Vittoria’s Rubino has been my ‘go to’ summer tyre for quite a few years now. They have a good heritage and are well made, but are always competitively priced. On the road during the summer the Rubino’s are supple, providing a good level of grip and a comfortable ride. More importantly, in my experience, with the exception of a couple of pothole-induced pinch flats, they have been very puncture-resistant.
The only issue I have with the Rubino’s is their performance as the autumn and winter weather takes a grip. You’d expect most tyres to wear during the summer, but the Rubino’s have a central strip that wears very smooth quite quickly. During the summer and dryer days this isn’t a problem, but as the roads get damp and slippier (with leaves and oil), the tyres start to lose their confidence. Even pushing hard up a damp hill can be enough to spin the wheel on slightly worn Rubinos, and descending becomes decidedly unnerving – these tyres have a real Jekell and Hyde character depending on the seasons.
As you do more riding, you start to realise that you are best having two sets of tyres for the summer and winter… The Vittoria Rubino Pros will continue to be my summer tyre… As for the winter option, that’s still a working project, with Continental Gatorskins getting the nod at the moment.
HThe Rubino Pros also give you a chance to play with some colour choices. Although the rules say that tyres should always be black, I’ve not had a problem with adding some colour and, having ridden black Rubinos as well, it doesn’t appear to affect the performance.
