Vee Tire Co Rolldiac 30mm

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.

> Find your nearest dealer here

> Buy this online here

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