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review

Vee Tire Co Rolldiac 30mm

8
£39.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Very good all-round road tyres – just stay away from those highest quoted pressures
Weight: 
699g

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Vee Tire Co's 30mm Rolldiacs are fast rolling and super-grippy road tyres, and supposedly long-lived too. They have a surprisingly broad remit, seemingly designed with racing, commuting and training in mind. I can't comment on competitive use, but if you're after a quick and generally reliable tyre for training and faster commutes, these should be on your shortlist.

The tread pattern comprises a pronounced centre-strip and dimpled shoulders, reminding me of a lightweight 'cross knobbly that's been smoothed down on a belt sander.

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They feature the same Continuum compound as the Rain Runners, which is designed to keep rolling resistance to a minimum, without sacrificing durability.

The Synthesis casing is a 'specially woven' lightweight layer designed to defend against cuts and ultimately punctures. Vee Tire says this also improves the aesthetic. Frivolous perhaps, but their subtle patina did appeal to me.

Folding beads keep the weight favourable and, as might be expected from a bigger section, they're not difficult to mount – a single lever was all I needed to scoop the final 20 per cent aboard a deep-section Shimano rim.

Operating pressures have been another talking point. Those cited on the sidewall range between a handpump-credible 85 and a heady 145psi. Given most of us would expect to run this sort of section up to the 100psi mark, it's been my default. This translates as a really quick, grippy and compliant ride across all surfaces, though not quite the magic carpet experience I've had with some 67tpi 35mm Schwalbe Marathon GTs that had previously graced said cross-flavoured fixed since January.

From the first few pedal strokes, I wasn't surprised by their sprightly performance, which was most apparent when breaking away from the lights, or sprinting up a climb.

Leech-like cornering prowess was also a delight on relatively smooth, wet descents. Water generally gets channelled away, flushing the seemingly relentless hedge clippings, thorns and other naturally occurring sharps along too.

As the miles racked up and pressures experimented with, I gradually became more enamoured with their quick rolling, tarmac hugging performance; pushing 42mph along the odd 1-in-4, I never detected any squirm or skittishness.

Through town, their perky charm kept things the right side of interesting, offering reasonable traction over damp ironworks and cushioning from smaller holes (on the rare occasions I wasn't able to weave around them).

I'm a fettler by nature, so wasted no time experimenting with the pressures, especially since the sidewalls cite an eye-watering maximum of 145psi. At 70 odd kilos, I found 115-125psi optimal; beyond this and the ride felt comparatively harsh, despite the bike's relatively compliant chromoly frame and carbon fork blades.

Local and neighbouring authorities seem to clad their roads in a dimpled and very hard-wearing asphalt with a texture of treacle – hard work if you're running 23mm slicks. Over this surface and the higher pressure range, rolling resistance was particularly apparent.

> Buyer's Guide: 18 of the best road cycling tyres

Four weeks and 400 miles hence, I've only had that one flat. True, some of us are more puncture prone than others. However, this suggests that, given their design brief, these strike the right balance between performance and protection.

Those needing the most dependable protection might prefer something with an aramid/similar belt running edge to edge, but to my mind these are quick and generally reliable tyres for training and faster commutes.

Verdict

Very good all-round road tyres – just stay away from those highest quoted pressures

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Vee Tire Co Rolldiac 30mm

Size tested: 700x30

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Four season tyre for road biased riding, with some dry trail potential at the lower end of their operating pressures.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Continuum Compound

TPI 120 TPI

Bead Folding Bead

Recommended Pressure 85-145 PSI (6.0-10.0bar)

ETRTO 25-622, 28-622, 30-622

Durometer 66+2

Weight (g) 250, 270, 280, 300, 330

* Specifically designed for all levels of wet weather

* The moisture channels act as both a release for water and an additional bite on hard pack dirt surface.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10

Seems generally well made and dependable.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Particularly good in the wet.

Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10

Looks fairly promising in the short term. Aside from a nasty thorn-induced blow-out, punctures have been a moot point and the casing seems highly resistant to cuts/similar damage.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
8/10

Sensible.

Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
7/10

Can feel harsh compared with some when run at higher pressures, but they're very compliant between 85 and 120psi.

Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Overall, the Rolldiacs are fast-rolling road tyres that successfully cater for most genres of road biased riding.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Responsive, dependable and ease of fitting.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing per se, although a little harsh at the higher pressures.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? For training and general skinny tyred road riding, yes.

Use this box to explain your score

Decent priced all-rounders, offering a good balance between performance and protection.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 43  Height: 1m 81cm  Weight: 70kg

I usually ride: Rough stuff tourer based around 4130 Univega mountain bike frameset  My best bike is: 1955 Holdsworth Road Path and several others including cross & traditional road

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo-cross, commuting, touring, fixed/singlespeed, mountain biking

Shaun Audane is a freelance writer/product tester with over twenty-eight years riding experience, the last twelve (120,000 miles) spent putting bikes and kit through their paces for a variety of publications. Previous generations of his family worked at manufacturing's sharp end, thus Shaun can weld, has a sound understanding of frame building practice and a preference for steel or titanium framesets.
Citing Richard Ballantine and an Au pair as his earliest cycling influences, he is presently writing a cycling book with particular focus upon women, families and disabled audiences (Having been a registered care manager and coached children at Herne Hill Velodrome in earlier careers)

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