Tubular pro's and cons
#1
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Tubular pro's and cons
I was thinking of getting a second set of wheels. Are there any pro's or cons to tubulars from a dedicated clincher guy for the last 30 years.
Tim
Tim
#2
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Sew ups handle better at extremes because the sidewalls are much more flexible than clinchers, its easier to change a flat on the road with sew-ups, which you will probably have to do since they tend to flat more.
They are a pain to glue on and trying to repair one is like doing exploratory surgery on a snake.
They are a pain to glue on and trying to repair one is like doing exploratory surgery on a snake.
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Originally Posted by San Rensho
... and trying to repair one is like doing exploratory surgery on a snake.
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Originally Posted by San Rensho
Sew ups handle better at extremes because the sidewalls are much more flexible than clinchers, its easier to change a flat on the road with sew-ups, which you will probably have to do since they tend to flat more.
They are a pain to glue on and trying to repair one is like doing exploratory surgery on a snake.
They are a pain to glue on and trying to repair one is like doing exploratory surgery on a snake.
Could you expand on your statement that tubulars flat more often. I ride both and see the this as a tire specific issue not a design difference issue. In my reading I believe one of the reasons Lance likes Tubulars is they flat less often.
#5
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So does that mean tubulars are or aren't easy to change on the road? Are they more or less prone to flats? Thanks
Tim
Tim
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Pro; lighter system, gives you the right to act like bike snob.
Cons;
more work to install, way more work to install correctly. Tendency to come off while riding. Expensive. Usually more trouble to patch than it's worth-again, expensive. Gives you the right to act like a bike snob.
Cons;
more work to install, way more work to install correctly. Tendency to come off while riding. Expensive. Usually more trouble to patch than it's worth-again, expensive. Gives you the right to act like a bike snob.
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See the sticky in Classic & Vintage for a thorough explanation of tubular tires. I just put my first pair on some wheels I have, and I have to say that they just seem more...substantial. Or deluxe. Anyway, like I said, check out the C & V sticky thread.
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Originally Posted by cs1
So does that mean tubulars are or aren't easy to change on the road? Are they more or less prone to flats? Thanks
Tim
Tim
Are they harder to change on the road? Once you get used to it, you can change a flatted tubular faster than a clincher.
Cheers! - RJ
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And apparently, unless you use hard glue, they don't even have a lower rolling resistance than good clinchers. There's a chart from a test out there somewhere, where this is pointed out.
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Originally Posted by CdCf
And apparently, unless you use hard glue, they don't even have a lower rolling resistance than good clinchers. There's a chart from a test out there somewhere, where this is pointed out.
cs1- No problem . If you get a chance, try some... you might really like them... I do.
Cheers! - RJ
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Maybe its my ignorance, but unless you have a support vehicle to change out that tub wheel for a new one, or you just slip on the new tire without fresh adhesive (increasing poss. of tire slipping off), how can it be faster to change than a clicher? I dont doubt the superior ride quality overall, but lets not overstate the case for tubulars in other areas.
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Originally Posted by rjtokyo
Tubulars as a whole are definitely LESS likely to flat than clinchers, and never get pinch flats like clinchers do.
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Originally Posted by mactheknife68
Maybe its my ignorance, but unless you have a support vehicle to change out that tub wheel for a new one, or you just slip on the new tire without fresh adhesive (increasing poss. of tire slipping off), how can it be faster to change than a clicher? I dont doubt the superior ride quality overall, but lets not overstate the case for tubulars in other areas.
Cheers! - RJ
#15
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Originally Posted by Fred Smedley
Could you expand on your statement that tubulars flat more often. I ride both and see the this as a tire specific issue not a design difference issue. In my reading I believe one of the reasons Lance likes Tubulars is they flat less often.
So if you say theres good sew-ups out there that don't flat often, I may go back to them, love the way they ride and ease of fixing flats.
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Originally Posted by San Rensho
So if you say theres good sew-ups out there that don't flat often, I may go back to them, love the way they ride and ease of fixing flats.
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My experience matches San Rensho and Ole biker. I found a diary I started back when I first began riding 10spds recently, had a Peugeot PX 10 and god were there a lot of flats. I rode $6-12 tubulars mostly, variety of Hutchinsons (which I avoided as much as possible), Vittorias and Clement 50s and 1-2 flats/month or every 250-400mi was typical. I saved the Crit Setas for races so my experience with silks was not much. Some months were 3-4 flats, some only 1 but they were a lot more common than my current experience with clinchers (measured per year not per month).
Steve
Steve
#18
RidesOldTrek
Except for some of the opinions on ride quality, my experience with sew-ups is similar to sch, San Rensho, and Olebiker. I have never been a racer, but I used them for loaded touring and all-purpose riding over just about every type of surface, for about 10 years. I rode cheapies. I think that if you're unlucky enough to get really good (nearly professional-level) at changing tires, then you will be able to change them fast enough whether it's a tubular or clincher, but if you want to get good at changing tires, then you should definitely ride sew-ups. I was pretty good at changing sew-ups, but haven't gotten as good at changing clinchers. Hmm.. I switched to clinchers because I was tired of the hassle of tubulars, and have been a happier man since. But I'm a practical kind of guy. As the reference to sewing points out, there's a big difference between changing a sew-up and repairing one.
It's important to realize that so many of the "practical" factors in which type of tire to choose depend on your riding style, racing or not, type of surface, budget, and on and on. The reasons Lance likes sew-ups don't apply to me. My overall opinion is that for general purpose riding, the ride quality is just not that much better with sew-ups to justify the hassle. And, as so much in bicycling is driven by fashion and image, the discussion over sew-ups is subject to much unsubstantiated and objective information: Caveat Emptor.
It's important to realize that so many of the "practical" factors in which type of tire to choose depend on your riding style, racing or not, type of surface, budget, and on and on. The reasons Lance likes sew-ups don't apply to me. My overall opinion is that for general purpose riding, the ride quality is just not that much better with sew-ups to justify the hassle. And, as so much in bicycling is driven by fashion and image, the discussion over sew-ups is subject to much unsubstantiated and objective information: Caveat Emptor.
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I'm shocked - nobody has linked to Sheldons page on this: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/tires.html#tubular
(look for index link at the top to "Tubular")
(look for index link at the top to "Tubular")
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#20
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Originally Posted by Olebiker
Ease of fixing flats? You must be better than me at sewing them back up after patching the tube.
Fixing a flat sew up, no thank you. I tried it several times and like you say, I could never get the tension on the stitching right and I always ended up with a lump in the tire.
#21
RidesOldTrek
Originally Posted by San Rensho
Fixing a flat sew up, no thank you. I tried it several times and like you say, I could never get the tension on the stitching right and I always ended up with a lump in the tire.
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Originally Posted by San Rensho
To tell the truth, I haven't ridden sew-ups in a while, but when I did, I always rode the cheapies and they tended to flat often, one of the main reasons I went to clinchers. I ended up carrying two spares because once I flatted twice on the same ride.
So if you say theres good sew-ups out there that don't flat often, I may go back to them, love the way they ride and ease of fixing flats.
So if you say theres good sew-ups out there that don't flat often, I may go back to them, love the way they ride and ease of fixing flats.
#23
RidesOldTrek
Originally Posted by Fred Smedley
No need, just buy latex tubes and Vredistien's Fortenza's or Tri-Comps, I enjoy the ride as much as the Victtoria Corsa CX and better than Continential Sprinters. Cheap sew-ups are not reliable, at least the Vittoria's were not .
Thank you!
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Betcha Armstroing does not himself fix his sew-up flats!
Here in AZ with lots of thorns had 2 flats in 2 trips up Sabino Canyon (about 14 miles, both thorns. Yes, fixed/sewed my own tires, but switched to clinchers back in 1978.
Tubulars are quicker to change-out on the road, but used to carry 2 spares on 100 mile events 'just in case'.
Now carry spare tube/patchkit. Fortunately never had to fix a sweup along the roadside . . .
Here in AZ with lots of thorns had 2 flats in 2 trips up Sabino Canyon (about 14 miles, both thorns. Yes, fixed/sewed my own tires, but switched to clinchers back in 1978.
Tubulars are quicker to change-out on the road, but used to carry 2 spares on 100 mile events 'just in case'.
Now carry spare tube/patchkit. Fortunately never had to fix a sweup along the roadside . . .
#25
RidesOldTrek
OK Fred, I think I misunderstood your post. I'm not up on some of the tires, I thought you were recommending "good" sew-ups at a reasonable price.