Tubular vs Tubeless vs Clincher tyres

[Tripster]

Never fixed a puncture on my 10 year olds Frog
fixed 1 puncture on my wife’s bike last year
Non on either of mine so either tyres are the dogs bollocks or seriously lucky.
On my new bike I plan to ride longer distances but still no real idea if it was worth going tubeless. So I prefer........

 

[BalkanExpress]

Which do I prefer? Tubulars.

Which do I recommend? Clinchers

Clinchers are less messing, cheaper, almost as good and it’s much easier to borrow a tube than a tub from a passing rider.

Tubs are all about the feelings: good ones just feel great and wandering around the house with your fingers glued together makes you feel like Eddy...well like Eddy’s mechanic

 

[Anonymous1502]

Which do I prefer? Tubulars.

Which do I recommend? Clinchers

Clinchers are less messing, cheaper, almost as good and it’s much easier to borrow a tube than a tub from a passing rider.

Tubs are all about the feelings: good ones just feel great and wandering around the house with your fingers glued together makes you feel like Eddy...well like Eddy’s mechanic

How do you change punctures on tubular tyres? Are they really that hard to maintain?

 

[CXRAndy]

How do you change punctures on tubular tyres? Are they really that hard to maintain?

You dont, peel the whole tyre from the rim and glue another on. I used sealant in a set of tubular tyres, which helped a great deal, but not perfect due to high pressure that sealant doesn't like too much.

My preference is tubeless, 28-40 mm tyres. They run fast and super smooth

 

[derrick]

Don't know if anyone has changed a tub, cleaning the glue of the rim is not a nice job.

 

[screenman]

I once mixed up tub cement with embrocation cream prior to a cross race, took me ages to get it off my shins.

 

[derrick]

Last time i changed a pair of tubs, i used the tape to glue them back on, seemed to work ok.

 

[boydj]

I've tried them all.

Tubular : very specialised for racing only. Lightweight rims and tyres, can be ridden flat since they are glued on. Puncture is a pain. You have to :
- find a rough location for the puncture
- unpeel the tyre round that location (or all they way round)
- unstitch the tyre
- find the hole and apply a patch
- restitch the tyre
- re-glue the tyre back onto the rim
This is a real pain, and the tyre can often end up a bit lumpy as your stitching is never as flat as it was before - hence the comment above about sending it away. Fine for the pros and top racers with support teams.

Clincher : standard puncture repair. easy to swap in a new tube if you puncture on the road. Unless you're racing on lightweight tyres, then it's worth paying a bit extra for tyres with some decent puncture protection. There's a trade-off between protection, weight and rideability.

Tubeless : pain to set up, but once properly set up are a joy to ride. Most punctures will self-seal. bigger holes can be plugged on the road and if it's really bad a tube can be used. If you do have to use a tube, then you have to remove the valve to allow the tube to be fitted, so it's a last resort, and the tyre can be very tight to fit. Again, unless you're racing seriously then tyres with a bit of puncture protection are worth fitting. I've set up tubeless myself and it's tricky, but not that difficult once you understand what you are doing. Needs rims and tyres that are tubeless compatible for road wheels.

The quality of modern clinchers can be very good and some pros are now using regular, lightweight clinchers and some are using tubeless. But regular clinchers, with a bit of puncture protection keep things nice and simple. For winter riding I like Continental GP 4 Seasons as a good compromise of light weight, puncture protection and good grip in cold, damp conditions.

 

[Tripster]

I’m contemplating wether to stick with tubeless on new bike or go back to tubed

 

[Drago]

Regular clinchers. Been tubless and the minor gains weren't worth the hassle for a utility and pleasure rider like me. Never done tubs.

 

[BalkanExpress]

How do you change punctures on tubular tyres? Are they really that hard to maintain?

Traditionally you carried a spare pre-glued tube, the glue dries but is a contact adhesive, it is very important to carry this in an old sock. If You puncture pull the old tube off, harder than it sounds of properly glued, fit the new one, pump up and off you go.

Nowadays a can of that self- sealing stuff and you should be good.

You can add sealant in tubs in advance and this reduces the risk of punctures, it will also fix most punctures without resorting to needle and thread.

 

[Tripster]

Schwalbe website says not to use Co2 cartridges as it has a negative effect on sealing liquid. Anyone heard this & why is it ?

 

[screenman]

I have used all 3 I prefer tubeless and never have had a problem fitting or sealing. The road bikes that are running tubes will be changed over shortly. We have miles of Hawthorne hedges around these parts and get trimmed yearly leading to many puncture for the unaware cyclist.

 

[Anonymous1502]

You dont, peel the whole tyre from the rim and glue another on. I used sealant in a set of tubular tyres, which helped a great deal, but not perfect due to high pressure that sealant doesn't like too much.

My preference is tubeless, 28-40 mm tyres. They run fast and super smooth

Do you have frequent punctures? How expensive is it to replace a tyre after a puncture?

 

[HLaB]

I've had a tubeless disc for the last 3 or 4. Based partially on the success of that (excellent rolling and my only DNF was when the front clincher tyre p'tured) I got a tubeless wheelset for the roadiee. Initially tubeless roadiee tyres were a success and then I started to get tiny p'tures leading to a loss of pressure, then a momentary lapse hitting a cateye would result in the tyres unseating. After much mess I was only saved on the LEJOG by a spare tube. I was almost ready to give up, then I realised it was the sealant that was bad. I had tried never dry out Finish Line, I think it wasn't drying out to fill a hole either. So I switched back to Joes/Stans/Continental. A few months later, no p'tures I was so glad I didn't give up, the momentary lapses of concentration were caused by a Chronic Iron Deficiency which was caused by bowel cancer. The last thing I was expecting as a fit then 43 year old. Fortunately it was stage 1 and it was whipped out. During the subsequent chemotherapy tubeless tyres were more of a blessing; not having to change tyres after a p'ture with weak numb fingers; avoiding my body getting cold which would lead to more numbness/ shutdown; the ability to run tyres at lower/ more comfortable pressures (my wrist was constantly bruised by the chemo catheter) and I started to see the performance benefits of a grippy and well rolling tyres. Based on that after the chemo with my finger nerves still destroyed/ numb after the chemo, I decided to get another tubeless wheelset for winter. Now a year on with all the numbness gone and clear scans I am really seeing the benefits of nice rolling, comfy and grippy tyres and the 0 p'tures is a bonus too. If I get any more wheelsets in future I'll aim to get tubeless again