I currently ride a set of H3 clinchers. The wheels were purchased at different times and the rear wheel is really old and about the get retired. I recently came across a really really good deal on a disc wheel, but it come in tubular only. So I would be riding a clincher front and a tubular rear. This set doesn’t really make sense to me, can some please explain if this purchase would be good, ok, or just plain bad? Thanks.
I had a similar question a few years ago on a cycling forum. I was mostly concerned with the handling issue (sorta like mixing a radial tire with a bias ply tire in a car). No one really could give me a straight answer so I never did the combo. Just food for thought if you are running two different setups you’ll need to carry both kinds of repair kits. A tube or patch kit for the clincher and an extra tubular for the sewup. More trouble then it’s worth if you ask me. I’d say use one or the other.
I’ll probably be running that combo for a half, clincher/tubbie. I’m not worried about anything other then going fast.
I think you need to look at the purchase in the context of do you only want to run tubbies or clinchers or are you personally ok running a mixed set. Worst case, flip a coin if you don’t like the answer go with the other, that has served me well through life so far.
Great responses so far. I do not currently race with extra tubes as I only do sprints and oly and if figure if I flat there is not point in finishing because it take me too long to change a tire under those conditions. However, I am thinking about moving up to 70.3 distance and then changing a flat might be a factor. As much as I like the coin idea, I would appreciate it if more people weighed in 
I do the same as you I have a Zipp tubie disc on the back and 404 clincher on the front. I carry pitstop and sometimes carry a spare tube incase my front flats. For the Oly and sprint if you flat its game over anyway
I run a tubbie disc and a Clincher HEDJet90 front. Its no big deal, you’ll never be able to tell, unless you flat : )
I race sprints and Oly so if I flat it race over anyway.
Knock on wood…I’ve been racing for 18 years and never had a flat in a race.
bump
got some advice from people who ride this set up. would anyone who owns/works in a shop care to weigh in? would you advise this set up?
Sell the front clincher and get a tubular. The weight savings will more than make up for the supposed rolling resistance advantage of the clincher.
I’m with your original comment that if you flat, you’re out of contention so what does it matter anyway.
If you’re worried about the difference between a tubular and clincher, just use the matching pair - e.g. Vittoria Open Corsa clincher and Corsa tubular. Grip characteristics will be similar and I can’t think of another area where the difference would matter from a safety point of view. I don’t see the mix as being any worse than running two different clinchers or tubulars even if you don’t run similar tires.
c50jim, great information! i have a BIG question about traction that i forgot to ask earlier. i am running a 23 tire on my front wheel, i am finding that most tubulars come in 19 (just from looking at a few site online, but maybe they were sold out of other stuff and it wasn’t listed). Will I have problems running 23 (front) and 19 (rear)? As far as I know 19 front 23 rear would be better. Do they make tubes in 23?
unfortunately, i cannot justify selling my front wheel. at $745 new i will not get enough in the resale to cover a new wheel, and there is nothing wrong with it currently.
I race a similar set-up in reverse. HED CX 60 Tubular front (bought used here on ST) and Mavic CXP 33 Clincher rear with Wheel cover. Run a Continental Sprinter tubie on the front-700x21 (came with the wheel) and a Continental GP4000s-700x23 clincher on the rear. Raced only 3 sprints this summer with no problems at all. I don’t carry spares in sprints. Really great and affordable set-up by the way.
Do they make tubes in 23?
wider tubs you ask? Why certainly sir, step this way. I assume you’re talking about 700c, where there’s a greater range of tubs.
Continetal Tempo 22mm
Continental Competition 22mm
Contiental Sprinter 22mm.
Continental Grand Prix 4000 22mm
Continental Giro 22mm - cheap as chips
Shwalbe Milano 22mm
Vittoria Corsa Evo KX 21mm - year round tub
Vittoria Corsa Evo CX 21mm or 23mm
Vittoria Pave 24mm - One tough all year round tub.
Veloflex Criterium 22mm
Veloflex Carbon 22mm
Veloflex Roubaix 24mm
Tufo Elite Ride 23mm or 25mm
Tufo S3 Pro 21mm
Vredestein Volante 21mm
Vredestein Fortezza Pro Tricomp 22mm
Zipp Tangente 21mm
I have three wheelsets.
I run Continental Tempo 22mm F and R on disc and PX 101 front.
I run a Vittoria Corsa Evo CX 23mm on my other rear disc with a Hed 3 clincher front using Panaracer Stradius TT 20mm tyre.
I use Continental Grand Prix 22mm on the PX 50mm wheels
I see nothing wrong with having that setup. Keep the H3 rear as you’ll have races where you won’t want to run a disc. But unless its really really cheap you might want to keep looking. Without looking too hard you’ll be able to find good deals on clincher discs. Or for that matter the new Hed JetDisc would be a great choice to go with that H3 front.
You really don’t need to be concerned about traction, or handling characteristics.
The combination ONLY poses a concern for fixing flats. That’s it. Even the width difference isn’t a concern…except that it’s slightly better to match tire width to rim width from an aero standpoint.
As one person mentioned already, you could handle 95% of flats by carrying along some sealant (such as pitstop) that you can squeeze in through the valve, then reinflate and go. It would be faster than changing a tube anyway and works for both front and/or rear (as long as you have a removable valve core in both…can you get that in a clincher tube?).
Yes, I know vittoria makes tubes with removable cores. Other manufacturers probably do as well.
Yeah, contis are replaceable-core too.
If the tubular wheel is a great deal and you think you might want to go tubular then buy it. I used a clincher front and a tubular rear for a while because it was all I could afford. The next year I bought a front tubular so it matched and sold the front.
Sell the front clincher and get a tubular. The weight savings will more than make up for the supposed rolling resistance advantage of the clincher.
What he said.
We’ve been testing Pit Stop on tubies - so far, so good. Good enough I’d seriously consider going without a spare tire at all for shorter distance. For IM length, would run pitstop (very light) & spare & a co2.
I run a Renn clincher rear and blackwell 100 tubular front, I haven’t noticed any problems, although I am currently in the market for a good front clincher. In races I don’t carry repair stuff. If I flat, I’ll either ride it in or quit.