2026 track tubular guide: Crr compared (Continental, Vittoria, Veloflex, Dugast)

The rolling resistance coefficient (Crr) is the most underestimated equipment variable in track cycling. At 55 km/h it contributes less dissipated power than aerodynamics, but it is the cheapest to improve: changing tubular can gift you 1.5 seconds in an IP without touching position or fitness. Here is the 2026 comparison with real data from wooden tracks.

What Crr is and why it matters less than you think (until it matters)

Crr expresses the fraction of the rider's weight that turns into resistive force from rolling:

A 74 kg pursuiter with Crr = 0.0020 dissipates 1.45 N of rolling force. At 15.8 m/s (57 km/h) that is 22.9 W. If Crr goes up to 0.0028, power rises to 32.1 W. Difference: 9.2 W constantly for 4 minutes. With aerodynamic power scaling with the cube of velocity, those 9 W translate to about 1.3 seconds in IP.

Data measured on wooden track (Siberian pine, 20°C, 65 psi)

Continental Sonderklasse: the 2026 benchmark

The Sonderklasse remains the reference. Black Chili compound tread, thin nylon carcass, sustained pressures up to 12 bar. It rolls a Crr of 0.00195 on covered track at 10 bar. Downsides: price (200 €+ per unit), limited availability, low abrasion resistance. It is a pure race tyre: nobody trains on it for six months.

Vittoria Pista Speed: the winning balance

With Graphene 2.0 compound and Corespun-K casing, the Pista Speed rolls a Crr of 0.00205 at 9 bar. It sits 5% behind the Sonderklasse in raw Crr but lasts 4-5 races before losing performance. For a club running 8-10 competitions per season, cost per second gained is the best on the market.

Veloflex Record: the consistent European option

Italian handmade, cotton casing and Vectran tread. Crr = 0.00218. The advantage is not raw Crr (it lags) but corner feel: the cotton casing has a progressive lateral response that many riders describe as "stickier" on the banking. Suitable for sprint and Keirin where grip matters more than the last hundredth of Crr.

Dugast Pista Cotton: the specialist classic

100% handmade in Belgium. Combed cotton casing at 350 TPI, max pressure 11 bar. Crr = 0.00240. Slower than the Germans and Italians in Crr, but many sprinters prefer it for start feel: cotton deforms more and transmits torque better on the first pedal stroke. Over a 200 m TT, grip gain can beat the Crr loss.

The effect of pressure

Against popular intuition, raising pressure doesn't always lower Crr on wooden track. Continental publishes curves where the Sonderklasse at 10 bar rolls faster than at 12 bar on smooth wood: past a certain pressure the tubular stops absorbing microscopic irregularities and "hops", raising effective Crr. Rule of thumb: max recommended pressure for smooth track, minus 0.5 bar for grainy track.

Which to pick for your event

References: AeroCoach Crr Database 2024. Continental Rolling Resistance Test Report 2025. Bicycle Rolling Resistance Lab (2024) — Track Tubular Comparison. Vittoria Graphene 2.0 whitepaper. Blocken B. et al. (2018).