Obviosly noboy that have ridden both high-end tubulars and clinchers.

- But a lot of people just KNOWS that tubulars are superior?

BTW: I'm not shure tubulars are faster in all conditions. Some research have found out that tubulars have higher rolling resistance due the flexibility in the glue. (That's why they use a non-flexible and not removable glue on track.)

       I'll take a stab at this. I think the biggest difference is in the rims. If you ride an all carbon rim like the Zipp404, you will save around 400g in the most important area of the bicycle; the rims. Weight of the tires could go either way depending on which you choose. The ride if the tires; I think it's all in the head. Tubulars supossed flat resistance; no way. I'm watching the Tour every mornig while I ride the trainer and I see flats all over the place. Just make sure you put enough air in your tires. However, if you ride an aluminum rimed wheel like the Hed3 or the Renn disc, now you are talking about 150g for the set. Not so much. At That point it just becomes your preference.

---

---------------------------
''Sweeney - you can both crush your AG *and* cruise in dead last!! 😂 '' Murphy's Law

I ride tubulars for racing and training. I have no more clinchers. I've ridden both tubbies and clinchers over the years, switched back and forth, but tubbies are the way to go. Easier to mount, faster (IMHO), better ride, better in corners, Hardly ever flat. Remember, most clincher flats are pinch flats, tubbies can't pinch flat so you eliminate those flats right off the bat!

---

.
.
Paul

I ride tubulars on my race wheels, and I do it for two reasons: First of all, and maybe most importantly, Bunnyman said so. Second of all, you can ride a flat tubular if you have to. I do a lot of sprint tris, and I figure if I flat at mile 9 of an 11 or 12 mile ride, I can ride on in to T2 on a tubular. If I'm on a clincher, I have to stop and change the tube and my race is over. I also tend to believe that tubulars are more flat resistant than clinchers, if for no other reason than their aforementioned immunity from pinch flats.

I'm also slow, and riding tubulars makes me feel fast.

RP

Tubulars can have a nice road feel and superior grip.
Clinchers can have a nice road feel and superior grip.

Both depend on tire pressure

Both can have Tufo tire sealent added as a preventative to flats.

The best reason to buy tubulars is a lower rim weight for what I'd call snappier accelerations.

The best reason to buy clinchers is that they are more cost effective.

Pro's can and do win on both. The poster who is using anecdotal observations from watching the tour may not realize that over half the peloton is riding clincher tires. His flat logic has no basis, we don't know what they were riding, even if we check the equipment list for that team as they often ride what they prefer. There is evidence that tubulars have greater rolling resistence due to tire squirm between the rim/glue. This difference is slight but measurable.

All in all, ride what you want. If you can afford tubulars, have little heartburn when you toss a $90 tire into trash and feel OK gluing or taping a wheel, go for a tubular. If hassling with glue doesn't sound fun and your pocket book or your common sense doesn't allow you $90 flats, ride clinchers.

I have both, prefer tubulars and even train on tubulars often. I use the tufo sealent and have only flatted once when using it. I flated two miles from home, limped in carefully and tossed a very worn tire.

Just split the difference. Use Tufo Tubular Clinchers. I have 6 of them on three sets of wheels!

Go to www.sheldonbrown.com and look for his articles about the differences between tubular and clincher tires. Sheldon and Jobst Brandt are highly regarded experts on cycling equipment in general, and all things wheel-related, in particular.

I'll paraphrase what I've read there. The mystique of the tubular tire's superiority to the clincher is something that's carried over from the old days when all clincher tires were heavy, wire-beaded things. Today's kevlar-beaded clinchers are much lighter. The combination of a tire/wheel and/or tire/tube/wheel will still show a slight weight advantage to the tubular tire. However, if you are inclined to carry a spare tubular in the event of a flat, as opposed to a spare tube for your clincher, you will have fully negated the weight advantage.

As for rolling resistance, there are high-quality clincher tires that are actually superior to tubular tires. If I understand this correctly, because clincher tires tend to be more eliptical in shape, they tend to have a smaller contact patch. Granted, you can generally get a higher psi with a tubular tire. But Mr. Brown argues that the optimal psi for a tubular or a clincher is about the same ... so no advantage there, either.

I've read many posts in Slowtwitch where people talk about a big advantage with tubular tires being that you don't get pinch flats. I've ridden 150,000 miles on clinchers over the last dozen years. I've NEVER had a pinch flat. NEVER! Pinch flats generally happen when you run tires at low pressure and impact something very hard. Mountain bike riders get lots of pinch flats 'cuz they run tires at 30 psi or less. You're not gonna get pinch flats on a clincher at 110 to 120 psi which is the most common inflation range.

Tubular proponents will argue that you can ride a ways on a flat clincher. So what? How far are you gonna ride it? This is an advantage for the pros who can keep up with the peloton while they await the arrival of neutral service or a team car. What advantage is there to the average joe? None! If you've gotta fix a flat, you've gotta fix a flat. Period. I can put a new tube in a clincher and be rolling in 3 to 5 minutes. Or, I can put sealant in ... just like you can with a tubular.

Now consider the price. HUGE advantage to clinchers. HUGE advantage.

So ... weigh what you read carefully. Tubulars have a lot of mystique and myth. The days where they offered a meaningful advantage were in the past.

Bob C.

very well said. i ride clinchers - never tried tubulars - so i don't have anything to compare them too. when you say, high quality clincher - what makes them high quality and do you have any recommendations? i ride conti gp3000. thanks.

Ride a flat...I would much prefer to flat on a downhill on a tubbie than a clincher...you WILL crash on the clincher...take the Keene hill for instance, what would YOU rather flat on if you had to get a flat on that hill?

---

----------------------------------------------------------

What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

Bob C.

Hey CCF

Well tubies or clinchers? It’s like Zip 404’s or Hed H3?

I have been riding and racing bikes for almost 20 years now! So I have seen this come and go. Back in the mid 80’s saw-ups were the thing to have for racing. But then the much better clinchers came in and we all switched to them, no glue no mess put’um on and ride.

I had a set of sew-ups for TT’s back then and they worked fine, but I was always watching the road for glass and nasty stuff that would get you a flat. Like a lot of people had said you get a flat with a saw-up and it toast!

So yes I have used both saw-ups and clinchers and I think in real life and every day racing the new clinchers are a better way to go. And I don’t get this saw-ups are faster stuff I have never felt that?

Bikedude…

No body has addressed the single most important: which is cooler.

Tubulars win this test hands down. Fact is that you will never truly understand, and fully experience, cycling until you've done two things: (1) glued and ridden a tubular tire, (2) ridden a fixed gear.

HH

---

________
It doesn't really matter what Phil is saying, the music of his voice is the appropriate soundtrack for a bicycle race. HTupolev

Just try two tufo tubuilar clinchers - no extra investment on the wheels. Cost you less than $80 if you buy their S33's on Ebay. Usual winning price for two is about ~$60 to 70.

In a race........(the ONLY time I ride tubulars) I can change a flat tubular much faster than a clincher.....a pre stretched pre glued tubular is a snap.....ever try wrestling with a kevlar beaded clincher tire,levers, tube & rim with very wet hands........while the clock is running?

---

I shall never misuse Rex Kwon Do
I shall be a champion of freedom and justice

Tubluar?

Nucular?

---

_________________
Dick

Take everything I say with a grain of salt. I know nothing.

I agree the tubulars have the cool factor and I ride them now most of the time (Pave' rule in the winter).

The weight difference being negated is crap - it is about ROTATIONAL WEIGHT.

Tubulars corner better, last longer and yes, you can change a flat faster.

---

John Teeters
866-508-4676
john@triumph-multisport.com
http://www.triumph-multisport.com

I did have a flat doing about 40 on the Keene hill, I type today due to being on tubbie's

If you want a decent disc wheel, tubular is your only option. If I were running deep rims I would go clincher. I have used both. Tubulars are a pain in the arse to glue.

Which rider in the TdF took that header when he rolled a (tub) tire? Was that Beloki?

I dig the hum of tubulars (at least the last time I rode them, circa '85), but am spooked about rolling one. Plus, I get flats from glass chunks and even a skinny finishing nail (last week). Hit either of those and POOF -- sewup be gone (instead of a $9 Nashbar training slug).

---

**************
Too f@ckin depressed from various injuries to care about having a signature line.

Sponsored by Blue Shield PPO.

the main cause of his crash was that he lost control of the bike and started to fishtail. it is true that he rolled a tubular, because extremely high temperatures do weaken tubular glue.

Bump.

I was afraid this thread was going to die and this would be the last time this subject was ever addressed.

---

Ben Cline


Better to aspire to Greatness and fail, than to not challenge one's self at all, and succeed.