Sprints vs Clinchers

smitten

Oh well then! :roll:

This sounds like a project that needs very careful managing to pull off to a desireable conclusion.

May I suggest that in property renovation, capital can be collateral and that you should get rid of excess 'baggage' - freeing up some equity to help with the project - it always makes sense in the long run.

If I don't hear from you with the goods by the turn of the year I'm going to make my own out of condoms and underpants. With kevlar.

Necessity is the mother of invention


Anybody else out there willing to tempt me to destruction with unobtainable tubulars?

Good info on the Paris Roubaix rims. Didn't know there was such a thing.

obtainable tubulars:

I raced on the road with 25mm Continental tubulars at 100psi last year without a puncture. They were about £35 each.
Fat tyres gave the road bike a very cool 'retro' look. They were SOOO comfortable, bags of grip in corners and they still felt pretty fast!

Not sure they would be durable enough for touring though. Got flat spots from where the brakes locked up.

I have no experience of sprint rims but this is what I've been told lately.

The Mavic Paris Roubaix SSC was discontinued a few years back. Legend has it that pro team mechanics are always trying to sniff 'em out in dusty Belgian bike shops for use in the spring classics. Allegedly they are the only sprint rims tougher than the Ambrosio Nemesis (Boonen's choice). Typical price is 200 euros, with the Nemesis being only 120. I did see some cheaper SSCs on ebay the other day but they were 28h. It seems that 36h is de rigeur for the cobbles.

The current Mavic offering (the Reflex) is thought to be sub-standard. The Mavic GP4, also discontinued, is nearly as good as the SSC, but a lot cheaper NOS and easier to find.

SSCs have a fair bit of snob value - I saw someone selling just the stickers for them on ebay the other day for £6!

Holy cow this is a whole new world to me! Didn't understand anything of what was said above , clinchers, tubs what the hell are they?!! shows how different road and MTB can be!

Mavic SSCs

Well, I have a pair of 32h Mavic SSC rims on Record large flanges that have virtually no use. These are the boys that the new tubs are going on. I'm still not sure about the Paris-Roubaix's - were these made out of 'unobtainium' by any chance?
Unless we get our hands on 'as-yet-undiscovered-technology' and of course the dreaded 'carbon-fibre', we are stuck with stuff that doesn't seem that different from 20yrs ago. Thats why retro seems just fine.
Of course, if you go for the tan sidewall most of these new sew-ups LOOK like the ones of old so theres no probs there. Its just the actual PERFORMANCE of the new ones I'm interested in. It seems like the advice of old still stands today - that of 'you only gets what you pays for' kind of thing and it is wise to fork out for a good tyre if you want something that brings you deep joy. I reckon the best advice from Eurostar is the 'Vittoria Pit-Stop' mention. This stuff seems to do exactly what it claims - and more!
Thanks for the info so far......

lelobysfoot, here's some 'which tubs' advice from a useful bloke on the Serotta forum. He's American and goes to Belgium and Holland to race quite a bit:
---------------------
You can order Vittorias at $45 apiece from various English mail order houses. Get a couple other people to go in at 10+ tires per order and the shipping isn't bad. The Veloflex is definitely the nicest road tire out there, and these days I'd include the Dugast in that listing. You can always buy an FMB road tire, but why? Veloflex is worth the money. Can't remember the last flat I had on them, the ride is fantastic, they stick well in all weather conditions, and ... you'll just love them. Buying otherwise is like getting a decent sports car and then putting on some cheap Michelins at Costco. As long as you don't flat a lot, you'll get the value out of Veloflexes. Otherwise, the Vittorias are a close second and a much better price. Even the Vittoria Evo Pave tubulars -- big, resistant to cobbles and everything else, but a nice ride -- are only about $55. If they weren't green, they'd be perfect.
-----------------------

And here's some rolling resistance info for you, courtesy of Jobst Brandt:

http://www.analyticcycling.com/ForcesTi ... tance.html

For more advice on tubs I reckon the best place is the weightweenies forum - have you been there? Full of Yurpean racers who use tubs a lot.

Have you tried Mike Dyason? He sells some useful odds and ends www.mikedyason.com

Edit: I see everyone knows Mike Dyason already!

tubs

Yep, good advice - thanks. Those Vittoria Evo Corsa CX, KX or KS seem to be the ones. Middle range, middle price and you get them with amber walls.
Still concerned about 'roundness' and how true they are. My Rubino Pros clinchers are all over the place like the guy that made them had a sneeze or something but you would expect a £30 tub to be well made - wouldn't you?
Anyway, I've been offered a pair of old Clements Servico Corses but the guy says they are 'a bit perished'. Now theres a dilemma to be had!

At least they actually EXIST mind you!!!

Mike Dyason is all out of tubs right now by the looks of it - and I can't find the OZZOs on his site. Hes usually a bit sporadic in his supplies - I remember him advertising 'waterproof socks' a few years ago in the comic and when I called him he said they only had TWELVE pairs and they were all gone!!! Strange that he payed for a 2" ad then :shock:

Cheers!

I had some Vittoria Pave Evos - the green ones -and they were perfectly round. By all accounts they're very tough too. I didn't really put enough miles on 'em to have a view.

It's a shame they're so green. But I read they occasionally make some 'limited edition' ones in black. They seem to be the only 27 mm tubs that really exist. Apart from my Dugasts. Which I still haven't seen after a year's wait.

Paves

Will they fit in a close-clearance TT frame ye reckon?

I might have a slightly used one in the attic for you to try? If it doesn't fit you could send it back.