With all the new carbon clinchers, latex tubes and low rr tires is there still a need for tubulars?
I’ll probably regret saying this but, it only took me one pinch flat (snake bite) during a 1/2 IM on a clincher and subsequent pinch of the tube putting on the spare with wet nervous hands to go tubular for racing only. That was 15 years ago and since that time I have not…well you know. For me it just takes one variable out of the equation. I’m fully aware that you can still flat on a tubular but to my knowledge pinch flats are not an issue. Just piece of mind. I’m also convinced that I can still race at a pretty high level on tubulars. Just my $.02.
I’ll probably regret saying this but, it only took me one pinch flat (snake bite) during a 1/2 IM on a clincher and subsequent pinch of the tube putting on the spare with wet nervous hands to go tubular for racing only. That was 15 years ago and since that time I have not…well you know. For me it just takes one variable out of the equation. I’m fully aware that you can still flat on a tubular but to my knowledge pinch flats are not an issue. Just piece of mind. I’m also convinced that I can still race at a pretty high level on tubulars. Just my $.02.
Predictably, I’m going to dispute the validity of this choice!
Pinch flats are very uncommon in my experience unless you’ve underinflated your tyres.
Last time I had one was on a training ride about 3 years ago, and IIRC I had set out without checking tyre pressure having been off the bike for a week. I don’t ride with particularly high pressure (I weigh 82kg and use approx: 85psi front & 95psi rear on 25mm GP4000s, or 95psi front 105psi rear on 23mm Felt tyres).
Aren’t tubie rims generally lighter (and cheaper) as well? The gap in price on the tires (including latex tubes) themselves seems to be narrowing, at least for the high end clincher market.
I’m trying out tubeless right now. I haven’t researched the rolling resistance stuff yet - and by researched, I mean a posting a simple unfounded thread somewhere on this forum saying how awesome tubeless tires are and proclaiming my undying love for them, leading to at least 30 posts worth of information and at least one person suggesting that if I am in their age group I should absolutely keep using them - but the Specialized Turbo looks ok. Probably more of a solution for training than race day.
I’ll probably regret saying this but, it only took me one pinch flat (snake bite) during a 1/2 IM on a clincher and subsequent pinch of the tube putting on the spare with wet nervous hands to go tubular for racing only. That was 15 years ago and since that time I have not…well you know. For me it just takes one variable out of the equation. I’m fully aware that you can still flat on a tubular but to my knowledge pinch flats are not an issue. Just piece of mind. I’m also convinced that I can still race at a pretty high level on tubulars. Just my $.02.
Predictably, I’m going to dispute the validity of this choice!
Pinch flats are very uncommon in my experience unless you’ve underinflated your tyres.
Last time I had one was on a training ride about 3 years ago, and IIRC I had set out without checking tyre pressure having been off the bike for a week. I don’t ride with particularly high pressure (I weigh 82kg and use approx: 85psi front & 95psi rear on 25mm GP4000s, or 95psi front 105psi rear on 23mm Felt tyres).
Since you appear to ride clinchers in races, one honest question for you…did you race on tubulars prior to switching to clinchers or have you always raced on clinchers? If you switched, have you seen N=1 evidence of significantly faster times over races that you have done with both? Again, honest question. Thanks!
I’ll probably regret saying this but, it only took me one pinch flat (snake bite) during a 1/2 IM on a clincher and subsequent pinch of the tube putting on the spare with wet nervous hands to go tubular for racing only. That was 15 years ago and since that time I have not…well you know. For me it just takes one variable out of the equation. I’m fully aware that you can still flat on a tubular but to my knowledge pinch flats are not an issue. Just piece of mind. I’m also convinced that I can still race at a pretty high level on tubulars. Just my $.02.
Predictably, I’m going to dispute the validity of this choice!
Pinch flats are very uncommon in my experience unless you’ve underinflated your tyres.
Last time I had one was on a training ride about 3 years ago, and IIRC I had set out without checking tyre pressure having been off the bike for a week. I don’t ride with particularly high pressure (I weigh 82kg and use approx: 85psi front & 95psi rear on 25mm GP4000s, or 95psi front 105psi rear on 23mm Felt tyres).
I think I’ve been pretty lucky in not getting any flats. Granted I’ve only been riding for a few years now and now am doing more and more riding on an indoor trainer. I have practiced changing a tire a few times and also changed tires. I feel like I’m extra cautious about making sure the tube is not pinched in any way.
Because at one point in time I spent a lot of money on wheels that use tubular tires.
The advantages of clincher tires do not outweigh the cost of buying new wheels.
I just bought a set for my road bike. Why? Because I’ve never owned tubulars and seemed like a fun thing to try. Learning to glue, new research on tire, etc. However, general consensus is the glue hurts CRR compared to the best clincher/latex combo so not the “right” rims to race on. I also wanted to get the feel that is supposed to be so good.
What bothers me is why are pros using tubulars - specifically in TT - where CRR would be critical. I can buy an argument about the peloton and tubulars but don’t understand the TT. Also related to that is if a tri spoke front is the best choice why are all the new ones tubular only? Combine a lower CRR clincher w the best aero shape…
What bothers me is why are pros using tubulars - specifically in TT - where CRR would be critical. I can buy an argument about the peloton and tubulars but don’t understand the TT. Also related to that is if a tri spoke front is the best choice why are all the new ones tubular only? Combine a lower CRR clincher w the best aero shape…
A bunch of fast pros (Tony Martin for example) use/have used clinchers for TTs.
I have used both. Tubulars for 15 years, clinchers for 3. I had two puncture flats with tubulars in those 15 years. I had 2 pinch flats in the past 2 seasons with clinchers.
I also ran sealant in the latex tubes of the clinchers, so that may have had a couple penetrations of the casing in those 3 years, but never had a flat. I use 95-105 psi for the clincher tires. One of the flats I was forced into a pothole by people in bad positions and the second was a stray rock while eating. I only opted to switch to clinchers because I liked the being able to carry less for IM distance races. If I had not sold the old tubular wheels and was racing short course solely, I would definitely have switched back to tubulars.
As for any gain in speed, no. Repeat courses with near the same wattages equaled nearly the same time. There was no significant gains or losses with either type. A properly glued tubular with good tires is the just about the same as a clincher with a good tire as far as I have witnessed. I personally find the maintenance of a tubular easier/cheaper than a clincher/latex/sealant setup.
Same reason as sentania - I bought a nice set of tubular wheels… in 1998. They are still my race wheels. I’ve had most of my gear for a while, as it doesn’t make sense to me to replace things that already get the job done.
I prefer using tubulars in a race as I’m confident I can rip one off the rim, fit a new one and CO2 it back up quicker than I can change a tube and ( most importantly ) find the cause ( especially with the heart pumping and stress levels rising ). If you happen to miss the cause of the puncture and a second puncture occurs you could loose a massive amount of time. I know in certain instances I could use slime but I’m not a fan of the stuff.
I’ll probably regret saying this but, it only took me one pinch flat (snake bite) during a 1/2 IM on a clincher and subsequent pinch of the tube putting on the spare with wet nervous hands to go tubular for racing only. That was 15 years ago and since that time I have not…well you know. For me it just takes one variable out of the equation. I’m fully aware that you can still flat on a tubular but to my knowledge pinch flats are not an issue. Just piece of mind. I’m also convinced that I can still race at a pretty high level on tubulars. Just my $.02.
Predictably, I’m going to dispute the validity of this choice!
Pinch flats are very uncommon in my experience unless you’ve underinflated your tyres.
Last time I had one was on a training ride about 3 years ago, and IIRC I had set out without checking tyre pressure having been off the bike for a week. I don’t ride with particularly high pressure (I weigh 82kg and use approx: 85psi front & 95psi rear on 25mm GP4000s, or 95psi front 105psi rear on 23mm Felt tyres).
Since you appear to ride clinchers in races, one honest question for you…did you race on tubulars prior to switching to clinchers or have you always raced on clinchers? If you switched, have you seen N=1 evidence of significantly faster times over races that you have done with both? Again, honest question. Thanks!
Nope, I never rode tubulars. However, even if I had, I don’t think any figures claiming a speed difference either way would be credible. There’s too many uncontrolled variables to make claims like this more than biased anecdotes.
There are lots of variable with punctures too but at least the outcome is easily measureable.
I’m happy with clinchers and I’m not convinced there’s any point going with tubulars. My sole point in my last post was that I didn’t think the potential for pinch punctures with clinchers was a valid argument for using tubulars. Maybe for cyclocross, but not for TT/Triathlon.
I’ll probably regret saying this but, it only took me one pinch flat (snake bite) during a 1/2 IM on a clincher and subsequent pinch of the tube putting on the spare with wet nervous hands to go tubular for racing only. That was 15 years ago and since that time I have not…well you know. For me it just takes one variable out of the equation. I’m fully aware that you can still flat on a tubular but to my knowledge pinch flats are not an issue. Just piece of mind. I’m also convinced that I can still race at a pretty high level on tubulars. Just my $.02.
It’s funny, but it was a similar reason that I did the opposite. I was always a tubie user, for 20+ years. Then I had a flat on a training ride, on a tubular tire that I hadn’t even used much glue on, and I had the worst time getting it off the rim. Ended up riding it home flat and then even cutting with a razor, tugging on it, it probably took me 10+ minutes to get the thing off. I decided that I’d rather deal with a clincher flat in a race. I do also like the simplicity of the clinchers - easy/clean to put on a new tire the night before a race, always mount perfectly straight, etc. I’m also very careful about installing them before a race, take my time and do it right to avoid pinch flats.
For the record, my fastest times happen to be on my tubulars… 
Pinch flats are very uncommon in my experience unless you’ve underinflated your tyres.
Sometimes the desired inflation is “underinflated” for no other reason than pinch flat risk. CX, gravel, rough road ride.
Because at one point in time I spent a lot of money on wheels that use tubular tires.
The advantages of clincher tires do not outweigh the cost of buying new wheels.
This is a huge factor for me as well.
Can be useful for track and criterium use. Because in the event of a flat in a high speed turn, you have a better chance of saving it. A catastrophic flat on the bank of track is an instant slide-down with a clincher.
Also the lowest Crr tires are probably still tubular. I have no data, but I’d speculate that the Vittoria Pista EVO CS is lower Crr than Supersonic w/latex. I have those on my track discs and the the rubber is practically condom-thin.
Because at one point in time I spent a lot of money on wheels that use tubular tires.
The advantages of clincher tires do not outweigh the cost of buying new wheels.
Now that’s a good reason to use tubulars!
Why tubulars? In bicycle road racing it’s because
- Rims lighter.
- Less pinch flats.
- Better able to ride them when flat (I won a VERY small bike race in which I rode a flat tubular for several miles before changing the wheel). Would not have been possible on clinchers.
That said, I’m pretty sure I’ll never buy a set of tubular wheels again. The benefits are too small relative to the hassle.
I have raced both clinchers and tubulars, I’ll say definitively that it’s not even close. I race my tubulars at 150 psi and they are rocketships. It’s not that clinchers are bad, but there certainly is more rolling resistance. Luckily, I’ve never had a flat in a race, but I’d be lying if I hadn’t concerned clinchers because of the tubular flat issue. I have only had one tubular flat and it was gnarly. The tire rubbed up against the bike, took forever to get off, so it definitely scares me. I just have an issue parting with perfectly good tubular rims.
I did one course twice with both wheels a couple months apart (25 miles)
Tubulars: 1:00:22
Clinchers: 1:03:03