Tubeless versus Tubular

check12 wrote:

check12 wrote:

Tubular tyres have higher rolling resistance than the best tubeless (pro one) and normal tubed tyres (4000s etc. ) so less/no temptation to go for them for me. http://Www.bicyclerollingresistance.com 

Not so according to your website (eg vittoria’s corsa g speed tub and clincher have lower rr than the tubeless schwalbe), although not that many tubs are actually tested

A useful site but lab tests probably best taken with a pinch of salt.

I remember surprising some
I remember surprising some guys wrestling with a puncture at the side of the road on ride London. (Everyone was puncturing due to atrocious conditions). Along I come with punctured tub, cursing my luck. I whip it off, put pre-glued spare on, inflated and off again with a cheery wave before they’d finished!

Admittedly tubs were a poor choice that day as the conditions became so bad, but they were later repaired at home with sealant.

I only use them now in good weather but I do think the negatives are overplayed. I suspect the best tubeless would have a lower rr but otherwise, after the faff of installation (no worse than tubeless surely), they are lighter, safer, wheels are often cheaper, can run at a greater range of pressures, they puncture less, and ride at least as well as the best clinchers w/latex inners.

Apart from that one ride (through foot high water! ) I’ve only ever punctured one tub and have done thousands of miles since.

Tubular only makes sense for

Tubular only makes sense for best bikes, best rides. The ride is plush, but you weigh this against the risk of inconvenience if you get a flat. I can’t understand why anyone would go to the expense of fitting tubular wheels and tyres, and then fill it with sealant. If you’re that concerned about getting a puncture, stick with clinchers (regular or tubeless) and carry a spare tube in case of emergencies. Save the tubs for the weekend.

Tubeless with sealant, easy
Tubeless with sealant, easy to repair incase of emergency, fit inner tube. Unlikely to get a puncture that doesn’t self seal.

Tubular, carry foam or have sealant in tyre, I use Stan’s sealant. Again unlikely to puncture that won’t self seal. Emergency, carry phone and get a lift home :). Tubular can be really difficult to fix at the roadside.

You won’t find many commuting
You won’t find many commuting on tubular but it’s that type of riding that is usung tubeless more and more as well as leisure cycling (as in not competition).
Personally I don’t use sealant in my tubs, I won’t buy wafer thin tyres that are more likely to puncture. Currently use a 25mm conti comp front and a 27mm veliflex vlaandaren. Spendy up front but plush fast ride and I haven’t flatted a tub in years (conti 4000SII before) but do take a 125ml can of foam sealant as a back up on rides which inflates and seals tyre instantly. Used to take a spare get you home tub if I was away or on a really long ride in case but not so much these days for day rides.
Are tubeless easier, in terms of on the spot fix well if the sealant works they look to be great but all that sealant, the faff of the tyre, biying new rims, the valve and so on, not for me, I’d rsther stick to normal clinchers and tubes for everything else other than the fast bike.
Worse rolling resistance, very likely, less costly, not even close, tubeless is expensive by comparison, more complicated and time consuming unless you’re careless and puncture a lot and/or buy inappropriate tyres/don’t inflate correctly, not to mention the sealant aspect.