Dean V

Why are people even mentioning 800gm wheel sets and the like?
How is this relevant in any way to what the OP outlines?

Doge

OP mentioned 32 clinchers. Seems about the same as 25 tubulars in robustness at much less mass. Mass matters in cycling.

That 800g wheel set may be more robust than what the OP is riding.

You don't ride tubulars, do you?

Dean V

I do have several sets of tubulars.
The point is the OP is just riding around on sidewalks, MUP, grass parks!
I also feel much more confident thrashing along a gravel road with a 32mm clincher than I do on 25mm tubs.

Kimmo 

Yeah, so?

bruce19

Tubeless. Mavic UST.

f4rrest

Since when does jra involve sidewalks? Lol.

rubiksoval

I've glued and raced tubulars for a decade.

Again, gluing affects rolling resistance. If you can just pull your tires off by hand willy-nilly, there's likely a lot more rolling resistance.

I take efforts to ensure my tires are completely glued on, from edge of the rim to edge of the rim, and middle, too.

Rolling resistance is far, far, far more crucial than a few extra grams in the middle of the wheel bed.

rubiksoval

I don't think that's nearly the advantage you think it is. And ride better is... well, subjective.

Doge

You saw I posted the ones on the tandem. They are about 29mm. They are over 800g too, But the same technology used in light wheels is used in the heavier ones.
If riding around industrial waste of metal, glass etc., or goat head thorns, you're going to flat so go cheap and easy. If around dirt, rocks, grass the appropriate tubulars are going to ride like a larger clincher with far less weight.

Go into awful stuff and tubulars again might be the tire. Cobbles and cx mud, they are an excellent choice.

fietsbob

Honolulu streets swept free of debris, regularly ?

for the 32 . people willing to pay what they cost, rave about the Compass/Rene Herse tires .

for the 23, why not feel the ride the pros all prefer ? .. buy a lot so you always carry a spare tire.

Maybe extra wheels glued up and ready..

you will just get to spend a day mending punctures re stitching casings gluing down base tapes , occasionally

like has been done by your pre- inter- net predecessors.. & race heros ..







....

Doge

I mentioned some American designed rims for this reason. I recall my ENVE and know the Mercury cx have quite a deep valley - maybe 2mm below the edges. I don't think the 25/26 (actual) tires really hit that valley at race pressure. Of course cx is running in the real low pressure zones.

The rolling resistance comes from movement. The older glues were more higher viscosity goo. Red Vittoria used to melt under braking on the tandem. I went to 3M fast tack (77 precursor) for heat. Now Mastic 1 is real strong bonding. I don't think the center is moving at all if the edges are well glued.

I can see a clincher being a choice for smooth roads as in a TT. They still seat better than most tubulars and might roll better than most tubulars.
OT for JRA - but you can get tubulars made with silk, without case coating. Glued right. I doubt any clincher would roll better.

I do go out of the way to ensure the best seating possible, and no movement. This may not be needed, but what I do for a competition set.

Doge

In the 32, 33 mm you are now at cx sizes. When it comes to the nastiest environments - sidewalks, grass parks, mud, rocks, sand the toughest tires are what the racers that do that ride.

I doubt any 32mm clincher setup (rim and all) will be within 400g of an equally tough cross set.

Again - glass, thorns (some) wires, screws can ruin any tire. If you ride in industrial trash areas don't bother.

There are $35 tubulars out there. I understand the wheels need to be purchased first, but they are not as expensive as folks let on and a $35 tubular on a tubular rim will likely be less than the cost of equal performance clincher.

Doge

OP - as you are JRA - look at a Roubaix type tire ~27 mm. There are some inexpensive ones ~$60 and some fancy ones at twice that. Weight will be <350g.
There are a pile of options here (and other brands as well): https://worldclasscycles.com/product-category/tubulars/
@rubiksoval you may appreciate this. I generally had the tires made for junior. I'd spec them, and Francois would make them. Francois would send me blury pictures of the progress. It was great fun. We'd get them made with stamps and naming we wanted.


Anyway I'd compare suppleness to some of the better clinchers. I'd do slow speed video of how they grabbed and rolled on corners. The tubulars needed 75% the rubber patch of a clincher as in a hard corner, the case would roll / tire deform and the tread was always rubber down.
Here is a pic of two equally inflated tires - a Veloflex master 25 and a custom silk FMB without coating. The difference is apparent. How that rides is subjective but different enough the rider knew what they were without looking.

Kimmo 

That's neat way to compare the suppleness of two tyres.

Doge

Mostly off topic for this thread, but some applies. The case material matters a whole bunch. That includes JRA and performance racing.

Tread that will not touch the ground mostly slows you down. Better go with a more durable case than the typical department store vulcanized rubber on the side.
If you are going to get things poking your sidewalls get thicker/different material sidewalls. Polyimide started being used for sidewall and casing late 80s and that stuff is tough. I think Conti weave it in most tires. Many cheaper tires use nylon.

Some makers put like Kevlar (can't think of the brand) and Graphene (Vittoria) and metal belts under the tread, but basically you don't really want that stuff flexing much unless trying to increase your workout. It is less than ideal for sidewalls.
When someone is using a wrap around rummer (usually vulcanized) tire case I often suggest they inflate them a little more to minimize case flex which is really a shock absorbent material that robs energy and builds heat. Cotton tires ride well, and cut easily. Silk rides better, is harder to cut and falls apart when wet.

Moral of the story is the same for JRA or racing or specialty. What is best depends on what you are trying to do. You will generally get better for more money, but a $100+ silk isn't going to do as well as a Gatorskin costing less for JRA.

gorillimo

Wolber Invinerables. Kevlar belted. Use them for everything except racing on my Colnago rarely flatted in a lot of years of riding

Doge

Where can you buy them?