We looked at them years ago - they have some wide section tires, but all use pretty stiff casings. No winners yet - again its simple, take a Veloflex or Open CX, use a similar casing (might have to be just a tad heavier) make it wider and make it a clincher. Its been done, it worked, nobody does it know. Mike Kone in Boulder CO
At 11:17 AM 6/21/02 -0400, Rich Rose wrote:
>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