How big is too big? How soft is too soft?
The Rider is the best book ever written about Cycling. I don’t mean that figuratively, I literally mean that literally. I say this despite having had my hand in writing our own Book about Cycling. What makes this book great is not just the prose, which is immaculate, but the spirit of the Velominatus that permeates the work. My friend @ErikdR recently sent me a copy in the original Dutch and, to my amazement, the English translation loses very little of the subtext that most translations do. Still, some expressions as they are written in Dutch carry so much meaning that it is impossible to translate into a foreign tongue. This is the essential underlying art, the intangible essence that separates language from communication.
Early in the book, Krabbé rides a short warm-up and upon reaching his turn-around point, climbs off to answer the call of nature. As he remounts, he carefully wipes his tires clean before setting off back towards the start/finish line. I had never noticed that bit of the book before but the Dutch version used a particular turn of phrase that expressed, if not a love, then an unusual degree of care given to an inanimate object.
And I realized, at that moment, that Cyclists today don’t love their tires anymore; clinchers have desensitized us against the miracle of riding on a membrane supported only by air. Tubulars, on the other hand, make you work to appreciate their miracle. You have to huff some glue (technically that counts as a win-win), you have to align the tyre properly, you have to keep the glue off both the braking surface and the sidewall, which seems like a paradox to the uninitiated. Tubulars make you work for it, they help you appreciate that a tire isn’t a bit of disposable kit; it is a commitment towards mutual benefit.
I was raised like every other Merckx-fearing Velominatus: on a strict diet of Rule #5, long hours in the saddle, and 19mm tires pumped to the highest number the sidewall said to pump them to. Which was usually around 10 bar (150 psi). Simple physics: less surface area meant less friction, and everyone knows friction is an asshole.
Until the last few years, I’ve ridden 23mm tires at 8 bar, no questions asked. In the past few years, however, we’ve come to understand that lower pressures and wider tires provide some significant benefits, like being faster and more comfortable, to pick two. I have accepted this transition like a toddler “accepts” his vegetables.
Like Grandpa adjusting to color film in his camera, I have gradually moved towards wider tires at lower pressures. I’ve been experimenting with 25mm, 26mm, and 27mm tires for the last few seasons, pumped up anywhere from 6.5 to 8.5 bar. (On the cobbles in Northern Europe, I ride them at 5 to 5.5 bar, depending on the conditions.) Empirically, the difference in ride quality by tire pressure comes down first to the quality of the tire and its materials, the weight and riding style of the rider, countered by the road conditions.
Mileage may vary based on your weight and tire, but for now I’ve landed on 26mm tires at 7.5 bar. Now I’m just waiting for my order of Gianni’s Digital Lezyne pressure gauge to show up so I can really get down to business.
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View Comments
@tessar
Rolling resistance is not an issue. The ride is extremely supple and I can ride at insanely low pressure(I have gone as low as 80 psi in the back) which makes for a beautiful feeling ride. If @frank is on board then I think it's at least worth a try to anyone riding tubs. I am a huge fan of tubeless in all its forms for all forms of riding.
@Teocalli
I can appreciate that thinking. And it would seem that most rims, or at least a lot, are considered "tubeless" compatible nowadays. At least my HEDs are. Maybe the DuraAce's too?
When I'd originally picked up my CAAD 10 a few years back one of the attractive components was the Ultegra tubeless ready wheel set included. I'd been converted over to tubeless on my mtn bike and was thinking oh yea... I found like you, mounting tires was a b***. And when I did get a flat (I'd never refreshed/added new sealant in the tires), mounting the tires with the tube on the side of the road? Was flat out embarrassing. Sold 'em. But was in part also when I converted to 11 sp.
And now, with the wider rim beds available? And really, seriously good choice of clincher tires? And higher volumes/lower pressures? What benefit is gained from tubeless? None. Further, I can swap tires in minutes on the new wheel sets off/on so easy peasy and am changing 'em out all the time depending on my mood or the day's route or even weather.
@RedRanger
I regularly ride less than 80 psi on my rear 25c and 28c tires with tubes and I'm at 77ish kg. Tubeless tires are ridiculously pricey compared with the high quality/high thread count clinchers available.
@wilburrox
Conventional clinchers (Vittoria Pave and Corsa) go on and off as easy as a clincher rim. It's just the tubeless that seem to be a bitch used Bontrager and Schwalbe.
@Nate
The Clements are made by Tufo, using the same process as their own “tubeless” tubulars — a butyl layer bonded to the inside of the casing for airtightness. This has generally kept Tufos at the bottom of rolling resistance tests, but maybe they’ve improved it? The construction is excellent: round and straight. Seam under the tread means a smooth, flat base tape for consistent gluing.
@pistard
I wouldn't got anywhere near them on the road, but on gravel they seem to be a great balance between ride quality and durability; they last a lot longer than Dougasts and crucially are resistant to blowouts on sharp rocks which happens a lot on the cascade forest roads I ride.
Also, the tread on the LAS is perfect for that kind of riding; a nice file tread in the middle with big enough nobbies on the side to stop a slip in the corners. They are great on grass for CX as well.
The Dougast tires I've had definitely have a better ride, however.
@Teocalli
I beg your pardon, but under what circumstances would the air escape out of anything other than the puncture?
@frank
Through the spoke holes on a non sealed rim. Hence on a mtb if you do not have a tubeless ready rim you have to seal the spoke holes.
@frank also not forgetting the impact of Rule #60
@frank
That's "Dugast" there, champ.