Tubular tire for rough roads/touring...

[tbushnel]

I am looking for suggestions for a wider tubular tire (27-28mm +) for rougher roads. I might even do some touring with them. I see Dugast makes some fine ones, but I think I would be summarily shot if I bought them. Any good alternatives?

Now that I am on the subject, any guidance as to an appropriate rim for such a tire? I am mostly concerned about minimal width of the rim bed (perhaps I should be worried about other things too).

Lastly, any thoughts about the wisdom of touring on a tubular tire (flat-related issues). Do people do it?

Thanks,
ted.

[Too Tall]

I have beating the tar out of these Continental Competition 25's since last winter with AMAZING results. Grant put me onto these, I'd ignored them for yrs. thinking that sprinters where better for less $$ however the comps. wear like iron...almost wierd how tough they are and yes I ride them in dirt.

For larger tyres I'd really recommend TUFO D28. They are bombproof and are not very heavy for the volume.

The "problem" as I see it with large vol. tubulars that are light and high quality is that they are either road tyres and not really ment for a thrashing or are sold for cyclocross with not much in between to choose from.

I've run a few of the common larger vol. tubulars and was very disappointed in durability. Conti. Comps and TUFO D28 pretty well sums up my pick of the litter for larger tubulars. Of course I really beat the heck out of them so you may well be ok with the Veloflex. If I did have a dedicated large vol. tubular for road only...that's what I'd use.

[MilanoTom]

Vittoria's Cross EVO XN might be an interesting alternative. It's 32mm wide, will take 90 PSI and has a latex innertube and anti-puncture belt. The tread is a slightly coarse diamond. It looks to be available on the internet for around fifty dollars. The standard Cross XN has a butyl innertube, which might be better if you don't have access to a floor pump. There's a clincher version as well, but with a nylon casing instead of the cotton/poly casing that the tubular has. I've got a set of the clinchers, but haven't tried them yet (been too lazy to build my Kelly). The below link only goes to the English site; you'll have to go from there to Products, then Cross.

http://www.vittoria.com/index3.asp?lingua=en

The illustration on the Vittoria site has little knobs on the far edges of the tread, but every one I've seen in person just has the diamond pattern.

I'll defer to others on the wisdom of touring with tubulars. A big wide tubular may not be the easiest thing to find at an LBS whilst touring, and there are only so many spares you can carry. With a tire that wide, I speculate that there's not really that much difference in ride quality, so if it was me, I'd go with clinchers.

Best wishes.
Tom

[H.Frank Beshear]

I've been using the vitorria pave 27's all year with no problems. Of course the green looks better on some bike than others.

[Bradford]

Lastly, any thoughts about the wisdom of touring on a tubular tire (flat-related issues). Do people do it?
It depends on what you mean by touring, but I wouldn't tour on tublars for several reasons:

1) If you are going fully loaded, you will need wider tires, which are easy to find in clinchers
2) Regardless of the weight you will be carrying, you will want to be riding equipment that can be fixed on the side of the road and parts that are available anywhere--it will be easier to find clinchers
3) Do you want to be glueing tires in some campground or motel room?

I've found the best approach to touring is to assume things will go wrong and plan for the simplest solution, meaning the least likely to break, the easiest to fix, and the easiest to replace.

[tbushnel]

I've been using the vitorria pave 27's all year with no problems. Of course the green looks better on some bike than others.

Frank,
what is your source for these? I seem to only find the 24s.
Ted.

TT - where do you get the competitions in 25? Seems world class doesn't have them. Any how the heck to you get em on the rim? I just put one on the rear after a premature death of a lovely vittoria evo tire (the pit stop was coming out at least 10 separate holes on the sidewall - it was ugly) and I eventually got it on, but got glue on the sidewall. It made me look like the amateur that I am. I don't like that :) .
That was after overnight prestretch on a rim and a last minute over the shoulder. Maybe I just need more wheaties.
Cheers,
ted.

[Too Tall]

They need a last min. stretch. Over your shoulder ain't gonna cut it. Use a bare food, dry glue won't stick. Pull up against your foot in about 6 diff spots and avoid having your hands or foot within 5 inches of the valve. Go around the tyre, stretching as you go..maybe 4 times. After you insert the valve in the rim be sure to grab the tyre about 1 foot from each side of the valve and stretch donw hard!!! Your thumbs can guide the tyre onto the rim from the inside...because the glue is dry right? Stop and stretch HARD every 4 inches until the last piece and than you spin the wheel 180...use your feet to hold it down and pull UP to get the last piece of tyre on. You fingers will never touch the wet glue on the rim. Bean doin' it that way ever since some old faht taught me many moons ago. Hope that helps. If not, send plane fare and stock plenty of fish tacos...I be on the next flight ;)

PS - I just used my last Comp 25. I got a batch from bike nashbar...the ugly orange ones which I think look pretty keen on the vanilla.

[3chordwonder]

Man every time I think I'd like to try tubulars some day, I read these kinds of posts and realize that the f-around factor is just not for me. I get frustrated enough on the rare occasion when I have to spend, ooooh - let's see... sometimes fives of minutes changing or patching a tube in a clincher.

I kind of envy those who are old hands at it, though. Fixing tubulars, that is. It would be a nice skill to have.