Glorious Tubulars

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Brahan

Über Member
Location
West Sussex
The week before last, the missis took the kids to Center Parcs at Longleat on Friday morning. This meant I had the whole (long weekend) to myself to get pissed and what not. After riding home to an empty house on Friday evening, I headed out to the local.

After a few jars I decided I would ride the TT bike from East Grinstead to Longleat the following morning, so set for home and prepared my alarm clock.

Off went the alarm and I was out on the road after 15 minutes, making good speed as the rising sun dried dewy damp spots on the road. Feeling fresh and well aware I shouldn't push myself too hard too early, I was surprised to see I had managed over 21 mph average on the 45 mile mark when my rear tub died. No panic, tubs are reliable and I had a spare. Anyway, I must have ridden thousands of miles on tubs.....

That first blow out was on the road between Guildford and Farham. I kept on the road, going well until I hit a hard patch, coming in to Four Marks (?) had to spin the granny gear for a few miles into the headwind. Continued through Winchester where the next tub blew, forcing a 3 mile cleated dance to a life saving bike shop to buy their shittiest and only tub. Whacked it on and continued on the 303 to Andover in the heaviest rain you can imagine. Got thorough Andover and was going well when suddenly my newly replaced rear tub went BANG. Oh FFS! Waltzed back into Andover to find there that the only 2 shops I could find had no tubs.

Phoned the missis who rescued me from the pub I sat in for the next 3 hours while the rain nearly washed the town away.

Tubs are cool. But I think that given that I ruined 3 of them and a carbon tri spoke on the ride, it would have been cheaper for me to get a cab.

Meh
 

ASC1951

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
Tubs are cool. But I think that given that I ruined 3 of them and a carbon tri spoke on the ride, it would have been cheaper for me to get a cab.
I've never seen the point of tubs for road riding. Granted, a) I don't go at TT speeds, even when I am trying to and b) I've never even tried a pair; but are they really so much faster than a good quality pair of 23s at 110 psi? Or is it something you don't appreciate until you've actually owned some?
 

biggs682

Touch it up and ride it
Location
Northamptonshire
keep looking at a pr of sprints i have hanging in garage that look sexxxxyyy but just dont want the agrro of blowing tubs on my commute
 

palinurus

Velo, boulot, dodo
Location
Watford
Tubular tyre, think inner tube with tread on the outside. They are glued onto a rim with a different profile to a regular rim- it has a sort of concave profile to accept the tub.

They are lighter and offer less rolling resistance than a regular tyre, also no chance of pinch flats. Used mainly for time-trialling (low rolling resistance, can be run at very high pressure), on the track (basically same reasons) and for cyclocross (can be run at lower pressure than clinchers for more grip). Used to be used widely for road racing but less so nowdays.
 

Andrew_Culture

Internet Marketing bod
Thank you!
Tubular tyre, think inner tube with tread on the outside. They are glued onto a rim with a different profile to a regular rim- it has a sort of concave profile to accept the tub.

They are lighter and offer less rolling resistance than a regular tyre, also no chance of pinch flats. Used mainly for time-trialling (low rolling resistance, can be run at very high pressure), on the track (basically same reasons) and for cyclocross (can be run at lower pressure than clinchers for more grip). Used to be used widely for road racing but less so nowdays.

Thank you!
 

Rob3rt

Man or Moose!
Location
Manchester
The virtue's are debated (I have no opinion having never used them), just to state some of the arguments contrary to palinurus's comments, apparently modern clinchers offer approx the same rolling resistance and according to Zipp's marketing speil, clinchers are actually better. In addition to rolling resistance clinchers have a more aero tyre to rim transition, apparently.

But tubular wheels are generally lighter.

[QUOTE 2025664, member: 259"]I thought they had died out completely apart from professional cycling. Do you have to wait a while for the glue to dry or is it pretty instant like gluing a tube patch?[/quote]

The glue remains sort of tacky (or you can use tub tape). You can pull the tub off and put a new one on and pump it up. Best to take it easy at 1st to be sure, incase the new one rolls off the rim. Triathlete's run tub's very often and change them mid race if they puncture.

Issue with them is repairing them, you have to unpick the stitching, fix the inner inside, then restitch it or something like that.

I have never used them and tbh will avoid doing so as best as I can, unless there really is a necessity.
 

palinurus

Velo, boulot, dodo
Location
Watford
In cylocross tubs are an advantage in that they can be run at lower pressure than clinchers giving more grip when the going gets soggy.
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
I have a very nice set of carbon Hed Jet's with Hope Titanium hubs in the garage - tubular of course. Only much use for racing really. Never used them training or on rides as they are a royal pain in the ar$e if you puncture. Give me a race clincher, latex tubes and a couple of spare tubes any day. They do ride very nicely, but most high end clinchers do these days.
 
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