Originally Posted by rapwithtom

I've got an unexpected opportunity to pick up some used Zipp 303 tubulars for cheap, and I've been looking for some race wheels, and perhaps I've just found them.

I'm fairly neutral regarding most of the arguments in the clincher/tubular debate (crr, cost, ride feel, gluing hassle, weight), and sort of end up - barely - on the side of just stay with clinchers.

But I do care about safety. I'm mostly a crit racer...how many of you crit racers run tubulars because you think they're safer than clinchers?

Is the risk of eating pavement because of a flat really greater for a clincher than for a tubular? Is the risk of rolling a tubular, with a respectable glue job, really minimal?

(I have blown out one clincher in a corner before...while I did keep it upright it was a memorably scary moment...who knows the cause, maybe the bead wasn't perfectly seated? I really have no idea, and n=1.)

Opinions appreciated...