Clinchers in general more expensive

[TobinHatesYou]

Those 3w are at like 30mph, right? You won’t be giving up nearly that much power up an 8% grade as your speed will be far less.

The 3w is according to BRR’s test at 28km/h or 18mph, but you did point out an error that I made in haste. At those stats, you’d be going around 11mph, so the net gain would be just under 2w. Still faster.

[RyanH]

Why don't more people use Corsa Speeds then? Are you using Corsa Speeds? If so, what tire life are you getting out of them? If not, why not? Bike radar said they're extremely fragile... Cause you know, they're a time trial/race day tire.

The normal version, the Graphene clinchers and tubs are within 0.1 watts of each other and I think 4w or so higher than the Corsa Speeds. But that doesn't help you make your point does it? You know, using tires that people may actually be willing to use on the road and not just in a TT.

And also, the Corsa Speed TLR might actually be slower than the tubular version if used with an inner tube:

"This tire can also be used with an inner tube, but you should add about ~ 3 - 4 watts for a standard 100 grams butyl tube and 1.5 - 2.0 watts for a latex tube."

[guyc]

Something like a Corsa speed would last about 1 mile around here. It would be comically unsuitable for most local UK road riding now (our locals government seems to have pretty much abandoned any pretence at keeping the roads maintained now).

[jlok]

I'm using the Corsa Speed TLR on my front wheel setup tuebless. Love the perfect matching of the wheel-tire profile.

[Calnago]

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.