Originally Posted by
Dave Mayer
I have killed more clincher rims, as when you ding the fragile 'hooks' required to hold the clincher tire on, it's game over.
Again, the tubular rim profile is superior as it is stronger, lighter, and highly resistant to impacts and pinch flats. Plus the rim is isolated from tire inflation pressures. The only advantages for clinchers is lower cost and easier to install tires. But there is no performance overlap.
Eh, anecdotes are funny like that. 150,000 miles, and I've dented one clincher rim but completely cracked three carbon ones (race wheels). The ratio to al:carbon rim riding at the time was probably 300:1.
On the road, give me a very fast clincher/latex setup any day over a fast tubular setup. I'll take the Vittoria Corsa Speeds with latex tubes on my 45mm carbon clinchers over Vittora Corsa Speed tubulars on my Hed Stinger 4s. For those two setups, the clinchers are as fast/ faster AND no need to put 8 layers of glue on the tubular to try to bring the CRR even.
I always gravitated towards tubulars earlier on because they were just so much lighter than the clinchers. But the last 5-6 years have really closed that gap significantly, and, it turns out, weight just doesn't actually matter that much when it comes to speed.
I have a tubular disc wheel I bought pretty cheaply last year, but I'm constantly lamenting buying it instead of just getting a clincher one. I have a Corsa Speed on it but am worried about the puncture protection over a much longer race I have coming up so will probably get a Corsa 2.0...ehhhh. Don't particularly want to glue and reglue. Maybe a good case for a new bike with disc wheels?!
