What about the "Tubular Clinchers" from TUFO? Richard Rose (Toledo, Ohio)
-----Original Message----- From: classicrendezvous-admin@bikelist.org [mailto:classicrendezvous-admin@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of Michael Kone Sent: Friday, June 21, 2002 10:34 AM To: Rich Rose; chuckschmidt@earthlink.net; classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: RE: [CR]Re: Ride quality tub vs clincher and more
Rolly Polly tires we meassured were closer to 26mm than to 28mm. The Michelin Axial Pro 25mm is only 1mm or so narrower than the Rolly Polly but is a good bit lighter. For most folks, the Michelin seems to give a better overall balance - but the Rolly Polly is still very nice.
Bottom line is that nobody is making a good clincher above 23mm. Veloflex 22's are great (and ride better than many companies badly meassured 28's), the expensive Vittoria open 23's are good - but nobody is making a clincher with a tubular tire type casing in a wider width.
In the old days this was not true - the french makers constructed hand-made tires that had tubular style supple casings but with a bead (the open tubular concept). Giant 650b tires were made like this too - the best of all possible worlds. Performance very much like a tubular, but with clincher convinience.
An amazing clincher in a 24-28mm width would virtually transform many bikes - but nobody has the brains to make it. Veloflex was asked, but they declined - they said they couldn't keep up with demand for their current product.
There is a market nitch out there - Mike Kone in Boulder CO
At 08:25 AM 6/21/02 -0400, Rich Rose wrote:
>
>
>Chuck Schmidt wrote;
>Years ago there was an interview with a Continental tire engineer in
>VeloNews and he said that to equal the feel of a 23mm sewup you needed
a
>28mm clincher. Recently as a reaction to $60+ clinchers I decided to
>try 28mm Continental Ultra 2000 with wire beads (the things are really
>inexpensive). This is the size tire people use for performance riding
>on tandems from what I understand.
>
>You know what? I like them. They hum like a sewup and with a lower
>tire pressure than a 23mm clincher. They roll nice, no pinch flats
>ever, and they are amazing on descents. AND, you can ride offroad even
>(shades of Jobst Brandt). I put them on my De Rosa and my Colnago.
>They don't feel super "lively" (maybe the extra weight and gyroscopic
>effect) but they are very confidence inspiring on the descents.
>
>They are so cheap I'd suggest everyone at least try a set once; you
may
>even love them like I do (yes, I still run sewups and hi-performance
>clinchers on some of my bikes).
>
>Reply: Wouldn't the Roll-Y-Poly be very similar?
>Richard (28's won't fit on my bike), Rose
>Toledo, Ohio