Racer Ex 

Interested in getting some feedback on running clinchers on a 333 (Hellyer to be exact). The bike I'm setting up will see limited use (home track is Frisco) and I'm thinking of avoiding the yearly reglue for something that's not going to see a ton of laps. Also lets me use the wheels as occasional trainers with a tire swap.

chas58

perfectly fine for something that isn't going to see a ton of laps.

Kayce

Distance of the track doesnt matter nearly as much as surface and banking. Hellyer is relatively mellow, and its not a super smooth glassy surface, so clinchers should be just fine.

carleton

Clinchers will be fine for Hellyer.

sideshow_bob

Even if it is steep and on boards clinchers are fine. So long as by clinchers you don't mean heavy duty high mileage road tires.

I run either Veloflex Records or Conti Supersonics on my training wheels and they see plenty of miles on everything from low bank 440m tracks, to 330m moderately banked concrete, to 250m 42 degrees wood.

They are perfectly fine, both training and club racing on. Sure bigger races and the 80mm carbon front and disc come out.

Baby Puke

The only real issue is when you flat. With tubulars you have a better chance of saving it, while with clinchers usually you go rim-to-track and have zero traction if you're on any kind of banking.

ultraman6970

+1

Impreza_aL

I've ran randos at Hellyer lol

sideshow_bob

Have you ever seen an instant flat on the track? I've never seen one on a clincher, only on tubulars (Vittoria Pistas) where sidewalls have blown out. In those 2 times I've seen it, both times the rider was high on the banking, and both times they went down, one was a particularly nasty high side > broken collar bone.

bitingduck

+1 (Racer Ex already saw my opinion in the OT section of the thread where this started over in road, anyway)

As an additional reference on tire selection, here's the accelerated class summary from Home Depot Center: link

PltJett

Clinchers are really fine anywhere, as long as they are in good condition. When I was at Alpenrose, I ran clinchers from both racing and training, with 0 problems. I still train on clinchers at ADT.

Instant blow outs are going to suck either way. Happened to me this year in my 200 at Nationals (stayed up though.) I really dont think running a clincher or tubie is going to change that. In fact, I can't ever remembering a clincher just up and blow up, ever. However, I have seen many, many tubies do that.