yep tubulars are the way to go. they give a mich better ride than clinchers. that said you must be aware, if you get a flat you need to carry a spare tubular to replace it and then you need to take it easy cos the glue is not 100% bonded. They go flat over night so you need to pump them up the morning of the race. There are more Pros that cons for tubulars. i only race on tubulars but train on clinchers.

OK clinchers have the innertube on the rim then the tire over the top, the tubular tire is a tire with a tube already encased in it, tubulars are also called singls.

You need to have a good frame and a good set of wheels before you can truly bring out the feel of a tubular tire. Clinchers have come a long way but i still feel tubulars make you one with the road. it's personal choice really.

The rolling resistance of a tubular tire is less than that of a clincher tire because tubular tires can be inflated to much higher pressures than clincher tires. Some brands go as high as 220 psi(i dont want to be near it when it bursts!)

Tubular tires weigh less than clincher tires. this is moot because unless you have a support team, you're going to have to carry an extra tubular tire in case of a flat.

Tubular rims weigh less than clincher rims - no bead just rim.

Tubular tires accelerate faster because they have a lower rotational mass of the tire and the rim (it's minimal i know but any advantage is a good one).

In acceleration the most signifigant component is the the mass on the edge of the rotational body. The lighter the weight on this outside diameter the less force needed to accelerate the wheel and hence the bike........(go engineer boy!)

Finally they are more puncture resistant because dirt and glass cant get under the bead and in to the tube like in clinchers. Tubular inners are often made of latex and kevlar which has a better elasticity than clinchers. The big difference is the TPI count. TPI stands for threads per inch meaning how many threads to a one inch length of casing. the higher the TPI the better the puncture resistance vittoira makes tires with TPI's of 20-220 (i think)

So mabye that either helps of confuses you. :confused:

Again.. I don;t want to start one of these treads... but i think i did...

CLINCHERS ATUALLY ROLL BETTER....I've seen the data... the slow twich.com folks are crazy about data.
My coach has a pair of 606's in both clincher and tubular and recomends the clinchers...
Most if not all pros however still use tubulars.... the weight difference in the 606 is near 550 grams.
Yea,, i know carrying a tubular sucks...
i'm still leaning toward the tubulars because of the weight.. hmm. i'm going to ride them i guess.. that's the only way.....

oh yea... and no on rides 220 psi... alteast i hope not.... learn from the road circuit.. 110 ro clinchers on race day, 150-60 on tubs.

Norman Stadler easy......

i mean if your racing Monaco 70.3.... yea watch yourself... because you might fall off a cliff.... but a flat or rolling course.. ehh?

EASY like dont fly round a corner because when you get out the other side you wont have a tire...............just a rim and on a fancy pair of 606's that will just about ruin them. Easy is as easy as you want, i personally dont want to ruin my race wheels so i take it easy but thats me. whatever works for you is best.

Hmm... well the thing is it's not an exact science... I can't say, oh at "23mph your done." It's more of a handling skill. If you every go downhill you can tell at what point turning becomes "to sharp".... it's something like that... when a tire is not fully gued onto a tubular rim, the primary force holding it on is the tire pressure itself, and the glue secondary.... this is usually the other way around. When it's gled down well you can really push your limits, just like with a clincher. Cornering is a bit more responsive on a tubular. However, if you want to go the route of the clinchers, tufo makes "tubular clinchers" which i've seen quite a few folks swear by. They're pricey, but really good for tri.... other good tires are the ones with higher TPI, (threadcount) like Vittoria, and Conti, but easy because some of them really wear out quick. Tubulars are a bit more work to put on... not to much more though and that whole "takes alot of time thisg" is a myth... once you get the hang of it you can change one just as quick as a clincher. you just have to be careful. I'd go all out for tubs, because you glue one a pair and hope they excel... my recomendation is the Conti Competition... their pricey, but i wouldn't take chances. Some folks will tell you to go cheaper... but that;s just my 2 cents... hope this helps a bit...

in the realistic end, if you have 2 lbs to shead, then th weight difference dosen't reallly justify. ride what you like and trust.. i'm exprementing with the tubular thing because i've seen good feedback nd i'm looking into it.