Originally Posted by
sakkakth
I did not know that but I do now!
I guess I never much thought about it, I've only been looking at wheelsets but that definitely opens up a ton of options! I'm selling a road bike off so I will probably be able to grab both a front and rear.
For road, I had been scared to buy tubulars in the past because they just didn't seem practical... but for track the upkeep seems a little more controlled. Do you have a recommendation on clincher or tubular?
Clincher vs Tubular has lots of pros and cons. It will come down to individual choice. I hope the other guys chime in with thoughts.
Tubular:
Pros:
- Very high pressure for low rolling resistance (this is debatable). Pressures up to 180-200 psi.
- Nice feel
- Generally sit wider on the rim. Great for rolling slow on the banking.
Cons:
- Harder to change than clinchers. Time consuming.
- Roughly 24 hour wait time till you can use them after a new glue job
- Difficult to find. You'll likely have to special order your favorite make/model.
- Cleaning glue off of rims is a pain.
- Expensive if you pay someone to do it ($30-60/wheel)
- A flat disables that wheel for the day.
Clincher:
Pros:
- Easy to find
- Easy to change
- Lots of options that are easily available
- If you have a flat you can install a new tire/tube within minutes and get back to work.
Cons:
- Not very many high pressure tire options. Most top out at 120 psi. But, there are some that go much higher like Supersonics (140) and Vredsteins (160).
- High pressure also depends on the rim
- Sort of sit tall on the rim. Not as comforting when riding slow. But, this isn't a big issue.
That being said, I like tubulars for the track as punctures at the track are less common than on the road.