Tubulars or Clinchers for upcoming Rapha Race?

[ValleyForge]

Riding in the Rapha Gentlemen's Race in the Gold Coast hinterland in a few weeks time. 180km, hills, tarmac & gravel... I want to ride on my carbon wheels which are tubulars. I've got a pair of Veloflex Roubaix tubulars (for pave/cobblestones) somewhere so I was thinking of swapping them for my Servizio Corse tyres. Course is not released yet so I'm guessing....

Or am I completely mad and I should just see if I can borrow clinchers?

[Cul]

I ride tubular tires every day on some well !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !! chip seal, potholed roads including the odd section of gravel here and there. Of the 9000kms I have done since getting Tubs I have experienced 1 flat which was fixed in about 3 minutes with some Spex tubeless sealant (this tire didn’t have sealant in it originally). To prevent flats or issues out on a ride I put approx. 20ml of sealant in each tire, it might not seem much but it’s enough to catch any pinhole type flats you might get. In addition I carry around a can of Vittoria Pitstop or if it’s a super epic ride a spare pre-glued tire (just a 19mm shitter).

Life is too short to ride clinchers!

[ValleyForge]

Life is too short to ride clinchers!

I agree! I've been riding tubulars since 1981, but only on good surfaces (Friday/Saturday rides). I've never dabbled in the dark arts of sealant, just always carried a spare under the seat.

I'm just not sure of what to expect on a local level on the ride.....

[PomBike]

Life is too short to ride clinchers!

and lifes to short to repair tubs

[ValleyForge]

Life is too short to ride clinchers!

and lifes to short to repair tubs

Impossible with the Veloflex tyres. I can't shift the backing tape! In actual fact, I can only remember one that punctured well before it's "due date".

[Dimis]

I initially stayed away from tubulars because of the horror stories of repairing them blah blah blah...

I only begrudgingly started riding them after purchasing a set (sight unseen on evil-bay) by accident...
Hey, there were cheap...

Boy, was that the best mistake I ever made. Rode 'em for ages before getting a flat, and I certainly felt the difference in pedal effort too (lighter wheels may have had something to do with this too, to be fair)...

But now I ride tubulars everywhere without a second thought!

[bomber]

I'd vote tubulars as you would be back up and running quicker than a clincher change if you do puncture. The question is not what should you ride but what are you more comfortable fixing if you flat on the ride.

[ValleyForge]

I agree, but I'm not happy with how replacement tubulars stick to carbon rims. With the alloy rims & vittoria/clement glue combination of old, there was a security I've not got with adhesion to carbon.

[Derny Driver]

If you puncture its race over so speed of replacing isnt a factor. Tubbies are less likely to puncture. Its quite common for races in south america or asia to have dirt or gravel sections. Clinchers will pinch flat or cut where a tubby wont. In my experience tubulars are more reliable on rough roads.

[ironhanglider]

I agree, but I'm not happy with how replacement tubulars stick to carbon rims. With the alloy rims & vittoria/clement glue combination of old, there was a security I've not got with adhesion to carbon.

You'd be surprised how well a tubular can stick to a rim when there is no glue on it at all. I know one person who bought a second hand wheel with a tubular on it for TTs and raced on it for months before he realised that it wasn't glued.

I've finished races on replaced tubulars too. As long as you're still able to pedal around the corners, the centre of pressure is still well within the width of the rim. It usually takes both cornering hard and hitting a bump/pedal etc to roll a tyre.

BTW replacing a tubular in a race used to be quick. Now that people are sticking them on better to reduce rolling resistance it is much slower. I've just about removed thumbnails trying to get them off with much cursing, I now carry a tyre lever.

Cheers,

Cameron

[toolonglegs]

I agree, but I'm not happy with how replacement tubulars stick to carbon rims. With the alloy rims & vittoria/clement glue combination of old, there was a security I've not got with adhesion to carbon.

Carry an aerosol bomb... Works well with a lot of tubular punctures... I think it is the Vittoria ones I have. Quick enough that you might have a chance to get back on.

[The Cleaner]

All this makes me feel better about building some tubs. I have the rims. Now for the hubs etc.

[softy]

The whole argument about tubulars puncturing less, to me is a bit of luck and chance. It really is difficult to compare unless you do many kilos on the same basic constuction of tyre in a clincher and tubular.
Eg:
A open tubular of the exactly same tyre to a tubular.

I have run the vittoria sc evo in tubular and clincher (identical) and they both seem to puncture the same in the conditions I ride, which is pretty regularly. Haven't had to much success with this brand. . But even still, due to my known experience this is pretty non-conclusive.

So I would be a little reluctant to say with certainty that tubulars puncture less.

I would also say the ability of a tyre to stay on a rim unglued could relate to the brand. Veloflex go on like butter whilst a continental just about breaks your fingers. The natural tension of the tyre may play a part to "rolling the tyre" without glue.

[jimsheedy]

It's not a race.

[ValleyForge]

Just for closure - Rapha Kings of Pain was a fantastic ride. 100 miles around Mt Warning, with a lot more gravel and rain than expected, especially the toughest climb. I rode carbon clinchers in the wet and our team had only one puncture; a steep downhill segment with lots of corrugations puncturing a team mate's new Conti GP 4000.

Tubulars would have coped with most of the gravel, but the corrugated segments had turned up a lot of rocks & old concrete after the rain. I know I'd have had more punch left on the lighter wheels, but run a goodly risk of letting the team down.

And after I cleaned the huge amount of gravel off the bike/drivetrain/toolbag.... the tubulars are back on!