Ok Tom D. what should I do about tubies?

Triathlon Forum
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Tom wrote…

**Re: Fastest clincher tires for race wheels  **In reply to]  ****    The fastest tire out there is a tubular, not a clincher.

The advantages of tubualars over clinchers are:

  1. Much higher flat resistance (depndant on tire selection, but almost all tubulars are much more flat resistant than clinchers by design).
  2. Lower rolling resistance.
  3. Lighter weight (rim and tire both).
  4. Better traction due to better tire deformation (takes less energy to deform the tire).
  5. Much faster tire changes should you ever flat in a race.

In my book, the term “clincher race wheels” is an oxymoron. There is no such thing. The first thing that makes wheels “race” wheels is that they are tubulars, not clinchers.

Having said all that, if you already have clinchers, short of selling them on E-Bay and starting over with tubulars (my recommendation) the new Continental Gran Prix Supersonic is a credible attempt at a race specific clincher as are the Continental Force and Attack front/rear specific tire combination.

Ok, Tom, you sold me, so what should I do for the up coming race season. Lets say I have a budget of say $900. Rolf vigors? Zipp 303’s? eBay? tires? Would I be better off with a metal rim? Honestly I’m concerned how do get enough experience to confidently mount and change a tubie? What kinda spare? Any thing else?

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I’m not Tom D., nor do I play him on TV, but I’ll make some suggestions anyway.

$900 for a wheelset and tires, including spare is a little thin, so eBay might be a good route. The obvious choice is the Renn disc in the rear. Pick a suitable front wheel, as deep as your feel comfortable with. I have been racing on Tufo tubies for a while and think they are great. I use the S3 lites in 650c.