Road Bike Tire Test: Vittoria Corsa Pro Speed TLR 28

Since 2016, we have been accustomed to the Vittoria Corsa Speed (read our review) as the fastest tire for road bikes, but this ended in early 2023 after Veloflex introduced the Record TLR (read our review). Vittoria is now introducing a brand new Corsa Pro Speed TLR with the same innovations as the Corsa Pro and Corsa Pro Control that Vittoria introduced last year. The Corsa Pro Speed is designed to be even faster than its predecessor, and Vittoria has put everything into the fight to regain that first position.

We consider the Vittoria Corsa Pro (read our review) and Corsa Pro Control (read our review) second-generation cotton tubeless-ready tires with significant improvements to the tire construction. The new Corsa Pro Speed also has this improved construction with better bead sealing and easier inflation, better air tightness, and a vulcanized tread that further reduces rolling resistance. You will immediately notice these significant differences if you compare the old cotton tires to the new ones.

Vittoria also had to make some concessions to make the tire faster, as the tire has become even thinner than the previous Corsa Speed. Vulcanizing the tread also results in a slightly lower puncture resistance because the old method of gluing the tread added a tougher adhesive layer, making the tire a fraction stronger. However, the tread on the Corsa Pro Speed has become a bit wider, which is an improvement and should help with objects that penetrate the tire just next to the tread.

Don't be mistaken; the Corsa Pro Speed is a tire to squeeze the maximum out of a race or time trial, and durability or puncture resistance is of secondary importance. The Corsa Pro Speed will be seen frequently in time trials or even races of the most significant cycling events where first place is everything, and the greater chance of flat tires is taken for granted.

In recent years, new innovations have also been introduced that make flat tires less of a problem, and less time is lost until the wheel or bike can be changed or your chance of getting home with a (partially) flat tire is increased. One of these products is the Vittoria Air-Liner (read our review), which we tested a while back.

We also consider it a major improvement that the Corsa Pro Speed now comes with light-colored sidewalls cotton tires are known for. The Corsa Pro Speed is available in the 24-622, 26-622, and 28-622 sizes. We tested the 28-622, and in this article, we present all the results of our tests.

The Vittoria Corsa Pro Speed takes the title of the fastest road bike tire in the world! The Corsa Pro Speed TLR is 20% faster than the old Corsa Speed (read our review) and 10% faster than the Veloflex Record TLR (read our review). The lower rolling resistance does come at the expense of the thickness of the tread and puncture resistance, which are 25% lower than the old Corsa Speed and now at a comparable level to the Veloflex Record TLR.

Compared to the old Corsa Speed, Vittoria has made the tread a bit wider, which helps better protect the sidewalls against punctures. We have heard from various sources that there were often flat tires due to objects that went through the sidewalls just next to the tread, so this should be an improvement in that regard. The edge grip has also been improved, and the wet grip is now very comparable to the regular Corsa Pro. This grip should be sufficient for most conditions.

If you are looking for the fastest road bike tire to win time trials or races, the Vittoria Corsa Pro Speed is the undisputed first choice. However, remember that this tire has virtually no puncture resistance, and the mileage will certainly not be high. We recommend adding enough tubeless sealant and possibly the Vittoria Air-Liner Road (read our review) or similar products to minimize the consequences of a flat tire.