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review

Vredestein Fortezza Senso Xtreme Weather tyre

8
£44.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Durable and reliable tyres for your winter race bike
Good puncture proofing
Hardwearing
No tubeless option
Weight: 
279g
Contact: 

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The Fortezza Senso Xtreme Weather tyres are Vredestein's solution to wet and cold conditions and they work well, offering decent levels of grip, wear rates and puncture proofing, and the rolling resistance doesn't feel too bad either.

Tricomp technology is used on the majority of Vredestein's road tyres and it basically means it uses differing compositions of rubber dependent on what job it's got to do. The central section that sees the majority of the work is harder and durable, while the edges are softer to provide better cornering grip.

> Find your nearest dealer here

The Fortezzas use Vredestein's XWS compound which feels to be a rubber grade that remains supple enough even once the temperature starts to drop below freezing.

The carcass is 120TPI (threads per inch) which is quite low considering how supple they feel, and the rolling resistance isn't too bad. Out in the real world, the difference in average speed compared to a lighter summer tyre is barely noticeable, with just a little more drag maybe under acceleration. Weight-wise things are pretty good, too, at 279g, especially considering they have a full polyamide fabric casing running from bead to bead for full puncture protection.

Vredestein Fortezza Senso Xtreme weather 700x28C tyre 2.jpg

Vredestein has stiffened the shoulders to what it calls Curve Control System; this means the tyres hold their shape under hard cornering, resulting in you remaining on the correct compound for longer. From this, you get great grip in the corners and roundabouts, allowing you to bank the bike over steeply with full confidence. Even in the wet the grip levels change very little, and while you're not likely to be carrying the same speeds into the bends, the Xtreme Weathers feel surefooted; if they do break traction they do it very slowly, allowing you to adjust your line or centre of gravity.

Vredestein_Fortezza_Senso_Xtreme_Weather_Tyres_Fitted_2

They're comfortable, too, thanks to the supple carcass, and as far as durability goes, they are yet to pick up a single cut or puncture.

The Fortezzas aren't tubeless ready so your only real option is using them with an inner tube. I found fitting them to a couple of rims absolutely no issue at all. I could pop them on with just thumb pressure, and when inflated you can see and hear the bead snap securely to the rim.

Vredestein_Fortezza_Senso_Xtreme_Weather_Tyres_Fitted_1

Size-wise there are a few options available, with the narrowest at 23mm – I know, how old school! But you can also get 25s and these 28s, all with the same TPI make-up. The 28s do have lower minimum and maximum pressure recommendations though: 6-8 bar, as opposed to 8-12 bar of the narrower versions.

Looking at value, the Fortezzas are around the same price as many similar tyres – and undercut others.

> Buyer's Guide: 17 of the best winter tyres

The Michelin Power All Season shares many of the same characteristics and costs £47.99.

Another option could be the Pirelli P-Zero Velo 4S, which has a price of £45.99, but although it sounds quicker than the Vredesteins in terms of rolling resistance, it doesn't offer the same amount of puncture protection.

They are cheaper than similar offerings from Continental, though, with its Grand Prix 4 Season having an rrp about a tenner higher.

Overall, the Fortezza Senso Xtreme Weather tyres are solid all-rounders for your quick winter bike or long distance commuter, as they'll deal with pretty much whatever the weather can throw at them.

Verdict

Durable and reliable tyres for your winter race bike

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Vredestein Fortezza Senso Xtreme Weather tyre

Size tested: 700x28

Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Vredestein says, "High-performance tyre for cold and wet conditions providing maximum grip and puncture protection"

They certainly offer plenty of grip in all sorts of conditions.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Vredestein lists these features:

Competition tyre for extremely cold and wet weather conditions

*XWS compound, applied using our TriComp Technology®.

*Low rolling resistance and outstanding grip, even in wet and cold weather conditions.

*The Curve Control System® guarantees durability and an exceptional ride quality, even in corners.

*120 TPI

*6-8 BAR

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
7/10
Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Very good grip levels in both the wet and dry.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Very durable.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The durability and puncture protection take away a little of the speed.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

Pricing is on a par with options from Pirelli and Michelin as I mention in the review, but they are cheaper than similar offerings from Continental, for instance, with its Grand Prix 4 Season having an rrp about a tenner higher.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

Really good dependable tyres for winter use, offering plenty of grip and puncture protection at a reasonable price, with the only slight downside being that you sacrifice a little bit of speed.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 41  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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1 comments

Avatar
rejourda | 4 years ago
0 likes

Great tyre and I have been using them for years on my long distance commute with only the odd puncture. Seems to be difficult to buy in this country anymore.

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