What Is The Difference Between a Clincher Wheelset and Tubular Wheelset

When debating what the differences are between a tubular or clincher tire the more knowledgeable person may reply that there is a right time for everything. Knowing which one to choose is the question.

Essentially, a clincher-style tire has a separate tube and tire and is secured to the rim with air pressure. This pneumatic sealing technique is how the clincher gets its name, as the outer tires bead is "clinched" between the inner tube and outer rim bead. Taken to its extreme, the largest clincher tires in the world today are the drag radials used on top fuel cars.

For years fueler teams have known that using a tube that is free of the tire tread makes for easier maintenance and safety when travelling at high speeds. One of the reasons a normal car does not use wheels with independent inner tubes is because during long term use at high speed, the inner tube has a tendency to cause friction rubs on the inside of the outer tire leading to a warming and softening of the rubber. Usually bikes will not have the same problem simply because the bearing load is less than a normal car and a bike runs at a greater air pressure.

A tubular-style tire is more like a conventional cars, where the outer tread is integral to the air-containment chamber of the tire. The main difference between a bicycle tubular and a car tire is that the bicycle tire is glued onto the wheel rim, whereas the cars is secured in place by exactly the same means as the clincher. At one time, the tubular tire was the only performance option for bicyclists, but recent advancements in wheel and tire technology, as well as the market-wide acceptance of performance clincher wheels, has made the clincher the dominant tire in racing today.

The only real advantage to using tubular-style tires is their reduced weight, as this style of tire does not need the thick rim bead that clinchers require to seal. However, with widespread usage of lightweight alloys and composite materials, most racers have become willing to accept the negligible weight difference between the two in favor of the clincher's added reliability and ease of maintenance.