Tubular carbon wheels

canoas

Can get some very cheap tubular carbon wheels less than half price. I know this is backwards from a tubeless wheel pair. Could I use these in summer ok in the hills for example on UK roads? Or is the puncture risk to high and if I get one, can I cycle 50km home on one of those Hutchinson or Vittoria pitstop cans, will they work or do I need to carry a pre glued tyre. Old school yes, but a bargain. I still run rims anyway. I am thinking price of practically you could say. Just worried about puncture situations and tyre price replacement.

thegreatdivide

Tyre sealant works just fine in a tubular. Tufo make the best stuff for tubs IMO. They used to make ‘Extreme’ sealant which was tremendous, but now they’ve branched out to several different grade options.

All I ever take out with me when I ride my tubs, even if it’s a long distance route, is a wee bottle of Tufo and a couple of CO2.

I’ve run sealant fixed tub tyres for years after a puncture.

You don’t need to take a spare tub. It’s 2023, not 1923.

DeVlaeminck

I wouldn't

canoas

Thanks for the feedback. I just had a look at their Carbon sealant with positive reviews. Tyre wise I was thinking Conti or Veloflex....or now maybe Tufo. I have ridden tubular many years ago, they are so dam comfortable that's all I remember. Never had a flat for 2 years (didn't cycle much), LBS swapped tyres over for me, glued. I just carried a glued spare.....early 90's. Then stopped cycling for a decade due to job, location overseas. So never experienced proper tubular usage in the UK.

thegreatdivide

I eventually settled on Vittoria Corsa or Corsa Control. The latter has been consistently great.

super_davo

I wouldn't for all round riding, because:
- sealant can't fix all punctures, I'd always be concerned about that risk when on a long solo ride
- tubs are more expensive and getting harder to come by
- you remember them as comfortable, but that's vs old school clinchers; modern versions closed the comfort gap to next to nothing and wider tubeless leave both behind

But for a cheap set for "best" and racing, why not?

sungod

i ride tubs everywhere except commute

puncture risk is mainly influenced by...
i) wet roads, as with all tyres, wet glass etc. will cut a tyre far more easily than dry
ii) tyre choice
iii) road conditions, areas with glass, flints etc.

conti sprinters aren't the most comfy, but the grip is good and they are pretty tough, for winter/spring around london it's a sensible option

veloflex are comfy, much lighter, if t's dry getting a puncture is rare, tufo sealant will fix most, but in the wet on glass-strewn london roads, higher risk of puncture

in 10+ years riding thousands of km outside the uk, i've only once had a puncture, that was due to a piece of sharp metal that slashed the sidewall on a veloflex tub, clearly it would have done the same to any lightweight tyre, whether tubed, tubeless or tub - but i carry a lightweight tufo as a spare, 10-15 minutes to get the dead tub off and fit the tufo and carry on (carefully), with tubeless/tubed a spare that small/light would not have been an option, i'd have needed a lift back

as above, cost/availability aren't as good as a few years ago, i keep a stash of them to avoid getting caught out/ripped off, plus tubs can be repaired as long as the carcass is ok, it's not difficult

thegreatdivide

Yip. I’ve had two punctures in over a decade of tub riding. Both fixed with sealant and then ridden thousands more miles until they needed to be replaced. I ride my Corsa Control tubs in all conditions.

I don’t race, all my bikes are ‘best’. I just ride my bikes for pleasure, and I ride them a lot.

canoas

the great divide and sungod..........I just had a conversation with a mate and he said he runs one of his bikes in the summer on tubs and hasn't had a puncture in 6 years! Uses Conti Control, and used Pittstop to get home 6 years ago! I did mention Tufo sealant before, he said waste of time, feels like a tubeless and messy to change. He runs tape as his glue skills are bad! Doesn't carry a spare normally only on long rides 125kms+. I can't see tubs ever been off the Veloflex, challenge, Tufo or Conti sales list only specialized and co. Just the variety maybe less I reckon.

canoas

super_davo said:

I wouldn't for all round riding, because:
- sealant can't fix all punctures, I'd always be concerned about that risk when on a long solo ride
- tubs are more expensive and getting harder to come by
- you remember them as comfortable, but that's vs old school clinchers; modern versions closed the comfort gap to next to nothing and wider tubeless leave both behind

But for a cheap set for "best" and racing, why not?

I do run GP5000's clinchers at the moment and last year Veloflex clinchers. I think GP5000's are amazing. But I think tubeless are a nightmare, I refuse to run them and even LBS said forget it, run a clincher. Carried a rubber dart was useless as cut was about 3-4mm I reckon, had to get a Uber home in Surrey Hills, so tubeless can land you in the crap as well. All I remember was white gunk spraying all over my bike and clothes and hard to get off. Tubeless less punctures, yes, but on UK roads in the worst in Europe, it's a problem IMO.

canoas

super_davo said:

I wouldn't for all round riding, because:
- sealant can't fix all punctures, I'd always be concerned about that risk when on a long solo ride
- tubs are more expensive and getting harder to come by
- you remember them as comfortable, but that's vs old school clinchers; modern versions closed the comfort gap to next to nothing and wider tubeless leave both behind

But for a cheap set for "best" and racing, why not?

Ah forgot last comment, yes sealant does worry me (tubulars) and my mate said he just got home about 35km he reckon if he remembers with PittStop. That's one of my issues. Cheers.

super_davo

canoas said:

super_davo said:

I wouldn't for all round riding, because:
- sealant can't fix all punctures, I'd always be concerned about that risk when on a long solo ride
- tubs are more expensive and getting harder to come by
- you remember them as comfortable, but that's vs old school clinchers; modern versions closed the comfort gap to next to nothing and wider tubeless leave both behind

But for a cheap set for "best" and racing, why not?

I do run GP5000's clinchers at the moment and last year Veloflex clinchers. I think GP5000's are amazing. But I think tubeless are a nightmare, I refuse to run them and even LBS said forget it, run a clincher. Carried a rubber dart was useless as cut was about 3-4mm I reckon, had to get a Uber home in Surrey Hills, so tubeless can land you in the censored as well. All I remember was white gunk spraying all over my bike and clothes and hard to get off. Tubeless less punctures, yes, but on UK roads in the worst in Europe, it's a problem IMO.

I meant wide tubeless (28 and above). I've found 25mm tubeless has been a bit meh, but 28s & 30s feel totally different. Something to do with the pressure you need to run I think.
It's not that easy to get tubs in that size outside of fancy FMB Paris Roubaix specials at £££££...

canoas

True..... the carbon wheels I want are for 25mm.........28mm may balloon out anyway I am told 2020 model. 25mm I like, but yes I do run 28mm on my commuter SS and they are very comfortable. 25mm is fine for me. Having said this I don't think you need tubeless and it's a marketing ploy with the disc brakes which the later you don't need, I have tested, good in the wet but not a lot of difference I find.

wobblebob

canoas said:

super_davo said:

I wouldn't for all round riding, because:
- sealant can't fix all punctures, I'd always be concerned about that risk when on a long solo ride
- tubs are more expensive and getting harder to come by
- you remember them as comfortable, but that's vs old school clinchers; modern versions closed the comfort gap to next to nothing and wider tubeless leave both behind

But for a cheap set for "best" and racing, why not?

I do run GP5000's clinchers at the moment and last year Veloflex clinchers. I think GP5000's are amazing. But I think tubeless are a nightmare, I refuse to run them and even LBS said forget it, run a clincher. Carried a rubber dart was useless as cut was about 3-4mm I reckon, had to get a Uber home in Surrey Hills, so tubeless can land you in the censored as well. All I remember was white gunk spraying all over my bike and clothes and hard to get off. Tubeless less punctures, yes, but on UK roads in the worst in Europe, it's a problem IMO.

I'm confused as to why, in that situation why wouldn't just put a tube in?

Dorset_Boy

wobblebob said:

canoas said:

super_davo said:

I wouldn't for all round riding, because:
- sealant can't fix all punctures, I'd always be concerned about that risk when on a long solo ride
- tubs are more expensive and getting harder to come by
- you remember them as comfortable, but that's vs old school clinchers; modern versions closed the comfort gap to next to nothing and wider tubeless leave both behind

But for a cheap set for "best" and racing, why not?

I do run GP5000's clinchers at the moment and last year Veloflex clinchers. I think GP5000's are amazing. But I think tubeless are a nightmare, I refuse to run them and even LBS said forget it, run a clincher. Carried a rubber dart was useless as cut was about 3-4mm I reckon, had to get a Uber home in Surrey Hills, so tubeless can land you in the censored as well. All I remember was white gunk spraying all over my bike and clothes and hard to get off. Tubeless less punctures, yes, but on UK roads in the worst in Europe, it's a problem IMO.

I'm confused as to why, in that situation why wouldn't just put a tube in?

And if you don't have anything suitable for a tyre boot, that size gash would be end of ride on a clincher anyway.

DeVlaeminck

Tyre boots are pretty easy to carry though and easy enough to improvise something.

webboo

Five and ten pound notes apparently work well but I guess if you just carry a card you might be need to ring for a lift.