26" tubular rim?
08-08-19, 02:24 PM
#1
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26" tubular rim?
This is one of those ???? moments for me so I thought I'd ask here, maybe the answer is obvious and I'm just missing it.
I came across a set of 26" MTB wheels with 26" Ritchey Superlogic tubular rims.... Tubulars, on a MTB?
I've seen a lot done since I starting riding MTBs. Shoot, I remember John Tomac raced with drop bars, and a lot of other odd things since, but a tubular on a MTB just doesn't seem to fit. Never seen that before. What am i missing?
I came across a set of 26" MTB wheels with 26" Ritchey Superlogic tubular rims.... Tubulars, on a MTB?
I've seen a lot done since I starting riding MTBs. Shoot, I remember John Tomac raced with drop bars, and a lot of other odd things since, but a tubular on a MTB just doesn't seem to fit. Never seen that before. What am i missing?
08-08-19, 02:57 PM
#2
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i thought they were pretty common before tubeless took over. No pinch flats or burps. I believe Clement is currently pushing tubeless tubulars that can be used with sealant for gravel and XC now so not that surprising
08-08-19, 03:02 PM
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You can still buy dugasts in 26" https://www.a-dugast.com/product-page/fast-bird-2
08-08-19, 03:25 PM
#4
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Tubulars are very resilient to pinch flats, so they can be safely run at very low pressures on rough terrain. Before practical tubeless clinchers were introduced on mountain bikes, this was a huge advantage.
08-08-19, 07:23 PM
#5
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Yeah: I've run across a few of these, both tires and 26" tubular rims. These would date from as early as the late 80s, when MTB racing actually became important ($$ involved).
You can buy 29 and 27.5" tubular tires and wheelsets, but you have to hunt: this is team-only kit.
Given the huge performance and safety advantage of tubulars over clinchers (tubeless or otherwise), I suspect that to this day, every starter in every World Cup race is on tubulars.
Except perhaps for the unfortunates whose wheel sponsors are too small to offer this option. Tires can be relabeled.
You can buy 29 and 27.5" tubular tires and wheelsets, but you have to hunt: this is team-only kit.
Given the huge performance and safety advantage of tubulars over clinchers (tubeless or otherwise), I suspect that to this day, every starter in every World Cup race is on tubulars.
Except perhaps for the unfortunates whose wheel sponsors are too small to offer this option. Tires can be relabeled.
08-08-19, 07:37 PM
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Sewups for XC racing weren't unheard of.
08-08-19, 07:51 PM
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Decided to peruse MBA's Inside the Pros' Bikes archive, and Nino Schurter was still on Dugast tubulars in 2016, but was running tubeless by the 2018 season.
I imagine going forward the only tubular MTB riders would likely be Euro cyclocross crossovers, and even they will likely be pretty much non-existent.
I imagine going forward the only tubular MTB riders would likely be Euro cyclocross crossovers, and even they will likely be pretty much non-existent.
