Road Bike Tire Test: Vittoria Corsa N.EXT 26
Contents and Test Summary
- Introduction
- Manufacturer Specifications
- Size, Weight, Thickness
- Rolling Resistance: 16.8 Watts
- Puncture Resistance: 51 Points
- Static Wet Grip: 73 Points
- Conclusion: 4.0 / 5 Recommended
- Comments
- Vittoria Corsa N.EXT 26
(100% is best)
We've already tested the 26, 28, and 32 mm sizes of the recently introduced Vittoria Corsa N.EXT TLR, but this time we will take a look at the 26-622 tube-type (clincher) version. With the introduction of more and more tubeless-ready road bike tires, the classic clincher tires with inner tubes get much less love these days, even though they still serve most of the road bike tire market.
Both the tube-type and TLR versions of the Vittoria Corsa N.EXT share the same look and feel and, when mounted on the bike, can only be distinguished by the small TLR label on the TLR version. When we look at the specifications on Vittoria's website, we see the only noticeable difference is the weight which is much lower on the tube-type version (200 grams vs 285 grams), making it one of the lightest 25/26 mm road bike tires on the market.
The much lower weight of the tube-type version also shows Vittoria still goes the extra mile to develop a proper tube-type clincher version instead of only lightly modifying the tubeless-ready version, which is something that's feared by those that want to stick to tube-type tires. We suspect the base tire is very similar, but the tubeless-ready version has an additional air-sealing layer that runs from bead to bead together with more robust tubeless-ready beads.
Like the TLR version, the tube-type Corsa N.EXT is available in 6 sizes ranging from 24-622 to 34-622 in 2 mm increments. We've tested the 26-622 and will compare it to the 26-622 TLR version (read our review), the older Vittoria Corsa G+ 2.0 (read our review) , the Vittoria Rubino Pro G+ 2.0 (read our review), and a bunch of tube-type tires from other manufacturers.
Manufacturer Specifications
| Manufacturer Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Brand | Vittoria |
| Model | Corsa N.EXT |
| Year | 2023 |
| Tire Type | Tubetype (clincher) |
| Supplied By | Bought in store |
| New or Used | New |
| Mileage | 0 km |
| Price Range | High |
| Buy At | |
| Manufacturer part number | 11A00393 |
| EAN | 8022530026819 |
| TPI | 2/200 |
| Compound | Graphene +Silica |
| Bead | Folding |
| ETRTO | 25-622 |
| Size Inch | 28" |
| Specified Width (mm) | 26 |
| Specified Weight | 200 grams |
| Max Air Pressure (psi) | 120 |
| Made In | Pro Data |
| Available Sizes |
24-622 (700x24c) 26-622 (700x26c) 28-622 (700x28c) 30-622 (700x30c) 32-622 (700x32c) 34-622 (700x34c) |
Vittoria Corsa N.EXT 26 Test Results
Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
| Size, Weight and Thickness Measurements | |
|---|---|
| Specified Weight | 200 grams |
| Measured Weight | 200 grams |
| System Adjusted Weight (tire + inner tube (100 gr) |
300 grams |
| Measured Width | 26 mm (un-round) |
| Measured Height | 22 mm (un-round) |
| Total Tire Thickness Center | 2.7 mm |
| Total Tire Thickness Sidewall | Pro Data |
| Unmounted Casing Width | 62 mm |
| Unmounted Tread Width | Pro Data |
| Tread Cover (Tread / Casing Ratio) | Pro Data |
| All size measurements are taken at an air pressure of 100 psi / 6.9 bars on a 17.8 mm inner width rim. | |
Rolling Resistance Test Results
| Rolling Resistance Test Results | |
|---|---|
| Inner Tube | Conti Race28 (100gr butyl) |
| Measured Width | 26 mm (un-round) |
| Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 22-24 = 132 psi/9.1 bar 25-27 = 120 psi/8.3 bar 28-29 = 108 psi/7.4 barUltra High Air Pressure (120 psi / 8.3 bar) |
Pro Data |
| Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 22-24 = 110 psi/7.6bar 25-27 = 100 psi/6.9 bar 28-29 = 90 psi/6.2 barExtra High Air Pressure (100 psi / 6.9 bar) |
Pro Data |
| Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 22-24 = 88 psi/6.1 bar 25-27 = 80 psi/5.5 bar 28-29 = 72 psi/5.0 barHigh Air Pressure (80 psi / 5.5 bar) |
16.8 Watts CRR: 0.00504 |
| Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 22-24 = 66 psi/4.6 bar 25-27 = 60 psi/4.1 bar 28-29 = 54 psi/3.7 barMedium Air Pressure (60 psi / 4.1 bar) |
Pro Data |
| The Road Bike section is a multi tire size section, air pressures have been adjusted to the measured casing width. All numbers are for a single tire at a speed of 29 km/h / 18 mph and a load of 42.5 kg / 94 lbs. Use the formula: RR (Watts) = CRR * speed (m/s) * load (N) to calculate rolling resistance at a given speed and load. |
|
Puncture Resistance Test Results
| Puncture Resistance Test Results (higher is better) | |
|---|---|
| Total Puncture Score Tread | 51 Points |
| Total Puncture Score Sidewall | Pro Data |
| Tread Puncture Force Sharp Needle | Pro Data |
| Tread Puncture Force Blunt Needle | Pro Data |
| Tread Total Tire Thickness | 2.7 mm |
| Sidewall Puncture Force Sharp Needle | Pro Data |
| Sidewall Puncture Force Blunt Needle | Pro Data |
| Sidewall Total Tire Thickness | Pro Data |
Static Grip Test Results
| Static Grip Test Results | |
|---|---|
| Wet Grip Average | 73 Points |
| Wet Grip Center | Pro Data |
| Wet Grip Edge | Pro Data |
| Grip in points = coefficient of friction * 100 Road bike grip test rim width = 19.0 mm |
|
Conclusion
- Vittoria Corsa N.EXT 26
(100% is best)
The tube-type version of the Corsa N.EXT performs nearly equal to the tubeless-ready version, although rolling resistance is a bit higher due to the butyl inner tube we use during the tests. This is something we see with other tires as well, and when you replace the butyl tube with a latex tube or ultra-light TPU tube, rolling resistance will be nearly the same as the tubeless-ready version.
When we compare it to the other tube-type tires in Vittoria's lineup, we see the Corsa N.EXT is a clear step up from their Rubino Pro series that uses a similar casing design. Compared to their cotton casing Corsa G+ 2.0, we see both tires showing similar performance, although both tires have their specific strengths and weaknesses.
When we compare the Corsa N.EXT to the currently best-performing tube-type tires from the competition (Continental Grand Prix 5000, Pirelli P Zero Race 4S, and Michelin Power Cup), we see the Corsa N.EXT lacks a bit of overall performance, with those tires showing a better mix of performance depending on if you need pure rolling performance (Grand Prix 5000), or slightly slower rolling performance but better puncture resistance and wet grip (P Zero Race 4S, or Power Cup).
RATING:
4.0
/ 5
TEST VERDICT:
Recommended