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From: fred@varian.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.bicycle
Subject: Re: Advice 4 Novices
Message-ID: <236@varian.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 4-Sep-84 13:49:49 EDT
Article-I.D.: varian.236
Posted: Tue Sep  4 13:49:49 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 15-Sep-84 06:46:39 EDT
References: <26700010@uiucuxc.UUCP>, <106@Cascade.ARPA>
Organization: Varian, Walnut Creek, CA
Lines: 31

I have to take exception that tubular tires (or sew-ups) are
exceptionally prone to flats.  This is a common myth heard most
frequently from those who don't use tubulars.  I use them and
have used nothing else in 12 years of cycling-- that averages
out to something over 5,000 miles per year, incidentally.  I
usually change my tubulars because they're bald, not flat.
I don't use tire-savers (those awful little wire things that
ride on the surface of the tire and sound like locusts).  I do
get glass and gravel bits out with my gloves as soon as I roll
over them and I  do inspect the tires regularly for imbeded
nasties.   My favorite tire is the Clement Futura-- under 300
grams and has a Kevlar strip under the tread.  My favorite
expensive tire is the Clement Criterium Seta.  I have equal
luck with these tires so I'm not sure the Kevlar does that much.

Logically, it does not make sense that a 300 gram tubular is more
prone to flats than a 300 gram "lightweight" clincher/tube combination.
In fact the tube of the tubular is lighter than the clincher tube
and therefore the tire part must be heavier, right?

Finally, professional racers (I mean real ones like Lemond and Hinault,
not Lon Haldeman), use tubulars exclusively.  Sure, the team car is there
to change a wheel in short order, but chasing back onto a pack of 
pros doing 30+ mph is not something you'd want to do just for
the sake of saving a few grams in tire weight.

						Fred Klink
						Varian Instruments
						Walnut Creek, Cal