My first tub experience has with Conti giro's and they are cheap and ride fairly well. I did about 35 miles on them tonight and given the frame is an old Alan I thought the ride was acceptable. They roll well enough as well. I sure more expensive tubs roll and ride even better but they are more expensive.

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Hi,

IMHO Conti's Giro tyre really isn't worth bothering with. It's cheap but that's where it ends.

Ciao,

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Being a snob is an expensive hobby.

Given it my first experience gluing tubs, I thought I would use a cheap tub in case I got glue everywhere, which I did. I'll get my technique right before I buy and glue more expensive tubs.

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Really?

What's the reasoning behind that? I'd say it would broaden your contact area, thus more chance for debris to cling on. Added are side-effects as more chances on bumps (snake leak) *or is that not a real danger with tubulars?* and (though this last one is conjecture from me) perhaps lower intrusion resistance.

Hi,

The reasoning being to deform around the object instead of getting punctured by it.
Ask yourself, what's easier to puncture: a highly inflated balloon or a slightly inflated one?

Ciao,

_________________
Being a snob is an expensive hobby.

I would add: "act quickly to brush-off the tires when you do happen to ride through some unavoidable road debris"...

Here I'm disagreeing with the big expert on tubes/latex *Not snarky intended, I really do see you as an authorty on this subject*

I'm not 100% buying this one as there is more at play with the balloon than you suggest. A balloon will have a thicker skin when under a lower pressure, something which won't be so pronounced in a tire as the expansion of the tube is limited by the tire. Now unless you REALLY drop pressure, which is quite impractical as you would be riding the rim first, the thickness of the tube will remain the same. So all in all the balloon effect isn't a good analogy.

Now on he deforming: This has it plusses and it's negatives. Whereas a higher pressure might stop intrusion, deforming will work around intrusion. It stands to reason that an intruding object can cause a flat after a while by working around (friction). Deforming only has an advantage if there's no permanent intrusion. Whereas higher pressure might stop it in the first place.

Now if we add the higher risk of clinging debris (that one is probably statistical noise though) I'm not convinced that your advice is worth it, the plusses and negatives don't look that persuasive to me.. keeping your eyes pealed is of course a VERY good advice

Life is too short to ride cheap-ass tubulars!

That said, I have become a huge fan of the challenge criteriums (and they come with a tan sidewall). They aren't as nice or as puncture resistant as the veloflex carbons, but they are more easily found at half the price. With their ride being really quite comparable and not having had horrible puncture stories, I find them well worth it.

But one day I'll try FMB and/or go back to the trusty veloflexes.


(in fact, I'm sure I've just jinxed myself regarding the puncture resistance of the challenges and will now likely puncture tonight sending my straight back to the veloflexes no questions asked.)

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Hi,



Your balloon is obviously different from mine. Mine proves I'm right, yours is just being stretched to prove I'm wrong.
Sad thing for you is that the remainder of your reasoning is incorrect as well.

I'll give you another one: a latex inner tube is harder to puncture than a butyl one.Fact.

Cheers,

_________________
Being a snob is an expensive hobby.

I agree with fdegrove, seen a few articles over the years from various tyre manufactures confirming this...

I don't pump my tyres up over 100 psi and I've had no more than 5 punctures in 10 years.

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"It never gets easier, you just go faster..." - Greg Lemond

"Because technology alone is a poor substitute for experience." - Richard Sachs

If tyre manufacturers agree on this I certainly bow to theirs and your's technical experience

Update: http://www.schwalbetires.com/tech_info/ ... n_pressure



I guess even Tyre manufacturers are on the fence on this one.

I read quite a bit and I'll yield, lower pressure is probably better. Though I'm still not convinced it's worth the hassle to lower it in the rain

To me there is a subtlety in this statement. First of all, it is probably only valid within a certain interval of pressures. Even within the recommended tire pressure range, it is well documented that higher pressure does not lead to lower rolling resistance beyond a certain point. Second, i guess "likelihood of a puncture" is key to the last part, since at low pressure you run the risk of pinching. As i see it, the Schwalbe article does not explicitly discuss the "Balloon" issue - that is whether or not their tires are more easily penetrated by a sharp object at higher pressures. Many variables ..

Hi,

@Padde: You're quote is a snippet from Schwalbe's site as per the link in the previous post. None of it is either my saying nor is it Franklin's.
Could you please correct it so it refers to Schwalbe?

TA.,

As to your reply and assuming that you mean "range" by interval then I agree that it is one of those blanket statements that gets you nowhere. Marketing speak if you'd ask me....

I will explain how to translate it to real roads and more down to earth practical uses as opposed to lab tests only if you like.

Ciao,

_________________
Being a snob is an expensive hobby.

_________________
"It never gets easier, you just go faster..." - Greg Lemond

"Because technology alone is a poor substitute for experience." - Richard Sachs

And for most of us more importantly: they are more comfy!

I've moved to 25mm and loving it. If conti would produce their gp4000s in 28 I would try it*

*Staunch defender of the GP4000s, thousands upon thousands of miles without a leak