Originally Posted by
Drillium Dude
I avoid riding in the wet (but I've been caught out by sudden weather changes mid-ride more than once), but if I did: clinchers every time.
Road debris tends to stick around longer in wet conditions, and said debris is a common cause of punctures. I'd rather hole a tube riding with clinchers than tubulars. Plus, imagine trying to swap out a spare tubular - particularly if using tape vice glue - in wet, nasty conditions.
That be my take.
DD
I commuted for years on sewups. Cheap cottons and cheap diamond tread cyclocross in snow country winter. One reason was that tire changes in foul weather were no harder than in the best of conditions. Now I never used tape. Always Tubasti. Peel flatted tire off, stick the spare on, ride carefully the first few miles and abstain from hard cornering. Re-glue when I got home,
I also used glass catchers with my fenders because the rear fender prevented the hand wipe and at night or in rain, I often couldn't see glass. Rear catcher mounted at the chainstay bridge, front under the crown. I think I drilled out the fender rivets and replaced them with screws but its been a long time.
Timely topic! My new fenders for my TiCycles just arrived at the shop. SKS Blumels with the Esge silver/plastic/metal technology. To be painted with 2-part yellow epoxy paint. Yellow fenders for that fire engine red bike - my vision from conception. Who knew yellow road fenders would be so hard to get? Need to do this glass catcher drilling before paint! (That bike is my par excellence go anywhere, climb anything all weather bike. Fenders, ti, sealed bearings. Water doesn't phase it. Race short chainstays to put enough weight on the rear tire to grip in the wet when I'm out of the saddle and pulling as hard as I can. A real Pacific NW bike.)