Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Tubulars
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balindamood
06-19-09, 02:47 AM
Anyone using them? I have been thinking of going with wider ones (25-27mm is about as wide as I can find anymore in a road tire). Has anyone tried the cyclecross ones that run 32-35mm, but have a much less agressive tread pattern??
Road Fan
06-27-09, 12:48 PM
I have a set of 2007 Vittoria XN diamond-tread on my Woodrup now. These are 32 mm wide nominally but I measure 30. Nice cushy ride, seem to roll efficiently at 75 psi. They might be butyl tubed or not, I tend to adjust pressure every day, but not as much as I recall from my old days of latex tubed tires.
My Woodrup was designed originally for 27 inch tires, so these big 700c donuts are getting the frame closer to it's original design intent, about 5 mm more trail. I do notice the greater stability, at least without a front bag. Been planning ot try a front bag to see if it is an issue.
I've been mulling over changing to a set of 27 mm Challenger Paris-Roubaix style tires.
What would you like to know?
thompsw
06-27-09, 08:01 PM
I've never ridden on tubulars ... not sure that I would start using them on long distance rides !
Road Fan
06-28-09, 06:47 AM
Good quality tubulars are no more prone to random failure than good clinchers of similar construction (can't compare to armor like a big Schwalbe!). Glass and thorn flats are a function of your road cleanliness. How easy or managable it is to do a road repair to get rolling again is a matter of acquired skill and preference. Fat ones, like clinchers, are more comfortable than skinny ones.
I'm not too clear yet how my diamond-tread tires will do in the rain, or if the gray rubber is better or worse than black rubber. Doing a 40 mile ride today, and on dry land in a few other recent rides they've been very good. Vittoria intended them for winter with hard-packed snow combined with pavement. For me it's more of a low-cost (got a screaming price from PBK a year ago) test of the concept of fat tubulars on the road. So far it's an "I like."
Road Fan
06-30-09, 09:46 AM
I've just read that my Vittoria cross tires have latex tubes. That explains why I'm touching up the pressure daily. If I had a multi-day tour or a long brevet (correction: if I ever work my way up to a long brevet!!!) I would not want to use these.
Gotta investigate clinchers, and the 27 mm paris-roubaix tires.