I’ve just received a tubular front 404 as a gift. I have also recently made a rear monkote clincher disk. I’ve got a 1/2 IM coming up in late June and can’t decide what wheel combination to ride. Here are the options I’ve got:
Ride the tub and clincher and carry both spares or one spare.
Ride the clincher disk and a Ritchey DS (28mm) clincher front.
Ride the 404 front and buy a $100 tub training rear, possibly make it into a monokote disk.
I’m reluctant to buy a $100 tubular rear training wheel since I may buy a Renn later this year. However, the one ride I’ve had on my monokote clincher was very nice. Should I just make the monokote tubular disk and forget about buying a disc at all?
I have the same problem. I have a Renn clincher disc and Zipp 303 Tubs. At St. Anthony’s I carried 2 spares. I want to sell the disc and by a tubular from Frank but he tells me it will be 5-7 weeks to get one as his suppliers goofed up some of his rims. I think I will just use my Zipps for most of this season as I gain more confidence in them. I cannot honestly say there is too much difference for me, between the 303 and the disc rear wheels, and I don’t have to carry extra stuff.
Or say screw it, make sure that you start the race on new rubber with latex tubes (less prone to pinch flats) and go with out spares! That is what I do…not once in a race (knock on a whole damn forest of wood) have I had any issues.