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- Track Bikes
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- Track Pedals/Straps
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Track Cycling Wheels/Tyres
Questions ranging from, 'What is better for me Clincher or Tubular Wheels?, What PSI/BAR do I pump my tyres to?, Tub Tape or Tub Glue? to questions on Rim Width and the benefits of Carbon wheels' basically anything and everything you would like to know about Track Cycling Wheels/Tyres
..........................................................................................................
What are Flip-Flop Track Cycling Wheels?
A common misunderstanding within Track Cycling is the definition of the term ‘Flip-Flop’ hub. It is commonly thought to mean a double-sided rear hub that has a fixed thread on one side and freewheel thread on the other, however the term flip-flop hub can be attributed to any double sided hub, not just the Fixed/Freewheel type.
Track Hubs are available in the following formats:
Single Side Fixed Hub – Only one side of the hub/wheel has thread for mounting a sprocket
Double Sided Fixed/Fixed Hub - Both sides of the hub/wheel have thread for mounting a sprocket, can be referred to as a flip-flop hub/wheel
Double Sided Fixed/Freewheel Hub - One side of the hub/wheel has a fixed thread for mounting a track sprocket, the other side has freewheel thread for mounting a single speed sprocket, can be referred to as a flip-flop hub/wheel.
All options can be used on a Track, however most tracks will not allow you to mount two sprockets on a double sided hub, due to the simple reason that you may have a fixed/freewheel hub and mistakenly use the freewheel side, which due to Brakes not being allowed on a Track Bike would mean you would have no means of stopping. Product descriptions for all wheels that we sell clearly indicate the hub type.
..........................................................................................................
Can I use Quick Release Skewers?
No, traditionally Track Hubs that attach to the frame using Track Nuts must be used, however it is possibly to use Allen Key Skewers that can replace the QR skewer.
..........................................................................................................
What type of Tyres are suitable for Track Cycling?
Any Tyres specified in Track Clinchers or Track Tubulars section (below) are suitable to use on any track in the world.
Track Clinchers section here
Track Tubulars section here
For indoor velodromes you do not require tread/grip on your tyres as if you apply enough pressure on the pedals you will not slip on the banking, a slick tyre has sufficient grip and is all that is required. The Vittoria Diamante Pro Light and Vittoria Pista Evo are suitable examples. Dual Compound tyres, i.e. those with a coloured walls and a black centre are not suitable for indoor tracks due to them lacking grip where the coloured sections join.
For Outdoor velodromes slick tyres are perfectly fine, especially as most come with a high-puncture resistance factor, however you may wish switch to a tyre with a light tread such as the Vittoria Zaffiro and Vittoria Pista CS in order to give you a more durable and grippy tyre for outdoor use.
Top Tip: Rub your tyres with White Vinegar or Pure Alcohol before every session, this removes any dirt/grease from the surface that can cause them to slip on the track. For new tyres it will remove any lacquer on the surface from manufacturing process, also you may wish to ride the rollers for five minutes prior to getting on the track, to ‘bed them in’, alternatively just do a lap of the track centre (Cote D’Azur) prior to moving up onto the track.
..........................................................................................................
Clincher or Tubular Tyres for Track Cycling?
This is purely personal preference however if you primarily ride on outdoor tracks the risk of punctures is considerably higher than on indoor facilities where punctures are very rare. As a consequence it is recommended that you go with Clincher tyres/wheels for outdoor use, however this doesn’t necessarily mean Clincher outside, Tubular inside. We recommend for training wheels you go for Clincher due to the simple reason that imagine the situation you go down to the local Velodrome, which for some cyclists is at least one hour away and you get a puncture in the warm-up. With a tubular tyre that generally means session over, however with a Clincher it just requires a simple inner tube change and the session can continue. The advantages the streamlined profile of a tubular tyre can offer in racing is immense so it is recommended you go for tubular tyres/wheels for your race setup and clincher tyres/wheels for your training setup.
..........................................................................................................
Shall I use Tub Tape or Tub Glue to attach Tubular Tyres?
Never use Tub Tape to attach Tubular Tyres to your Tubular Wheels, due to the geometries involved with Track Cycling Tub Tape will not be sufficient to secure the tubs to your wheels. Always use Tub Glue or Contact Adhesive Glue
..........................................................................................................
What PSI/Bar do I need to pump my tyres to?
Follow the guidelines on the side of the tyres, however as a minimum also ensure your tyres are pumped to 8 Bar/120 PSI, between sessions let the pressure out slightly to drop the Bar/PSI to roughly 5 Bar/80 PSI
..........................................................................................................
What Rim Width is allowed?
As long as your wheels are UCI legal the only restrictions in place are for junior riders which state that wheels must have a maximum rim depth of 35mm with a minimum of 16 and maximum of 40 spokes.
..........................................................................................................
Can I Prevent Tyre Pressure Loss?
We reccomend to use a Pit Stop Road Racing cartridge or a liquid latex to be injected into the valve core with a syringe after removing the core itself. It seals the typical porosity of the latex walls, preventing annoying inflation pressure loss and adding the puncture prevention feature that the liquid latex uses to guarantee. Click Here for More Information
..........................................................................................................
Does a Tubular/Clincher Tyre Degrade with Age?
The properties of our high quality rubber last for even 10 year if the tire is properly stored. In order to do that, keep tires on a dry place without too much temperature and humidity variance and, of much importance, away from sunlight and any UV ray light as Neon lamps and some others.
The presence of little splits and cuts on the tire surface even if not used means that the rubber has not been well stored. The outer surface could become eventually coated of a thin white layer of vax: remove it before using the tire in order to prevent poor grip on the first pedal strokes. Tires are well stored when slightly inflated or anyhow in a good shape if not mounted, avoiding too much deformation or foldings.
..........................................................................................................
How Often Should Tyre Pressures be Checked?
The inflation pressure should be checked and adjusted on a regular basis. Even the best inner tubes constantly lose pressure as, contrary to car tires, pressures in bicycle tires are much higher and wall thickness much thinner. A pressure loss of 1 bar per month can be considered as normal for butyl tubes, while latex tubes can decrease their pressure even of 1,5 bar every 8 hours (4,5 bars in 24h) and checking and adjusting the inflation pressure before every ride has to become an habit.
Warning! Pressure loss will be much faster with starting high inflation pressures and much slower with low inflation pressures. Use a pressure gauge to monitor the inflation pressure and always verify with the TPI casing.
..........................................................................................................
How Long Can I Use a Tubular/Clincher Tyre?
The durability of a tire/tubular depends from a lot of different factors: the type of tire, the riding style, bicycle and compontents materials, road surface, the inflation pressure, and more… It is really dissifficult to fix a precise number of kilometers. There are two main criteria however that influence a lot tire wearing: the pression, the higher it is the faster wears out, and the range of the tire, the higher are the performances, the less the tire will last.
..........................................................................................................
When Should I Change My Tyre?
You can evaluate the tire wear checking its profile: when there is a notable discontinuity (like a step, or edge) between central tread (wearing when you ride on straight) and side tread (wearing in corners) that you can feel when starting to lean for a turn. This is the time to change your tire. It’s also suggested to change the tire in any case the carcass is exposed.
..........................................................................................................
Which Way Should I Mount Tyres?
Mounting direction is shown by a little arrow engraved onto tire sidewall. In the case it is not visible for any reason, do follow the tread pattern design: if it design an arrow, that has to run forward, otherwise if the tread pattern itself is specular the tire can be mounted either way.
..........................................................................................................
Why is Tubular better than Clincher?
Flexibility. Here it comes the superior performance of a tubular, that with a smoother base structure, without any mechanical link between rim and carcass and a tire surface that is perfectly round, can ensure even more flexibility and shock absorbtion than any other tire, of any level.
..........................................................................................................
What are the benefits of a high TPI/EPI?
The higher is the TPI number, the more flexible and thinner is the casing with less rubber on the same area. Asphalt roughnesses create vibrations and frictions by contact with the tire surface. These micro or macro impacts can be absorbed or transfered by the tire.
It is here that flexibility comes to play: a flexible casing does absorb vibrations by deforming around the irregularities of the road. On the other end a rigid casing transfers the hits to the whole system (rim, spkes, hub, fork, frame…) resulting into vibrations and friction: the given result is a tire with more rolling resistance, less comfort and less grip due to less contact surface with the ground given by lack of deformability.
That means a flexible casing gives:
- MORE SPEED
- MORE COMFORT
- MORE GRIP
Casing material itself heavyly influences flexibility and so tire performances: Corespun, which is cotton made and so a bit more delicate, grants more stretchiness and flexibility than Nylon. Vittoria TPI and materials range from:
- 26 to 220 for Nylon casings.
- 220 to 320 for Cotton and Polycotton casings.
320 TPI is a record which Vittoria has achieved thanks to the constant efforts of its Research and Development team, and trough severe testing in racing. This is the ultimate guarantee of outstanding performance and reliability.
..........................................................................................................
What are Flip-Flop Track Cycling Wheels?
A common misunderstanding within Track Cycling is the definition of the term ‘Flip-Flop’ hub. It is commonly thought to mean a double-sided rear hub that has a fixed thread on one side and freewheel thread on the other, however the term flip-flop hub can be attributed to any double sided hub, not just the Fixed/Freewheel type.
Track Hubs are available in the following formats:
Single Side Fixed Hub – Only one side of the hub/wheel has thread for mounting a sprocket
Double Sided Fixed/Fixed Hub - Both sides of the hub/wheel have thread for mounting a sprocket, can be referred to as a flip-flop hub/wheel
Double Sided Fixed/Freewheel Hub - One side of the hub/wheel has a fixed thread for mounting a track sprocket, the other side has freewheel thread for mounting a single speed sprocket, can be referred to as a flip-flop hub/wheel.
All options can be used on a Track, however most tracks will not allow you to mount two sprockets on a double sided hub, due to the simple reason that you may have a fixed/freewheel hub and mistakenly use the freewheel side, which due to Brakes not being allowed on a Track Bike would mean you would have no means of stopping. Product descriptions for all wheels that we sell clearly indicate the hub type.
..........................................................................................................
Can I use Quick Release Skewers?
No, traditionally Track Hubs that attach to the frame using Track Nuts must be used, however it is possibly to use Allen Key Skewers that can replace the QR skewer.
..........................................................................................................
What type of Tyres are suitable for Track Cycling?
Any Tyres specified in Track Clinchers or Track Tubulars section (below) are suitable to use on any track in the world.
Track Clinchers section here
Track Tubulars section here
For indoor velodromes you do not require tread/grip on your tyres as if you apply enough pressure on the pedals you will not slip on the banking, a slick tyre has sufficient grip and is all that is required. The Vittoria Diamante Pro Light and Vittoria Pista Evo are suitable examples. Dual Compound tyres, i.e. those with a coloured walls and a black centre are not suitable for indoor tracks due to them lacking grip where the coloured sections join.
For Outdoor velodromes slick tyres are perfectly fine, especially as most come with a high-puncture resistance factor, however you may wish switch to a tyre with a light tread such as the Vittoria Zaffiro and Vittoria Pista CS in order to give you a more durable and grippy tyre for outdoor use.
Top Tip: Rub your tyres with White Vinegar or Pure Alcohol before every session, this removes any dirt/grease from the surface that can cause them to slip on the track. For new tyres it will remove any lacquer on the surface from manufacturing process, also you may wish to ride the rollers for five minutes prior to getting on the track, to ‘bed them in’, alternatively just do a lap of the track centre (Cote D’Azur) prior to moving up onto the track.
..........................................................................................................
Clincher or Tubular Tyres for Track Cycling?
This is purely personal preference however if you primarily ride on outdoor tracks the risk of punctures is considerably higher than on indoor facilities where punctures are very rare. As a consequence it is recommended that you go with Clincher tyres/wheels for outdoor use, however this doesn’t necessarily mean Clincher outside, Tubular inside. We recommend for training wheels you go for Clincher due to the simple reason that imagine the situation you go down to the local Velodrome, which for some cyclists is at least one hour away and you get a puncture in the warm-up. With a tubular tyre that generally means session over, however with a Clincher it just requires a simple inner tube change and the session can continue. The advantages the streamlined profile of a tubular tyre can offer in racing is immense so it is recommended you go for tubular tyres/wheels for your race setup and clincher tyres/wheels for your training setup.
..........................................................................................................
Shall I use Tub Tape or Tub Glue to attach Tubular Tyres?
Never use Tub Tape to attach Tubular Tyres to your Tubular Wheels, due to the geometries involved with Track Cycling Tub Tape will not be sufficient to secure the tubs to your wheels. Always use Tub Glue or Contact Adhesive Glue
..........................................................................................................
What PSI/Bar do I need to pump my tyres to?
Follow the guidelines on the side of the tyres, however as a minimum also ensure your tyres are pumped to 8 Bar/120 PSI, between sessions let the pressure out slightly to drop the Bar/PSI to roughly 5 Bar/80 PSI
..........................................................................................................
What Rim Width is allowed?
As long as your wheels are UCI legal the only restrictions in place are for junior riders which state that wheels must have a maximum rim depth of 35mm with a minimum of 16 and maximum of 40 spokes.
..........................................................................................................
Can I Prevent Tyre Pressure Loss?
We reccomend to use a Pit Stop Road Racing cartridge or a liquid latex to be injected into the valve core with a syringe after removing the core itself. It seals the typical porosity of the latex walls, preventing annoying inflation pressure loss and adding the puncture prevention feature that the liquid latex uses to guarantee. Click Here for More Information
..........................................................................................................
Does a Tubular/Clincher Tyre Degrade with Age?
The properties of our high quality rubber last for even 10 year if the tire is properly stored. In order to do that, keep tires on a dry place without too much temperature and humidity variance and, of much importance, away from sunlight and any UV ray light as Neon lamps and some others.
The presence of little splits and cuts on the tire surface even if not used means that the rubber has not been well stored. The outer surface could become eventually coated of a thin white layer of vax: remove it before using the tire in order to prevent poor grip on the first pedal strokes. Tires are well stored when slightly inflated or anyhow in a good shape if not mounted, avoiding too much deformation or foldings.
..........................................................................................................
How Often Should Tyre Pressures be Checked?
The inflation pressure should be checked and adjusted on a regular basis. Even the best inner tubes constantly lose pressure as, contrary to car tires, pressures in bicycle tires are much higher and wall thickness much thinner. A pressure loss of 1 bar per month can be considered as normal for butyl tubes, while latex tubes can decrease their pressure even of 1,5 bar every 8 hours (4,5 bars in 24h) and checking and adjusting the inflation pressure before every ride has to become an habit.
Warning! Pressure loss will be much faster with starting high inflation pressures and much slower with low inflation pressures. Use a pressure gauge to monitor the inflation pressure and always verify with the TPI casing.
..........................................................................................................
How Long Can I Use a Tubular/Clincher Tyre?
The durability of a tire/tubular depends from a lot of different factors: the type of tire, the riding style, bicycle and compontents materials, road surface, the inflation pressure, and more… It is really dissifficult to fix a precise number of kilometers. There are two main criteria however that influence a lot tire wearing: the pression, the higher it is the faster wears out, and the range of the tire, the higher are the performances, the less the tire will last.
..........................................................................................................
When Should I Change My Tyre?
You can evaluate the tire wear checking its profile: when there is a notable discontinuity (like a step, or edge) between central tread (wearing when you ride on straight) and side tread (wearing in corners) that you can feel when starting to lean for a turn. This is the time to change your tire. It’s also suggested to change the tire in any case the carcass is exposed.
..........................................................................................................
Which Way Should I Mount Tyres?
Mounting direction is shown by a little arrow engraved onto tire sidewall. In the case it is not visible for any reason, do follow the tread pattern design: if it design an arrow, that has to run forward, otherwise if the tread pattern itself is specular the tire can be mounted either way.
..........................................................................................................
Why is Tubular better than Clincher?
Flexibility. Here it comes the superior performance of a tubular, that with a smoother base structure, without any mechanical link between rim and carcass and a tire surface that is perfectly round, can ensure even more flexibility and shock absorbtion than any other tire, of any level.
..........................................................................................................
What are the benefits of a high TPI/EPI?
The higher is the TPI number, the more flexible and thinner is the casing with less rubber on the same area. Asphalt roughnesses create vibrations and frictions by contact with the tire surface. These micro or macro impacts can be absorbed or transfered by the tire.
It is here that flexibility comes to play: a flexible casing does absorb vibrations by deforming around the irregularities of the road. On the other end a rigid casing transfers the hits to the whole system (rim, spkes, hub, fork, frame…) resulting into vibrations and friction: the given result is a tire with more rolling resistance, less comfort and less grip due to less contact surface with the ground given by lack of deformability.
That means a flexible casing gives:
- MORE SPEED
- MORE COMFORT
- MORE GRIP
Casing material itself heavyly influences flexibility and so tire performances: Corespun, which is cotton made and so a bit more delicate, grants more stretchiness and flexibility than Nylon. Vittoria TPI and materials range from:
- 26 to 220 for Nylon casings.
- 220 to 320 for Cotton and Polycotton casings.
320 TPI is a record which Vittoria has achieved thanks to the constant efforts of its Research and Development team, and trough severe testing in racing. This is the ultimate guarantee of outstanding performance and reliability.