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Old 02-19-19, 08:24 AM
  #14  
63rickert
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Borrow a set of tubular wheels. Those of us who use them need to make converts. You will either be completely sold or wonder what all the fuss is. Browsing around this forum you will find riders commenting about how light fast and crisp Schwalbe Marathons are. Those riders are not wrong, their perceptions are different. When I ride Marathons it feels like the wheels are stuck in soft tar. There is no point in telling this to those who love their Marathons.

Stories about glue are mostly stories. If gluing tires seems hopelessly foreign to you don't do it. Back in olden days when tubulars flatted a lot (they did once flat a whole lot) we all rode home unglued often. When 200-300 was a good distance between flats and one was riding 10,000 a year we rode home unglued weekly and nothing bad ever happened. Don't do criterium corners, or sprint, or do high-speed descents and air pressure alone will hold on your tires. Do carry good reliable inflation and a spare. Carry glue?

Cheapo tubulars are just that. Not much magic in $20 tires. Tufo tubulars are in a world of their own. Midrange Contis are not particularly preferable to high end Conti clinchers. Get good tires. Shop. If you shop the top tires can consistently be found for $50-$60.

If you've been gone 11 years clinchers have changed. There were some good clinchers back then, now there are a lot. Even the good ones carrying the same label as 11 years ago are better.
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