Fancy a bit of an experimental challenge, so this year, it’s the SS CX.

Ive never been a roadie, never even seen tubs, let alone rode them. Saw some interesting results of someone riding 26″ clincher, 29″ clincher and 29″ tub where their tubular time was significantly faster I think.

So what makes tubs so amazing to ride on?
What if I were to lace some tub rims onto some MTB hubs?
What if I were to go for, say, some On-One carbon tubs, and marry them to some taiwanese 24H MTB disc hubs, would it work/be strong enough?

silly idea, or a bit of a blast?

The rims can be a lot lighter.

On the road they can feel more comfy – attributed to the lower rim wall – but stans tubeless seems as good.

Off road I guess they could run lower pressures.

24H off road for a big guy? Hmmmmm

From an old timers point of view; tubs were what the fast lads/pros rode and were the only decent rubber around so they developed a certain legendary quality.

The continued use by the pros owes rather more to their run-flat ability and tradition (many many many wheelsets, all running tubs) to any actual performance advantage for road racing.

As with steel frames, there is a certain age group among cyclists who regard tubs as the pinnacle of rubbery goodness, especially so amongst US roadies.

The only research I have seen suggests that tubs have higher rolling resistance than clinchers, because of the way the carcass and the tub glue deform under load. There is a way around this using shellac as glue, like some trackies do.

I’ve had one set of 24 hole wheels and they were crap; way too flexible, breaking spokes under no serious load and rubbing on the frame. Deep section rims may be better.

For cross, the advantages seem to lie in the ability to run them at lower pressures for grip than would be capable with clinchers, but they are a pain when you puncture.

Swapped over to tubs for racing cx this season just gone.In dry/fast conditions there’s not much in it that I can notice tbh.In mud/wet however (once I realised how soft you can run them) it really is like night and day!Loads of grip (if slightly strange handling) and they somehow seem to almost float across the mud instead of plowing a furrow.Since finishing racing I’ve done a few mtb ride on it including a trail centre and was a bit worried about they’d stand up to the rocks etc.Apart from rolling the rear off the rim (old tape) cutty’ing round a corner they’ve been fine.
The planet x 50mm tubs better be strong enough….as they’ll be supporting 90kg of me circulating at 50kph this crit season!!!

So do we think the consensus then is that a good set of clincher CX tyres, maybe some no-tubes, on some spare 29er wheels are the way forward?

Im guessing 25-30mm bead width rims isnt a good idea with 35mm SB8s is it?

Ive got to be too big (90Kg) to try less than 32H carbon, havent I?

I think, and this is a very personal opinion so treat with the callous disregard it deserves, that unless you have a number of wheels available, and you are prepared to get into the whole tubular thing, that clinchers will be more adaptable for what sounds like a suck it and see project.

I’ve got 35mm tyres on normal road rims on my crosser, and they work fine.

If I was racing cross, and I had no kids or wife and a mistress who insisted on paying for everything, I’d like a pair of deep section carbon wheels with tubs just for the hell of it.

I run a set of 24h wheels on my NRS, and have had them for a number of years. I’m not the lightest rider out there, either. They do need a little more care and attention than a 32h, but the weight is really noticable. Mine are UST, btw.

Other than that, I agree with this;

If I was racing cross, and I had no kids or wife and a mistress who insisted on paying for everything, I’d like a pair of deep section carbon wheels with tubs just for the hell of it.

would 21mm sun ringle equalizers be too wide?

I’m not the lightest rider out there, either

too ‘kin roight big lad!

If I find one Capt., I’ll see if she has a sister. 😉

Shut it, midlander! 😉

Crikey, dibs on the sister!

You’re trying to achieve light wheels?

I’d guess 24H too little, but you could drill more?

450gm clinchers are cheap, run ’em tubeless?

what are the gucci clincher allrounder CX tyres out there?

Clément, perhaps?

Um, probably the Challenge tyres, Grifo, Fango, Grifo XS. Maybe the Michelin range, although they seem to be less good than the old green ones. TBH, the Rocket Rons and Racing Ralphs are very good too.

nice édit CFH

My two’penneth.

To set the scene, I race cx, I weigh 73kg, I’m old school and I’m a self confessed weenie.

Racing. Tubs are great, lower pressures gives better lap times. Simple. The downside is that unless you can afford at least two (3 would be better) sets of wheels and tubs at many races over the course of the season you will be on the wrong tread pattern for the course.

Training, Club Runs, Etc. At some point you will puncture. At that point you will wish you had decided to run clinchers with a spare tube in your pocket. I know this. Yes you can ride 22 miles home on a flat tub. I know this. But would I do it again? No.

in summary, for racing, never more than 2 miles from the race HQ tubs for sure. For anything else clinchers.

cheers BB, I think I have the plan, and fortunately it’s a lot cheaper than it was 🙂

got to switch to my fat rims for the 29er, stick some nice clincher CX on the 21mm rims, get a pompino 135mm OLN when they land and on bargin, and Ive got a set of midges and BB7s/DiaC 237s to go on it.

I’m not sure it will be significantly different or lighter or faster than your gopper with lighter tires.

And I’ve had a Pomp and a light alloy monster crosser

Gopper is extinct. Now my welsh mountain HT w gears bike.

Would be nice to rid on drops with a fairly decent geometry…