In the past I've purchased the non-TLR version and had good success. These tires (TLR) went on sale, so I decided to get a pair. I recently moved to tubeless and wanted to give the tubeless version a try. I had no issues with mounting the tire nor any problems with getting the tire seated and eventually filled with Orange sealent/inflated. I've only conducted some short rides- close to home- to ensure the tire tubeless DIY job worked. So far so good. I look forward to riding many miles with this tire.
Latex tubes are fantastic! They're lighter and a whole lot easier to deal with than tubeless, have incredibly low rolling resistance, and provide a next-level supple feel. For all that, they're still very durable, and are in my experience less prone to pinch flats than butyl tubes.
Some folks here have complained that they don't hold air, and that's true. Compared to butyl tubes or even tubeless, they lose air faster. You need to expect to add air to your tires before every single ride, with no exceptions. If that's too much for you, then you won't like these tubes. However, if you can get over that, you'll love them. Especially when paired with a good supple tire like the Vittoria Rubino Pro.
High quality tape that's pricey, but you know the old saying. It is very tough, but flexible enough to navigate tight spots so you end up with a smooth job. The diagonal texturing adds a cool effect making even the black version unique compared to most of the other boring black tapes. Your hands will not slip on this surface as it's grippy, comfy and firm. Not mushy. I measured it at 2.5mm thick X 240cm long. It covered my 44cm bars with a little to spare. All in all, a great product.
I was a dedicated Veloflex user for many years I had been riding with my winter Gravel kings waiting for someone to purchase Veloflex it just didn't happen. I couldn't take the Gravel kings any longer and knew that I wanted a cotton based tire to get the ride as close as I could to my vintage tubular bikes. I treat these tires just like tubular's I use my gloves to wipe down tires often just to make sure no glass shards etc are stuck to tires just waiting to be pounded into the tire with every rotation. I know the Veloflex tires can be fragile, it's too early for me to judge, but I have no cuts thus far. Tire pressure is something I'm still trying to figure out as maybe the sidewalls are thinner than my old Veloflex or maybe riding the horribly hard Gravel Kings, that I forgot what a good quality tire feels like. I'm pretty light maybe around 125lbs and ride a 2020 Bianchi Infinito endurance frame that I love. I'll figure it out. Purchase experience was first rate, that I'm ordering a new Kask helmet today.
