I know there are probably similar threads to this but….

Looking at ~50mm deep section carbon wheels for my race bike.

I’ve had carbon clinchers before and twice the braking (surface) has gone uneven and felt rubbish.

I’ll only be using these for road racing/crits so should I really be going for tubs?

I went for clinchers before just because it allowed me to use the tyres I already have.

But carbon tubs are generally cheaper and significantly lighter than clinchers. Even at the budget end, Planet-X 50mm deep tub wheels are half a pound lighter than similarly deep clincher rims.

I understand tubs are a bit of a faff to fit, but this will be road racing only.

Should I?

I’ve got carbon clinchers with semi decent, high tpi tyres. They ride well. I also have carbon rims with cheaper (oem) tubs on my TT bike. It still rides betterer…

It’s not much of a faff, glue or tape. Though I guess that depends on your attitude towards bike fettling.

I’ve used tubs a fair bit. Think now they are no better than a decent open tubular with a latex tube. Overall, clinchers will probably be a bit heavier, but I doubt there’s much in it.

Brought a new Zipp 808 recently and deliberated over tub or clincher. Went clincher in the end. Happy with the decision.

I’m not really thinking Zipp money….

Comparisons such as…
Planet-X tub wheels CT45 1380g £399 Vs…

Cero C45 Clincher 1545g £799
Saturae 50mm clincher 1640g £799
Walker Brothers 50mm clincher 1585g £899

There are probably others and as said I’ve had 2 carbon clinchers where the braking surface has gone uneven and super grabby, just from light use – having been fine to begin with.

Would tubs not avoid this?

Did the surface go grabby because they were clinchers, or because they were cheap carbon rims?

Clinchers _might_ be a part of the equation but at the same time braking on carbon rims always has had the reputation for being a bit flakey and it’s one of the places companies try and differentiate themselves.

My take is that the problems with clinchers come when you are into the realm of prolonged braking generating heat – not sure it sounds like that was the case for you. I guess I’m suggesting that cheap tub rims may not be a panacea.

FWIW, I’ve got a set of very light Reynolds DV46 tubular wheels on my race bike. Tubs aren’t a big faff to fit in my experience but the potential faff of repairs means I tend to keep them for racing only. Nice to have a sub 1200g set of wheels and but I’m not sure I’ve really experienced a “wow, what a ride” factor from the tubs themselves.

Braking surface fairly worn now and a _tiny_ bit grabby at times, scary when you brake on wet rims, I just take that as par for the course.

i can tape tubs and my mechanical skills are eclipsed by this guy, I’ve had tubs, now have S-Works Turbo Cottons and Latex tubes – cannot tell the difference

Not sure if it was that they weren’t expensive enough carbon clinchers or not (I wouldn’t say they were exactly cheap). When I got them the braking was pretty good – consistent and not really even that bad in the wet.

Rode them at a handful of races and then the braking seemed to go – when braking it was like someone kept tugging at the bike as the wheel revolved – grabbing in some places and not in others.

So I don’t know if (cheap) tub wheels go like this or whether they are inherently better at dissipating any heat. If I bought Reynolds or Enve clinchers then would they eventually deteriorate too?

I wouldn’t use them for normal use, I have other wheels and bikes for that.

I’ve done about 20,000km on my HED Stinger 4s, braking has always been very consistent. Good pads mean good braking, I’ve never felt it’s been an issue.

when you put your right hand up in a road race what happens? Neutral service? Tubs will be fine. Fix the puncture to limp back to HQ, you’ll be wanting clinchers.

Good tyres plus latex tubes feel like tubs and don’t carry a huge weight disadvantage. I’ve raced on my vintage Zipps with tubs in crits and my giant PSLR-aero full carbons with Schwalbe Ones and latex inner tubes. Nothing in it. I have however been taken out by two riders whose tubs rolled off the rims, one was at cyclopark and the wheels were just out of the bike shop where they were “professionally mounted”. Tub glue did not appear to be part of that professional service 🙁

Neutral service in Sunday’s race, but I still carry an inner tube and CO2.

Always use tubs for racing, that way you don’t have to worry about pinch flats.
Nothing worse than going well in a race and getting a pinch, and being out the race because there are half a dozen riders who have had the same happen just before you, and service takes ages to get to you!

Put a bit of Stans or similar in the each tub, that way it should seal up any sharp objects that might get in.

Don’t use Stans fluid in latex tubs-it kills them slowly, use Caffelatex instead, but that’s for a different thread..

Race on tubs and keep a can or two of Vittoria Pit Stop handy. Sorted.

Don’t use Stans fluid in latex tubs-it kills them slowly, use Caffelatex instead, but that’s for a different thread..

They changed the formula

http://www.slowtwitch.com/Products/Things_that_Roll/Tires/Sealant_Test_-_Part_2_4155.html

Don’t think I’ve ever done a road race that had neutral service support but neither have I ever carried a spare tube and CO2.

Just accepted it was going to be a long walk back depending how far round I was. Do most people carry CO2 and a tube? Really? Then what about tyre levers?

If someone could say unequivocally to me “the braking on brand “x” carbon clinchers doesn’t degrade over time” then I’d be going for clinchers; but I’ve not had a good experience and it doesn’t seem going for a different brand would solve the problem.

Tubs just seem like old technology back from those misty days when I was just a mountain biker….