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Aero clincers????
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I know 'winners ride tubulars' but after a lot of deep thought I don't think I can make the commitment to buying a tubular race wheelset. The gluing process sounds like a major pain in the arse. I picture myself spending an entire saturday afternoon gluing everything but the tire when I could be out training. Having said this, what recommendations are there for a fast, aero clincher wheelset. The zipp 404's look great and I know I can add a Renn or Hed disc for the flat courses. What are people racing on, or is everyone who is someone racing on tubulars????
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Re: Aero clincers???? [Triman] [ In reply to ]
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Hey,

My race wheels are now tubulars, and I have to say the gluing was not that big a deal. Kind of messy, but not a major disaster. My main reason was the quick, positive tire change if it ever becomes nessecary in a race. I can just see myself screwing around with tires and tubes and pinching something like an idiot. Also, I am a heavy guy and I like to run higher pressures than my clinchers will allow.

That being said, I have not noticed that major difference in "ride quality" people talk about. So don't buy them for that, in my opinion. But don't rule them out because of the project itself. It took me about as long to glue the tires as it does for me to change a pair of clinchers. YOu just have to wait a while for the glue to dry.

Philbert

Dr. Philip Skiba
Scientific Training for Endurance Athletes now available on Amazon!
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Re: Aero clincers???? [Triman] [ In reply to ]
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Winners ride tubulars. So do losers. But we definitely have the nicer tyres and rims out there. I tried like heck to switch to clinchers, and the lightest clincher tyre is a piece of JUNK. One little piece of glass. Sheez...

Pinch flats are a thing of the past, as are many other problems with clinchers, including a boat load of rotating weight. When you remove the rotating weight from a clincher, you substantially remove integral parts of the tyre. A tub is easier to change in a race, and is a generally safer tyre if properly glued.

A Zipp 404 is only good if purchased as a tubular. Otherwise, you will end up with a very heavy clincher.

I learned the hard way, taught myself the easy way and posted it here on the Forum so that it can be easy. The thing is, you should take your time and it will be fine. Just use the search function and you will find my easy-to-follow instructions.

Go ahead, get equipment that won't hold you back. Ride real race wheels- TUBULARS!!!!!
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Re: Aero clincers???? [bunnyman] [ In reply to ]
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Waybe this is a stupid question (I know no stupid questions, just uninformed idiots)

How is a tubular easier to change than a clincher in a race? I would think that the gluing thing would slow you down? As you can tell I am new to this biking thing.



Adam (ex-swimmer and runner, trying to learn how to ride)
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Re: Aero clincers???? [Yarf] [ In reply to ]
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While I've never done this having never ridden tubulars, this is what I've been told.

Since the gluing process is done well before, then as Bunnyman explains, you fold the tire with waxpaper on the glued section, if you flat, you remove the old tire, and simply pull the new one on and inflate. The pre-gluing is supposed to be enough to hold the tire on. There have been comments about being very careful taking hard turns after this process, but as I stated I have never ridden tubulars before. I can understand the pros of riding them, but do not have the time or space to stretch, glue, hang to dry, etc spare tires. Maybe if I ever get fast or really serious about this stuff, I'll change my mind. Or maybe when I buy new wheels.



- Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.
P. J. O'Rourke
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Re: Aero clincers???? [Yarf] [ In reply to ]
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You pre-glue your tyre. Actually, more than half of holding a tub on is tyre inflation. The glue works as a failsafe.

The biggest part of re-installing the tubular is inflating it properly. This is the case where I say you must inflate it very high. It will hold, and more than likely, there will not be a rolling problem if the preglued spare is inflated properly.
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Re: Aero clincers???? [Triman] [ In reply to ]
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              I ride Zipp 404 clinchers full time. I don't have time to be switching wheels back and forth depending on how important the ride is to me. I also believe in training on what you race on. I won't fool myself into having a good race with "Whoa, I'm on my race wheels today, I'm really going to be fast!" I chose the clinchers for durability. I tested that idea when someone hit me with they're car door sending me up the curb and into the flowerbeds. I schredded the tire but the wheel was still perfect. Sure the clinchers are heavier, but a set of 404clinchers is only slightly more than a Renn disc without a front wheel.

---------------------------
''Sweeney - you can both crush your AG *and* cruise in dead last!! đŸ˜‚ '' Murphy's Law
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Re: Aero clincers???? [bunnyman] [ In reply to ]
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winners ride tubulars...

and so do some losers.

losers ride clinchers...

and so do MANY winners.



404 is a killer wheel, clincher OR tubublar!
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Re: Aero clincers???? [luke] [ In reply to ]
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Ok, seeing as the new generation of clinchers are almost/as good as tubs are... are there any real benefits (weight aside) between the two?

Tubes cost 5 bucks, tubular tyres cost 50+

that right there seems like enough benefit for me to pick clinchers over tubulars.

has anyone done an actual comparion between the two of them, empirically or otherwise, and have some data to back it up?

thanks,

-kevin

p.s. just curious, b/c i am considering a h3 or 404 set (maybe with renn disc???), and wondering what to pick




"Anyone can work hard when they want to; Champions do it when they don't."
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