The newest tire to the Vittoria family is supposedly one you can train and race without compromise. The Corsa N.EXT is the everyday tire we all want; comfortable, dependable, sticky in the corners, and fast.
How does it differ from the flagship, Tour stage-winning Vittoria Corsa cotton? Nylon and a revamped tubeless construction. This new tire is the first to have nylon construction and stage with the Corsa category. Plus, it received a tubeless (and hookless) makeover, making it easier to install and more resilient. It all sounds great, but does the tire live up to the lofty expectations?
If this is the first you’ve heard about the Vittoria Corsa N.EXT tires, check out our launch piece for an in-depth overview of the line.
Vittoria Corsa N.EXT tires Key Features
- Nylon casing for added protection without sacrificing much rolling efficiency
- QR-Code for quick roadside tips for flat and tubeless maintenance
- Slip liner on tire bear for easy inflation with a floor pump or roadside
- Fairly light weighing in at 292g for 700 x 28c tubeless version
- Vast sizing 700 x 24c through 700 x 34c (700 x 28c tubeless tested)*
- Both Tube and tubeless tires are available
- Hookless compatible from 700 x 28c through 700 x 34c (tubeless version)
- 100 TPI
- Price: Vittoria Corsa N.EXT tire $75 (tube type) $85 (tubeless)
- Price: Vittoria Airliner Road: $50/each
Vittoria Corsa N.EXT
N.EXT tire specifications
- Tire tested: Vittoria Corsa N.EXT 700 x 28mm tubeless
- Weight: 292g* actual
- Roval CXL 50, 21mm internal measures: 29.15mm
- CADEX hookless with 22mm internal measures: 29.69mm
Installation
I’m familiar with the Vittoria tires and tubeless setup, but primarily for mountain, ‘cross, and gravel. The Corsa N.EXT experience was a first, but it inflated quickly like many tubeless tires from a quality manufacturer. I went with the floor pump to check the bead fit and ease of trail/roadside friendliness.
The new Vittoria valve stems aided this process, and the tires inflated with my road pump, with zero issues on both hooked and hookless rims.
Pressure and dial-in:
The Vittoria Corsa N.EXT tires come in various sizes, ranging from 24c to 34mm. I opted for the 700 x 28mm treads, my go-to size and the most versatile. If you’re a pressure nut like me, you’re constantly tiring to find the balance between comfortable and slow. Running a 28mm tire makes the decision a bit easier, but you always want to push beyond to see how much better the tire can feel.
I found myself running the Vittoria Corsa N.EXT on the road, and at my local criteriums are 75psi. The supple sidewalls felt sturdy and responsive in a tight corner at 75psi with no signs of deformation.
The pressure gave ample small bump compliance over the rough roads of Pittsburgh and the surrounding countryside.
On some gravel exploration rides, I lowered the bar (pun!) to 70psi front and rear and didn’t notice that much of a difference. I hit more rim over the cobbled town streets, but the tire held steady, no slices, no flats.
On the road:
Most of the time on the Vittoria Corsa N.EXT, I rode them mounted on Roval CLX 50s. I’ve been on this setup for a while, and I know the wheels perform. At 21mm internal width, they offer a neutral starting point and one that most riders on carbon wheels will experience.
After dialing in my pressure and getting used to the positive cornering sensations of the Corsa N.EXT, it was a set it and forgot it kind of tire. I rarely had to think about how the tire would perform in a particular situation. The sensation is very close to the Corsa Cotton. The main difference is that I usually run my Corsa Speed Cotton tires with a latex tube, giving them a very tubular feel. The feel of the Corsa N.EXT is less lively and more muted but in a good way.
In the races:
After getting under the Corsa N.EXT tires for some time, I let them rip in some crits. For the most part, the courses of the races were smooth, so I let my inner nerd loose and upped the pressure a psi or two.
The Vittoria Corsa N.EXT is much less pressure sensitive than its cotton counterpart. The side wall and construction are robust, and the threads per inch (TPI) is 100, much lower than the 320 TPI of the Corsa Cotton. But TPI isn’t the driving force of how fast a tire will roll or how supple it will feel, especially when you’re talking about nylon. The gain in pressure (marginal, if at all) didn’t affect the cornering feel of the tires, and they were just as solid over the rough sections of the road.
I found I liked the sensation of the Corsa N.EXT more than the cotton version after many rides. Whether it was the safety of knowing it was much more flat resistant or because I was able to train on my race setup, I can’t say. But if you’re racing and training on the same wheelset and want performance and longevity, the Corsa N.EXT is an excellent option.
Additional flat protection — Vittoria Airliner:
As an added bit of flat support, I opted for the Vittoria Airliner for the second half of my review. I was intrigued with the idea, and after running the XC mountain version for a couple of years, I figured it was a good idea.
However, the idea behind the Vittoria Airline Road differs from the mountain and gravel versions. The liner is inserted in the tire (much easier than you’d think) and acts as a run-flat insert whether you flat or burp, etc. When you inflate the tire with the liner inside, the material becomes more compact, shrinking (slightly) into itself to not affect the rolling or other tire performance.
When the tire is punctured, the Airliner expands slightly and helps keep the tire in place, letting the rider coast to safety or ride home. The sensation of riding with just the liner is about riding at 40psi and will protect the tire from rolling another day.
The Vittoria Air-Liner Road system is compatible with all tubeless road tires on the market. At $50 each, it’s pricey but worth it if you’re a rider that frequently explores the no-cell-service roads. I’ve had no reason to gripe about the Airliner and couldn’t tell the difference in performance, though it did add 25g to the overall weight of my wheelset.
Final thoughts:
If you’re a rider looking to get the most out of a set of tires for racing and training, the Vittoria Corsa N.EXT is worth a long look. The price is not outstanding at $85.00/tire, but it will last you longer than the Corsa Control at $88.00/tire, and you get the benefit of training on your race equipment.
I’ve ridden many (many) miles on my review tires over the past months (yes, months), and they are still competent. The compound of Silica and Graphine seems to be in the sweet spot for longevity and performance.
For more information, check out Vittoria.com
