Anyone use tubs for their general cycling

[coco69]

A bike I recently bought came with a set of planet x tubs....I put on a set I had in the gsrage so have never rode with them yet partly because I believe punctures are a nightmare to repair.
I know their main purpose is for racing so just wondering if anyone uses them and how they have dealt with punctures

 

[Hugh Manatee]

I built a winter bike out of parts I had around the place. This included tub wheels. I glued the tyres on as per you tube and went riding. I felt the ride quality was very good and smooth despite me going for budget tubs. I didn't try it but, if you glue up an extra tyre to take with you, you can replace the punctured tyre and it will get you home. You are supposed to leave one small area unglued on the rim so you can get the old tyre off.

It was many, many miles before I got a puncture. By then I had taken to carrying a tin of Vittoria Pit Stop. I used that and it got me home. I didn't repair it and the tyre lasted hundreds of miles more.

The worst then happened and I hit a pot hole that should have been shown on my GPS map, it was that huge. Both tyres instantly deflated. Up until this point I had hit other pot holes pretty hard and not pinch flatted. This lack of pinch flats is in my opinion one of the benefits of tubs. Both tyres going down instantly would normally be a proper brown shorts moment. With tubs though, there is no way the tyre can come off the rim so stopping was no drama. The wife couldn't rescue me so I actually slowly rode home soft pedalling and gently coasting. I got there without damage to the wheels and it was a lot quicker than walking!

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HOtqNQJQcuU

Check this out. Olano wins with a flat back tyre. You wouldn't do that with a clincher!

You could splash out on quality tubs and use them for Sunday best?

 

[Vapin' Joe]

I used them for racing but occasionally they'd be on my bike for training runs or even the odd pre season club run. Dealing with punctures meant carrying a spare under the saddle and having the damaged tub repaired by my local shop, I never bothered trying to do it myself.

Clinchers are so good now compared to the rubbish we rode back in the day I would never consider tubs for general riding.

 

[screenman]

I used to do so, I would not now though. Hugh tape is easier than glue.

Did I ever tell anyone about the time I used glue instead of embrocation cream, foreign labels and all that.

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

Wolber used to make a heavy duty tub called the Renforce if I remember right, I used them for many winters in my early years of club riding. In those days I could call upon the services of a clubmate you used to expertly repair tubs at 50p a time. But then Michelin and Specialized started making half decent wired tyres and I switched over late 80's. Still used to use tubs for racing though.

 

[Sharky]

Used to ride tubs all the time when I first started and right up to the mid 80's, but as said above, clinchers are so good now.

Always used to carry one or two old tubs in case of puncture and if I was going on a really long ride a repair kit. This was a normal set of patches, plus an old razor blade, a strong needle and thimble and some waxed carpet thread. It's not difficult to mend a puncture, just locate the hole, use the razor blade to cut the existing stiches and putt out the tube. If you were lucky, you only needed a 2 to 3 inch slit to get the tube out, then you repair it and use the waxed thread to stitch it up . Only had to do it on the road a couple of times, but always repaired my tubs at home.

Once or twice I've managed to puncture all my tubs on a ride and still got home by riding on a flat tub, stuck to the rim.

Keith

 

[NorvernRob]

I have them on my best bike, I carry a can of pit stop sealant and a pre glued lightweight spare tyre which goes into my jersey pocket. I haven't had to use either yet.

 

[Globalti]

Have never used tubs but I ride Veloflex Open Corsa clinchers, which I'm told are as good as tubs. At 320 tpi they ride like a dream and although they do puncture easily I love the ride too much to want to go back to a lesser tyre like the Pro 4s I used before. It's not just the smoothness of the ride, it's the cornering and grip and the way the bike feels so "planted" on the road.

 

[cyberknight]

Doesnt Tony Martin use clinchers on his TT bike?

 

[Banjo]

I think Steve Abraham is currently doing his one year record attempt on tuibs.

Cant see the point for general riding tbh. Decent set of kevlar protected clinchers can be fast and reliable.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

I think Steve Abraham is currently doing his one year record attempt on tuibs.

Cant see the point for general riding tbh. Decent set of kevlar protected clinchers can be fast and reliable.

I avoid Kevlar belted tyres. It deadens the ride and offers zero puncture protection. It's only a thin little strip of material and once something has penetrated the tread Kevlar won't stop it reaching the tube for more than a handful of wheel revolutions.

 

[ayceejay]

I used to ride on Wolber Invulnerables every day, now I use those green Vittorias that are as tough but faster. I had some Clement Criterium silks back in the day that were the best I have ever ridden on. As for repair I use the pit stop as I find tubs today are made differently and undoing them difficult. Soyo and Tufo are not repairable due to the way they are made

 

[Ian H]

Steve Abraham is using tubeless tyres, not tubular tyres. Different animal entirely.

 

[TheJDog]

But then Michelin and Specialized started making half decent wired tyres

Yeah, in the mid/late 80s was when my dad and I were building a very decent Moser with Shimano 600, and I can't remember the tyres, but Dave Kane in Belfast recommended clinchers and a set of Wolber Super Alpine wheels over tubulars. I'm too young to remember tubulars ever having a huge advantage if you weren't pro.

 

[coco69]

Thanks for all replies,,, not into sewing so think they will stop in the garage

however, I have some wheels which had a 9 speed cassette on, when I put on a 10 speed the lockring wouldnt tighten but when I removed the spacer all was good,,,,,,,, so my question is would thst be ok without a spacer?