At 5:01 PM -0400 3/27/09, <bikefll57@aol.com> wrote:
>Here's one to wade in on:
>
>What do you consider to be the most "bulletproof" tubulars, as in
>least likely to puncture, preferably ones that still give a
>responsive ride?
With most tires, "bulletproof" and responsive ride are mutually exclusive. With tubulars, that seems to be even more the case. That said, the more expensive tubulars are less flat-prone than the cheaper ones.
In the day, I had good experiences with Clements, but they certainly weren't bulletproof! With tire savers, I got maybe one flat a racing season, until the day when I had three flats in a cross-state race and only two spares...
Clement now is Challenge (more or less), and I do like Challenge's clinchers, especially the wide "Parigi-Roubaix" ones. (I like them enough to sell them alongside our Grand Bois tires.) I believe they make a tubular version, too. (I don't sell the tubulars.)
Tufo's "tubular clinchers," on the other hand, seem to combine the worst of both worlds. They are heavy, sluggish, offer a poor ride quality and are hard to fix. And you have to carry spare tires, too. I prefer a good high-end clincher any day.
Jan Heine
Editor
Bicycle Quarterly
140 Lakeside Ave #C
Seattle WA 98122
http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com