Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Road Cycling
Reload this Page >

Tubular advise needed

Notices
Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Tubular advise needed

Old 08-07-20, 10:31 AM
  #1  
xbartx
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 27
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 16 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 1 Post
Tubular advise needed

I bought a used bike which came with a set of Dura Ace tubular carbon wheels, I think the latest version of C40s. Previously the bike was someones CX bike and the tubular wheels have CX tubulars mounted on them.

This bike has become my go to bike for street and gravel rides and I now ride it with a different set of tubeless rims with some wide and pretty heavy tubeless tires that work on both surfaces just OK.

I’m trying to come up with a game plan for having separate wheels based on my ride, street vs gravel.

It looks like it would cost me $200-300 for tires, tape, etc. to try running tubulars for the road and wondering if it would be a sensible idea? Would selling the tubulars and having 2 sets of tubeless wheel sets be a better idea?
xbartx is offline  
Old 08-07-20, 10:33 AM
  #2  
datlas 
Should Be More Popular
 
datlas's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Malvern, PA (20 miles West of Philly)
Posts: 42,957

Bikes: 1986 Alpine (steel road bike), 2009 Ti Habenero, 2013 Specialized Roubaix

Mentioned: 560 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 22513 Post(s)
Liked 8,843 Times in 4,113 Posts
Sell.
__________________
Originally Posted by rjones28
Addiction is all about class.
datlas is offline  
Old 08-07-20, 10:56 AM
  #3  
woodcraft
Senior Member
 
woodcraft's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Nor Cal
Posts: 6,016
Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1814 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 923 Times in 569 Posts
Yeah, probably sell, but file tread tires work pretty well for all-around riding including dirt & gravel.
woodcraft is offline  
Old 08-07-20, 11:17 AM
  #4  
Wileyone 
Senior Member
 
Wileyone's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: GWN
Posts: 2,541
Mentioned: 27 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1858 Post(s)
Liked 605 Times in 402 Posts
Keep them and enjoy the superior ride comfort and handling of good Tubulars.
Wileyone is offline  
Old 08-07-20, 03:08 PM
  #5  
rubiksoval
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Music City, USA
Posts: 4,444

Bikes: bikes

Mentioned: 52 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2622 Post(s)
Liked 1,429 Times in 711 Posts
You could probably get 500-600 or so for them (Just saw a pair of newer c40s with mounted tires + two additional tires sell for $666).

https://www.ebay.com/itm/29365825745....m43663.l10137
rubiksoval is offline  
Old 08-09-20, 02:10 PM
  #6  
63rickert
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,068
Mentioned: 44 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1090 Post(s)
Liked 329 Times in 245 Posts
Consistently good prices on top line tubulars at merlincycles.com. The runner up is probikekit.com. Merlin had free shipping until covid. Top tires should not be above $60 delivered. No sense in using less than best. Current clinchers and tubeless are so good only best of breed tubulars are better. Glue your tires. Costs about a buck each.

In time you will find ways to feed your tubular habit for less than above.
63rickert is offline  
Old 08-09-20, 03:06 PM
  #7  
xbartx
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 27
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 16 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 1 Post
I keep going back and forth in my thinking on this one. I was very hesitant to try tubeless at first and now think they are great and I'm wondering if the same might be true with tubulars.
I guess my biggest fear is with flats and replacing a tubular out on the road. That would require me to buy three tires and have a preglued tire with me and If I flat I would need to rip off the old tire and mount the spare out on the side of the road. Does that sound right?
xbartx is offline  
Old 08-09-20, 03:19 PM
  #8  
datlas 
Should Be More Popular
 
datlas's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Malvern, PA (20 miles West of Philly)
Posts: 42,957

Bikes: 1986 Alpine (steel road bike), 2009 Ti Habenero, 2013 Specialized Roubaix

Mentioned: 560 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 22513 Post(s)
Liked 8,843 Times in 4,113 Posts
Originally Posted by xbartx
I keep going back and forth in my thinking on this one. I was very hesitant to try tubeless at first and now think they are great and I'm wondering if the same might be true with tubulars.
I guess my biggest fear is with flats and replacing a tubular out on the road. That would require me to buy three tires and have a preglued tire with me and If I flat I would need to rip off the old tire and mount the spare out on the side of the road. Does that sound right?
Don't confuse tubular and tubeless. They are very different. Both are kinda finicky compared to traditional clinchers. Feel free to try your tubulars and see if you like them, the ride is great but the hassle factor is huge. And yes, typically you carry a spare tire to put on if you have a flat. I know some people try putting sealant in tubulars but that's unlikely to work out.

Back in the "old days" the difference between tubulars and clinchers was large, and it was worth the hassle. The modern 21st century clinchers (tubeless and tubed) are pretty good and so the difference is really quite modest. I used tubulars back in the 1980's and found the ride to be excellent but the hassle makes it not worth it for me.

Your choice.
__________________
Originally Posted by rjones28
Addiction is all about class.
datlas is offline  
Old 08-09-20, 03:22 PM
  #9  
xbartx
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 27
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 16 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 1 Post
Originally Posted by rubiksoval
You could probably get 500-600 or so for them (Just saw a pair of newer c40s with mounted tires + two additional tires sell for $666).

https://www.ebay.com/itm/29365825745....m43663.l10137
I think the ones I have maybe a newer model R9170. Being tubular might also have a more limited market.
Here is a picture of what I have.

xbartx is offline  
Old 08-09-20, 03:42 PM
  #10  
xbartx
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 27
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 16 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 1 Post
Originally Posted by datlas
Don't confuse tubular and tubeless. They are very different. Both are kinda finicky compared to traditional clinchers. Feel free to try your tubulars and see if you like them, the ride is great but the hassle factor is huge. And yes, typically you carry a spare tire to put on if you have a flat. I know some people try putting sealant in tubulars but that's unlikely to work out.

Back in the "old days" the difference between tubulars and clinchers was large, and it was worth the hassle. The modern 21st century clinchers (tubeless and tubed) are pretty good and so the difference is really quite modest. I used tubulars back in the 1980's and found the ride to be excellent but the hassle makes it not worth it for me.

Your choice.
My bike has both types of rims and yes I have used the tubular wheel with CX tires for a race and a couple practice sessions. The tubular tires currently mounted are not suitable for the road and that is where I do most of my riding. I do plan to CX race in the future but will be happy mounting CX tires on my other rims the few times a year that I would need them. It would like to use the tubulars with road tires or sell them for a second set of clinches to have a set of both road and gravel wheels/rims.
xbartx is offline  
Old 08-09-20, 06:27 PM
  #11  
woodcraft
Senior Member
 
woodcraft's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Nor Cal
Posts: 6,016
Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1814 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 923 Times in 569 Posts
I like Continental Sprinters. A bit less than the best ride quality, but <$40 on sale, and they wear extremely well IME. After a couple of k miles, a Vittoria Corsa would be sliced and diced but the Sprinters plug away. My last two tires wore to the cords without a flat- helpful if you go long and can be hours away from home.
I also carry a dedicated spare that is small and light- only 50% bigger & heavier than an inner tube & fits in saddle bag.

Changing a tire on the road is NBD. Sounds like you could do fine. I would get two Sprinters @ $46, a Tufo Elite Jet (spare) @ $65, and a can of glue for $20, & be good to go. I have an older set of those DA wheels (rim brake), & they've been great- very light & the hubs are nice.
woodcraft is offline  
Old 08-11-20, 08:10 AM
  #12  
Classtime 
Senior Member
 
Classtime's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 4,672

Bikes: 82 Medici, 2011 Richard Sachs, 2011 Milwaukee Road

Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1924 Post(s)
Liked 1,954 Times in 1,086 Posts
If you are going to race CX, keep the Tubulars.
__________________
I don't do: disks, tubeless, e-shifting, or bead head nymphs.
Classtime is offline  
Old 08-11-20, 09:40 AM
  #13  
xbartx
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 27
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 16 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 1 Post
Originally Posted by Classtime
If you are going to race CX, keep the Tubulars.
I hope to continue with CX, our upcoming season was cancelled so it might be awhile and at 63 years of age not sure how many seasons I might have.

I did decide to a least give them a try with road tires and will keep them for the time being.
I ordered a set of road tires yesterday and then spent a couple hours removing the CX tires and cleaning up the rims.

I'm not sure how or if I need to remove the glue from the CX tires I removed, if I'm going to ever reuse them.
xbartx is offline  
Old 08-12-20, 07:17 AM
  #14  
Classtime 
Senior Member
 
Classtime's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 4,672

Bikes: 82 Medici, 2011 Richard Sachs, 2011 Milwaukee Road

Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1924 Post(s)
Liked 1,954 Times in 1,086 Posts
Pick off any big globs but no you don't need yo remove the glue.
__________________
I don't do: disks, tubeless, e-shifting, or bead head nymphs.
Classtime is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.