Originally Posted by
Dave Mayer
The (elite-level) teams are actually riding tubulars. Often relabeled. Tubeless has 3 insurmountable disadvantages for performance riding:
- Higher rim weights than tubular rims. This is inherent to the cross-section of the rim: clincher/tubeless rims simply require more material.
- The inability to run at high pressures (yes, higher pressures deliver lower rolling resistance)
- Far greater safety risks in the event of a sudden deflation. On tubulars, the tire stays stuck tight to the rim, and you can ride it for a considerable distance.
Tubeless is a good choice for sponsor marketing campaigns, or for bikes on the roof racks of the team cars, or for the domestiques on flat inconsequential stages.
Weight is a non-issue for UCI racers, as their bikes must stay above the UCI limit.
Clinchers can be inflated to optimal pressure. Tubeless tires have very low rolling resitance. And very high pressure (110+ psi) is a disadvantage, as it produce higher rolling resistance on real surfaces. Tubulars offer zero rolling resistance advantage over clinchers.