Boshk wrote: ↑Tue Apr 03, 2018 3:37 am
Thanks, so why does everyone go tubular?
Well, firstly, far from "everyone" goes tubular. Relatively few in the real world ride tubulars actually, although on forums like this it might seem otherwise. At the pro level, virtually every one is on tubulars, the vast majority of the time.
Why?... pretty simple...
1. Handling.
2. Ride quality
3. Safety
4. Lighter weight
5. Handling, ride quality, handling, ride quality, yeah, I know I said that already, but it bears repeating.
6. Cost and maintenance are tradeoffs easily made for the benefits of the ride quality, handling and safety characterisitcs.
It's really that simple. But most people in the real world don't want to deal with gluing etc., which can be a several day job so if you commit to tubulars you really do need more than one wheelset unless you are ok wih sitting out a day or so when you'd rather be riding. But everyone does indeed want carbon rims, so the manufacturers make carbon clinchers. They sell. So manufacturers sell them. Alloy is simply too heavy at the deeper profiles to be viable at those depths. And these days, for the most part they are just fine. But as long as they have two rigid walls going up each side, they will never be as plush on the road or as sure footed in turns as tubulars, completely round and just resting on a rim bed able to flex and bend with the road conditions, particularly when engaged in a leaned over turn, unconstrained by those two damn hard edged walls that are a neceesary part of any clincher, tubeless or otherwise. In those conditions, clinchers just can't match how the tire conforms to the road.