Making the transition to tubulars

Wheels, Tires, Tubes, Tubeless, Tubs, Spokes, Hookless, Hubs, and more!

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The spirit of this board is to compile and organize wheels and tires related discussions.

If a new wheel tech is released, (say for example, TPU tubes, a brand new tire, or a new rim standard), feel free to start the discussion in the popular "Road". Your topic will eventually be moved here!
1415chris
Posts: 1433
Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2009 8:59 am
Location: Surrey UK

by 1415chris

Extenders fron link 1 are not for removable core valves. No 2 and 3 are. You can distinguish this type of extenders by exteral (visible) threaded end with a small seal (usually) at the end.

by Weenie


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dj97223
Posts: 822
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2005 7:27 pm

by dj97223

According to this, your wheels will come with the valve extenders.

https://www.campagnolo.com/US/en/Wheels ... ora_one_35
“If you save your breath I feel a man like you can manage it. And if you don't manage it, you'll die. Only slowly, very slowly, old friend.”

ms82
Posts: 28
Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2020 5:29 pm

by ms82

True, I should have mentioned that but thanks anyway! I checked the Campag's site and it should. I just wanted to order some just in case to have everything ready. I guess I am waiting too long for the new bike :D

uncle-gee
Posts: 102
Joined: Tue Nov 07, 2006 4:29 pm
Location: Canada

by uncle-gee

Hi folks, few questions...

Firstly, I'm looking at the Dura Ace R9100 C40 tubulars with the 28mm wide brake track.
Interested to know and/or see (if anyone has pictures) how a 25mm tub fits compared to a 28mm tub, on this particular rim.
I tend to believe that the 25mm tub would be a tad too narrow for this rim; but I'm also in doubt as if a 28mm tub on this rim would then fit with appropriate clearance on a Giant TCR 2018?

Secondly, so far I've always brought with me a spare tubular and a CO2 cartridge when riding.
I'm thinking about switching that to: [valve core removal tool + syringe-catheter (ex: KOM cycling tire sealant injector) + orange tire sealant in small separate bottle + Lezyne control drive CO2 inflator + cartridge]. The purpose being to have a better fit in my jersey pocket.
Questions:
I have read that tire sealant and CO2 don't go well together. I guess this is due to a combination of the release of CO2 occurring too fast and the CO2 being too cold upon release and thus not reacting well with the sealant? That said, would the Lezyne control drive CO2 inflator solve this issue? (ie: injecting the sealant and then slowly releasing the CO2) Anyone tried it?
I'm trying to figure out a way to avoid carrying a pump.

Also, are there any valve extenders that have a tool fitting portion near the valve core end so that one could firmly hold the valve extender while unscrewing the valve core, in order to prevent the valve extender from unscrewing a the tire valve junction (which is usually hidden in the deep section rim) when trying to unscrew the valve core from the valve extender?

Thanks!

Wingnut
Posts: 2196
Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2007 12:41 am

by Wingnut

kgt wrote:
Sun Mar 29, 2020 10:29 am
IME Vittoria Rally ride nice. The problem is that they are not always perfectly round and that their puncture resistance is limited.
The garden hose award go to tubulars like Continental sprinter and sprinter gatorskin. These are almost bombproof though (especially gatorskin).
I almost bought some Sprinter Gatorskins recently for my tubular wheels but ended up getting some 28mm Veloflex clinchers, latex tubes and sealant as I've read these as a combo works great...

eurostar
Posts: 465
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 7:19 pm
Location: London

by eurostar

uncle-gee wrote:
Sun May 31, 2020 7:39 pm
Hi folks, few questions...

Firstly, I'm looking at the Dura Ace R9100 C40 tubulars with the 28mm wide brake track.
The brake track is where the brake blocks touch the wheel. It's not where you glue the tyre. That bit is the bed.

maxim809
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by maxim809

Hi all, I tried searching and poking around but need some help.

My goal is to research tubular wheel sets and make a decision in the next couple weeks on what to purchase for a lightweight rim climber bike. Is there a modern list of reputable brands/models that still offer tubular wheels that I can use as reference?

Side note, I began poking through various well known brand names' websites and to my surprise, many do not offer tubulars anymore. I jumped around this thread to get a few ideas and I plan to read through it over time, but reasoned it'd be best to get advice directly. FYI, I'm happy to do my own deep research on all the details per tubular wheel set, but to get started I need guidance on brands/models worth investigating as we stand today.

Any takers? :)

petromyzon
Posts: 781
Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 4:14 pm

by petromyzon

uncle-gee wrote:
Sun May 31, 2020 7:39 pm
I'm looking at the Dura Ace R9100 C40 tubulars with the 28mm wide brake track.
These look like a great wheel choice and you very rarely see them in the wild!
They seem to be almost exclusively used by pros, and pros almost exclusively use 25mm tubs. Whilst Shimano don't seem to make a big play out of their use of aerodynamic testing, it seems safe to assume they are fastest with 25mm and developed with those in mind.

I've never used CO2 with sealant myself for the reasons you describe. I don't use it on clinchers because I like to have an unlimited source of pressure in case I flat twice or more, and because of environmental concerns.

On the two occasions that sealant has allowed me to ride a punctured tubular home I had to stop several times to re-inflate. I would have been stranded if I'd been on CO2. If you change your backup kit the pump is the last thing I'd leave out. I currently carry a Lezyne Road Drive, the smallest Tufo backup tub and 30mls of Orange Seal.

Finally, I install the extenders at home with pliers using PTFE tape and check for leaks before mounting. I install the valve cores finger tight only in the hope that if I come to remove them then that is the joint that comes undone! Some extenders have valve core tool flats themselves so in this case you can carry two tools to make sure you don't unscrew the wrong thread.

petromyzon
Posts: 781
Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 4:14 pm

by petromyzon

maxim809 wrote:
Wed Jul 08, 2020 8:16 am
My goal is to research tubular wheel sets and make a decision in the next couple weeks on what to purchase for a lightweight rim climber bike. Is there a modern list of reputable brands/models that still offer tubular wheels that I can use as reference?

Side note, I began poking through various well known brand names' websites and to my surprise, many do not offer tubulars anymore. I jumped around this thread to get a few ideas and I plan to read through it over time, but reasoned it'd be best to get advice directly. FYI, I'm happy to do my own deep research on all the details per tubular wheel set, but to get started I need guidance on brands/models worth investigating as we stand today.
Who is it that isn't offering tubulars? ZIPP and HED don't any more, I don't think. Roval and Bontrager have moved away with their latest releases but you should still be able to buy the previous generation (especially as they will probably be supporting pro teams who are still on tubs?).

Other than that there are plenty of options. Some favourites would be Campagnolo, Shimano, ENVE and Corima. If you really want light try AX-lightness or Extralite. i'm sure there are others.

maxim809
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by maxim809

Thanks. Actually, those two you mentioned are it (which I was not expecting because I was watching their tub installation videos last week. To be fair, I'm just now getting into learning about & committing to tubs, so a lot of old & new info is being firehosed into me, at my own will). Also, upon further inspection I noticed with Enve I have to actually click in and start 'building' in order to see their tubular options. That was playing into my confusion.

Great, thanks I'll take a look at those brands. If there are any more recommendations, please keep them coming. :)

Edit: Also, check out this gem from 2009, to my earlier point about Zipp installation videos. I love this guy!! (Seriously, although the YT comments section is poking fun :))
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93-ND_wX-UU

It's also amazing to see how things circa 2010 are starting to look dated. For some reason I really like the 'older fashion' simpler presentation style of 10 years ago. Today, everything is so explosive and attention grabby.

eurostar
Posts: 465
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 7:19 pm
Location: London

by eurostar

maxim809 wrote:
Wed Jul 08, 2020 8:16 am
Hi all, I tried searching and poking around but need some help.

My goal is to research tubular wheel sets and make a decision in the next couple weeks on what to purchase for a lightweight rim climber bike. Is there a modern list of reputable brands/models that still offer tubular wheels that I can use as reference?

Side note, I began poking through various well known brand names' websites and to my surprise, many do not offer tubulars anymore. I jumped around this thread to get a few ideas and I plan to read through it over time, but reasoned it'd be best to get advice directly. FYI, I'm happy to do my own deep research on all the details per tubular wheel set, but to get started I need guidance on brands/models worth investigating as we stand today.

Any takers? :)
My choice would be Carbonsports Lightweight. I reckon they last much longer than the others. They can be a great buy second hand, particularly the ones for tubs. Some owners give up on tubs pretty quickly and sell nearly new Lightweights at half price. They could easily last you 5 years.

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

by Geoff

I think that you should still have a lot of choices, as most guys still race on tubulars.

The new wheels are all pretty light. I just got a set of Bontragers in the post (one thing that is definitely happening is that guys are being forced to race on discs, so they have no use for the rim brake wheels) that I will try to glue-up over the weekend. I was pretty surprised at how light they are. I suspect that all of the current maufactured tubular sets are similarly light, so that the gap between specialty light-weight wheelsets and the conventional offerings may not be as great as it used to be. Having said that, LWs are still lighter and are really nicely manufactured.

The one thing that I would note is that the LWs are not as aero as, say, the Bontragers. If that matters to you, you might be better off with a set like that (or Hed Stingers, Zipp, Enve, etc.)

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kgt
Posts: 8749
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 10:29 am
Location: Athens, Greece

by kgt

maxim809 wrote:
Wed Jul 08, 2020 8:16 am
Hi all, I tried searching and poking around but need some help.
My goal is to research tubular wheel sets and make a decision in the next couple weeks on what to purchase for a lightweight rim climber bike. Is there a modern list of reputable brands/models that still offer tubular wheels that I can use as reference?
The top climbing wheelset is still a pair of Lightweights (see Ineos, see Contador etc.) Their stiffness to weight is much higher than anything else and this gives you an awesome feeling when climbing. You can find them used at half their msrp. I would only add Corima mcc at this level (very light and super stiff) but it is not that easy to find them used.
Aero does not matter really on climbing wheels unless you can climb with >30 km/h average.

maxim809
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by maxim809

Good to know, thanks all. Yeah many people here and IRL are recommending the Lightweights as an option. Might sound weird: personally I'm not too fond of the looks but seems like the performance benefits are real.

In regards to aero, yeah I can't climb >30kmh avg haha... I can do 24kmh if the gradient is 4% or less, and steeply falls off from there. I think a lot of the CdA gains are still going to be position on the bike at those speeds, but, hey, I'm a nut about equipment because it's fun. :)

https://www.gribble.org/cycling/power_v_speed.html

I've been using this to get a ballpark of how many watts can be saved from getting more slippery at different speeds. Significant savings for those that can do >30kmh.

AZR3
Posts: 998
Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 9:00 pm
Location: Az USA

by AZR3

So does anyone have experience with Specialized Allround 2 tires? I don't think I can squeeze 28mm tires in my SS Evo but the Allround comes in a 26 which should work but not really any real world reviews.

by Weenie


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