50mm carbon tubs or clinchers

BeaconJon

Right, that age old argument i guess with an added twist of carbon.

I'm looking at getting some cheap carbon 50mm wheels and really fancied getting back into riding tubs for summer days and a little racing (TT's). (I run Campag Zonda clinchers on my S-works).

Looking at the carbon clinchers they are heavier and more expensive and i'm a little concerned about the relatively little amount of carbon in the breaking area and lip compared to the beefier looking cross section of a tubular rim.

I know tubs may be slightly more expensive but having suffered a couple of pinch flats on our crappy roads in Warks last season it's got me thinking of switching back to tubs. Also I don't fancy the idea of ruining a carbon clincher with a flat allowing the rim to hit the tarmac, as tubs tend to remain between the two.

Just wondered if anyone has experience of both cheap tubs and clincher carbon rims.

Also what tubs are people running?

Many thanks, Jon

on-yer-bike

Cheap tubs arent usually repairable. I use Conti Competitions because they are robust and repairable but expensive. I switched from Vittoria Evos because although nice are fragile. I use Bora 1 rims with glue and they seem to be very strong. Havent used carbon clinchers but probably wouldnt use deep sections with alu rims as they are getting too heavy.

DeRosaRider

Whilst Clincher carbons with AL rims are on the 'heavy' side compared to Tubulars - isn't the convenience of an easy tyre change worth it if you're mostly using them for non competitive riding?

markos1963

on-yer-bike wrote:

Cheap tubs arent usually repairable.

Not necessarily so, I run Conti Giros at £16 a throw and they are easy to repair(about 30 mins for me)

Mad Roadie

Clinchers - I have both, but always feel I will get home with all but the extreme tyre failures on the clinchers - and carry taxi money when on tubs...

okgo

I would love to try the Firecrest 404's at 1280grams per set, but my 404 clinchers with alu brake track at 1650g feel fine to me, I think the biggest benefit of these wheels is when you are bombing along the flat or downhill, the times where weight isn't that important. On the basis of my not knowing about changing tubs, and quite liking the reliable braking of alu I like clinchers.

But if I had more money and knew how to glue tubs, then it would be hard to look past the 404 firecrests for instance, climbing wheel weight, massive aero advantage too!

BeaconJon

Hm, cheers for the replies chaps.

I'm not looking at Alu-carbon, just straight carbon rims. To be fair, for the kind of riding they'll be doing, it's hard to justify the tubs as much as I'd like to as I'd want them to be shod with decent rubber.

I think I'm leaning towards clinchers as its the set-up I'm already using. Shod with GP4000's I'm hoping for a nice ride (even on our crappy roads)!

BeaconJon

Bugger, now looking at the costs i'm still tempted with the tubs and maybe keep them as a "best" wheelset.

Why is it always this complicated!!

Evil Laugh

Can't say I've ridden every wheel under the sun but the tubs I've had far outshine the carbon clinchers in terms of ride quality.

I just put on my c35s for the first time yesterday and the ride on Veloflex Carbons is just so nice. I don't get many punctures at all, usually use what would be considered race tyres, vittoria pave, veloflex master etc so don't see why I'd get any more with the tubs, so what the hell I'm gonna ride them every chance I get.

If I could afford to I'd get a second pair of tubulars with an ali braking surface for wet weather.

Eyorerox

http://www.boydcycling.com/50mm-carbon-tubulars/

Not tried them myself

thegreatdivide

If you want some quality light-weight hand built carbon clinchers with a carbon braking surface then the place to go is wheelsmith

http://www.wheelsmith.co.uk/gallery