Challenge Tubeless Tubular Experiences?

[Will Neide]

Anybody put any miles on Challenge tubeless tubulars and can share their experiences? I still have one set of tubular wheels in rotation, and I'm considering the Strada Bianca 36mm for mixed road duties. I would like something with a little more volume than my Tufo CX tires, and something that I can still plug if they puncture. The 36mm Bianca seems to fit the bill.

Thanks!

[AngryScientist]

following!

i'm excited about these as a huge tubular fan and loving the idea of a tubie that is easily plugged and used with sealant. these could be a game changer if they ride well IMO.

who has tested them?

[Too Tall]

Dang, I'm cautiously optimistic. Mind you let's be rational about this. We are gonna have to agree that plugging that supple tire and expecting it to work is gonna be dicey.

Nice find, I'll follow this fer sher.

[teleguy57]

I'm also curious - but cautious given my past experience with Challenge tubular quality. Or more specifically, lack thereof with failed sidewalls and tread coming off when one looks sideways at the tire (multiple Strada 25mm issues for me). However, a big fat tubular, with the benefit of pluggable punctures (I already carry a small bottle of Orange or Bontrager TLC which has been effective on the rare occasion I have punctured a tubular) intrigues me.

Open to hearing reports per Will's request.

edited to add: Could they really be more confusing with the letters/acronyms associated with different type types? (HTLTU vs HTLTR? WTF....)

[sk_tle]

I leave tubeless to those that know how to make them.

[Saab2000]

I'm also curious - but cautious given my past experience with Challenge tubular quality. Or more specifically, lack thereof with failed sidewalls and tread coming off when one looks sideways at the tire (multiple Strada 25mm issues for me). However, a big fat tubular, with the benefit of pluggable punctures (I already carry a small bottle of Orange or Bontrager TLC which has been effective on the rare occasion I have punctured a tubular) intrigues me.

Open to hearing reports per Will's request.

edited to add: Could they really be more confusing with the letters/acronyms associated with different type types? (HTLTU vs HTLTR? WTF....)

I punctured a Wolber Invulnerable in 1985 at High Cliff State Park. I have a long memory and hold grudges. I haven’t bought a Wolber since then (they’re vulnerable) and blow through the guard station stop sign at the park now without stopping.

[WheelNut]

I'm quite curious about these tires as well and have spent quite a bit of time browsing online shop for these tires and hovering my cursor over the checkout button. I used Vittoria Cross Evo XN semi-slick 32mm tubulars on my gravel bike/commuter last year and they were quite good. 30-40psi (200Lbs bike+rider weight) made for a pretty good traction and decent bump handling. 36mm would make for quite a cushy ride that would probably be as plush as a 40mm tubeless tire, but the tub will probably have more mid corner casing squirm on asphalt. I would bet that a tubeless tubular would be very durable and you'd be able to ride them right down to the casing since plugging them up would be easy. Dugast also offers tubeless tubulars.

Vittoria also builds the Terreno Dry in a 32mm tubular, which could maybe be good as a gravel tire. I have the 38mm tubeless version of this tire and it is a bit of slug, but it seems strong and unpuncturable. It has good cornering stability because the casing is so stiff though. I'd bet the tubular version of this tire is much more supple than the tubeless tire.

[WFSTEKL]

I punctured a Wolber Invulnerable in 1985 at High Cliff State Park. I have a long memory and hold grudges. I haven’t bought a Wolber since then (they’re vulnerable) and blow through the guard station stop sign at the park now without stopping.

Sometime around 1982 I did a time trial, and used a pair of wheels that had Wolber Vulnerables glued to them. Just a few kilometres into the test I was passed by Judy Garland who had a Virginia Slim hanging from her lower lip, and was feeding her scruffy dog chocolate covered cherries as it was reclined in the front wicker basket. It was a long time ago so it may have been chocolate truffles that were dusted with sea salt.

[teleguy57]

I punctured a Wolber Invulnerable in 1985 at High Cliff State Park. I have a long memory and hold grudges. I haven’t bought a Wolber since then (they’re vulnerable) and blow through the guard station stop sign at the park now without stopping.

Sometime around 1982 I did a time trial, and used a pair of wheels that had Wolber Vulnerables glued to them. Just a few kilometres into the test I was passed by Judy Garland who had a Virginia Slim hanging from her lower lip, and was feeding her scruffy dog chocolate covered cherries as it was reclined in the front wicker basket. It was a long time ago so it may have been chocolate truffles that were dusted with sea salt.

Bottom line; there's no place like home....

The cheap tubs we rode back then may have been almost as bad as clinchers. Well, not as bad as the 18mm clinchers on a 19mm external rim, pumped up to 120psi. But we sure thought they must be fast because we rattled around like an Apollo capsule on re-entry. And speaking space -- trivia fact is that Saab's father worked on one of the NASA programs (I think Apollo, yes?) among a fascinating and varied life.

[Saab2000]

Bottom line; there's no place like home....

And speaking space -- trivia fact is that Saab's father worked on one of the NASA programs (I think Apollo, yes?) among a fascinating and varied life.

These statements are both correct. And yes, I do plan rides in Packerland in 2020.

[Will Neide]

Taking the plunge. Have tires inbound. Will mount up and hopefully tackle some Central, Pa dirt roads soon. Will be nice to have a fast, reliable, and pluggable dirt road tubular that I can use and recommend to others. TBD....

[theflashunc]

Taking the plunge. Have tires inbound. Will mount up and hopefully tackle some Central, Pa dirt roads soon. Will be nice to have a fast, reliable, and pluggable dirt road tubular that I can use and recommend to others. TBD....

So you ordered something other than Challenge?

[WheelNut]

Taking the plunge. Have tires inbound. Will mount up and hopefully tackle some Central, Pa dirt roads soon. Will be nice to have a fast, reliable, and pluggable dirt road tubular that I can use and recommend to others. TBD....

Let us know how it goes!

[Will Neide]

So you ordered something other than Challenge?

I'm going into this with an open mind.

On a customer service level, I sent an email this morning, someone responded that they would call me this afternoon. They called this afternoon at the time they said they would. We chatted tires, he answered a bunch of questions, then he emailed me a bunch of information. I then ordered tires. So far I'm impressed.

[theflashunc]

I'm going into this with an open mind.

On a customer service level, I sent an email this morning, someone responded that they would call me this afternoon. They called this afternoon at the time they said they would. We chatted tires, he answered a bunch of questions, then he emailed me a bunch of information. I then ordered tires. So far I'm impressed.

I hope it works out. They certainly lost me as a customer a while back.

[WFSTEKL]

I'm going into this with an open mind.

On a customer service level, I sent an email this morning, someone responded that they would call me this afternoon. They called this afternoon at the time they said they would. We chatted tires, he answered a bunch of questions, then he emailed me a bunch of information. I then ordered tires. So far I'm impressed.

What model is incoming?

[rabo]

fwiw: the only time ever I double flatted tubulars was at a warmup for a cross race hitting a steel pipe with my tufo's with our tubes.

[Too Tall]

I know Will. I've ridden with Will. Those tires will self destruct to spare them from his might wrath so sayeth all of us.

Seriously, the kid can pedal.

[Will Neide]

What model is incoming?

Strada Bianca 36mm

[WFSTEKL]

Strada Bianca 36mm

Okay, now I'm listening.