Veloflex

Roubaix Tubular Tire

Even though you might not ever race on the cobbles of Europe, you're probably going to end up on a gravel path or a choppy, chip-and-sealed road at some point. Be prepared for a smooth ride with Veloflex's Roubaix Tubular Tire.

The Roubaix's namesake is the French city known as the finish to the most famed Spring Classic's race. The Italians have won a total of 13 editions of the race, so it's safe to say that they know a thing or two about tires. And to this end, Veloflex's tubulars are hand-sewn in Italy. The casing is Compressed Pes/Co corespun. This is layered on a Calicot puncture-resistant belt. "Calicot" is the French translation of the English word "calico." Basically, this refers to a style of weaving that's popular in India, whereby a layer of warp threads are woven one-under and one-over with a layer of weft. This gives the weave both strength and durability. The Calicot layer relies upon the tightness of the weave in order to achieve puncture-resistance.

To ensure both flexibility and an effective stiffness-to-weight ratio, the Roubaix's 320TPI, corespun casing comes into play. 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. By this, we mean that the tire's weight hovers around 290 grams, while still retaining a perfect level of flexibility for cornering. It is also capable of withstanding pressures as low as 85PSI. Lower pressure allows for more of the tire surface to interface with the ground. More contact with the ground means that you'll experience more grip as the tires roll through bumps, rather than simply bouncing over them. And, more importantly, more grip on rough surfaces translates to greater speeds. The tires features a 25mm width for even greater tire to ground contact.

Veloflex uses as many naturally sourced materials as possible, and the Roubaix is no exception. The high-density casing was coated in natural rubber, creating a supple and responsive tire that absorbs energy and rebounds from irregularities in the road surface — again minimizing resistance.

The Veloflex Roubaix Tubular Tire is available in a 700c x 25mm size, and it weighs in around 290g each. The tread is Black and the Sidewall is gum colored. This gives you a bit of a classic look in a thoroughly modern tire.