Tubs or Clinchers

mike ives

I was thinking of trying some of the LVRC races next year after winter and early spring training. What I would like to know is, do most riders use tubulars or are clinchers during the races.

jgsi

Never really took much notice of the tyre arrangements... I use clinchers simply because I am comfortable knowing if I puncture at the back of the circuit I can at least change the tube and get back to HQ.
However, the lure of shedding some rolling weight using tubs .....
I wouldnt worry unduly therefore.

Pokerface

JGSI wrote:

Never really took much notice of the tyre arrangements... I use clinchers simply because I am comfortable knowing if I puncture at the back of the circuit I can at least change the tube and get back to HQ.
However, the lure of shedding some rolling weight using tubs .....
I wouldnt worry unduly therefore.

You carry spare tubes, levers and a pump during road races? :shock:


To the OP - tubs for racings, clinchers for training (for me). A lot of people in the TLI races I do are on clinchers though. Really just depends what wheels you have I guess.

Tom Butcher

I carry enough to fix a puncture most times - depends on the circuit but I don't fancy walking 10 miles back to the HQ in cycling shoes - you'd probably get help but LVRC generally don't have as many support vehicles as BC.

As for the OP - I reckon it's about 50:50 - a lot of people have deep sections which I assume are mostly tubular but a lot of people including me don't.

jgsi

Pokerface wrote:

JGSI wrote:

Never really took much notice of the tyre arrangements... I use clinchers simply because I am comfortable knowing if I puncture at the back of the circuit I can at least change the tube and get back to HQ.
However, the lure of shedding some rolling weight using tubs .....
I wouldnt worry unduly therefore.

You carry spare tubes, levers and a pump during road races? :shock:


To the OP - tubs for racings, clinchers for training (for me). A lot of people in the TLI races I do are on clinchers though. Really just depends what wheels you have I guess.

Yeah, a squashed up ultra lightweight tube and mini pump in back pocket.. don't cost any weight.. if you are at the back end of a 12 mile circuit, rather not be without means of riding back to hq or waitin for a pickup..

slunker

No difference (imo) I used tubs for racing this year and couldn't tell the difference from a quality clincher, not much in it weight wise either. Actually did my fastest 10 on clinchers this year!!

Tom Butcher

I think these days the main reason for using tubs is an all carbon tubular rim is probably stronger and more protected if you puncture with a tub stuck on it than a carbon clincher. If i had a 1k set of wheels I think I'd go for tubs just for that reason.

milese

Tony Martin just (easily) won the World Championship TT on clinchers, which is pretty rare, but shows that it cant make much difference, either way.

danowat

Tub wheels are generally lighter and cheaper, if you can afford a decent set of carbon clinchers, go for that.

Tom Butcher

For a race day only wheel I'd still take tubs for the greater strength of the rim.

mike ives

Many thanks to everyone for their comments and help. I've got some Dura Ace hubs with Open Pro rims so I think I'll get some lightweight clinchers and take it from there. Possibly Vredstein Fortezza Tricomps.

I will also definitely take a spare tube and lightweight pump with me though for each event. Walking a good distance in shoes with cleats on is surely much harder work than the racing and fills me with dread. My view is your meant to be riding the bike not pushing it.

oldwelshman

Milese wrote:

Tony Martin just (easily) won the World Championship TT on clinchers, which is pretty rare, but shows that it cant make much difference, either way.

Its only rare becuase most pros use tubs cos their wheels and tubs are free. No difference in performance but much cheaper to use hp and inner tubes.
This week I set up my pursuit bike and rode it up a street for just 200m to check and punctured vittoria corsa evo tyre £65 down the pan !!!

StageWinner

oldwelshman wrote:

Milese wrote:

Tony Martin just (easily) won the World Championship TT on clinchers, which is pretty rare, but shows that it cant make much difference, either way.

Its only rare becuase most pros use tubs cos their wheels and tubs are free. No difference in performance but much cheaper to use hp and inner tubes.
This week I set up my pursuit bike and rode it up a street for just 200m to check and punctured vittoria corsa evo tyre £65 down the pan !!!

It can be repaired. SO it's not a total loss.

Plus you can buy the EVO's for £40 on eBay or get some Pista's: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vittoria-Pist ... _500wt_742

FransJacques

dp

FransJacques

oldwelshman wrote:

Milese wrote:

Tony Martin just (easily) won the World Championship TT on clinchers, which is pretty rare, but shows that it cant make much difference, either way.

...but much cheaper to use hp and inner tubes...

hp and inner tubes? are you talking about brown sauce and rubber? is that appropriate language for a family oriented forum?

From '05-'07 I got really into Tufos and sealant in a big way. Loved the ride and pumped them up to 145psi for reasons that escape me now. My riding time was great but my life was about pouring sealant into them and scraping petrified sealant off my fork crown and seat tube from where it spewed out before it sealed. It was amazing how mid-ride the tyre would feel a bit soft, I'd stop, look at it, and see the goo. Very practical tubs but since the tube is vulcanized to the casing, they rode like plywood.

Anyway, I dumped the Tufos only b/c I sold the wheels I used them on. Since then I've gotten into wide Hed C2 & Stans 340 rims and 90psi 25mm Michelin Pro Optimums and Ultremo ZXs and never looked back. I'm in cornering heaven with day to day liviability. I'm surprised not more people run the Stans 340s, they rock. The next step is tubeless. The guy who won the Cat 1/2s at Hog Hill last winter rode tubeless Hutchinsons at 85psi. Maybe that's your future?

Monty Dog

If riding carbon race wheels, definitely tubulars. Flat on a tub and you can at least roll-on for a bit whereas try that with a clincher, you'll roll the tyre, probably split the rim and maybe crash - that's why pros still ride tubs. In the past I've ridden home 10 miles on a flat tub with no damage to the rim. If you've only got one pair of wheels, go for clinchers and get some lighter tyres for racing.

oldwelshman

StageWinner wrote:

oldwelshman wrote:

Milese wrote:

Tony Martin just (easily) won the World Championship TT on clinchers, which is pretty rare, but shows that it cant make much difference, either way.

Its only rare becuase most pros use tubs cos their wheels and tubs are free. No difference in performance but much cheaper to use hp and inner tubes.
This week I set up my pursuit bike and rode it up a street for just 200m to check and punctured vittoria corsa evo tyre £65 down the pan !!!

It can be repaired. SO it's not a total loss.

Plus you can buy the EVO's for £40 on eBay or get some Pista's: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vittoria-Pist ... _500wt_742

I had a couple repaired and they did not last so was not realy worth it.

cougie

And the conti Gp 4000 tubs cant be repaired I'm reliably informed.

But as Tony Martin won his rainbow stripes on normal tyres - and he's the fastest of the fast and doesn't even pay for his kit - why would amateurs pay extra for tubs ?

Rodrego Hernandez

cougie wrote:

And the conti Gp 4000 tubs cant be repaired I'm reliably informed.

But as Tony Martin won his rainbow stripes on normal tyres - and he's the fastest of the fast and doesn't even pay for his kit - why would amateurs pay extra for tubs ?

I think maybe Tony Martin is paid to ride whatever he is given. Most of us have a choice and if we can afford the best, we can choose what is best for what we want. In some situations tubs are best, in others, clinchers are.

Generally, train on pressures and race on tubs is the standard but there are exceptions to that and it's up to you to weigh up the pros and cons.

oldwelshman

Rodrego Hernandez wrote:

cougie wrote:

And the conti Gp 4000 tubs cant be repaired I'm reliably informed.

But as Tony Martin won his rainbow stripes on normal tyres - and he's the fastest of the fast and doesn't even pay for his kit - why would amateurs pay extra for tubs ?

I think maybe Tony Martin is paid to ride whatever he is given. Most of us have a choice and if we can afford the best, we can choose what is best for what we want. In some situations tubs are best, in others, clinchers are.

Generally, train on pressures and race on tubs is the standard but there are exceptions to that and it's up to you to weigh up the pros and cons.

Best as in perfromance or safety? Interested to know

Rodrego Hernandez

oldwelshman wrote:

Rodrego Hernandez wrote:

cougie wrote:

And the conti Gp 4000 tubs cant be repaired I'm reliably informed.

But as Tony Martin won his rainbow stripes on normal tyres - and he's the fastest of the fast and doesn't even pay for his kit - why would amateurs pay extra for tubs ?

I think maybe Tony Martin is paid to ride whatever he is given. Most of us have a choice and if we can afford the best, we can choose what is best for what we want. In some situations tubs are best, in others, clinchers are.

Generally, train on pressures and race on tubs is the standard but there are exceptions to that and it's up to you to weigh up the pros and cons.

Best as in perfromance or safety? Interested to know

Like I said, best for what we want. We're all grown ups and can look at the pros and cons and decide what we want for whatever purpose we want it for. Make your own decision.