So what's the deal with tubs these days?

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Comments

  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,172
    @ meesterbond -

    I think the problem you have is that you're on Conti's. I carry a Conti Giro as a spare and have Vittoria SC on the wheels (the Giro was cheap and looks the same). Once they are worn out I plan on moving to Veloflex Criterium or possibly an FMB or Dugast.

    Tub or clincher Conti tyres are stiffer than the more traditional tyres so while they should last very well (and certainly the good ones grip very well) they're not quite the same for feel as anyone who's moved between a GP4000 clincher and a Vittoria CX will agree. Tubs take that difference and magnify it as you don't lose a chunk of the inner tube volume inside the rim.

    We were let down by Mr FMB... his tubs are subtle and springy, but even the Roubaix model is made of butter

    http://paolocoppo.drupalgardens.com/con ... ing-spring
    left the forum March 2023
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    @ meesterbond -

    I think the problem you have is that you're on Conti's. I carry a Conti Giro as a spare and have Vittoria SC on the wheels (the Giro was cheap and looks the same).

    Just to keep things on an even keel, I'll chime in and mention that I have used Conti Sprinters for some years now. i have also paid the big dollar for what some might call the higher end tubes. differences? Well, maybe a little. Still I really haven't come across a tire with better value, better durability, or much of a better ride. A perfectly serviceable tire, suited for everything from training to races to long tours.

    My idea of a spare tubular is the lightest, cheapest one that folds up into the least space and I don't leave them on the rim or "pre glue" them. Then again I don't race.

    As for gluing them on I can't find much fault with "tape" as opposed to regular rim cement. Purest will tell you it must be glue but I've yet to be convinced that it's written in stone.

    FWIW I've found that Tufo Tubulars(not talking tubular clinchers here) are the easiest to mount as they don't turn themselves inside out when inflated.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,172
    dennisn wrote:
    @ meesterbond -

    I think the problem you have is that you're on Conti's. I carry a Conti Giro as a spare and have Vittoria SC on the wheels (the Giro was cheap and looks the same).

    Just to keep things on an even keel, I'll chime in and mention that I have used Conti Sprinters for some years now. i have also paid the big dollar for what some might call the higher end tubes. differences? Well, maybe a little. Still I really haven't come across a tire with better value, better durability, or much of a better ride. A perfectly serviceable tire, suited for everything from training to races to long tours.

    My idea of a spare tubular is the lightest, cheapest one that folds up into the least space and I don't leave them on the rim or "pre glue" them. Then again I don't race.

    As for gluing them on I can't find much fault with "tape" as opposed to regular rim cement. Purest will tell you it must be glue but I've yet to be convinced that it's written in stone.

    FWIW I've found that Tufo Tubulars(not talking tubular clinchers here) are the easiest to mount as they don't turn themselves inside out when inflated.

    Couple of things...

    1) Glue is superior if you do a lot of descending... I found the valve of the front tyre bent when I used tape, as a sign of the tyre slipping on the tape. Interestingly the very same descent is featured as a climb in the Giro this year, climb to Andrate, stage to Ivrea (my hometown), the day after the Galibier... it's not the longest descent in the world, only 5 Km, but mostly 8-12 %

    2) Tubulars turn themselves and that's nice, so they expose the tape area for glueing

    They are designed to be glues, then you can tape them and be happy 95% of the time
    left the forum March 2023
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    dennisn wrote:
    @ meesterbond -

    I think the problem you have is that you're on Conti's. I carry a Conti Giro as a spare and have Vittoria SC on the wheels (the Giro was cheap and looks the same).

    Just to keep things on an even keel, I'll chime in and mention that I have used Conti Sprinters for some years now. i have also paid the big dollar for what some might call the higher end tubes. differences? Well, maybe a little. Still I really haven't come across a tire with better value, better durability, or much of a better ride. A perfectly serviceable tire, suited for everything from training to races to long tours.

    My idea of a spare tubular is the lightest, cheapest one that folds up into the least space and I don't leave them on the rim or "pre glue" them. Then again I don't race.

    As for gluing them on I can't find much fault with "tape" as opposed to regular rim cement. Purest will tell you it must be glue but I've yet to be convinced that it's written in stone.

    FWIW I've found that Tufo Tubulars(not talking tubular clinchers here) are the easiest to mount as they don't turn themselves inside out when inflated.

    Couple of things...

    1) Glue is superior if you do a lot of descending... I found the valve of the front tyre bent when I used tape, as a sign of the tyre slipping on the tape. Interestingly the very same descent is featured as a climb in the Giro this year, climb to Andrate, stage to Ivrea (my hometown), the day after the Galibier... it's not the longest descent in the world, only 5 Km, but mostly 8-12 %

    2) Tubulars turn themselves and that's nice, so they expose the tape area for glueing

    They are designed to be glues, then you can tape them and be happy 95% of the time

    The biggest hills near me are railroad overpasses. Although I used to run tubulars when doing my yearly Bicycle Tour of Colorado with no issues, my recent tours have been on tubular clinchers because glueing a tubular on at the top of a mountain pass just didn't seem like a great idea, even if you used tape. The tubular clinchers have never let me down and change out much easier than a standard tubular. I'm all about keeping it easy these days.