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Accidentally ordered carbon tubular wheelsets instead of clinchers, keep or not?

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Accidentally ordered carbon tubular wheelsets instead of clinchers, keep or not?

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Old 03-21-13, 12:11 PM
  #26  
caloso
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I have to agree with the others. I save my tubulars for race day.
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Old 03-21-13, 12:25 PM
  #27  
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So train on your regular Al clinchers and race on those new puppies you have coming.

I personally would feel leery about riding on some no-name carbon clinchers in my area because it's pretty hilly. But that's me. You can always try the Stans no-tubes approach on some tubular tires.
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Old 03-21-13, 01:09 PM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by Will Goes Boing
I'll be taking a pretty big hit on the shipping charges if I opt for the exchange route since I already paid $65 for the initial shipping, now I have to pay another $65 to ship them back and I'll have to pay another $65 for the new set.
Add up all the shipping charges, and that's what you should expect to pay to have your first flat taken care of. Less if you're going to do the gluing yourself.

The sealant means flats are rare, but not that they're non-existent.

Tubulars have some great things about them, but aren't worth the hassle if you ride for enjoyment.
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Old 03-21-13, 03:00 PM
  #29  
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resell them on craiglist for like $5 off what you paid and lose less money.
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Old 03-21-13, 06:30 PM
  #30  
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Agree with the majority to return/exchange/sell them and stick with clinchers for now. I did use tubulars for awhile in the '70s when I bought a used bike that came with them. The ride quality was a little better, and it was nice that they could be run at lower pressures without getting pinch flats. Another plus was that it was much faster and easier to change out a flat tire on the road - and since you replace the whole tire there wasn't any concern about possibly missing the piece of glass or thorn that caused the flat. But patching the tube and resewing the tire later at home was no fun and the tires were considerably more expensive at a given quality level.
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Old 03-21-13, 07:29 PM
  #31  
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If you actually put gatorskins on, you will negate every benefit tubular has to offer. The GS is a very heavy tire with miserable grip and a terrible ride. It does have decent sidecut resistance. But you absolutely can and will get flats with any tire unless the roads you ride are really clean. Changing a clincher takes a couple minutes and a cheap tube. If you fear changing flats with clinchers, you will really hate doing it with tubulars.

Tubulars are a poor choice for most recreational cyclists. Return or sell them and be happy riding the right stuff.
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Old 03-21-13, 09:07 PM
  #32  
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Honestly, spending money is fun but even Ebay carbon clinchers were probably the last thing you needed as a new rider with a 10 mile per day average. Just ride and don't worry about bike bling and life will be easier
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Old 03-21-13, 09:41 PM
  #33  
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Keep the tubulars, save on the shipping, pay more for tires. Or return the tubulars and buy the clinchers, pay more for shipping, but save on tires. Virtually the same money. Benefits of clinchers for a recreational rider outweigh the benefits of tubulars.
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Old 03-21-13, 10:44 PM
  #34  
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I'd forget about returning them, but sell them on eBay with a reserve Or Buy it Now price that will cover what you spent. The Chinese companies will be selling the exact same wheel, for the exact same cost, but buyers will see that you are are close by, a quicker shipping time and The same cost to them, and likely buy your wheels for what you paid.
you can even be honest up front that you bought them by mistake. Somebody will buy them, even if it takes three or four auction cycles.
ive been in your shoes before

Last edited by benajah; 03-21-13 at 10:48 PM.
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Old 03-21-13, 11:24 PM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by benajah
I'd forget about returning them, but sell them on eBay with a reserve Or Buy it Now price that will cover what you spent. The Chinese companies will be selling the exact same wheel, for the exact same cost, but buyers will see that you are are close by, a quicker shipping time and The same cost to them, and likely buy your wheels for what you paid.
you can even be honest up front that you bought them by mistake. Somebody will buy them, even if it takes three or four auction cycles.
ive been in your shoes before
I'm going to put them on craigslist and also try my luck at the local races this weekend. I would be very happy to get $400, and I'd poop cinder blocks if I'd be able to get more than that.
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Old 03-21-13, 11:33 PM
  #36  
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I would think you could actually sell them for 20 bucks more just because I know there are people out there that have been contemplating on purchasing some china carbons and would pay the extra 20 to have them in a day instead of waiting a month.

but then again....im thinking on the business side of things
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Old 03-21-13, 11:53 PM
  #37  
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Originally Posted by jackss731
I would think you could actually sell them for 20 bucks more just because I know there are people out there that have been contemplating on purchasing some china carbons and would pay the extra 20 to have them in a day instead of waiting a month.

but then again....im thinking on the business side of things
i completely agree. The shipping time, not to mention possible customs hold up/ charges are very real concerns. Throw them on eBay, say you bought them accidentally and list the buy it now for what you paid. I'd be pretty surprised if you don't sell them.
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Old 03-22-13, 01:03 AM
  #38  
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the inner bike nerd says keep them because tubular tires are really sweet. And they give a great ride.

But in all practicality they will cause you much pain, trouble, and money. good tubulars are not cheap, and you will eventually flat them unless you ride on manicured tarmac.

Sell them locally.
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Old 03-22-13, 06:41 AM
  #39  
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Willing to sale only the rims then?
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Old 03-22-13, 09:32 AM
  #40  
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Originally Posted by rpenmanparker
Kleng, that is very interesting. I have always agreed with what you say about the ride quality improvement of latex tubes, but I was not aware of the puncture protection and actually thought the opposite all these years. Would you mind saying more about this, please?
Latex is more elastic that butyl tubes so they stretch around the penetrating object, when I used vittoria latex tubes with clinchers I never had a puncture.

Here is a good article from Schwalbe

https://www.schwalbe.com/gbl/en/techn...k&tn_subPoint=

Last edited by kleng; 03-22-13 at 09:38 AM.
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Old 03-22-13, 10:52 AM
  #41  
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Originally Posted by Ferrous Bueller
fify
I'm in no way suggesting that our young friend keep the wheels, but let's at least be honest about why others ride them.
People ride tubulars for the imagined benefits.
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Old 03-22-13, 11:09 AM
  #42  
Ferrous Bueller
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Originally Posted by terrymorse
People ride tubulars for the imagined benefits.
Agreed. Just saying that several of those benefits happen to be real.
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