Hard to say. How quickly can you replace a flatted clincher? :-)

[See: http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=77147]

How long does it take you to change a flat? That much.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Here's a little better answer (I had to go to the bathroom before, that's why my answer was so short, sorry).

I think it would be very difficult to quantify any time savings of tubulars over clinchers. In a wide range of conditions some clinchers may be every bit as "fast" as a tubular.

However, the much higher incidence of punctures with clinchers compared to tubulars is worth noting. That could amount to a significant time savings. It's impossible (I think...) to look at a given ride done on tubulars and say, "Had I done the same ride on clinchers I would have flatted and lost 6 minutes changing the flat." When flats happen they just kind of happen, and tubulars do flat too, they are just much harder to flat.

Performance factors alone, I think (I have no facts to back this up) most tubulars have slightly lower rolling resistance at optimal inflation than most clinchers. The exception may be $60 race specific clinchers which are lighter, easier to flat and as expensive as tubulars but do not have the same flat resistance.

Perhaps the four most notable benefits to tubulars compared to clinchers can be summarized as:

1. Lighter total wheel weight, less mass to accelerate, decelerate.
2. Reduced incidence of flats.
3. Easier for tire to conform/deform on pavement surfaces providing better traction/ride quality.
4. Faster tire changes, although the tire is not properly glued.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

What about those Tufo clincher-tubulars, I hear you can change them out pretty fast?

Dave from VA

The Tubie debate is a bit interesting and a lot like teh "should I use a disc" debate that always pops up.

Just like the disc, the tubie will be faster. How much seems to vary, and certainly fixing the flat makes it much faster. But, the point is, like the disc, it is faster. So, if you have the choice use the disc, and the tubie. Opinions may vary as to how much faster, but I think we can all agree that faster is better.

Now, the real argument seems to be value. Value is a very individualized issue. Noone can tell you value. My "value" says that I train on clinchers and race on tubies. Before I was married, my value said train and race on tubies. Some folks value says to do Triathlons on 10 year old mountain bikes even though they'd be faster on the cheapest Tri bike- not for me, but I can't determine their value. Value is tough, and doesn't make much sense, to argue.

So, I will continue to race on my disc (in ANY conditions) and tubies.

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David
* Ironman for Life! (Blog) * IM Everyday Hero Video * Daggett Shuler Law *
Disclaimer: I have personal and professional relationships with many athletes, vendors, and organizations in the triathlon world.

......except for the pesky fact that they AREN"T faster like a disc, dave. in fact, they roll slower, according to tests such as those conducted by j brandt.

well, not exactly. as i recall sew-ups of very high quality - the kind that do not fold flat because they can't ( ya'll DO use these, right ) glued with unreusable track type glue roll a little bit better than clinchers, on a track. all road-glued sew-ups roll slower than "equivalent" clinchers, according to mr brandt.

Hmmmm.....in the other thread you seemed to say they are 30-45 seconds faster but aren't worth trading for a trip to Fla, so we are back to the value argument.

I have always found the tubies to be faster, and corner better. No, I can't exactly quantify, just like the disc, but you can feel they are faster as soon as you jump on. As Tom stated, this is mostly due to lower rotating weight at the rim and really has nothing to do with measuring rolling resistance in a lab.

BTW, in the past I did race aon some molded tubulars (non-folding) that I bought in Germany at a real bargain. You are right, they are very fast.

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David
* Ironman for Life! (Blog) * IM Everyday Hero Video * Daggett Shuler Law *
Disclaimer: I have personal and professional relationships with many athletes, vendors, and organizations in the triathlon world.

oh. no, i was conceding the 30-45 secs to tom d in changing the rascals in the heat of battle.

but, rolling they are slower, in ever test i ever saw - which is usually attributed to the glue squiggling or deforming or being uneven or somesuch.

they can feel snappier at the fingertips, and i agree that is fun to feel. for that matter, as dre' pointed out last week they can feel better allaround and but for the fact that they are a pain in the a$$ to live with i think that dre's reason for using them (maybe yours) - they feel a little nicer- is really the only valid one left in the world. that is, provided you can feel the difference between a conti and a michelin to begin with. and of course - if you still like to say that a bike made of 753 rides the same as a bike made of oversized aero tubed aluminum save for the seat or handlebars then talking about the ride of sew-ups is patently ridiculous. this is only heightened by the fact that most people are not even ON molded sew-ups, the only type that come close to rolling as well as a good clincher, and only surpass clinchers when they are used on a track with a type glue nobody save track guys use!

anyway, i am with guys such as sheldon brown and j. brandt on the debate. i have been there. when i read or hear of guys getting steered to sew-ups for traithlon as if there is actually something of measuarble merit vis a vis how fast you get to T2 to be had from them i know better. there isn't.

Take that money and get a pair of custom shoes. I am sure you will find the extra comfort a lot more useful than cult like following.

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customerjon @gmail.com is where information happens.

Yeah, you can. But I haven't had to. They are great tires, wear really well, and I have only had two slow leaks in the 4 tires I have gone through. Very impressive.

My only reason for going with Tubulars would be to save weight.

JA