Vittoria Rubino V review: Lighter, faster, better, stronger

Launched in May of this year the fifth-generation Rubino, aptly called the Rubino V, is the latest incarnation of Vittoria’s popular Rubino range. In fact, word on the street is that the previous Rubino is Vittoria's best selling tyre, though we haven't got that in writing. In any case, even if there's only a small grain of truth in that it means there's probably a lot of you interested in whether the latest version is any good or not. 

Compared to its Corsa range, the Rubino V is aimed at everyday performance, the go-to tyre of choice for lunch rides, city riding, commuting and everything in between where a balance of performance factors are required rather than simply hitting that low weight, low rolling resistance, high grip sweet spot that the best road bike tyres aim for. 

The latest option is available in tubeless ready and tube-type options, satisfying those who have seen the light and value the puncture-sealing abilities of tubeless systems, and those like me who prefer the simplicity of tubes. 

Interestingly, Vittoria has also reduced the environmental impact of the Rubino V, with the brand saying the tubeless ready option emits 4% less CO2 emissions than its predecessor and the tube-type a whopping 20%.

The new Rubino V is available with black or tan sidewall colours.

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Design and aesthetics

Vittoria says the updated design of the tyre will better withstand the daily grind of intervals, crit racing, and whatever else you have planned. This general-purpose nature does mean it isn't going to out-perform the likes of the brand's top end Corsa Pro tyres, or even the second tier Corsa N.ext in terms of straight line speed, but it does in terms of price. 

The Rubino V has an updated tread, which Vittoria says increases speed, grip, and durability thanks to the combination of a smooth centre and updated chevron clusters. To this it has changed the rubber compound with more silica added to the mix, to add to the graphene inclusions the outgoing model had. It says this elevates the long mileage, puncture resistance, high grip, and speed capabilities of the Rubino.

The thread count has also been updated, with a 100TPI nylon casing which, when combined with the new compound, has alleged benefits for puncture resistance. 

According to Vittoria, the tubeless ready and tube-type tyre offers decent improvements compared to its predecessor in in rolling efficiency, grip and weight reduction. For instance, the tubeless-ready Rubino is 10 percent lighter, 5 percent grippier and has an 11 percent rolling efficiency compared to the outgoing model, while the tube type is 12 percent lighter and 5 percent more efficient.  

There’s also a bead shield and anti-puncture belt for extra protection, and given plenty of Rubinos will be put to use inside city limits with glass and debris a plenty this is certainly a good thing. 

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Performance

Here we go, the part where I admit I am indeed much like tech writer Tom in my preference for avoiding tubeless and as such I can tell you my inner tube-loving thoughts. 

Firstly, getting these tyres on was like squeezing into a pair of bibs three sizes too small, or like what I imagine it would be like wrestling a monkey into a car seat, but with enough perseverance and determination, possible. 

Armed with an army of tyre levers and patience, the Rubino Vs slowly succumbed to my Mavic All Road rims. The difficulty in mounting these tyres was partly my fault as I chose to run the TLR version with tubes, which is all fine except it means the tyre will naturally fit a bit tighter. 

These tyres also aren’t too heavy. On my scales, they weighed just shy of 335g; not bad considering Vittoria claims they are at 340g, but when set against the likes of the similarly pitched mid-range Schwalbe One, which weigh in at 290g per tyre, they also aren't crazy light either. 

Despite the fight to get these on, once riding the wrestling memories wafted into the distance as the tyres came into their own. What was the most striking was how they impressed in durability and surface adaptability.

Riding around the largely smooth asphalt of Malta, the Rubino Vs rolled effortlessly along, feeling smooth and slick, and the handling confidence was noticeable too. Where smooth tarmac turned to potholes and the odd chunk of gravel, the tyres stayed on the path confidently, still feeling relatively stable and had decent traction. 

The Rubino Vs are grippy, but I still felt the speed (and wind in my hair) when putting in an effort. The damping qualities of seem to have been improved versus the old model in my experience, despite the casing being nominally less supple at 100TPI versus 150TPI. 

For a go-to road tyre which is meant to do it all, the comfort of these tyres is also excellent. When the road switches abruptly from smooth tarmac to dusty and gravelly, it’s not a cumbersome change and the tyres responded well to a variation of surfaces. 

While I’ve not yet tried these tyres in the wet as Malta is currently desert dry, I was able to nod at the puncture resistance. Riding over stones, chunks of road and broken glass, the Rubino V tyres performed well, neither sporting any cuts or nicks nor a puncture in sight, despite my lack of tubeless sealant. The addition of the graphene and silica tread compound and the puncture protection on offer seems to be working, at least in my experience. They aren't a dedicated tough-guy tyre to go up against the likes of the Pirelli Cinturato Velo or the Continental Gatorskin Hardshell, but they perform as well as could be expected in this regard. 

At £44.99 - £59.99 depending on where you shop around from, the Rubino V would be a good choice for their price point and performance level, but when compared to similar tyres currently on the market, I’d be tempted to spend a bit more for a better tyre.  

I’m a fan of the Pirelli P Zero Race 4S tyres, as I find them robust enough for all-season road riding and they feel a little shaper and faster in comparison. In my experience, the Rubino V fall short of the smoothness of the P Zero Race 4S as the Rubino rolls slightly more laboured. While a hard thing to quantify based on feel, I find the P Zero’s offer a more fluid ride when compared to the Rubino V but this comes at a higher price. They are slightly more expensive, but with shopping around you can find them at a price close to the Rubino V at times. 

While not necessarily a like-for-like comparison, it is always useful to compare products to a benchmark (official or otherwise), and in the case of road bike tyres the Continental GP5000 is the de facto gold standard. It is more expensive, though in the clincher version it is less than £25 extra (though you need to double this for a set, of course). 

The GP5000 lighter at a claimed 235g but with a 330TPI casing, and for your extra £50 you get a lower rolling resistance to go with the lower weight, and improved cornering grip. The flip side of this is that they are more prone to punctures, and more expensive to replace if you totally destroy them.

I currently run the Pirelli P Zeros on my Specialized Venge (RIP) and the Continental GP5000s on my Cannondale CAAD8 (also RIP), and I would be tempted to swap the GP5000s for the Rubino V, namely for the Rubino's puncture resistance benefits and surface adaptability, unless I was on a ride where out and out performance was the goal. 

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Verdict

Ultimately, when you look at the price, puncture resistance and traction of the Rubino V, it an excellent option for an everyday performance tyre with a decent balance of tech, durability and value for money. 

The Rubino Vs are the sort of tyres you fit and forget but can continually rely on. The tyres are the ideal commuter, lunch laps and general use road tyre as they can handle a wide range of weather conditions and road surfaces thanks to their durability and tread. 

At £59.99 for tubeless-ready and £44.99 for clincher, the tyres are also well priced for an everyday tyre. They do face stiff competition though from the likes of Pirelli and Continental.

While I found the Rubino V’s tricky to get on, this was partly down to my choice of the range so choose wisely if you run tubes. Either way, it’s not a deal breaker just a small inconvenience. 

I particularly like Vittoria’s transparency on the carbon footprint of each tyre and look forward to more brands releasing this information so consumers can make a more informed choice.