Preferences for a racing tubular tyre

jgsi

For those who use tubs, from experience what tubular tyre gives you the best 'feedback' for road racing in terms of stability and non skittishness in rainy/greasy conditions?

herzog

I like Vittoria Corsa CX III with isogrip compound - great in the wet.

DavidJB

GP4000s ... actually the conti competitions are the best but they cut up SO easy they are useless for UK roads!

jgsi

Cheers for the heads up... :-)

LegendLust

Any Veloflex tub

okgo

DavidJB wrote:

GP4000s ... actually the conti competitions are the best but they cut up SO easy they are useless for UK roads!

The vittoria cut up far quicker. I've got competitions on and while it has a few nicks I've had no issues with flats.

Veloflex looked lovely but without a support vehicle I'd rather go with something robust. I may try the new vittorias if they're now better in the wet but they still flat much more easily than Conti competitions I would say.

Got to be in it to win it!

DavidJB

Went through a comp in 4 races and the other lasted 1 race although I did get half a season more out of it by putting tufo sealant in it...which is what I do by default now.

Hampshire flint takes no prisoners

mulletmaster

I am obviouslyu totally cursing myself here but I have worn two vittorias down to the canvas through nothing but racing on fairly horrendous conditions and never had a flat. I have conti sprinters on other wheels and hate them, like riding on hose pipes in comparison.

imposter2.0

Conti Sprinters do not compare well to Corsas, tbf - Competitions are a much better tyre. I got a season's use out of a pair of Competitions a couple of years ago, but that was only using them for closed circuits - the front had plenty of life left, but the rear was well-worn. For open road races, I would tend to favour clinchers.

mulletmaster

How come? Puncture a clincher and your day is just as done unless you have a support car obviously? Lack of pinch flats in tubs is quite an important quality, I have smashed in to pot holes at pretty stupid speeds in the middle of a bunch, un warned and gotten away with it? I'd rather be cornering hard and a tub let go than a clincher too.

okgo

Because a new latex tube is £8, a new tub is £50

imposter2.0

mulletmaster wrote:

How come? Puncture a clincher and your day is just as done unless you have a support car obviously? Lack of pinch flats in tubs is quite an important quality, I have smashed in to pot holes at pretty stupid speeds in the middle of a bunch, un warned and gotten away with it? I'd rather be cornering hard and a tub let go than a clincher too.

I agree you're in the same boat if you puncture, regardless of the tyre. I just prefer the feel of clinchers on anything less than a smooth surface. On a dedicated cycle circuit, or a motor circuit, then a tub is perfect. This is personal preference, obviously..

DeVlaeminck

I'd find it difficult to differentiate between the feel of a tub or a clincher unless I had the same set of wheels in both versions. I think for most people using tubs it's because they make for a lighter, stronger rim on a set of race day wheels rather than anything intrinsic in the performance of the tyre. I only know one guy who races on shallow rimmed tubulars (a set of Shamals) and he's keen to flog them just for the added practicality of clinchers.

mulletmaster

mulletmaster wrote:

How come? Puncture a clincher and your day is just as done unless you have a support car obviously? Lack of pinch flats in tubs is quite an important quality, I have smashed in to pot holes at pretty stupid speeds in the middle of a bunch, un warned and gotten away with it? I'd rather be cornering hard and a tub let go than a clincher too.

Said that on Tuesday, first ever puncture in a TT last night, 24hours later. Unbeleivable. Thankfully on the crap conti which can now go in the bin.

DavidJB

okgo wrote:

Because a new latex tube is £8, a new tub is £50

Not the mention the massive ball ache of taking it off and re-glueing the bastard. (I still ride tubs but gone through 2 already this season).

As soon as I get a new tub now I just put this in http://www.wiggle.co.uk/tufo-extreme-ty ... 5360406914

Seems to work pretty well!

okgo

So it seems to contradict itself in that description, it says you put it in and it seals holes before you have even noticed, yet it says above that it should only be used when you get a flat...?

Which is it? I might be keen to use some just incase!

I've had two competition conti's since beginning of the season, done a fair few miles on them now, no issues, the front looks in good shape, the back is now a bit worn and there are a few nicks in it, but still seems to be plenty of rubber on it.

DavidJB

okgo wrote:

So it seems to contradict itself in that description, it says you put it in and it seals holes before you have even noticed, yet it says above that it should only be used when you get a flat...?

Which is it? I might be keen to use some just incase!

I've had two competition conti's since beginning of the season, done a fair few miles on them now, no issues, the front looks in good shape, the back is now a bit worn and there are a few nicks in it, but still seems to be plenty of rubber on it.

I just stick it in when the tyre is new. Someone did a test where they found up to about 6 months it was still stopping punctures (could see a little bit of gunk where it had come out). Some say it affects rolling resistance...I haven't noticed that and even so and even if it did losing 0.01 seconds over 50 miles is about a trillion times better than puncturing mid race and having to try to get back on...which in an E/1/2 is neigh on impossible.

I got punctures within 4/5 rides on every tub until I put this stuff in then I didn't have any for months or at all. Of course it's all anecdotal evidence just like the rolling resistance crowd...I may have just been lucky for the remaining time but for 5 quid a bottle which does 3 applications and no downsides I'll keep using it.

okgo

Well. My rear competition flatted in a race today lol. Jinxed it.

Is the gp4000s tub actually for sale anywhere?

ugo.santalucia

okgo wrote:

Well. My rear competition flatted in a race today lol. Jinxed it.

Is the gp4000s tub actually for sale anywhere?

If you've got good thumbs you can fix a Competition...

okgo

How so?

cycleclinic

Personally I would conti tubs as they robust, trying to get back on in a race yourself is a non starter unless you some kind of cycling god.

The competion tub uses proper base tape so it can fixed but not at the road side. tjhe GP4000 tub is easier to fit though I like them. My wife is using them at present for commuting and no drama so far.

jgsi

Are we talking these?
Sadly the puncture on my current tub , I have managed to repair out...so stuck with it for rest of season.. change over the winter for next year... primary wish remains stability in damp/greasy conditions.

leechy12

Hi, I had a pair of Mavic Reflex made for me by Harry Rowland and have raced them using the Schwalbe One Tubular. So far they seem to be holding up exceptionally well over the crap road surfaces here in the Surrey League. I run a 24mm on the back and 22 on the front. Be it the complete wheel package but they come up to speed & hold the speed much better than my Mavic ksyium Equipes which have GT 4000s 25mm - the reason why I went for this for racing. Makes me feel good as well.
AL