Have read up on the rolling resistance of clinchers and for a triathlete that may have to change a tyre during a race it seems clinchers would be a better option for tyre as the amount of glue required to secure a tubular to allow it to have a lower rolling resistance makes it too difficult to remove quickly in a flat I assume.
Problem is, most of the best race wheels seem to be tubular and very few clincher options.
Also Clincher rims seem to be much heavier.
I know aero trumps weight and rolling resistance trumps weight.
But it seems tubular are still the way to go for some time until they make some better clincher rims.
yeah I guess. Although HED’s best range the stingers are tubular only.
Zipp’s are too expensive for me to even consider so was more looking at stuff around HED’s prices.
There are just more tubular wheels available, I wonder if it’s just a simple case of supply/demand. Most people race on tubulars. That might change.
I notice zipp do another clincher under the SRAM brand, the S40/60/80 but boy they are heavy. Guess weight doesn’t matter that much. Once you wack on a wheel cover though the rear will be around 1500grams - I think thats pretty heavy
I know aero trumps weight and rolling resistance trumps weight.
You write this, but clearly don’t believe it if you think that tubulars are still the ‘way to go.’ If you truly want to believe this then go add two pounds to your bike and see if you notice the difference. Even better if you have a power meter and you can test it that way.
If rolling resistence is even with proper gluing of tubulars, weight is irrelevant and clinchers will change flats quicker and be faster after the flat change then explain how tubulars are a better choice for triathletes. Please.
I’m sold on clinchers. There are just too many advantages for me
Rolling Resistance
Lighter and smaller to carry a spare tube in races.
Can ride the bike with race wheels on to races and not have to worry about getting a flat too much, just change the tube on the way.
Arguably more contact with the road so better cornering
No glue hassles
No need to have extraordinary brake bads
Lower initial cost of tyres (I think) and certainly no need to worry about flatting (I keep mentioning flatting as there is a lot of debris where I ride and race and flats are a real big issue.
Just on that, are clinchers more prone to flatting??
Just on that, are clinchers more prone to flatting??
In regards to punctures (which your statement about debris tends to imply)…absolutely not.
Some claim that tubulars are less prone to “impact” flats (i.e. “snakebite”, or “pinch” flats from hitting an obstruction)…but, to be honest, I haven’t suffered from a flat of that type in a LONG time, and when I did it was typically due to a VERY large impact (as in it ruined the rim as well) or not paying attention to my inflation pressures. The fact that the term “snakebite” was coined in regards to flats of tubular tires way back when implies that tubulars are in no way immune to those types of failures as well. IMO, it’s a part of the mythos of cycling to claim that tubulars flat less…
Personally…if you’re looking for a good cost/benefit in race wheels and tires, I’d see if you could scare up some lightly used non-C2 Hed Jets in whatever depth you’re comfortable with and shod them with some Bontrager Aero TT 19C tires and latex tubes (make sure your rim tape is top notch for those tubes). That’s a really tough combo to beat price/performance-wise.
If rolling resistence is even with proper gluing of tubulars, weight is irrelevant and clinchers will change flats quicker and be faster after the flat change then explain how tubulars are a better choice for triathletes. Please.
Well, the RR of properly glued tubulars is slightly better than clinchers. So it’s the perfect solution for
the triathlete that has a support car behind them to do quick wheel changes in the event of a flat.
I was thinking of getting complete bike that comes with SRAM S60/S80 front/rear. Then wack on a wheelbuilder aero cover.
I can then use the wheels for some road races I do and also the obvious use of time trials, duathlon etc by putting the wheel cover on.
I already have a road bike so the package of getting race wheels with the bike - which normally I would think a silly idea actually may suit me this time.
WOuld like to know peoples opinions on the time warp.
I give my 2 cents since I’ve ridden both tubbies and clinchers on and off for 19 years:
RR - I can’t tell any difference. maybe on paper and to save a few seconds in a race, maybe, maybe not
I’ve never flatted in a race, so I don’t worry too much about it
I don’t ride my bike to races : )
I have no idea about the larger contact patch of clinchers and have always found that tubbies corner far better
Glueing is not a hassel if you know how to do it, its very easy. Unless you are going to worry about the few seconds you might save by glueing that tire on like its concrete, glueing is easy, fast and easy to remove and change a flat. I’ve done alot of glueing in 19 years and I’ve never rolled a tire off a rim and never knew anyone else that did. Yes, there are a few that have done it maybe, but you’ll probably get hit by a car more often : (
tubbies don’t need special brake pads, carbon rims do. You can use carbon brake pads on aluminum rims too. SO just buy a set and never change 'em
A good tubbie and a good clincher cost about the same.
Flats on a tubbie are far faster to change then clinchers. I can change a tubbie in about 3 minutes. I get alot less flats with tubbies as most clincher flats are pinch flats and you can’t do that with a tubbie. I race on tubbies, I train on my tri bike with tubbies and I train on my road bike with clinchers ( I have a PT clincher wheelset)
