Tubulars CAN be cheaper. With three Servizio Corse from Yellow Jersey for $50 (ir that's still the deal), $3.00 per wheel nominally for a glue tube, a patch-it yourself cost of maybe $.50, that's not much. And we compare it with simply replacing a $33 clincher without even mentioning tube costs? I concede I am not mentioning tubular repair time, but when you're as slow as me, patching a clincher can be an afternoon's job.

At least last summer Mavic Reflex tubular rims, Open Pros, and Velocity Aerohead rims were all around the same price, 'bout $70 per wheel. Spokes and hubs of course identical.

Can you pay more? of course, for top-end contis, Dugasts, or Vittorias et al. But that's true of clinchers as well, for Veloflexes and others, especially with latex tubes. But in clinchers or tubulars, do you really need the top end? My conclusion is I don't.

Road Fan