Tubular tires used in TDF ?
10-17-20, 08:57 PM
#26
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There's another consideration. Getting a flat (or even violent blowout) at high speed is no big deal on tubulars. You can even brake gently with the flatted wheel. I've blown them at 45. Yes, my heart rate spiked, But that was all that happened, The pros who ride the mountain races go seriously fast coming down. When I was an amateur racer 43 years ago, I hit 55 coming down Smuggler's Notch. Well glued tires stay on. Doesn't matter what happened to it (or the rim). Also, as pointed out, they are far less likely to pinch flat. More peace of mind for those paid to go ridiculous speeds.
Crashes can cost seasons and careers. Rolling and wind resistance placings.
Crashes can cost seasons and careers. Rolling and wind resistance placings.
10-17-20, 09:32 PM
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I still ride them. Lovely.
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10-18-20, 01:46 PM
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Dear Lennard,
Thanks for your article on tubeless road tires. I also had an unfortunate experience(s) this summer. I have been riding Continental GP 5000 tubeless tires this spring and summer. I am riding 28mm tires on Reynolds AR41 rims. Initially, they worked very well, so I decided to use them in France this summer. The first blowout happened near the top of the Col de Macuègne in the Hautes-Alpes region of France. I heard a bang, and the rear tire went flat very fast. Since I was headed uphill, stopping wasn’t a problem; however, about 2–3 cm of the tire bead separated from the casing, making a repair impossible. I had to call someone for a ride in.
I wasn’t as fortunate the second time. I was headed downhill in the Pyrénées when the front tire went flat very quickly. The last thing that I remembered before the crash was that steering the bike was very difficult. I woke up on the pavement with several people around me telling me not to get up. This was followed by an ambulance ride to the emergency room in Lourdes. When I finally got the bike back, the front tire had a 4–5 cm rip in the sidewall near the bead.
My question is, what could cause the sidewall to fail like that? I have been riding for a long time and have never seen that type of tire failure. Both tires were fairly new and have never been inflated over 6.5 BAR (Continental’s recommendation). I have generally had good luck with Continental tires, but I doubt that I will ever ride tubeless tires on the road again.
— Tom
Thanks for your article on tubeless road tires. I also had an unfortunate experience(s) this summer. I have been riding Continental GP 5000 tubeless tires this spring and summer. I am riding 28mm tires on Reynolds AR41 rims. Initially, they worked very well, so I decided to use them in France this summer. The first blowout happened near the top of the Col de Macuègne in the Hautes-Alpes region of France. I heard a bang, and the rear tire went flat very fast. Since I was headed uphill, stopping wasn’t a problem; however, about 2–3 cm of the tire bead separated from the casing, making a repair impossible. I had to call someone for a ride in.
I wasn’t as fortunate the second time. I was headed downhill in the Pyrénées when the front tire went flat very quickly. The last thing that I remembered before the crash was that steering the bike was very difficult. I woke up on the pavement with several people around me telling me not to get up. This was followed by an ambulance ride to the emergency room in Lourdes. When I finally got the bike back, the front tire had a 4–5 cm rip in the sidewall near the bead.
My question is, what could cause the sidewall to fail like that? I have been riding for a long time and have never seen that type of tire failure. Both tires were fairly new and have never been inflated over 6.5 BAR (Continental’s recommendation). I have generally had good luck with Continental tires, but I doubt that I will ever ride tubeless tires on the road again.
— Tom
Reading stuff like sure does not make me want to go with tubeless, especially on high speed mountain stuff. The pros are not fools, they do this for a living. If they insist on some item of equipment, you can probably safely assume that it's important.
10-18-20, 01:50 PM
#29
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"Dear Tom,
"I think tubeless is a red herring here. I believe what happened to you could have also happened with a lightweight clincher tire with an inner tube."
10-18-20, 02:30 PM
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Sidewall blowouts happen with every type of tire. From the same linked article, https://www.velonews.com/gear/techni...-the-pyrenees/
"Dear Tom,
"I think tubeless is a red herring here. I believe what happened to you could have also happened with a lightweight clincher tire with an inner tube."
"Dear Tom,
"I think tubeless is a red herring here. I believe what happened to you could have also happened with a lightweight clincher tire with an inner tube."
