Tubular or clincher?

Hi,

I'm new to the forum and have a lot of questions that I've been able to answer without actually posting -- I've read through a lot of threads and have found a whole faunt of information here that I'm really grateful for...

However, there's some discussion happening between dh and I over why the pros don't use tubular tires. With the new "tape" glue and the technology that makes it almost impossible to flat, why is everyone on regular tires?

What we've been told by people who love them (um, total number of 2): They don't flat, they're faster (more air in them = less friction = less drag), they're easier to change and they're all you'll ever want in a tire.

BUT! It seems no one competing ever uses them. We've got some long distance triathlons coming up this year and we're wondering whether or not it'd be a good idea to try them out. Any comments?

Thanks!

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Originally Posted by skinny_kitty

. . . over why the pros don't use tubular tires. With the new "tape" glue and the technology that makes it almost impossible to flat, why is everyone on regular tires?

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Ok, I'm confused. I thought most pros did use tubulars. There is some trend going to clinchers becaue the ride quality is going up, but I still thought tubulars are used by the majority.

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Originally Posted by skinny_kitty

they're faster (more air in them = less friction = less drag), they're easier to change and they're all you'll ever want in a tire.

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I also thought tubulars were faster because of the suppleness of the casing. They are higher PSI too right? I still thought it was the casing that was most responsible for the speed.

And the only reason tubulars are easier for the pros is because they have a support car that pulls up and swaps wheels - nothing to do with the type of tire. Flats on clinchers are easier to repair quickly.

I use tubular wheels/tires for races and clinchers for training. Yes, tubulars can be inflated to a higher PSI (mine go as high as 220), but unless you're on a freshly paved road with no imperfections, that would be bone-jarring (I usually inflate to 140-170, depending on the road conditions)
You can flat with tubulars, and in order to change them, you have to get the tire off of the wheel- something that can be pretty tough & messy to do on the side of the road. Also, if you do a road replacement, you have to be careful riding on the new tire, because if you corner hard, it can roll off until you get home & apply new glue or tape.

Clinchers are heavier and have more rolling resistance, but their convenience is great.

Pro bike racers use tubulars because they have cars and motos following them with spare wheels in case of a flat. Maybe you meant most pro triathletes don't use them? I don't know anything about triathlon, but I don't expect the pro triathletes have follow cars, etc. like bike teams. So maybe pro triathletes use clinchers.

If I were doing a long distance race and didn't have a follow car I'd sure use clinchers. Wait - I do! :D

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Originally Posted by skinny_kitty

Hi,
However, there's some discussion happening between dh and I over why the pros don't use tubular tires. With the new "tape" glue and the technology that makes it almost impossible to flat, why is everyone on regular tires?

What we've been told by people who love them (um, total number of 2): They don't flat, they're faster (more air in them = less friction = less drag), they're easier to change and they're all you'll ever want in a tire.

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Tubulars don't flat? The only tires I know of that don't flat are the air-free tires made of solid rubber with gas bubbles trapped in them. They are heavy and slow and only useful to commuters who don't want to flat in bad neighborhoods.

And I've heard that rim tape for tubulars is not very reliable. I glue my own, and have talked to shops that glue tubulars. The shops require 48 hours to do the job right. First spread glue on the tire rim tape and the wheel rim. Let dry 24 hours. Then spread glue on rim again, wait 15 minutes, mount tire. Let dry 24 hours. Tubulars can be faster to change on the road after a flat, since the tire and tube are one unit and there's no struggle to get the tire bead over the rim. But you have to carry a spare tire or two, heavier and bulkier than a spare tube. But of course, racers aren't changing tires in a race, just swapping wheels (do triathletes have to change their own tires?)

For general use, tubulars can be expensive because for every flat you have to replace the tire. Unless you want to open the tire, repair the tube, and sew it back together - a process that takes at least an hour.

Andrea said everything I was going to say:-)
I also train on clinchers race on tubulars. If I flat, I have my training wheels in the wheel pit or wheel truck(depending on crit or road race).
I don't train on my tubulars(such a shame that those gorgeous wheels sit in their wheel bag unless racing) because of the hassle to change a flat, and having to carry an extra tire also.

Sooo.. thank you Andrea for reading my mind!

I wrote that tubulars ALMOST never flat, from what I understand. I do of course realise that all tires filled with air can flat, and although my question might sound stupid to you, I am not a total idiot. Just misinformed.

There was a language issue with dh -- he's from France. He thought "clincher" meant "tubular" and vice-versa, and he was the one telling me about the fact that no one had them among the pros. We bought this month's issue of Triathlon Magazine yesterday afternoon and it (ironically) contained a list of what all the pros ride on and use for tires, etc. They are all on tubulars (and this is where the language-light went on for dh!).

The only thing that worries me is getting a flat during a race, although, from what I understand from my newly acquired information, you can ride on a flat tubular for 20 miles without hurting your rims?

I'm a wipe-out whimp -- I've had two bike accidents that landed me in hospital and the idea of my tire just rolling off my rim in a sharp turn or for a sharp break just freaks me out (the risk that might happen if you change your tire during a race?)

And no, pro-triathletes have to change their own tires during a race. They don't get another one handed to them ("What it Takes" has a shot of Normann Stadler fighting with his at Kona -- he was freaking out because he couldn't get the flat tire off the rim; it was glued too soundly!)

Thanks so much for the kind responses. I'll be looking into the matter for races.:)

I'm in the same boat, looking at some 50mm carbon aero wheels. Most around here run tubulars, but I think I'm going with clinchers. I plan to use them more then just to race, the weight difference is almost 1 lb, I guess I can live with that, but overall ease they just make more sense.

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Originally Posted by Mr. SR500

I'm in the same boat, looking at some 50mm carbon aero wheels. Most around here run tubulars, but I think I'm going with clinchers. I plan to use them more then just to race, the weight difference is almost 1 lb, I guess I can live with that, but overall ease they just make more sense.

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What wheels are you looking at? 1 lb difference is a lot...

If you are planning on using them more then just racing, definitaly go with clinchers. I wish I had now(but I got an amazing deal on the tubulars, so I couldn't afford not to go with them being a struggling college student).

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Originally Posted by ehirsch83

I wish I had now(but I got an amazing deal on the tubulars, so I couldn't afford not to go with them being a struggling college student).

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Do you mind if I ask why you wish you'd gone with the clinchers? Are you disappointed with the tubulars?