Originally Posted by
jonwvara
Will tires of that width fit well on an early 70s rim that was probably designed with 22-24mm tires in mind? I can't give an actual width, because I don't have the wheels in hand yet.
My Griffon has Veloflex Vlaanderen (27mm true-to-size) glued to Ambrosio Montreal Durex rims (Specialized hubs complete the package). My Frejus TdF also has Vlaanderen, this time fixed to AVA rims. Both sets of rims date from that era. I've had no problem.
My Redcay has 25mm Vittoria Rally tubulars (substantially cheaper than the Veloflex tubulars). Can't recall the rims at the moment, but again, no problem.
I'm not sure there is a truly wide tubular tire at an entry level price point. I get Vlaanderen for about $60 on sale. The Rallys can be found for about half that. I would be happy to ride my Redcay on Vermont roads.
I wouldn't worry about latex vs butyl tubes. The time it takes to bring the the up to pressure before a ride is minimal. In my mind, the improved ride is worth it.