Triathlon - another tubular vs clincher thread...

So this one is a bit more tri specific.

I have the option of tubular wheels or clinchers for an extra $300. Naturally, I am leaning toward the tubulars. I am planning on using tufo tape to glue them, and because i will be racing on them, I will expect the worst, and assume they will flat sometime while I am racing.

Does anyone else use tubulars? If so, how much longer would it take to change? How much would you trust an unglued tubular?

Also if anyone uses tufo tape, would you recommending putting on another layer during the race if you got a flat?

Take a look at the weights between the tubular and clincher models of what you want to buy. Then add the weight of the tubuar tire you plan on using because you'll have to carry a spare. Tubies quickly lose their advantage when you think of them this way.

Rolling weight is more important than weight strapped to your saddle rails.
The total weight difference equals the spare tubular weight minus the weight of an innertube and tire levers.
A glued tire can be faster to change than a clincher. This is contingent on the spare being prestretched (http://www.slowtwitch.com/mainheadings/techctr/maintenance/tiremount.html).
Regluing is not mandatory. After flatting, corner more carefully as it's possible to roll an unglued tubular off the rim.

OK, lets add in the extra weight of your levers, rim strips, extra tubes, flat kit, etc. and you'll see it is an even game again. The OP never mentioned weight as a compelling factor in choosing tubulars. And no, you don't HAVE to carry a spare. It might be advisable while just riding around, but I certainly don't carry a spare while racing.

To the OP- I would avoid any product with the name Tufo on it (except maybe the sealant, if you are into that sort of thing). It isn't much work to glue tubulars, and I fail to see the real advantage to tape (from what I can tell-- and I have never used it-- it looks like it is easier to install, and more difficult to properly remove.)

Changing a tubular actually takes LESS time than a clincher. Just use a pre-glued spare. And how can you use more than one layer of tape? Stick with glue.



Take a look at the weights between the tubular and clincher models of what you want to buy. Then add the weight of the tubuar tire you plan on using because you'll have to carry a spare. Tubies quickly lose their advantage when you think of them this way.

I used tubulars for almost a year back in the '70s when I bought a used bike that came with them. Was living in Tucson with lots of thorns on the roads so experienced a number of flats before the tires finally wore out and I switched over to clincher rims. Changing the tire on the road was much faster than changing the tube in a clincher. But completing the repair then required at least half an hour at home to undo the stitching on the old tire, patch the hole, and stitch the tire together again.

Although I don't recommend this, I never put any glue on the rims in the time I had them. The old glue put on by the previous owner was still a little tacky even after repeated tire changing and I never felt any tendency of the tires to roll off. I'm not a daredevil descender, but I don't remember holding anyone up on club rides that went down some of the mountain roads in the area (Gates Pass, 'A' mtn., Hitchcock Hwy, etc.).

Have similar debates with myself. If you know what you're doing and are prepared, changing a tubular (a single to us aussies) is going to be faster than a clincher. But if I was on a twisty course I'd be riding more conservatively afterwards for a while to make sure the glue or tape bonded. Good way to trash a rim if the tyre rolls off.
I ride clinchers on my training wheels but singles on the race ones. Could easily be reversed and I probably wouldn't notice the difference until i got a flat. Got two the last time i was out on the singles BTW.

Just a quick note, the Tufo tape is very slow for rolling resistance. Somewhere on the order of 2-3 watts per wheel versus mastik glue. To put that in perspective, a set of 404s and a set of 808s with the same exact tires but the 404s with Mastik and the 808s with Tufo tape would be equally fast.