Vittoria Rubino Pro IV TLR

The Vittoria Rubino Pro IV TLR tyre is a fast and grippy all-rounder, ideal for fast riding while still offering the durability and reliability of a winter tyre. It's competitively priced too, and comes in a large range of options.

If you're in the market for a new set of tyres, check out our guide to the best road bike tyres for more options.

The Rubino Pro IV is classed by Vittoria as offering performance in all conditions and I'd go along with that. After months of getting the miles in on these tyres, I wouldn't say that there is any one thing that they excel in – they aren't the tyre I'd choose to be the best performer for a specific discipline, if you know what I mean – but if I wanted a tyre that could feel grippy and quick whatever the weather, and have the durability to match, with minimal sacrifices across the board, then the Rubino Pro is a great choice.

With a 150tpi (threads per inch) nylon carcass, the Rubino Pro feels supple enough to iron out minor defects in the road while giving good levels of feedback, whatever the pressure. For longer rides there is plenty of comfort, and the ride doesn't feel muted like it can on some tyres with a similar thread count.

Vittoria has used 3C Graphene compound for these tyres. For the central tread part it's formulated to minimise puncturing while adding durability. I have used Rubino Pros in the past with this compound and they are some long-lasting tyres. The shoulders use a slightly different formula that Vittoria says gives stable cornering loads.

Grip levels are good overall. The rubber is tacky enough that it grabs hold of the tarmac and I found them confidence-inspiring, even when cornering at speed.

They seem to cling onto the surface well in the dry, while giving away very little in the wet. Even on greasy, cold roads there is enough feel here that I could carry some decent speed into corners and roundabouts.

Wear levels are looking minimal after about 800 miles, with the central section still looking rounded and no squaring off on the rear tyre.

As the review period has headed into winter, even with extra grit and flint being washed into the road, plus hedge cuttings, there have been no issues with punctures.

They are tubeless ready and while I fitted them without a tube to start with, just to see how well they went on the rim (very easily), I ran an inner tube for most of my testing, so it's not like sealant has masked any punctures.

In fact, the Rubino Pros are a tyre that I'd happily run year round.

The TLR options are available in three widths: 25mm, 28mm and 30mm. Standard clincher and tubular models are also available.

Priced at £54.99, the Rubino Pros aren't cheap, but few road tyres are.

That puts them in the same ball park as the Panaracer Agilest TLRs at £59.99, which Steve said were 'confident and predictable yet light and fast – plus they're tough enough for winter roads'.

The Pirelli Cinturato Vel TLR tyre that I tested recently alongside the Rubino Pros is also a good all-rounder. It costs £66.99, though.

There are good options for less, though: Specialized's Roubaix Pro is just £35, and in his review Chris found them to offer easy rolling and excellent all-weather grip.

Conclusion

I've ridden plenty of Rubino Pros over the years and can confidently say that the performance is great, as is the durability. They offer the ideal levels of grip and speed to be used for entry-level racing, fast group rides or general riding whatever the weather. There is no real reason to swap them out for different seasons.

Verdict

Fast, grippy, reliable and durable tyre that performs across a range of weather conditions