Zipp Tangente SLSpeed Tubular tyre

Zipp were one of the first to start increasing rim width for aerodynamics so it's no surprise their Tangente SL Speed tubular tyres have followed suit. Low weight and supple casing means these things fly.

The Tangentes are designed to work with Zipp's own Firecrest wheels, which have wide-profile rims that are more rounded than traditional deep section wheels. Unfortunately I don't have a spare pair of Zipps kicking around but fitting the SL Speed to a similarly shaped rim shows a very rounded profile that mates neatly with the rim well and braking edge.

Seventy-six pounds is a lot for a bike tyre but for your money you are getting a top spec tubular with a weight of just 250g. They are easy to fit, sitting pretty much true as soon as you place them on the rim and pump them up. They only have a standard length 42mm valve but being designed for deep section wheels they come with a removable core to allow fitment of a proper extension. Not a lot of tubs have this option so it's a welcome addition.

The 320tpi cotton casing is very supple, which gives a beautifully smooth ride even when pumped up to the 130psi Zipp recommends for my weight.

The rubber is optimised for dry conditions and I'll concur with that, they are pretty skittish in the wet and doesn't make for an enjoyable ride. I wouldn't want to use a tyre this light in the wet anyway although you do get some puncture protection and it seemed to work over the test period as I picked up a couple of cuts without flatting.

Grip levels are good, with impressive lean angles being achieved without them feeling like they are going to break away. Wear rates are looking pretty good for the mileage they've done too.

The only real downside is how quickly they lose pressure, about 20psi over 24 hours front and rear at times. It's only really a major issue if you are doing 12 or 24-hour time trials or the like, but you will need to pump them before each ride.

Overall the Tangente SL Speed tubs are beautiful to ride thanks to that 320tpi casing and low rolling resistance. Grip is brilliant, in the dry at least, and they're surprisingly robust for such light tyres.

The price is steep but it's similar to the flagship tubs in Veloflex's or Vittoria's line ups which both offer similar weight and comfort although they are sold in 23 and 25mm options.

Verdict

Large volume race tubs that are fast, supple and grippy. Save them for the dry though.