Tubbies: really worth it?

[Jules]

Ok I know this has been debated before and I think we all know JB's and others' views on this.

 

 

 

However, I thought I'd revive the topic seeing as a Caisse d'Epargne rider just rolled his tyre off the rim. And who can forget Joseba Beloki's career-ending crash in the 2003 TDF?

 

 

 

What are the supposed advantages for tubbies? Less weight, no pinch flats, lower rolling resistance?

 

 

 

With bikes and groupsets as light as they are now, do we really need to save weight on wheels? Is it more important to save "rotational weight" than ordinary weight?

 

 

 

Are pinch flats really a concern if you're running the right pressure?

 

 

 

Has the lower rolling resistance thing ever been conclusively proven?

 

 

 

Disadvantages? Possibility of rolling your tyre of the rim on a downhill? Punctures a pain in the butt, especially if no team car with a spare wheel.

 

 

 

Lastly, there is talk of tubeless tyres coming out for road bikes. Do hubbers think this will render all those expensive Boras, Zipps, Lightweights as outdated as downtube shifters?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Zaskar]

Funny i was thinking the same thing this morning! Was thinking maybe i should get rid of the Boras and get a set of those nice tubless Corima Carbon Clinchers i saw on Swifts site!

[turtlek]

jules its just to be able to say i ride tubbies like the pro;'s hehehehehe but other than that tubbies are really that good to ride on if glued on properly i think the main reason why people have thier tubbies roll is because whoever glued it on either skimped with the glue or decided to do it 3hours before the start of the race which is a *** idea

 

 

 

also tubular road tyres are a great idea i am just worried about the increase in tyre pressure causing the puncture to be filled but as the sealant goes towards the hole it causes a blow out and a bigger hole from the pressure inside the tyre

[carlo_sg]

check out these two threads:

 

https://www.bikehub.co.za/forum_posts.asp?TID=28391&KW

 

https://www.bikehub.co.za/forum_posts.asp?TID=28700&KW

[Jules]

Better fire the Caisse d'Epargne team mechanic then If he can't get it right, what chance does your LBS have?

 

 

 

Anyway I'm sure the rolling off risk is quite low for SA racing. Can't think of any hills where much braking is necessary.

 

 

 

I don't really see the point of tubbies, especially after seeing Willehond's pics of pros racing clinchers.

 

 

 

There must be some benefit though if the okes in the tour are still using them.

[AndreZA]

Okay, I do not know anything about tubbies except that they are expensive. But they had a thing on TV a few years ago and LA had one Italian guy that did his wheels. An old toppie that stored tires for over an year before he glued it to LA's wheels. It was so that the tyres could "dry out properly" or something like that. He never had problems.

 

So NO, they are not worth it.

 

 

[tikki]

Tubbies are the best ride in the world, all i race and train with! But i glue them myself....NO ONE ELSE!!

 

 

 

Takes me one minute to change a tubby while training!tikki2008-07-22 08:30:23

[Spinnekop]

Christie  will be able to prove to you that you lose about 2 watt using a clincher and not a tubbie.

 

On that I decided to go the clincher root purely out of financial viewpoint as 2 watt is NOTHING!!

 

That's my story and I am sticking to it!!

 

 

[Spinnekop]

Okay' date=' I do not know anything about tubbies except that they are expensive. But they had a thing on TV a few years ago and LA had one Italian guy that did his wheels. An old toppie that stored tires for over an year before he glued it to LA's wheels. It was so that the tyres could "dry out properly" or something like that. He never had problems.

 

So NO, they are not worth it.

 

 

[/quote']

 

Mampara,

Don't know if you know. 

When tyres, car or bicycle, come out of the factory, they are still "raw".

 

You have to leave them in a warm dry place for about 4 months, rotating them every month. 

If you do that, you get about 20% more mileage out of them!!! (Clincher, tubbie, car tyre....any rubber!!)

 

Bet you your tyre manufacturer / supplier never told you that one!! 

[Slowbee]

any rubber ??

 

 

 

[turtlek]

any rubber ??

 

 

 

 

[Johan Bornman]

 

What are the supposed advantages for tubbies? Less weight, no pinch flats, lower rolling resistance? All three, but negligibly so.

 

Is it more important to save "rotational weight" than ordinary weight? No, that's an old wive's tale.

Are pinch flats really a concern if you're running the right pressure? No

 

Has the lower rolling resistance thing ever been conclusively proven? Yes, tubbies have lower rolling resistance than the equivalent clincer, but only if it was glued with shellac. If soft glue (Genkem etc) was used, then the rolling resistance is higher.

Disadvantages? Possibility of rolling your tyre of the rim on a downhill? Punctures a pain in the butt, especially if no team car with a spare wheel. Those are very real disadvantages. You forgot to mention cost.

Lastly, there is talk of tubeless tyres coming out for road bikes. Do hubbers think this will render all those expensive Boras, Zipps, Lightweights as outdated as downtube shifters? No, that tyre will come at a weight premium thanks to the gorilla snot we'll have to put in there.

 

 

[Jules]

Ah the gorilla snot: will we need it for a high-pressure tyre that doesn't have to weather the type of terrain that a MTB does?

[Johan Bornman]

 

Cuyt cut cut cut

 

There must be some benefit though if the okes in the tour are still using them.

 

No, there is no benefit whatsoever. It is all psychosomatic.

 

Professional athletes are the most superstitious people on earth and they cling to myths lilke squattersh*t to a knobbly. Example. They don't shave on time-trial day because the god/saint of shaving likes time-trialling and will look kindly on them. Make up your own variation of this, it doesn't really matter. Fact is, that's what they do. They also carry lucky charms religions symbols and rabbit's feet with them.

 

Myths: We saw one here where an ou toppie aged his tubbies like biltong before using them. "He therefore experienced no problems." This is such a nonsense and persistent myth, yet exactly the type of aura that goes with tubbies. Another myth, perpetrated again by Bernard Hinault in a recent Pro Cycling Magazine no less, is that steel bikes go pap after a season's hard riding. Rubbish.

 

 

[Johan Bornman]

Ah the gorilla snot: will we need it for a high-pressure tyre that doesn't have to weather the type of terrain that a MTB does?

 

Of course. On tandems, even a 2 second delay in the speed of front wheel deflation can mean the difference between life and life in a wheelchair. Also, tubeless tyres will only be repairable through internal surgery or sealant. I can't see those little snollie things we use on MTB tyres working on road tyres. They will go bump bump bump and annoy us.

[Johan Bornman]

Don't know if you know. 

When tyres' date=' car or bicycle, come out of the factory, they are still "raw".

 

You have to leave them in a warm dry place for about 4 months, rotating them every month. 

If you do that, you get about 20% more mileage out of them!!! (Clincher, tubbie, car tyre....any rubber!!)

 

Bet you your tyre manufacturer / supplier never told you that one!! 

[/quote']

 

Aggene Spinnekop, nie alweer daai ou storie nie. Dis 'n urban legend. Nou't jy moerse skade aangedoen. Dit gaan my 6 maande vat om die ding te reverse.