What to do with old tubular rims/Cross Build?
 

I picked up some old tubular rims from my the incognito Trek 730 I picked up a few months ago. They've got Specialized hubs and Arc En Ciel tubular rims. They're pretty light, roll like butter, and look nice, but i'm a total NOOB to tubulars. Any suggestions on what to do with them? Either A: Trade/sell them and get a clincher wheelset, or B: Buy some tubular cross tires and put them on my cross/gravel bike build.

Here's the bike I'm turning in to the cross project- it's an older Schwinn Traveler? with 4130 straight tubes and tons of room for big tires- it's been through a couple iterations it looks like in the past, but I couldn't pass it up for $50 on my local CL-

Here's some pics of the tubs and my Schwinn project bike: Let me know what you think I should do! Thanks


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Please don't take offense to any of My suggestions as they are just that, suggestions. I at one time had a late 70's traveler that was running Shimano 400 components (anyone remember those?). That thing was a tank. It was a fine commuter, tough and durable, but I wouldn't call it versatile. The chrome 27" wheels looked nice but they sure did impact the performance. If I were you, I would but some new cheap bar tape on it, try and get $150.00 bucks for it, then sell the tubular rims for $75 as is without the $100 to 150 dollar set of tires that you had planned to spend. At this point you should have $225.00 plus the money you were about to spend on tires. What's next? Well since you were wanting big tires for a gravel grinder.... Du du duh.... Time to pick up a nice vintage hard tail mountain bike/ mbt atb whatever, for hopefully under $200, do a dropbar conversion and have a bike like no one else that can and will decimate all!!!

Thanks for the input- it's definitely crossed my mind selling the Schwinn, but there's something so utilitarian about it that I want to keep it. The steel wheels are going on a Peugeot UO8 frame I picked up with extras for $5, then it's all going to CL for some project money. So, basically, the Schwinn frame will have been free.
The Tubs I'm looking at are really budget tires- we're talking $25-30 apiece. I was thinking these: Vittoria Cross Evo XM II Tubular Tire | Competitive Cyclist

I unfortunately sold my Mt Fuji Ltd with beautiful double butted construction, and I like the feel of the road bike geometry better anyway, plus for whatever reason, I hate riding 26" wheels, and vastly prefer my 27/700s even with wide tires

I think you should strip the Traveler down, build with used and not expensive parts suitable for cross, and use the tubular wheelset if it fits (dropouts, brake reach).

I'd also check tension on the spokes. If the wheels need work, best to find out before you break spokes etc.

Arc En Ciel's are excellent and light rims; I'm not familiar with cyclocross but I would think them way to light for a cross rim.

The wheels are too good to toss, but I don't know how they would work on a cross bike. The rims are great light ROAD racing rims, but I'd assume not off-road racing. Perhaps you can unlace the rims and sell them, then buy a set of vintage Mavic GP-4 - a very robust vintage tubular rim.

Or, what about the 730? The nice road wheels were a good match to a nice road frame.

What size freewheel will the hubs handle? Welcome to the forum, if that's not been said.

I agree with those who say "too light for CX."

Also, a nice wheelset like that would deserve a thorough clean-up, maybe a re-decal, and a nice set of tubulars cleanly mounted.
There are plenty of folks riding older bikes that would clean them up, mount some nice tubulars, and ride 'em, lots.

I was thinking the same. I love them, but I'd go with something a bit beefier for cross.

This issue comes up frequently in our world of riders. Cross and gravel are really two different uses with different needs. I don't run tubulars in gravel rides. I run either clinchers or more likely tubeless while carrying extra tubes. Tubulars for cross are great if you come back to the start finish every few minutes or have a support crew, otherwise for most of us they aren't practical in rock strewn terrain. If you aren't sure which riding you will do more of, today I would always go clincher tubeless. All I've ever used on a gravel ride is more sealant.

Thanks, all. I hadn't considered that the rims could be too light. My use will be some extremely mild single track and gravel roads, but you've convinced me to reassess the tubs for that use. The 730 is already slated for a 6600sl build and I've got an ultegra wheelset ready to go on it. I may end up selling the tub wheelset and getting a nice sturdy pair of clinchers for the CX build.

If you simply want to replace tubular rims with clincher rims, most traditional 700C rims can be cross-laced onto the same spokes, assuming the spokes and nipples are in good condition. This is what I did with the used wheel set I bought for the Bianchi. It now has Campagnolo Gran Sport hubs and Campagnolo Omega clincher rims.

@satbuilder might be interested in your rims.

I just read up on this, and I think it's the way I'm going! I didn't realize it was so much less involved than actually building a wheel. I'll take them to the LBS down the road for a final tension once I get them laced. Any suggestions on strong inexpensive rims? I was thinking Mavic CXP22's.

Thanks Skip!

OP, sent you a PM.