Need help with renovation project

I managed to pick up an old road bike on gumtree and it was looking fairly sad. It was laden thick with black spray paint and I could hardly make out the pantographs. I have been stripping back numerous layers of paint ready for a respray and discovered underneath a 1979 francesco moser super prestige. I got it with two sets of wheels either mavic open 4cd clinchers or mavic cx18 tubs. Both are laced to campag record hubs. The tubs wheels are perfect but have no tyres and I wondered if someone could tell me what width of tyre I could put on it? I normally run 23mm tyres will they be ok on such narrow rims? I'd rather run them then the slightly worn clinchers.

I'm bit confused by the cross-referencing between tubulars and tyres here.

I would generally assume 'tyres' means clinchers, whereas tubulars means tubs. Tyres/clinchers can't be used on tubular rims and vice versa.

But to answer the basic question: 23mm is pretty much the standard size for tubulars on road bikes so yes 23mm tubs would be absolutely fine on rims suited to tubular tyres.

Wider tubs are available, right up to things like 35mm cyclocross tubs. However, it's usually argued that tubs offer a bit better shock absorbtion and comfort than most clinchers, so even a fairly narrow 23mm tub would probably be a bit more comfortable than a 23mm clincher.

Also, given the lower risk of snakebite/pinch punctures, maybe it's possible in theory to use tubs at a slightly lower pressure - again, a bit more comfort (but I wouldn't want to guarantee it, I have tubs on a few of my bikes and generally try to keep them fully pumped up).
Have a look at the sticky on using tubular tyres at the top of the Road forum for some discussion of these kinds of issues.

Johnny

I was hoping to use 23mm tubs but was worried that the cx18 being a sprint/tt rim I would have to use 18mm tubs like the puntured wolber ones which were on it. If it's safe enough to run on 23mm tubs then thats a result as they look far nicer and run far smoother than the clinchers

I think it should be fine - the tube width doesn't have to match the rim width exactly.

It seems there's more of a problem with having tubes that are too narrow for the rim - in that case, the tube won't seat properly on the rim and won't be firmly glued in place.

Johnny

Thanks for the advice on tubs wheels. I have now finished (well except from finding a suitable saddle) and test ridden it. Will post pictures as soon as I work out how to do it