vittoria has announced a new, 30c version of its Corsa Pro Speed TLR tyres.
Designed for improved grip in wet conditions, Vittoria says this new size was developed “at the request of WorldTour teams”.
The news comes on the same day as Continental announced it has launched a 30mm option for its GP5000 TT TR time trial tyre, and a 35mm option for its G5000 S TR all-rounder.
As in gravel racing, then, it seems the trend towards ever wider road bike tyres shows no signs of abating.
Available now, the 700x30c Vittoria Corsa Pro Speed TLR costs £89.99 / $125.99 / €95.95 per tyre.
The difference a millimetre makes
The addition of a 30c (or 700x30c / 30-622, officially) option to the Corsa Pro Speed TLR range brings the total number of sizes available to five.
The range starts with a skinny – by modern standards – 24c option, and now goes up to 30c in 2mm nominal increments.
Eagle-eyed readers will note a 29c version already existed, though, so the addition of another model ostensibly only one millimetre wider might seem curious.
The claimed weights for the tyres give an insight into what’s likely going on, though.
A 29c Corsa Pro Speed TLR tyre is claimed to weigh 255g, for example, only 5g more than the 28c version.
In contrast, the new 30c version is claimed to weigh 270g per tyre, 15g more than the 29c version.
The difference is due to the fact the 29c tyre is “Wide Rim Optimised”, which is Vittoria’s label for tyres it has designed for optimal aerodynamic performance with 25mm-wide rims (internal width).
In contrast the new 30mm option looks to be designed with a relatively higher volume casing – Vittoria specifically references the tyre’s “larger air volume and contact patch” in its press release – hence the more significant increase in weight.
If that all feels exceptionally confusing then don’t worry – you’re not alone.
This mess is why Josh Poertner, CEO of Silca and the former chairman of the Bicycle Wheel Technical Committee, told BikeRadar “currently the sidewall printed number [on a tyre] is meaningless”.
Instead, Poertner believes the industry should instead quote the “unmounted casing lay-flat width” of tyres, as that would enable riders to make better informed decisions about which tyres are safe to use on their rims.
For more on that subject, though, check out our feature on the question of whether hookless rims are safe for road cycling?
A TT tyre for road racing?
Although the Corsa Pro Speed TLR was originally pitched as a pure time trial tyre – given its thin casing, low weight and lack of a puncture protection strip beneath the tread – it, and other time trial tyres, have become increasingly popular in pro road races in recent years.
This was a key tech trend at last year’s Tour de France, for example, with eventual race winner, Tadej Pogačar, using Conti’s GP5000 TT TR tyres for most stages of the race.
The addition of an even wider option for the Corsa Pro Speed indicates Vittoria likely intends to lean into this, rather than push back against it.
Alternatively, or perhaps concurrently, could a rash of new time trial bikes with clearance for big tyres be about to launch?
Cannondale has just launched its new SuperSlice TT bike today, with clearance for 32mm-wide tyres, and we know Pogačar has been testing a new lightweight Colnago TT bike in recent weeks. Doubtless other manufacturers won’t be resting on their laurels ahead of this year’s key stage races either.
As always, we’ll keep our eyes peeled for any developments.
