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Tubular tires are often referred to as sew-up tires since traditionally the tire casing was literally sewn around the inner tube. Many modern tubular tires, such as those from Tufo, don't have an inner tube at all - the casing is wrapped around itself and bonded to form an airtight tube. Tubular tires are cemented to the bicycle rim so no tire bead is used. Since the tubular rim does not have to hold the tire pressure, it can be made lighter than a standard clincher rim. Overall, the ride quality from tubulars is more supple, and the lighter weight results in improved handling and faster acceleration.
The downside of tubulars is the slightly higher cost and the lack of repairability, so if and when you do flat, the tire will most likely be discarded. Tufo
has a Tire Sealant available that works well with their tubular tires to seal minor punctures. Attaching and removing the tires from the rim can also be more challenging than clinchers, although Tufo's Gluing Tape makes this much easier.
BicycleTires currently has approximately 70 different tubular tires available. With that many choices from the top manufacturers, you're sure to find the perfect tire for your application. Use our Tire Finder to find just the tire you need. | 
