Tubular tires have proven capabilities and despite the advances in tubeless and clincher options, the roughest road events and cyclocross courses ensure tubulars are still not only relevant but ascendant when grip, feel, compliance and footprint matter.

Most cycling fans would fail to endorse the concept of subtlety when describing the the cobbled sections of Ronde Van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix Spring Classics. When grit, power, athleticism, and boldness are generally defining characteristics associated with race favorites, it is easy to see why. And yet some of the most crucial decisions teams and riders historically have had to make are related to wheels and tires. With frames and tires (even saddles and bar tape) becoming more technically advanced, many riders now ride mid section aero wheels. Gone are the days of the 32 hole 3x alloy wheel choices, which means tire selection plays a much larger role, and remember while the cobble sections are crucial to success, there is plenty of pavement and connecting track to be dominated as well before reaching the finish. Enter the Specialized S-Works Turbo Hell Of The North Cotton Road Tubular Tire, that offers measurable performance and real subtleties that make the design effective and competitive in the worst "road" conditions a cyclist can face.

The primary performance drivers of the tire are the 290 TPI cotton casing and the latex inner tube. This incredibly supple foundation and coordinated system not only delivers great feel from it's flexibility, but is also the product of master craftsmanship, leading to a truly round and consistent basis for the tread rubber and protection belt. The casing and inner tube suppleness allows the tire to more easily roll over and make smoother, faster transitions from one odd shaped surface to the next, crucial for cobbles. Clinchers and tubulars often struggle with these conditions, due to pinch flat risk, but a great tubular at proper pressure slithers over the coarse transitions more easily, contorting faster and taking the pressure off edges. Of course, a cotton based casing is an old technology in the bike world, but it is back in vogue now because protection belts, such as the Specialized BlackBelt version used here, have become more effective and more importantly, more flexible, so as to better match the casing's capabilities. When you add a more advanced rubber compound and proven tread design, the S-Works Turbo Hell Of The North Cotton Road Tubular Tire truly comes to life.... Read More