Veloflex Master 25 700 x 25C
The Veloflex Master 25 is a full-blooded Italian. Handmade in “Bel Paese”, the Master 25 promises outstanding racing performance with a classic tan wall look. A unique feature of the Veloflex? The logo on the edge of the tread is the ideal cornering gauge… If you wear out the logo, you’re the king of corners!
Italy, half-past nine in the morning. First off, we order a short, creamy espresso in the bar on the market square. Actually, make that two! Because that’s what the Veloflex needs to get going. Compared to the other open tubulars, the Master 25 doesn’t accelerate as eagerly due to the rubber compound of the central tread. In this regard, the Veloflex falls behing the competition from Vittoria and Pirelli. Nevertheless, the Italian provides good grip even under braking.
Thanks to its wide tread and composed character, the Veloflex handles very well and always feels predictable and good-natured – even beginners can enjoy carving through fast-paced corners safely. At the limit, the Master is easy to control and proves to be the best open tubular on test. Moreover, the Master 25 was the quietest tire on test.
Thanks to its good damping qualities, the Italian is fun even on rough tarmac and inspires tons of confidence, despite lagging behind the Vittoria and Specialized in terms of comfort. Having said that, the Veloflex is also the narrowest tire measuring bang on its stated 25 mm. This is the only tire that actually measured in at its claimed width. If you’re after a more comfortable ride, you should take a look at the 28 mm version.
Whilst the Veloflex is extremely soft, it’s also incredibly hard to mount. Straight out of the box, the Master 25 is as flat as a pancake, which makes it hard to insert the inner tube. Without any shape to the casing, it can be a challenge to squeeze in the inner tube. During the first installation, we really struggled to get the tire over the rim, but this gets easier with time.
Thanks to its good all-round characteristics and great price point – the lowest in test at € 39 per tire – the Veloflex Master 25 deserves our coveted “Best Value” badge. No other tire in the test field offers this much performance and fun for this little money! Carbon freaks beware! The Italian rubber-stallion is not approved for use with carbon rims.
Conclusions
“Bella Italia” is the motto of the Master 25. With this “Made in Italy” tire, Veloflex provides a great option for easy-summer-riders. Tan wall fetishists and lovers of Italian craftsmanship pay attention to this good-natured and versatile road tire. The Veloflex gets our well-deserved Best Value Tip! Since the Veloflex measured in at exactly its claimed width, we recommend reaching for the wider Master 28 mm if you’re looking for a little bit more comfort.
Tops
- Cheapest tire in test
- Minimal branding, logo is the perfect wear-indicator for cornering
- The only tire on test that matches the manufacturer’s width specifications
Flops
- Hard to mount
- Stiffest open tubular
- Poor puncture resistance
Grip | Rolling resistance | Puncture-protection | Mounting | Value for money
Price: € 39.00
Weight1: 223 g
Width2: 25 mm
Tubeless? Nope, not available as a tubeless-ready version.
Colours? Tan wall with black, blue or red tread and also available as a completely black tire in the Corsa version..
Widths? Available in 23, 25 and 28 mm.
1 The weight was checked against the manufacturer’s specifications and averaged across all tires of the same model we tested.
2 The width was checked against the manufacturer’s specifications and averaged across all tires of the same model we tested.
