What Happened to Tubular Popularity?

[Mzilliox]

This thread is funny. We do this sport because we love it right?

So who cares? ride whatever. you are convinced your clinchers ride as good as my tubulars, cool, keep it up. My clinchers dont ride as well as my tubulars, of this I am convinced. I dont need wind tunnels, and dont care about gravy and special sauce, I only care about the ride. And so far I haven't flatted them, so i haven't had the negatives, maybe I'll change my mind then, but thats life, ill deal with it then.

I have only recently started to prefer to ride tubulars. I ride a lot of wheels a lot, both clinchers and tubulars, and even on the gravel i find myself reaching for the tubulars. I think they feel better. i dont care what the tests say, i always thought the continental tires felt like crap, doesn't really matter if you provide me all the data in the world that say they do things in wind tunnels, they still feel like crap to ME. and since im riding the bike thats all that matters.

as for weight, sure, maybe the tire and tube vs the tires are the same, but some light weight tubular rim brake wheels are stupid lighter than clinchers and spin up way faster. Im not sure any wheels i have touched spin up faster than Mavic R-SYS slr tubulars. Not even Bora 35 tubulars or hyperons spin up as fast. these things hummmmmm, and thats why im riding tubulars more these days.

i think each have pluses and minuses, to think thats why both still exist.

[hollowgram5]

Originally Posted by Mzilliox

This thread is funny. We do this sport because we love it right?

So who cares? ride whatever. you are convinced your clinchers ride as good as my tubulars, cool, keep it up. My clinchers dont ride as well as my tubulars, of this I am convinced. I dont need wind tunnels, and dont care about gravy and special sauce, I only care about the ride. And so far I haven't flatted them, so i haven't had the negatives, maybe I'll change my mind then, but thats life, ill deal with it then.

I have only recently started to prefer to ride tubulars. I ride a lot of wheels a lot, both clinchers and tubulars, and even on the gravel i find myself reaching for the tubulars. I think they feel better. i dont care what the tests say, i always thought the continental tires felt like crap, doesn't really matter if you provide me all the data in the world that say they do things in wind tunnels, they still feel like crap to ME. and since im riding the bike thats all that matters.

as for weight, sure, maybe the tire and tube vs the tires are the same, but some light weight tubular rim brake wheels are stupid lighter than clinchers and spin up way faster. Im not sure any wheels i have touched spin up faster than Mavic R-SYS slr tubulars. Not even Bora 35 tubulars or hyperons spin up as fast. these things hummmmmm, and thats why im riding tubulars more these days.

i think each have pluses and minuses, to think thats why both still exist.

MZ, I feel like you hit the nail on the head. It's no different than the carbon vs aluminum vs steel vs ti or any combination thereof.

Frame pumps. Disc brakes. Carbon or aluminum cockpits. Ti posts and stems.

Ride what makes you happy. Ride what you find aesthetically pleasing. Ride what you enjoy. For some, ride what you can afford. But most of all, just ride your bike(s).

[ChristianWong]

This thread makes me really want to try tubulars and really not want to try tubulars at the same time.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Mzilliox

This thread is funny. We do this sport because we love it right?

So who cares? ride whatever. you are convinced your clinchers ride as good as my tubulars, cool, keep it up. My clinchers dont ride as well as my tubulars, of this I am convinced. I dont need wind tunnels, and dont care about gravy and special sauce, I only care about the ride. And so far I haven't flatted them, so i haven't had the negatives, maybe I'll change my mind then, but thats life, ill deal with it then.

I have only recently started to prefer to ride tubulars. I ride a lot of wheels a lot, both clinchers and tubulars, and even on the gravel i find myself reaching for the tubulars. I think they feel better. i dont care what the tests say, i always thought the continental tires felt like crap, doesn't really matter if you provide me all the data in the world that say they do things in wind tunnels, they still feel like crap to ME. and since im riding the bike thats all that matters.

as for weight, sure, maybe the tire and tube vs the tires are the same, but some light weight tubular rim brake wheels are stupid lighter than clinchers and spin up way faster. Im not sure any wheels i have touched spin up faster than Mavic R-SYS slr tubulars. Not even Bora 35 tubulars or hyperons spin up as fast. these things hummmmmm, and thats why im riding tubulars more these days.

i think each have pluses and minuses, to think thats why both still exist.

Reality, what a concept..

[zap]

Originally Posted by ChristianWong

This thread makes me really want to try tubulars and really not want to try tubulars at the same time.

Give tubulars a try.

[etu]

I just got my friend to try tubulars. Went from c24 clinchers with Contis to c35 tubs with Vittoria cx’s. He was amazed at the smooth ride quality with the change. I am going to show him how to glue a tire on using OP’s technique. Too bad more people don’t try them out to see what it is really like.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by etu

I just got my friend to try tubulars. Went from c24 clinchers with Contis to c35 tubs with Vittoria cx’s. He was amazed at the smooth ride quality with the change. I am going to show him how to glue a tire on using OP’s technique. Too bad more people don’t try them out to see what it is really like.

One of my most memorable swaps to Tubulars was a lady that came in with her bike and she was on crutches and really beat up...said descending, had a front flat(clincher) and the tire came off and down she went..really hard.. I rebuilt her hubs to tubular rims(Velocity Escape), showed her and her hubby how to glue them on..PLUS she really liked the ride after she was healed...YMMV and all that but yes, they do have advantages..

Yes, yes, poorly glued on tubulars can roll but poorly installed clinchers can blow off the rim too...

[bobvelo]

Hello, tubular, lovers/ and not so much. I know in my sample, of riding life, I had to go to 25mm because of new frame fit, Record brake clearance etc. So mounted up new good old Continental 4000s and they where hard as a rock. Got the Veloflex open clincher, and what a difference, just got some latex tubes, to go into new Veloflexes, So, I am looking to buy this year, used/new tubular wheel set. And give me ALL the work and drama about tubulars, cause this 55 year old rider will handle it. PS. funny little side note; I went to the Philly show this past November. I talked to most of the vendors there, I went to the show with one question; IT was asking about TUBULARs three gentlemen at the show said that tubulars where still the best ride> THE 3 men where all older than myself; I liked that, Best to, you and yours; bob velo

[Mzilliox]

Originally Posted by ChristianWong

This thread makes me really want to try tubulars and really not want to try tubulars at the same time.

Try it, never been a better time than now when they are so cheap! this thread makes me happy, because im picking up tubular wheels for pennies on the dollar, because of the very fear this blabbering causes, so please, do keep up the debate, and do keep selling off your tubular rim brake wheels (to me) cheap because they suck and are a massive hassle. seriously, tons of work, im pretty tired today from the last time i had to glue tubulars like months ago, its so tiring.

at this rate i may never have to change a tubular tire, ill just pop a new cheap wheelset on and ride away.

[rwsaunders]

Even if tubbies are not your main ride, like Matt said, pick up a spare set of used wheels and learn how to glue a set of tires. There are countless YouTube videos and folks like OP and Zanc have documented their process online. You might surprise yourself and have fun while also learning to appreciate the ride. If not, you can always sell the wheels and in the process, you will have learned a bit about cycling technology and had the opportunity to work with your own hands as well.

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by Mzilliox

Try it, never been a better time than now when they are so cheap! this thread makes me happy, because im picking up tubular wheels for pennies on the dollar, because of the very fear this blabbering causes, so please, do keep up the debate, and do keep selling off your tubular rim brake wheels (to me) cheap because they suck and are a massive hassle. seriously, tons of work, im pretty tired today from the last time i had to glue tubulars like months ago, its so tiring.

at this rate i may never have to change a tubular tire, ill just pop a new cheap wheelset on and ride away.

Did you try out those Spesh Hell o' The North tyres yet?

[jamesdak]

As in interesting aside to this conversation. I got a bike recently that came with a set of tubular wheels identified by ex team members as the standard Team Saturn wheels from back in the 90s. Nice alloy wheels that I will be setting up and using. But weight-wise they have been hugely passed by even modern clinchers. A set of Fulcrum Racing 3's with standard butyl tubes and 700 x 25 Conti GP 4000s II clinchers comes in a pound lighter than the complete tubular setup they used to use. So now we say after 25 years clinchers have caught up and passed the tubulars of the 90s, weight wise....

[redir]

I've not read but a few responses but if someone has given up on tubulars and has a closet full of tires let me know, I need some

[93KgBike]

I'd love to dial up paceline and post this thread on my old usrobotics 1200 baud modem, but it's lost down in the basement, and I don't have a landline, or a phone that would fit it. Nor do I know the phone number for this place.

[ultraman6970]

Jamesdak you cant compare a 21st century wheel with a 80s wheel (clicher or tubular), the 21st century wheel is going to be a lot lighter. Materials and construction have changed a lot since the 80s, actually a wheel from the 80s was the same stuff everybody was using back 40 years earlier aswell.

So you cant compare, one thing tho... once you take that 80s wheel out you will notice a big difference with the fulcrum 3.