Tire Research Update
FMB Silk Tubulars with track glue perform extremely well. About as good as a very good clincher with a latex tube. Perfect for your next big track race or very smooth prologue, if you don't mind dropping down massive cash.
Latex tubes are good - there is a measurable difference between a michelin 18/20 latex and a michelin 23 latex. Run the thinner tube. It will expand and fill the tire anyway.
Tubulars do not improve significantly with very high inflation. Neither do clinchers.
The best performing clinchers from tests I've seen are Michelin Pro2 Race, Deda/Dedatre Giro d'Italia and Vittoria Open Corsa Evo CX. All should be run with an 18/20 latex tube.
These results are pretty much as expected, but I'm interested to finally have some numbers on Crr for a top of the line silk tubular. I would caution against using this to infer that a normal tubular can perform well - eg, tufo, conti, vittoria will not compete with a good clincher and a latex tube. However, I think it would be fair to impute that a good Clement or Dugast will perform nicely... from what I've seen these super-premium tires have higher variability in performance before they are worn in. Wear them in during some club events before your big race.
Latex tubes are good - there is a measurable difference between a michelin 18/20 latex and a michelin 23 latex. Run the thinner tube. It will expand and fill the tire anyway.
Tubulars do not improve significantly with very high inflation. Neither do clinchers.
The best performing clinchers from tests I've seen are Michelin Pro2 Race, Deda/Dedatre Giro d'Italia and Vittoria Open Corsa Evo CX. All should be run with an 18/20 latex tube.
These results are pretty much as expected, but I'm interested to finally have some numbers on Crr for a top of the line silk tubular. I would caution against using this to infer that a normal tubular can perform well - eg, tufo, conti, vittoria will not compete with a good clincher and a latex tube. However, I think it would be fair to impute that a good Clement or Dugast will perform nicely... from what I've seen these super-premium tires have higher variability in performance before they are worn in. Wear them in during some club events before your big race.
posted by THEGAMESTAYSTHESAME at 10:17 AM
5 Comments:
How about doing the research using tubulars that people actually use.
i.e. Vittoria evo cs pista thingys, or continental competition etc.
rather than highly expensive, rare, unavailable tubs that nobody has ever really heard of.
Done. I haven't found the Vittoria yet, will work on it. The conti competition is rubbish. It has almost 50% more rolling resistance than a good Vittoria, Deda or Michelin clincher. It has about 20% more rr than a decent tubular. In fact, pretty much every conti is rubbish. I will check on the Vittoria.
As for FMB's being expensive and hard to source: true! But they are very good. If someone is going to spend a bunch of money on a tubular track racing wheelset, why not spend a bunch of money on good tires too, since they will also make an appreciable difference to performance. They aren't impossible to find, either. You just need to snoop around.
Veloflex Record is a very, very good choice if you want a tub you don't have to order over the net.
Hearing some good things about the Pista. Maybe a good choice? I will try to put a number on it so I know for sure. Alternatively, when I get back to Australia I will test them myself if someone can lend me some.
Oh yeah, and the good FMB is a cotton casing tire which isn't for sale yet. The silk ones aren't so good. My bad.
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