There is no doubt that a front tyre has slightly different demands placed on it than a rear tyre. Essentially you sit on the rear tyre and the grip required needs to balance cornering and power duties without compromising each other. On a bicycle this is made even harder by worrying about rolling resistance, drag and weight. The lighter the tyre the more likely you are going to have punctures and the heavier more likely to ride like a

STELVIO FRONT & REAR – Black-Skin 700 x 23C Dual Compound – Evolution

SRP:

The ultimate combination for racers: Rubber compounds developed specially for front and rear wheel use. Front compounds give maximum adhesion for cornering and braking. Rear compounds minimise energy loss Use of these special compounds makes power transfer more efficient on both front and rear wheels.

11646111
STELVIO REAR – Black-Skin 700 x 23C Dual Rear Compound – Evolution

SRP: £25.99

Qualifier Compound (QC) dominates the tread centre for the more highly loaded rear wheel, where a low rolling resistance is important. The tyre shoulders use Maximum Grip Compound (MGC) providing for safer cornering. A RaceGuard puncture protection belt is added for breakdown security. All in a 235g 145psi (10.0bar) tyre.

In the wet

In the dry cornering is effortless, the centre section transition is un-noticeable as you slam into corners and they didn’t complain

Tyres are a personal choice and I have always liked the ride of Michelin’s tyres over the past ten years or so. Continental have also almost matched the tubular ride with tyres like the podium and the Force Attack combo. But you cannot beat the ride of a set of decent quality tubular tyres, they are just such a palaver to fit (to the impatient and inexperienced)

This is a big improvement wear-wise on the previous Stelvios, which rode very nicely but had a vulnerable carcass especially in Northern European climates. The Evolution is an apt name for this tyre as it has matched Michelin and Veloflex for handling qualities and Continental for rubber and wear quality. At £50 a pair they’re not too bad price wise either (Conti’s Force and Attack are £28.95 each) and they certainly last a lot longer than previous Schwalbe race tyres.