New Campagnolo Bora One Tubulars or..?

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ToffieBoi
Posts: 417
Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2014 4:54 pm
Location: Krakow, Poland

by ToffieBoi

Hi guys,

I'm 183 tall and 64kg. A skinny guy who is not so powerful. I don't join competitions, only group or single rides.

I am currently riding a 2015 Orbea Orca frame with 2015 Campagnolo Chorus grupset.
I have my 27mm wide, 40mm high carbon wheels with Novatec A291 / F482SL hubs and Sapim CX-Ray spokes. I am quite happy with them.
For long descents I have my Campagnolo Neutron Ultra wheelset, so when I am going mountain climbs I am taking them with me.
In addition to that two wheelsets, a bit spare money to spend on bike.

I have 2 options now;
Selling all my wheels and tires and buying 2015 Bora One Tubulars. They will be my everyday wheels. Including commute rides, coffee shop rides and also long mountain descents.
Also will be my first tubular experience.
Or with the spare money I have, I will buy 56mm or 86mm rear wheel for flat rides. (56 or 86, that is another question) Same setup with my current carbon wheels.
I will use 40-40 setup for rolling terrain.
When I'm going mountains I will ride my Neutron Ultra's so I will not overheat the brake surface and will be much more confident on descents.

In WW, of course the lightest setup is the best but I am not sure if it is safe to use carbon Bora's on 20% descents.
Let says, this one, backwards :D https://www.strava.com/segments/684378
On other hand, I will have 3 different setup for my each ride.

Honestly I couldn't decide which option suits me more.
Thanks everyone in advance :)

by Weenie


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sawyer
Posts: 4485
Joined: Fri Dec 15, 2006 7:45 pm
Location: Natovi Landing

by sawyer

the big issue here is whether you're willing to riding tubulars or not.

If you make the jump then Boras with Campag Chorus is a great set-up yes
----------------------------------------
Stiff, Light, Aero - Pick Three!! :thumbup:

phollingswo
Posts: 77
Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2015 12:40 pm

by phollingswo

Carbon boras on descents absolutely fine in tubular version. It's the clinchers which might give you problems. The clincher bit is the problem, not the fact they are carbon.

I'm running the new Bora one tubulars on Campa chorus as well, it's fantastic! However I'm keeping them for racing. Not sure I'd want to use them for every day use tbh. Nice tubular tires are expensive, I wouldn't want to use them for the coffee run.


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mimason
Posts: 654
Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2009 11:43 pm
Location: Florida

by mimason

You appear to have nice wheels now and two wheelsets are better than one in your case. Perhaps don't buy tubulars if you've never had experience with them or on a budget. See if you can rent or borrow first. It's a serious decision and flats are expensive.

Also buying only a rear wheel is not a good decision. You arent going to shave watts worth the money. Buy an aero helmet and tight kit and get an aggressive position for tons less money.

Otherwise, sell the neutrons and save for a good climbing set of tubulars for the hills and use the 40s for the flats and coffee runs.

ToffieBoi
Posts: 417
Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2014 4:54 pm
Location: Krakow, Poland

by ToffieBoi

Thanks guys for the answers.
Chorus + Bora couple sounds great but riding only tubulars are scary. Will be much expensive in long run.
Bora Clincher will be more expensive and not safe for descents.

Today after work I was at a short, steep climb. 300 meters, 15% average. On the descent I was using my brakes all the way down to not accelerate, and on the bottom I checked my wheels. They weren't so hot. Even much colder than my friends' Eurus wheels. After I read the comments here, I also started to think that carbon tubulars maybe won't be terrible for descent.

I sent Rae from Carbon Cycles a mail and asked what shallow profile tubular rim he would recommend for me.
I will just wait and see what options I will have if I go for Chinese Tubs.

Thanks again for the comments.
Please feel free to add or correct anything you wish.

Geoff
Posts: 5395
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2003 2:25 am
Location: Canada

by Geoff

Tubulars are not scary. It is all in your mind. Before clinchers, there were only tubulars and everyone used them exclusively. No problem. Depending upon where you live, tubulars may not be more expensive than clinchers at all. In my personal experience, they last a very long time. Due to the virtual elimination of pinch-flats, they seem to last until the tread is worn-off.

A 300m 'descent' is not a descent, just a bump in the road. Where you will see issues with rims heating-up will be on long mountain descents where repeated braking is required due to switchbacks. Those descents are often 10km or more long, resulting in hot rims and pads.

I will provide you the same advice I often do to new-to-tubular guys: don't buy new tubular wheels for your first set. I am not sure where you are, but I would be almost willing to bet that you have tri-guys there. I would also be almost willing to bet that your tri-guys are no different than our tri-guys. That being the likely case, you can probably get a very lightly used pair of high-zoot carbon tubulars in your local area from some tri-guy who is buying this-year's model and is having a fire sale on the old pair. They will probably also have a pair of decent tubulars on them, too, with the same 180km of use as the wheels and hubs (just make sure you re-glue them, as some kid at the LBS/Tri-shop glued them).

LionelB
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Location: Aix en Provence

by LionelB

Geoff wrote:I will provide you the same advice I often do to new-to-tubular guys: don't buy new tubular wheels for your first set. I am not sure where you are, but I would be almost willing to bet that you have tri-guys there. I would also be almost willing to bet that your tri-guys are no different than our tri-guys. That being the likely case, you can probably get a very lightly used pair of high-zoot carbon tubulars in your local area from some tri-guy who is buying this-year's model and is having a fire sale on the old pair. They will probably also have a pair of decent tubulars on them, too, with the same 180km of use as the wheels and hubs (just make sure you re-glue them, as some kid at the LBS/Tri-shop glued them).

:D

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mrgray
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Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2015 1:56 am

by mrgray

Hi ToffeeBoi, hopefully you have dived in and bought the Bora One's. They are brilliant and are well worth it. Deep seam in the 2015 version makes installation of tubulars easy and the performance and weight are incredible given their cost. I picked up a pair from starbike (admittedly this is months ago now) for a very good price I thought. The hubs roll wonderfully, the wheels are very strong, they look great and my pair weighed 1187 g. I have not ridden them but I find it hard to imagine the Ultra are worth the extra $.

good luck!
Bobo S&S Steel Bike - 7.5 kg
Oltre XR2- 6.6 kg
Look 585 - 6.8 kg
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ToffieBoi
Posts: 417
Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2014 4:54 pm
Location: Krakow, Poland

by ToffieBoi

Unfortunately no. Having only tubulars scared me so I went for second climbing tubular wheels.

23mm wide, 24mm tall rims
Novatec A291SL / F582SL hubs
Sapim Cx-Ray spokes
I will complete the set with Vittoria Corsa SC 25mm tires Mastik One glue.

This will be my first tubular experience. I will see if I can only ride tubulars in the future, and later will decide.

Please update when you have a chance to ride with them :)

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mrgray
Posts: 775
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2015 1:56 am

by mrgray

@toffeeboi. sorry misunderstanding. i have ridden bora one tubs 35 mm (new 2015 version). very very good. brilliant. what i have not ridden is the ultras. i find it hard to believe they are that much better than the one's though.
Bobo S&S Steel Bike - 7.5 kg
Oltre XR2- 6.6 kg
Look 585 - 6.8 kg
Look 695 SR :D

ToffieBoi
Posts: 417
Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2014 4:54 pm
Location: Krakow, Poland

by ToffieBoi

Ah, sorry. My bad @mrgray

I got my post from China today.
Wheels came in 1053grams pair. Build quality looks good too.
I am stretching my tires now and hopefully will be able to ride them this weekend. I will add my ride review soon :)

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mrgray
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by mrgray

ToffieBoi wrote:Ah, sorry. My bad @mrgray

I got my post from China today.
Wheels came in 1053grams pair. Build quality looks good too.
I am stretching my tires now and hopefully will be able to ride them this weekend. I will add my ride review soon :)



Dear ToffieBoi - how has it worked out for you? are you too busy flying down mountains to tell us what happened with the tubulars? or have you reviewed them elsewhere and i am missing it?

pls let us know.

:beerchug:
Bobo S&S Steel Bike - 7.5 kg
Oltre XR2- 6.6 kg
Look 585 - 6.8 kg
Look 695 SR :D

ToffieBoi
Posts: 417
Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2014 4:54 pm
Location: Krakow, Poland

by ToffieBoi

mrgray wrote:
ToffieBoi wrote:Ah, sorry. My bad @mrgray

I got my post from China today.
Wheels came in 1053grams pair. Build quality looks good too.
I am stretching my tires now and hopefully will be able to ride them this weekend. I will add my ride review soon :)



Dear ToffieBoi - how has it worked out for you? are you too busy flying down mountains to tell us what happened with the tubulars? or have you reviewed them elsewhere and i am missing it?

pls let us know.

:beerchug:


I totally forgot about it :)
I didn't go for huge mountain climbs after I bought the wheels, but did a few short-steep climbs to check them.

It took few rides for me to fully trust tubulars but then I was happy with the cornering.
They all good. I liked how tubulars ride. Wheels are really light, lightest set I've ever rode so I can see the benefits easily.
Stiffness is OK. Not the stiffest set ever, but rides all good. I am not so powerful so they didn't disturb me at all.

In total, I am happy with my set. I wouldn't buy another climbing wheelset with that budget.
But currently on my daily rides I am riding my 40mm carbon clinchers with 28mm Vittoria Rubino Pro tires. 60PSI in them and that comfort makes me smile :D

If you have any other, specific question, hit me :D

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coloclimber
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by coloclimber

I have been a one wheelset carbon tubular only guy for the last few years. I descend long wicked roads and with adequate brakes and pads you should be fine at your weight.
Before that I was between jobs and had loads of time to ride dirt mountain roads on my road bike so I used tubeless wheels for 6 months.
Before that carbon tubular exclusive since 2003.
You only live once.
-Deacon Doctor Colorado Slim

by Weenie


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