sciencemonster

I've been the first to jump in every tubular thread and slam clinchers, but I have to admit - there's a tool for every job and whether it's cassettes vs freewheels, tubulars vs clinchers or shimano vs campy, there's some merit to both sides.

Five flats in the last three weeks after two straight weeks of rain - two weeks of it in San Francisco. I just had to try clinchers. I built up a pair yesterday with some nice Nisi rims (thanks Toytech!) and 700 x 23 Gatorskins (plus, just to be sure, a tuffy in the back wheel.)

They are noticeably heavier and they look like wheels off a balloon tire bike compared to my svelte tubulars, but dodging the garbage trucks in the dark on the way to work this morning I ran right thru a broken bottle and guess what? No flat!

I'm sure after I get stuck out in the middle of no where with my first flat, unable to change it (it was a monster BEAR getting these on!) and unable to limp home, I'll change my mind back. But it is some peace of mind so far.

I was just joking in the first paragraph about the campy vs shimano. That one is more like tool vs toy.

3alarmer 

https://www.amazon.com/Kool-Stop-Tire...4419652&sr=1-1

cuda2k

1) Some tire/rim combos are just a pure pain in the arse to work with. Campy rims (or most italian makers for that matter) + conti tires are fairly notorious for that. One of the reasons I haven't gone to GP4000s tires on my Fulcrum wheels yet.

2) Most tires are easier to work with after the first time they're mounted. Easier being relative depending on the tire and the time it's been on there.

sciencemonster

I did extensive research on the Internet before selecting this tire. The results:

1) Beaded tires are much easier to get on then foldable.

2) Foldable tires are much easier to get on then beaded.

I love the internet!

cuda2k

Internet research: making us +/- 100% smarter than we were. Beaded tires hold their shape better than folding, which makes getting the tire kind-on easier, but I think folding tires are actually easier to seat in most cases - except for instances such as the above when the tire/rim combo is working against you vs the beaded tire / rim combo.

Doohickie

Are tubulars ever the right tool for riding out on the road in a city?

PDXaero

Conti Sprinter Gatorskins, the choice of the serious Cat6 racer.

mazdaspeed

That's funny how, as a proponent of tubular tires, you bought gatorskin clinchers of all things. Maybe try some rubino pros, which are quite flat resistant, yet don't feel like semi truck tires.

thirdgenbird

I agree about the Italian rim buisness. My Campagnolo rims can be a bear to mount but tires almost fall on my dt Swiss rims. (I've tested with the same tire)

I am looking forward to my first tubular wheelset. NOS Campagnolo rims, NIB silver record 10 rear hub, NOS vintage Athena front hub, and 28 spokes on each...

liquefied

Wow. The tubular koolaid must be strong. I can fix a clincher flat in less than 5 minutes with little effort and ride the hell out of it immediately afterward. The use of tubulars in recreational riding mystifies me.

sciencemonster

Now, now - I am big enough to admit that clinchers have a place in the world. Don't bring your old canards into my thread. To answer your question - when it's not raining. Tubulars are the right tool for touring, too. At least, in my experience, they have been fantastic.

Just not so good in the rain, or at night. It remains to be seen if these cast iron clinchers are any better. I do know for a fact that the thumb tack I ran over last night would have flatted my Gatorskins. And, not to rub it in, but I finished my ride last night on the flat tubular and got home on that same flat tubular without my toes touching the ground.

sciencemonster

You are local - perhaps you'd like to pilot my team van?