Tested by Thomas Bogaard
In addition to gravel, there is now also ‘allroad’: bicycles that can handle more than a road bike, but are not real adventure machines. Think of a race gravel bike with limited tire space or an endurance bike with plenty of space. For that kind of riding, Vittoria has the Corsa PRO Control made, and we tested it in the striking size of 42 mm. A slick, so without any bumps.
What does Vittoria promise?
According to Vittoria, this is a fast, yet durable tire for asphalt, gravel, and light gravel. A herringbone pattern should ensure grip, even in the rain. The puncture protection is only under the tread, so the tire remains smooth at 320 tpi.
Is wider also faster?
Let’s get to the theory. A wide tire with low pressure easily handles bumps like pebbles and tree roots, and rolls more smoothly through potholes and poorly maintained roads. This means you lose less energy and get less tired. Good outdoor tests also show that the rolling resistance and air resistance of a wider tire are hardly higher. So what you gain mainly is comfort. And those who sit more comfortably stay on the road longer.
Clacks and stones: floating
On historic village streets, you can ride your race bike in all directions. With these tires on a gravel bike, that’s a different story: a lot of control and you dare to go much faster through the turns. Are you going to ride a bit of a classic route in Belgium this spring and will they fit on your frame? Do it.
Asphalt: nowhere slow
On smooth asphalt, you get little grip, but the tires don't feel sluggish either. The advantage begins where the road surface gets worse. You simply no longer notice the detached layers of asphalt after the winter. Only when the asphalt has completely turned to gravel does this tire reach its limit.
Gravel and even a bit of MTB
On the Gooise gravel, the ‘champagne gravel’ that many Dutch people consider to be real gravel, this is exactly the tire that it is intended for. It rolls smoothly and there is enough grip. Thomas even brought two tight MTB tires and was able to take full advantage of the turns. Of course, not every MTB route is suitable, and it also depends on your technique, but it shows how wide you can use this tire.
The downside: mud
The only real downside: mud. Without studs you have nothing to grab onto in deeper layers, so on wet sections you kind of float around. The motto is to keep speed up and let the bike do the work. Since in the Netherlands you often encounter a bad section on a gravel ride, you have to get through that. The rest of the ride is a feast.
And one more call to action: stop using 28 to 32 mm race tires on your gravel bike. That’s not recommended. These fast, wide slicks solve that problem without making your bike look weird.
Our verdict
Vittoria delivers on its promises: the Corsa PRO Control 42 mm is fast and smooth on all types of roads and very comfortable on poor surfaces. If you don’t do heavy off-road riding and mostly go on gravel when the weather is nice, this is a great choice. Only in the mud should it be compared to a studded tire.