ARE TUBULAR AND TUBELESS TYRES THE SAME?
Tubular tyres are a conventional clincher tyre with an inner tube inside, which is then sewn up across the base to create a sealed unit. The tyre is glued onto a slightly convex rim surface. The ride quality and pinch puncture advantages are very similar to tubeless and because the rims don’t have sidewalls they can be much lighter than clincher/tubeless rims by as much as 100g a rim. However, they need gluing on with skill and care – rolling a tub off a wheel through a corner is not fun – and any repairs that a bung or sealant can’t fix are a specialist job. Unlike tubeless rims, which can handle normal clincher tyres, tubular rims can only be used with tubular tyres. Their light weight and durability still make them a popular choice for racers.