Clinchers or Tubular... hmmmm ?
 

So I've been scouring Ebay for some 36 hole hoops... I can get really good deals on Tubular rims... but since I've never really ridden them before... the prospect of learning something totally new is bugging me...

what do ya think ? Should I jsut stick with Clinchers ? any of you guys ride tubulars ?

Jeff

Stick with clinchers......a set of decent sew-ups will cost you more than your entire fixed gear conversion. And you need to carry another as a spare.

Even many of the pros ride clinchers now.

The clincher+tube versus sewup weight argument doesn't hold anymore.

That said, I've never experienced another tire that gave the ride like a set of those high dollar Vittorias (model name is on the tip of my tongue). They made a pleasent "zinging" sound. :)

Ah, the old debate. I ride both. Have tubulars on my Paramount track and my Slingshot fixie. Also have a set of tubies for my road bike (race wheels). Most of my mileage is on clinchers. That said, there is alot of magic when on the tubies. Very supple, light, and then you have the whole mystic experience when gluing a new pair up. Or maybe its just the glue smell. :)

Currrent Clinchers are light years (depending on the model) ahead of where they were. My Hutchison Carbon Comps with latex tubes are as close to a good set of tubies as I have yet to ride.

It's a toss up. You can buy the clinchers for ceaper and they are much easier to change in the event of a flat. If in the same position, I'd go clinchers.

Dave

getting high ghetto style as one of my friends terms it...

doesn't someone make £10 tubulars or are they crap?

fssb
sparky

that's pretty much what I was thinking... the cheap price of the rims lured me away from practicality... :-)

Jeff

I'm a big believer in sew-ups, but the good kind like Conti Sprinters and not the cheapies. High-quality tubulars are like riding on rails, whereas the cheapies have all the bad characteristics of sew-ups with none of the good qualities.

I really loved the ride of my Vittoria Tigre 28mm 'cross tubulars but too bad they wore out so fast on the road.

Sometimes people don't really know what they are selling. I bought a set of tubular track wheels with a set of gommitalia tires glued on for 75$ us AFTER shipping on ebay (where else). Suzue 36 hole laced to wobler rims, not the lightest, but solid and tankable. The suzue hubs are perfect, and although older, would probably sell for at least as much as I paid for the wheels. This wasn't the first time I had seen something going for so cheap either, just keep your eyes peeled. I slapped the wheels on my 2003 bianchi pista, and was amazed at the speed I could take sharp turns, tubulars really grip the road better. Although the tires I had didn't last near as long as clinchers I had on bikes I ride more... Just a thought.

what about those Tufo tubular-clinchers? I've been looking at them and they look rad. The idea seems good, but I haven't heard of anyone actually riding them. They say that tire changes are faster than clinchers and they can hold a lot more pressure(for those who like to feel EVERY damn bump on the road)
Tim

What about Tufo's Tubular Clinchers?

What about what about tufo's tubular clinchers?

does anyone ride them?
am I missing something here?

yeah, I ride 'em. I put them on my road bike, and they worked pretty well. Only one puncture out on the road. Sidewall got sliced open, and the salant could only hold about 80psi in..enough to get me home, but not very fun.

I also use their cross tires (both tubular clincher and tubular) and road tubulars. The tubies rock, especially with the sealant.

I'm probably switching back to normal road clinchers for training though, as I don't really want to be stranded during a 90 mile ride in the mountains if I slice both tires open.

Clinchers. Tubulars are going the way of the Dodo with the latest advancement in high pressure clincher tires.