someone please explain diff. tires.

[shming123]

I just would like to know about tires in general, basically the needs of criterium racing, and some road racing. For crits, what is recommended? are slick tires better, or ones with some grips on the sides? wider or skinnier tires? 700x25? 700x21 or 22? Also, whats better; tubulars or clinchers. In order to get tubulars, i need to get different wheels, right? Are there any advantages of tubulars? All the info you can give me is great, thanks.

 

[lokstah]

I just would like to know about tires in general, basically the needs of criterium racing, and some road racing. For crits, what is recommended? are slick tires better, or ones with some grips on the sides? wider or skinnier tires? 700x25? 700x21 or 22? Also, whats better; tubulars or clinchers. In order to get tubulars, i need to get different wheels, right? Are there any advantages of tubulars? All the info you can give me is great, thanks.

I'm a good source of extremely general info when it comes to tires -- nothing proven or scientific here, take note. Firstly, slicker tires are generally considered faster, conditions permitting. That said, within certain limits, some grain, texture, or tread isn't uncommon on even the fanciest racing tires; there are bound to be subtle differences in how different rubbers corner or perform on different road types, but they're hard to quantify. It's going to depend on the rider, and on the road. Buy a reputable racing tire for racing, and see what the road tells you.

Secondly, there's a complex technical debate about which widths of road racing tire roll the fastest -- several publications insist the physics support slightly wider tires (23s, 25s) offering less rolling resistance than thinner variations. I'm not sure, myself; I'm not a race engineer. More easily quatifiable is weight -- wider options weigh a few grams more, naturally. Not a big deal. In the end, unless you've got a deep preference for either of the extremes, or your coach pushes you one way, 23s are a safe bet for most folks.

Finally, tubulars and clinchers are, as you suspect, different tire types requiring different wheels. Basic racing wisdom insists that tubulars are better riding all-around -- faster, better feeling, better cornering, and so on. This has been, in my opinion, generally true for a long time, but here's the thing: clincher technology has greatly improved over time, and today, the performance gap is quite narrow. More and more pros use clinchers more and more often. More importantly, though, clinchers tend to be much cheaper, and most cyclists consider them a whole lot easier to repair and replace.

What's the difference? Clinchers are what most folks think of when they think of a bike tire. They're a sturdy rubber casing which envelops a lightweight tube (the actual air bladder), and is wedged against the inner rims of the wheel, held there by a tight wire (called the bead) and air pressure. Tubulars, by contrast, are a self-contained, one-piece hoop; think of a garden hose wrapped around a bike rim. The tube is integrated (traditionally sewn) into the rubber casing, which is why tubulars are often called "sew-ups." A tubular wheel doesn't have the same trough-and-lip rim; rather, it's just got a scooped-out hollow where the tire sits, held by glue.

You glue the suckers on yourself.

The (ever fading) rule of thumb says clinchers are an all-purpose invention, and tubulars are strictly for racing, or serious, serious training or rec riding. Do, of course, whatever the heck you like with your tires, so long as it suites you.

 

[shming123]

wow, thanks, that was great. I currently have bontrager race x lite clinchers with about 500 miles on them, ( i weigh about 150) and the rear tire is wearing more and more flat in the center of the tire. Is it ok or common to switch the back to the front and front to the back? Also, don't laugh, but this is my first year road biking/racing and i've only changed a tire/tube once on a mountain bike. Is it pretty much the same? use those tire wedge things, prying the tire off the rim.. and should i rotate the tubes also? or just keep them with the wheel they are on? thanks again.

 

[lokstah]

wow, thanks, that was great. I currently have bontrager race x lite clinchers with about 500 miles on them, ( i weigh about 150) and the rear tire is wearing more and more flat in the center of the tire. Is it ok or common to switch the back to the front and front to the back? Also, don't laugh, but this is my first year road biking/racing and i've only changed a tire/tube once on a mountain bike. Is it pretty much the same? use those tire wedge things, prying the tire off the rim.. and should i rotate the tubes also? or just keep them with the wheel they are on? thanks again.

No stupid questions, no worries. Yes, it's fairly common to rotate tires out, or to switch the front and the rear once the rear gets funky. Obviously, a shot tire is a shot tire -- don't put a badly cut or heavily worn rear tire up front -- but a little rotation done responsibly saves cash. No need to rotate tubes. They don't really wear. The just hold air, and then they pop. Keep 'em as long as they last, or as long as you're willing to patch them.

And yes, the clincher changing process is more or less the same for MTB and road wheels. Good luck!

 

[SunBurnt]

No stupid questions, no worries. Yes, it's fairly common to rotate tires out, or to switch the front and the rear once the rear gets funky. Obviously, a shot tire is a shot tire -- don't put a badly cut or heavily worn rear tire up front -- but a little rotation done responsibly saves cash. No need to rotate tubes. They don't really wear. The just hold air, and then they pop. Keep 'em as long as they last, or as long as you're willing to patch them.

And yes, the clincher changing process is more or less the same for MTB and road wheels. Good luck!

Would you recommend to swap a fairly or slightly worn-out rear tire to the front?

 

[shming123]

Would you recommend to swap a fairly or slightly worn-out rear tire to the front?

that is pretty much what i am doing.. I've got probably 500 miles on the tires and the back is wearing pretty flat in the center. Its not super flat, but you can definitely tell the front and back apart. The front tire's shape still looks 100% brand new.

 

[lokstah]

Would you recommend to swap a fairly or slightly worn-out rear tire to the front?

I think it's not uncommon or unsafe to put a moderately worn rear tire on the front wheel for a while. In the same pair of tires, the front tire is likely only very slightly worn, and so yes, if you don't feel like busting open a new tire, you could send that one to the back -- simply switch them.

Just continue to remain observant, vigilant. Inspect each often.

Good luck, and have fun out there.