Any reason to "try" tubulars today

[Alexandrumarian]

I think it is a very personal thing. If you like your life to be easy and clean, probably stay away. If you have the money, time, like to have the lightest possible bike and like to get a bit dirty and involved, you'll probably not feel disapointed.
As for the comfort, I have a minimum carbon bike (only fork and post), old school rims, 32-28 spokes, Michelin Power 25 (goes up to 28) and latex. Also a full carbon bike, I couldn't add more unless I'd go for carbon spokes; Bora 35 tubs with 25mm Veloflex or G+. The difference on a very good road is really small between the two. On a crap road it definitly filters and smooths the ride a whole lot but I think you need the full package to get it to obvious levels.
In terms of cornering, I got all my descending PRs on 25mm Arenberg tubs. But the limiting factor is your own confidence first. If you currently are 700 out of 2000 on Strava, tubs will probably not help much...

[kgt]

I think it is a very personal thing. If you like your life to be easy and clean, probably stay away. If you have the money, time, like to have the lightest possible bike and like to get a bit dirty and involved, you'll probably not feel disapointed.

Tubulars are as easy and 'clean' as any other tire format. Cleaning your chain or cassette or rear derailleur is messier than glueing a tubular.

[Alexandrumarian]

Well, you can wear gloves when cleaning the drivetrain. Glue a tub with gloves and they will likely rip and ruin the job. There is also the rim cleaning part which can be tedious even with chemicals (exception being the Conti carbon which peels off super easy if heated with a hair dryer). But nothing is as nasty as cleaning a mudcaked MTB

[kgt]

You don't have to clean the rim before glueing unless the previous glueing was too messy.

[ergott]

Over the years, the best wheels I've owned were always carbon tubulars. I'm defining best here to be for spirited riding (or racing) on a road bike. For other applications, there are other great options.

I've had just about every combination out there. A 25mm tubular tire rides with the smoothness of a much bigger tubeless/clincher setup without the weight and aero penalty. Another bike I have that corners like it's on rails and is a dream to ride on has 650BX 42mm tubeless tires at 35psi. It's great, but the added work to ride along with a high speed group ride is too much. It's noticeably easier to keep a pace in the mid 20mph range with a race wheel setup. It also shows up in the total kJ of a ride when comparing similar rides. Any given segment of a ride doesn't feel that much slower, but it sure adds up over the coure of 4-5 hours and more.

When trying to duplicate the ride quality of 25mm tubulars with clinchers or tubeless, it's just never been the same. The ride quality isn't as nice. Yes, I've tried wider clinchers and yes, I've tried premium tires from most of the manufacturers out there. Closest is a premium 28mm tubeless setup, but that adds a lot of weight in both the rim and tire in comparison.

There have been seasons where I didn't have carbon tubulars. I get lulled into the idea that what I'm riding is fine. As soon as I swap in a pair of carbon tubulars I remind myself how mych better the riding experience is. I currrently have FSE 25mm rims and Boyd 60mm rims. Both are built with Wheels Mfg hubs. In the past I've owned Enve 4.5s (they were okay), 6.7s, 8.9s, and Reynolds 66mm tubulars. I've had Reynolds 46mm clinchers and just never fell in love with the wheels.

[bikeboy1tr]

I have ridden tubs for many years now and it is my primary choice for tires. My winter beater CX bike has clincher cross tires and I recently purchased a set of Mavic Ksyerium carbon clinchers specifically for a trip to Majorca last spring. The Velocious cycling crew frowned upon running tubs in the mtns when we had no sag wagon. I mounted a set of Vittoria Corsa Graphene 25mm and they felt pretty close to my tubs but I still prefer the tubs over the clincher any day. I dont find gluing that big a deal and I rarely scrape the old glue off rims unless they have been sitting for ages without a tire mounted. Changing tires out in the wild seems less of a hastle to me as I dont have to search the inside of the tire for whatever obstacle give me the flat to begin with. Old punctured tub comes off and new one goes on, center it up and inflate a little, check for center again and inflate to full pressure. I can change the flat tub faster than anyone in our club can change a clincher and I never get down the road a ways getting a reoccuring flat from the same offending matter that caused the oringinal flat. I carry a high end spare cause they fold up tighter and are lighter and when I get home I change it again to whatever trainer tub I am running at the time, usually Vittoria Elite or Rubino. I have never had a freshly changed tub roll off. Actually I have never had any tub roll off but I do scuff up the gluing surface of carbon rims so the glue sticks. I do notice that a 25mm Vittoria clincher seems to have more volume than a 25mm tub of the same make. Most times I can get a trainer tub cheaper onsale than I can get a clincher.
Anyway tubs are the tires I will ride until I cant ride any longer.

[CEVelo]

No reason not to try ridning tubulars. More options today than ever before, very nice chlincher tires availible, tubless or tubular. Find what ever works best for your riding. I gave up on tubulars due to hazzle factor (yet some swear its easier, only different) and is soley on clinchers and tubless these days. No regrets.

[wintershade]

I ordered a new set of tubular Bora Ultra 35s today. We’ll see how it goes. Figured I’d start with the best to give it a fair shot.

I’d appreciate tire recommendations. I was thinking I’d start with Vittoria Corsa G+ 25mm since that’s what I’ve been running on my Bora 50s and would be closest to an apples to apples comparison. But other suggestions very much welcome.

[robertbb]

I ordered a new set of tubular Bora Ultra 35s today. We’ll see how it goes. Figured I’d start with the best to give it a fair shot.

I’d appreciate tire recommendations. I was thinking I’d start with Vittoria Corsa G+ 25mm since that’s what I’ve been running on my Bora 50s and would be closest to an apples to apples comparison. But other suggestions very much welcome.

Congrats on the purchase wintershade

I wasn't overly impressed with Vittoria Corsa G+ 25mm on my Bora Ultra 35's. I'd probably opt for Veloflex Arenberg's if I had my time again.

[LouisN]

+ 1 on Arenberg .
Louis

[RyanH]

Veloflex

[Calnago]

Veloflex Arrenbergs if you want Black sidewalls. Veloflex Roubaix if you want tan sidewalls.

[romanmoser]

+1 on veloflex arenberg/roubaix

when I had these , I couldn't seem to wear them trough
I did the long version tour des flandres gran fondo and others shitty rides trough the year
they were awesome

[ergott]

+1 on veloflex arenberg/roubaix

when I had these , I couldn't seem to wear them trough
I did the long version tour des flandres gran fondo and others shitty rides trough the year
they were awesome

Interesting. I found the Carbons to wear comparitively quickly and easier to flat. Can you or someone else let me know if the wear rate of the Arenberg tires is noticeably different from the Carbons?

Veloflex tires do have an incredible ride though.

[LionelB]

I've switched almost all my wheels to Roubaix or Arenberg but still have a few 23mm carbon left. I have not seen a very different wear.

On the tubular topic I have basically stopped thinking about it. Carbon tubular rims, veloflex 25mm and done. Yeah, the interweb is full of new stuff and tales but as Ergott said the most they can do is come close to the ride quality and safety. The 1.0023% aero difference be damned.