Gum wall Tires

[srenda]

Anybody know where you can get a decent set of gum wall clincher tires? Anybody still making these?

[wasfast]

Veloflex makes Pave's in tan sidewalls. Excellent tire.

[mschol17]

Search for Challenge tires.

[bfd]

If you don't mind a slightly wider tire, i.e., 700x26, 28, or 30, and can afford $55/tire, check out the Jan Heine's Grand Bois tires:

http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com/tireoffer.html

He also has Challenge "Paris-Roubaix" 700x27 (that runs 28-29mm wide) tires for $80 too!

The only negative comments I've heard about the Grand Bois are that they are not very durable. Good Luck!

[palincss]

I'm not sure whether you're making a distinction between "gum wall" and "skin wall," or are merely seeking tires with tan sidewalls (that look the way I believe tires should look).

I enthusiastically second the Grand Bois suggestion: those tires are wonderful. They look great, ride great, and are fast. It is also true that they puncture easily, especially from glass. Another tire deserving of mention is the Panaracer Pasela. They're cheap, durable and not readily punctured, and they ride well too. I'd call both the Grand Bois and the Paselas "skin walls" rather than "gum walls".

In the 622x27/28 size, the Rolly Poly and Ruffy Tuffy also are attractive skin wall tires. The RTs are especially long lasting and puncture resistant (they're belted and have a thicker tread than the RPs) but of course have more rolling resistance.

Panaracer makes all these tires.

[kong79]

OMG!!! There's someone else out there that thinks having solid black or multicolored tires is just wrong? Either skinwalls or Continentals brown sidewalls are the way a quality road tire should look, IMHO of course.

[srenda]

OMG!!! There's someone else out there that thinks having solid black or multicolored tires is just wrong? Either skinwalls or Continentals brown sidewalls are the way a quality road tire should look, IMHO of course.

Expecting new custom steel soon, and paint job and build will be based on a cool bike I love from the late 1970s, which had gumwalls, hence my original inquiry. I do need 700x23, etc. I may go with the Veloflex, even though they are 700x22, should be close enough. The larger Panaracers won't work for me. :(

[acorn_user]

Challenge makes a Roubaix open tubular that is 27mm across, if that's more like it. Challenge, Gommitalia and Torelli all have some pretty similar tyres. I have two pairs of Challenge Criterium open tubulars. I got them through a team deal, and have used them for a lot of miles and races. I like them a great deal, and have not yet suffered any visits from the p*ncture fairy with them. The rear does wear a bit, but they are very nice..

[bfd]

Challenge makes a Roubaix open tubular that is 27mm across, if that's more like it. Challenge, Gommitalia and Torelli all have some pretty similar tyres. I have two pairs of Challenge Criterium open tubulars. I got them through a team deal, and have used them for a lot of miles and races. I like them a great deal, and have not yet suffered any visits from the p*ncture fairy with them. The rear does wear a bit, but they are very nice..

Can you define what is an "open tubular?" Is there any difference from a "tubular" tire, i.e., aka sew-up tire, or one that is defined here:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_tp-z.html#tubular

[trophyoftexas]

Expecting new custom steel soon, and paint job and build will be based on a cool bike I love from the late 1970s, which had gumwalls, hence my original inquiry. I do need 700x23, etc. I may go with the Veloflex, even though they are 700x22, should be close enough. The larger Panaracers won't work for me. :(

Someone on the forum sent me in search of these a year or so ago and they are great! Exactly the look you have described and a NICE ride....some have mentioned a tendency to "flat" more often but I haven't noticed that at all. I have two bikes with these and have NEVER flatted with either and both have perhaps 500 miles or more on them. They are a little more expensive than some of the others mentioned but I think they are well worth the money.

[MIN]

Can you define what is an "open tubular?" Is there any difference from a "tubular" tire, i.e., aka sew-up tire, or one that is defined here:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_tp-z.html#tubular

An Open Tubular is a clincher tire made by inflating the casing and then gluing on the treard similar to the construction of a tubular tire. It's really a clincher tires which is high TPI.

[bfd]

An Open Tubular is a clincher tire made by inflating the casing and then gluing on the treard similar to the construction of a tubular tire. It's really a clincher tires which is high TPI.

Thanks. I'm sure this has been discussed to death, but an "open" tubular doesn't make sense. Normal tubular's advantages are that it is produce a rounder and lighter wheel. It sounds like these "open" tubulars are rounder than normal clincher tires. If so, does it handle better? You would think so being "rounder."

Further, are these "open tubulars" lighter than a normal clincher? Doesn't sound like it.

Finally, I don't give "high TPI" alot of weight as tire mfrs have been known to manipulate this number, so a direct apple to apple comparison is sometimes not possible. For example, some mfrs will say their tire has 66tpi. Others will say their tires have over 300tpi. What they don't tell you is how they count tpi. The 300tpi tire might be counting several layers of tread/casing, while the 66tpi tire might be counting only one. No standards = useless comparison.


Hopefully, these "open" tubulars can be repaired as easily as a clincher. Otherwise, you might as well go with regular tubulars. Good Luck!

[dauwhe]

"Open Tubular" sounds like marketing to me. They are clinchers. They might be good clinchers, but that would depend on the model.

Dave

[acorn_user]

They are clinchers made using methods used for tubulars. They take the casing (same stuff as for tubs) and add a bead. The tread is then glued to the inflated casing. I have been using Challenge open tubulars for a while, and they are pretty nice.
Torelli has a decent description of what they are:
http://www.torelli.com/tech/tires.shtml
I guess it would be best to think of them as really nice clincher tyres.

[Blue Jays]

"Open Tubular" is the same as saying "Clincher" with way more syllables.

[dauwhe]

Maybe really cheap tubulars should be called "closed clinchers".

Dave

[Cdub]

Gomaitalia makes a good affordable clincher. Looks like this....

[Cdub]

Gomaitalia makes a good affordable clincher. I have ridden them for the last two months with no flats. They corner well and roll smooth