Durable Road Tubular Tire Suggestion Needed

[YesNdeed]

My latest fun-bike project idea will include repurposing some carbon tubular wheels I have that are collecting dust. I’d like some tires with good puncture resistance. After a a bit of searching, it looks like Gatorskins are a good option. I’ve never searched for tires like this, any suggestions? I will want them in a 23 or 25 size.

[FlashUNC]

No. Just no.

Decent tires with some sealant is quite a lot of protection and they won't ride like cut garden hoses.

[saab2000]

If you’re going to ride tubulars ride good ones. Crappy tubulars are worse than clinchers, which are better than ever.

As for durability, I never had an issue with Veloflex.

[weisan]

vittoria corsa elite 25mm tubular

[john903]

Schwalbe One tubular. I put these on last January and rode everything and everywhere, gravel, chip seal, sloppy winter roads. I finally flatted the rear last month with about 2000 miles on them. Granted I was riding a gravel road with some new jagged gravel and cut the tire so yea I was probably abusing the tires. Their size does run small I used the 700x30 that measured out to 27.8 so that was disappointing. They are not super supple like Veloflex but they do last and feel good at 75 psi rear and 65psi front and I weigh 160lb. I bought them from Weiggle for $58.00 a piece so you may want to try them out at that price. Oh they do glue on easy and nice and straight, and make sure the valve core is tighten up. I thought I had a leak after I replaced the one that flated but it was only the valve core stem.

[pbarry]

No Gator Skins, as mentioned sagely above, (or Tufos), which make GS look like Clement Setas.

[l0n3rider]

vittoria corsa elite will be an excellent choice .. but not easy to get now .. i heard it discontinued. the replacement .. vittoria rubino pro graphene is good as well but the rolling resistance is not quite on par with corsa elite

[YesNdeed]

This is exactly the crash course in tubular tire choice I didn't know I needed.

Schwalbe One tubular. I put these on last January and rode everything and everywhere, gravel, chip seal, sloppy winter roads. I finally flatted the rear last month with about 2000 miles on them. Granted I was riding a gravel road with some new jagged gravel and cut the tire so yea I was probably abusing the tires. Their size does run small I used the 700x30 that measured out to 27.8 so that was disappointing. They are not super supple like Veloflex but they do last and feel good at 75 psi rear and 65psi front and I weigh 160lb. I bought them from Weiggle for $58.00 a piece so you may want to try them out at that price. Oh they do glue on easy and nice and straight, and make sure the valve core is tighten up. I thought I had a leak after I replaced the one that flated but it was only the valve core stem.

The Pro One tubeless clinchers have been my tire of choice for some time, and they run big...go figure their tubulars run small...definitely on my list of candidates.

Thanks all for the feedback. I've got a Challenge Criterium and a Conti Sprinter (22) laying around i can mount until I make up my mind. Sealant is a must! In tubulars I would use Orange Seal Endurance. It does actually last a long time, as I have recently discovered. This should be a fun project. Pictures to come.

[rwsaunders]

Veloflex junkie here...Vlaanderen are my tire of choice. I do have Vittoria Paves on my rain bike and they've been very reliable as well, but they're discontinued. I have used Continental Competitions with no issues but you need to be a real he man/woman to stretch and mount them.

[ChristianWong]

Schwalbe One tubular. I put these on last January and rode everything and everywhere, gravel, chip seal, sloppy winter roads. I finally flatted the rear last month with about 2000 miles on them. Granted I was riding a gravel road with some new jagged gravel and cut the tire so yea I was probably abusing the tires. Their size does run small I used the 700x30 that measured out to 27.8 so that was disappointing. They are not super supple like Veloflex but they do last and feel good at 75 psi rear and 65psi front and I weigh 160lb. I bought them from Weiggle for $58.00 a piece so you may want to try them out at that price. Oh they do glue on easy and nice and straight, and make sure the valve core is tighten up. I thought I had a leak after I replaced the one that flated but it was only the valve core stem.

I'm curious about these since they're about half the price of Vlaanderens. I know it doesn't matter much for tubulars but which rim were the Schwalbes mounted on? I don't have a lot of clearance to play with so would like to make sure they fit before purchasing a pair.

Did they stretch out to 30mm eventually? I know that is common with Schwalbe tubeless/clinchers.

[oldpotatoe]

vittoria corsa elite 25mm tubular

No longer made but still available as are 25mm Vittoria Paves in 25mm..also the latest gen Vittoria, like these. 'Strange' poster..tho...:eek:

https://www.merlincycles.com/en-us/vittoria-corsa-evo-tech-ii-tubular-tyres-107091.html

https://www.merlincycles.com/en-us/vittoria-pave-evo-cg-tubular-tyre-92388.html

[El Chaba]

Veloflex is the "King of Tubulars"... as long as you don't need a cross model or something of excessive width, pick the width that accommodates your needs and don't look back.

[rockdude]

Go with the Gaterskins, they are really good tubulars for anyone who needs a tough on. Heck, go a little wider and less pressure and they feel better than some of the high dollar race tubulars.

[john903]

Just replying back about the width and what wheels I run. The Schwalbe 1 are supposed to be a 30 but never stretched out past 27.8. I have these on old Campy Nucleon wheels I don't know the width of the rim though they are 15 year old beater winter wheels. I would like to try the Challenge Strada Bianca (sp) 30 tubular, but I have not heard but feed back on them.
Have a great day.

[teleguy57]

vittoria corsa elite 25mm tubular

Veloflex junkie here...Vlaanderen are my tire of choice. I do have Vittoria Paves on my rain bike and they've been very reliable as well, but they're discontinued. I have used Continental Competitions with no issues but you need to be a real he man/woman to stretch and mount them.

No longer made but still available as are 25mm Vittoria Paves in 25mm..also the latest gen Vittoria, like these. 'Strange' poster..tho...:eek:

https://www.merlincycles.com/en-us/vittoria-corsa-evo-tech-ii-tubular-tyres-107091.html Shows only in 23s; for your purpose I'd stay at 25 or even 27

https://www.merlincycles.com/en-us/vittoria-pave-evo-cg-tubular-tyre-92388.html mmmm Paves.

Yes to Vittoria Corsa Elites in 25mm if you can find them as an all-around winter training tire. I've read the Vlaanderen is an amazing tire, but pricier. The old Vittoria Pave to which OldPotatoe linked is still a favorite; the green striped ones were the classics (pun intended)..

I still have a few tubulars hanging in the basement (my last purchase was Vlaanderen's but waiting for tires already glued on wheels to wear through so I haven't actually ridden a set yet) so I'm not on top of the most current offerings from Vittoria, and haven't used Schwalbes.

[teleguy57]

Just replying back about the width and what wheels I run. The Schwalbe 1 are supposed to be a 30 but never stretched out past 27.8. I have these on old Campy Nucleon wheels I don't know the width of the rim though they are 15 year old beater winter wheels. I would like to try the Challenge Strada Bianca (sp) 30 tubular, but I have not heard but feed back on them.
Have a great day.

My experience with Challenge tubs is documented here somewhere; Cliff Notes version is never again for me.

I had two sets of Nucleons; great wheel in it's day. On tubulars the rim width doesn't really matter like on clinchers. The Nucleons should handle anything up to a 28 with ease, and probably 30s; I think back in the day CXers rode 32-33mm tires on similar rims, albeit with the Belgian tape/glue approach.

[false_Aest]

FWIW, Schwalbe had production issues with their One tubulars.

They had to warranty 5 of them for me. The issue: they dry rotted within 3 months. I bought 3. Two dry rotted.

Schwalbe sent 2 replacements. Orig #3 and replacement #1 went on the bike. Dry rot on both. 2 more from Schwalbe. Replacement #2 and Replacement #3 went on.

Dry rot again.

Schwalbe didn't respond to my 2nd warranty claim.

I put replacement #4 on and switched to Challenge. #4 held up for a year (front tire around 3000 miles of riding)
----
The Schwalbe tires seem to be cut + wear resistant but they feel sluggish compared to Michelin, Vittoria and Challenge.

I'm currently running the Challenge Paris Roubaix (or something or other) 27mm tires. They feel more supple and I think they roll faster at my preferred PSI (155lbs 70 front/75 rear). They do cut easier than Schwalbe (not as easy as Michelin) so I usually do a visual inspection when I get home to remove any imbedded debris.

[mktng]

for do everything tubs.
the gatorskin's are surprisingly good

[mattsurf]

No longer made but still available as are 25mm Vittoria Paves in 25mm..also the latest gen Vittoria, like these. 'Strange' poster..tho...:eek:

https://www.merlincycles.com/en-us/vittoria-corsa-evo-tech-ii-tubular-tyres-107091.html

https://www.merlincycles.com/en-us/vittoria-pave-evo-cg-tubular-tyre-92388.html

My go to tires when it comes to durable Tubulars - got these currently fitted to my tandem

[Wayne77]

vittoria corsa elite 25mm tubular

I’ll seconf this. These are my go-to tubulars. I’ve had great experience with them in terms of durability. They roll OH SO MUCH better than Sprinters/Gatorskins. Plus they can usually be had from Wiggle/Ribble/Merlin for $50 per.

I’ve used Gatorskins a lot and they are so dead and sluggish feeling. One of the worst rolling resistance ratings compared to many others

[Wayne77]

Just read other comments in this thread the Corsa Elites are discontinued. That makes me sad ;-) I’ll have to snatch some up before they can’t be found. Such a good value. Hopefully there’s an equivalent out there that have similar ride quality for a similar price.

[Mzilliox]

I had best durability from challenge strada biancas. id hapily try their narrower tires as well

[m_moses]

As a tubie newbie, I’m very interested in this topic. I just bought a new bike that came with gatorskin tubulars. I initially planned to sell the wheels and install some carbon clinchers but after 100 or so miles, I was really impressed with the lightness of the wheels and feel of the gatorskins. I was even considering a wholesale switch to tubulars.

Then I discovered an almost half inch cut in my rear tire. Now what? I know any tire can suffer a cut but replacing a tubular tire seems like a drawn out affair. Having spare wheels ready to go is important if you want to ride.

I’m still thinking I’d like to give tubies a long-term go, but I like to do the occasional long 4-7 hour ride and I’m a little apprehensive about getting stranded. I appreciate everyone’s opinions on durable, training tires.

Mick


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[Heisenberg]

Unsung heroes:

Vittoria Rubino Pro tubs. Glued up nice and straight, wear seemed about double a Corsa G+. Nice ride, butyl tubes so no need to inflate daily.

Not a fan of Challenge (quality). Veloflex are ok, but somewhat inconsistently made, fast-wearing,
and quite easy to flat. I had a set of Schwalbe One tubs that wore out in a heartbeat.

Vittoria isn’t as sexy as others, but they make phenomenal tubulars. The new G+ tires are way ahead of the game.

[zap]

I’m still thinking I’d like to give tubies a long-term go, but I like to do the occasional long 4-7 hour ride and I’m a little apprehensive about getting stranded. I appreciate everyone’s opinions on durable, training tires.

Mick

You can keep riding if the tubular tire is flat. I did during a tt...just go reeeeeaallly slow when cornering. Not recommended if your sit bones are delicate.

Carry a spare pre stretched & glued tire in one of your back jersey pockets.

Nothing beats the durability of Tufo tires. I could ride gravel roads using S3 <215 Lites and not worry about flatting. The ride of the S3 was plasticky but newer Tufo models have a nicer ride.

[MaraudingWalrus]

I've really enjoyed my riding on a set of Specialized Sworks Turbo Hell of The North (https://www.specialized.com/us/en/s-works-turbo-hell-of-the-north-tubular/p/131061). Decent amount of tread for bad roads but still plenty fast for the go-fast times.


Also, the Vittoria Corsa (https://www.vittoria.com/us/corsa-control-competition.html) control. Seems to be the spiritual replacement for the Pave. I have one pair of wheels with the Corsa Control clinchers and another set of wheels with the Hell of the North tubies for one bike. Both ride phenomenally.

[Marcovelo]

I have had good luck with Tufo tubulars for training tires (and used them on my track wheels--they offer a sub 200g tire at a reasonable price). not everyone has had the same positive experience, but I have nothing to complain about. Worth a look given their (relatively) reasonable price.

[wtex]

I'm riding 2 pairs of Veloflex Criteriums with Orange sealant, lots of goathead activity here in New Mexico, I've never flatted them out.

[ultraman6970]

IMO half of the punctures issues in tubulars is a mere thing of luck and user maintenance of them. You can spend 300 bucks in a super duper, you can off the driveway and get a nail all the way from side to side on them. Another mistake with tubulars is that users tend to put way too much air to them, same with too little... that a tubular says mas 170 psi doesnt mean you have to put that, in a matter of fact you put way too much and you can puncture in less than 10 minutes down the road.

As for brands and prices you have all the spectrum, from 3x50 bucks to 250 to 300 bucks a pop.

My fav of all times was a 26mm argentinian tubular made by "Alvarez argentina",together with another argentinian tubular called Criterium 220.. since I dont have a team to sponsorme I get whatever I can put my hands on... tufo tubular clinchers died after a month, challenge 23 mm did not last too long for me, somehow they lose air fairly quick, but thats just my experience.

Schwalbe are ok but got some punctures with them, 3x50 bucks tubbies you cant complain and are cheap enough to just toss them after a puncture, do they ride fine? well thats subjective, because at 15 bucks a pop you cant really expect that much. They work tho.

Right now Im comming back to vittoria rally that arent nothing off this world, but i got them like at 15 bucks a pop so sure wont complain, besides is getting easier to get them in 25 mm now.

Whatever the op gets, 1st thing is luck, second thing old tubular riders as my self... you finish the ride at the end of the day and deflate the tubbies... they will last longer, this is one of my old man habits.... Clean them time to time with a wet towel aswell... once the thread is gone pretty much sure you will get a puncture, so it is time for a new one.

As for the goo everybody is putting lately, my experience is just bad (tufo 1st gen of it)... killed a 100 vittoria tubular so I never used again.

[YesNdeed]

Thank you, Ultra pal. Very useful info.

I've been wanting to build up a single speed "fun" bike for around town jaunts, and I'm challenging myself to use as much of what I already have as possible. Equipment on hand is a TT frame I never used much, and Ritchey Carbon tubular wheels easily converted to a SS setup. I settled on an Origin8 conversion kit, red washers for subtle hot-bike bling. The Chris King 15t cog should arrive tomorrow...but I digress.

I already have Challenge Criterium and Conti Sprinter tubulars. After reading all the feedback, I see no reason not to use use what I have, especially considering that I won't be riding this bike much. But when I do, I want maximum riding pleasure, and durable/tubular in the same sentence has proved to be a bit oxymoronic.

Finally, goat heads (Tribulus seed). Other Southwest tire hazards too, but surely man could not create a more effective system for flattening bike tires than mother nature generously supplies New Mexico with, new crop every year. This puts tubulars out of the equation for 99.9% of my riding, and yes I swear by my tubeless setup, barely getting by with Schwalbe Pro Ones.

There are plenty of options for getting ANOTHER wheelset to suit this project, but I'm determined to use the wheels I have which are way better wheels than anything else out there for cheap...like, really cheap. I had also found that an 11 speed compatible free hub doesn't exist for the early generation of Ritchey hub I have, rendering them useless for all my bikes. Otherwise I would use them as race day only wheels.

[monkeybanana86]

I didn't know people deflated tires after riding. huh


I'm interested in this topic too. I'm trying fatter tires (28 Challenge P-Roubaix in the front) for puncture resistance as I ride in a lot of crappy conditions. They feel sluuuuggish.

[Mark McM]

I didn't know people deflated tires after riding. huh

Tubular fables (https://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/tubular-fables.html)

[rwsaunders]

As a tubie newbie, I’m very interested in this topic. I just bought a new bike that came with gatorskin tubulars. I initially planned to sell the wheels and install some carbon clinchers but after 100 or so miles, I was really impressed with the lightness of the wheels and feel of the gatorskins. I was even considering a wholesale switch to tubulars.

Then I discovered an almost half inch cut in my rear tire. Now what? I know any tire can suffer a cut but replacing a tubular tire seems like a drawn out affair. Having spare wheels ready to go is important if you want to ride.

I’m still thinking I’d like to give tubies a long-term go, but I like to do the occasional long 4-7 hour ride and I’m a little apprehensive about getting stranded. I appreciate everyone’s opinions on durable, training tires.

Mick


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Mick...locate the cut, deflate the tire a bit, pick out debris with a toothpick if there is some in the cut, fill the cut with a dab of Shoe Gu, inflate and let dry overnight. In the meantime, search for tires to replace the Conti's as they are a bear to stretch and change IMHO. I ride Vittoria 27mm Paves on my rain bike and Veloflex 25mm Roubaix's or 27mm Vlaanderen on my dry roader. I especially check for cuts after riding in the rain as the water acts as a lubricant for debris to works its way into the casing.

Pre-sealing (I like Orange Seal ymmv) definitely works and you'll notice the difference when your latex tubes don't lose 10-20psi everyday. I carry an older tubular with me in case the mounted tire fails, but knock on wood, I haven't had to reach for the spare. Some folks opt to buy a new tubular spare to carry...cheap tire and thin tread dimension so that's it's easy to stash...in theory like the doughnut spare tire in your car's trunk.

In terms of tubular repair, replacement and gluing, there are a lot of posts about stretching, gluing and general maintenance. Old Potatoe's and Zanc's posts come to mind and don't be afraid to ride tubulars year round. Mine see duty 12 months/year in Western PA weather and road conditions and I don't think twice about riding them. In fact, when we bomb down some of the hills around here at 40-45 mph, I feel safer riding my "sew-ups".

[monkeybanana86]

Tubular fables (https://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/tubular-fables.html)

Wow I haven’t been to that site in ages. Thanks for the link.

Here is quote regarding aging that made me laugh:

Purchasing tubular tires in advance to age them is unwise, although if there is a supply problem, tubular tires bought in advance should be sealed tightly in airtight bags and kept in the dark, optimally in a freezer. For best results, use new tires, because aged tires are only as good as how little they have aged.

[ultraman6970]

THis is my experience with deflating tubies... they tend to expand if you leave the air in too long, back in the day fabrics were different than todays and well... u learn the hard way, in my case a set of panaracers 210 grams, put 80 psi the suckers did not lose pressure by themselves in 4 months (winter) and when i went to check them out 4 months later I had a nice pair of 32 mm MTB tubulars. 1st tubular i ever seen that doesnt leak air anyways.

When I started racing one of the things I was thought was to lose air, but did not care about making the deflating part an habit till i busted 2 racing tubulars, had to see it, my dad was not too happy either :/

So things like that become habits, I dont puncture that much either, always see guys fixing clinchers in the road, even last week we got a detour over an area full of grabble PR style, not a problem... I pretty much retire tubulars because are just old, not due to punctures. I dont even have a pump with me :D i carry a tubular tho but not even a pump and the times I got a flat, if its like 20 mins from home just ride flat back home, trash the tubbie because at the time you got the flat the thing was old already.

I scored 27 mm tubbies, last year, those are great IMO.

[m_moses]

Mick...locate the cut, deflate the tire a bit, pick out debris with a toothpick if there is some in the cut, fill the cut with a dab of Shoe Gu, inflate and let dry overnight. In the meantime, search for tires to replace the Conti's as they are a bear to stretch and change IMHO. I ride Vittoria 27mm Paves on my rain bike and Veloflex 25mm Roubaix's or 27mm Vlaanderen on my dry roader. I especially check for cuts after riding in the rain as the water acts as a lubricant for debris to works its way into the casing.

Pre-sealing (I like Orange Seal ymmv) definitely works and you'll notice the difference when your latex tubes don't lose 10-20psi everyday. I carry an older tubular with me in case the mounted tire fails, but knock on wood, I haven't had to reach for the spare. Some folks opt to buy a new tubular spare to carry...cheap tire and thin tread dimension so that's it's easy to stash...in theory like the doughnut spare tire in your car's trunk.

In terms of tubular repair, replacement and gluing, there are a lot of posts about stretching, gluing and general maintenance. Old Potatoe's and Zanc's posts come to mind and don't be afraid to ride tubulars year round. Mine see duty 12 months/year in Western PA weather and road conditions and I don't think twice about riding them. In fact, when we bomb down some of the hills around here at 40-45 mph, I feel safer riding my "sew-ups".



Bob, your advice is much appreciated. Ordering the shoe goo now.


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[El Chaba]

There may or may not be good reason to age tubulars or let the air out after use. However the use of tubulars is part performance driven and part ritual. When I seek spiritual guidance I don't look to a heretic (In this case somebody who doesn't use tubulars). Now, where is my can of Tubasti...I feel the need to be cleansed...

[classtimesailer]

Gatorskins ride very nicely glued to 32 spoke GP4s when they are on my '82 Medici Pro Strada--even at 100psi. Not so nicely when the same wheels are on my modern OS steel. Of course, Competitions ride more nicely on any bike but I have a few nasty scrapes and such on the sidewalls of my Gatorskins that "lesser" more expensive tires would not have survived.

Jeff

[denapista]

If your frame can accommodate a larger volume tire, look no further than Veloflex Vlaanderen tires. They just released the Raven, which is a all black Vlaanderen. Seriously these tires are as good as it gets. They roll extremely fast, and have excellent grip and I've been on a set for close to a year now. I buy them in pairs of 3's if I get a chance. The other Veloflex tires are good too, but I feel they can puncture on you when they're close to the end of their life. I got a huge piece of metal through my Vlaanderen after gluing it 3 days prior. I pulled the metal out thinking the tire was going to flat. I continued riding and completed a 50mi loop here in LA after pulling out the metal...

I would never ride a Gatorskin Tubular tire. That in itself defeats the purpose of riding a tubular tire (Supple feel, fast rolling, etc). Sports Cars are only as good as the tires they're running. Same could be said for bicycles.

[fiamme red]

Now, where is my can of Tubasti...I feel the need to be cleansed...Tubasti

by Aldo Ross

Tubasti on the sidewalls
Tubasti on the spokes
Tubasti on the workbench
And a bunch of cotter bolts

Tubasti on the visegrips
Tubasti on my arm
Tubasti on my chin and cheek
I hope it won't cause harm

Tubasti on the light switch
Tubasti on the cats
Tubasti on my shoes and socks
And on my car's floor mats

Tubasti on the carpet
Tubasti in my hair
I tried to glue just one damn tire
Now Tubasti's everywhere

[El Chaba]

Tubasti

by Aldo Ross

Tubasti on the sidewalls
Tubasti on the spokes
Tubasti on the workbench
And a bunch of cotter bolts

Tubasti on the visegrips
Tubasti on my arm
Tubasti on my chin and cheek
I hope it won't cause harm

Tubasti on the light switch
Tubasti on the cats
Tubasti on my shoes and socks
And on my car's floor mats

Tubasti on the carpet
Tubasti in my hair
I tried to glue just one damn tire
Now Tubasti's everywhere

That's awesome....I might be one of the last people using that stuff, but I get a great bond with it...but it has its quirks...

[monkeybanana86]

Well I did just buy another extra pair of nice tires so maybe the freezer tip applies to me now.... What will my relatives and friends think.

[teleguy57]

Tubasti

by Aldo Ross

Tubasti on the sidewalls
Tubasti on the spokes
Tubasti on the workbench
And a bunch of cotter bolts

Tubasti on the visegrips
Tubasti on my arm
Tubasti on my chin and cheek
I hope it won't cause harm

Tubasti on the light switch
Tubasti on the cats
Tubasti on my shoes and socks
And on my car's floor mats

Tubasti on the carpet
Tubasti in my hair
I tried to glue just one damn tire
Now Tubasti's everywhere

That's awesome....I might be one of the last people using that stuff, but I get a great bond with it...but it has its quirks...

My first reaction on reading @El Chaba's first post was "they still make Tubasti???"

Love the poem. And "quirks" is an understatement!

[rwsaunders]

mick...I have a tire that I just removed from a rim that's suitable for a spare...let me know and I will send it to you.