The age old question, well not really. 

 

Clincher vs. Tubulars:

The other day our local editor (Mike) asked me why I race on tubulars. Well basically I said that I just prefer them. I started thinking “Why?” Well I can think of at least four reasons. 1) Because they are lighter, 2) they grip the road better, especially in corners, 3) they seem to cushion the ride more, and 4) they have a lower rolling resistance because they can generally be pumped to higher pressures. These last two issues seem to contradict each other but the ride does feel a lot softer. The tubulars do have a lower rolling resistance. The study was conducted by Texas A&M back in the early ‘90’s. I don’t remember the details but the bottom line was that tubular were proven to be faster than a clincher. 

 

People worry about flats with tubulars, especially during a race. Flats are rare, but if you get one you can change it out much faster than you could change one with a clincher. Basically the way you do it is to have the spare tubular pre-glued very lightly (the glue must dry before you fold the tire). When the flat happens (you will know this because they sound like a gun being shot and it scares the hell out of you), stop literally and peel the flat off of the rim. Take your spare and place it on the rim and fill it with air. The tire pressure will hold the tire in place, the glue that was on the tire and rim will bond even though it is dry. 30 to 45 seconds, tops. How long does it take you to change a clincher? If you are real good, it will take you about one to two minutes. When they flat the bike will feel more stable than when you flat on a clincher. Also after you change the flat do not corner too hard right away, give the tire some time to “stick” to the rim. This usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes, shorter if it is really hot. You can still corner but just slow down a little. During a race, especially a sprint, the seconds can feel like hours. 

 

After the race take your flatted tubular to your local Pro shop (the Bike Coop in Albuquerque) and have them repair it. It may cost a few bucks but it will last you a real long time if you just keep inspecting them and taking care of them. When you are not using them, keep them out of heat and the sunlight (UV). This actually goes for all tires. The type of rubber compound that they use in tires does not hold up well for long periods of heat and sunlight (this also holds true for wetsuits). I have yet to get a flat on a tubular in a race. I’ve flatted only once on a sew-up during training and I was able to change it within a minute. I can think of at least three races where I flatted on a clincher and I got dropped, and I can think of one race where it actually cost me a potential podium finish. 

 

What kind of tubulars should you get? Well, that is up to you. I prefer Vitoria (CX on the front CG on the rear, or open Pro Kevlar) for my current race set-up. On a disk I would probably use a Continental GP19. You can pump the Conti up to 180-190 psi. Those tire will cost you about $70 to $80 but they are worth it. For a spare I use a $24 Continental. I wouldn’t recommend training on them very often, just because they are kinda pricey, but you definitely need to try them out before you race on them. You will notice that they will corner differently and you need to experience the sensation before you race. Another note, after you glue them on, make sure that you clean the glue off of the braking surface of the rim. Glue manufactures say to use gasoline. If you do, be careful. Do it outside.  

 

On to IM Utah. I was not there so I don’t know if I can comment realistically. I have promoted a whole bunch of bike races in the past and I know that certain difficult decisions must be made. Just one question. What in the hell was the promoter thinking when the decision was made to start the race with lake conditions the way they were? Four, five, and six foot swells. Racers getting blown off of the start line. C’mon! When Mike told me of the news on Saturday, the first thing I asked him was what were the promoters thinking. I do not know. But speaking from a promoters stand point, I would have cancelled it. I once put on a bike stage race that I had to cancel the last stage because of weather. I would never put the racers at risk like that. The people who traveled were unhappy about the cancellation, but I would take a few unhappy people over an injured or dead athlete any day. So the unhappy people don’t do my race next year. Big deal! At least they will get to go to another race. In my opinion, for what it is worth, is that the race should have been canceled. The promoter had the ability to save a life and instead made a horrific decision and an athlete died as a result. My condolences go out to Mr. Boland’s family.  

 

Enough rambling. Gotta get rollin’ along.  

 

Keep the Rubber side down! 

 

Rusty DeBlassie