Best Tubular Tires (7 Great Options + Top Manufacturers)


In tubular tires, the tube and the tire are sewn together into a single unit and the inner tube is completely encased within the tire.. These dynamics make them more convenient and safe to use. The tire is glued directly to the rim this is why they offer greater cornering stability.

The best tubular tires are the Continental Competition Tubulars and the Continental Road Bike Tyre Sprinter Gatorskin. The first one is made of a strong material, resistant to punctures. It’s light and does not add weight to your bike. The Gatorskin has a DuraSkin sidewall protection and polyamide layers that increase strength and durability.

In this article, I have reviewed top bike tubular tires that are sturdy, lightweight, and less prone to pinch flats.

Best Tubular Tires for Bicycles

Compare Top Bike Tubular Tires

ProductOverall ScoreBottom LinePrice
Continental Sprinter Tubular - Best Tubular Tires
Continental
Sprinter Tubular
85 Made with ASC Silica
technology
Check Out On
Amazon
SCHWALBE One Tubular - Best Tubular Tires
SCHWALBE
One Tubular
81High End
Designed with a Onestar
Triple Compound
Check Out On
Amazon
Continental Road Bike Tyre Sprinter - Best Tubular Tires
Continental Road
Bike Tyre
85Features Duraskin
sidewall protection
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Amazon
Vittoria Rally Tubular - Best Tubular Tires
Vittoria
Rally Tubular
80Budget Buy
Made from a Kevlar
3D compound
Check Out On
Amazon
Tufo C S33 Pro Tubular-Clincher - Best Tubular Tires
Tufo C S33 Pro
Tubular-Clincher
82Made from a carbon
black tread compound
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Amazon
Tufo S33 Pro Road Bike Tubular - Best Tubular Tires
Tufo S33 Pro
Road Bike Tubular
76Suitable for 28-inch
700c rims
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Amazon
Continental Competition Tubular - Best Tubular Tires
Continental
Competition Tubular
86Top Pick
Made from Continental
black chili compound
Check Out On
Amazon

Detailed Analysis of the Best Tubular Tires

After much research and testing, we have come up with some tubular tire models proven to be the best out there.

We’ll give you an insight into these brands and show you what to look for in a tire so that you can pick the best.

1. Continental Sprinter Tubular Review

Continental Sprinter Tubular - Best Tubular Tires Review

Overall Score: 85

This tire is excellent for city riders or bikes used for everyday commuting. It matches up with your road bike’s speed, and it has a good grip on the road. The tire is very light and equally strong.

You can attain impressive speed limits with it; you can even use it to race.

The tire features ASC Silica technology; this makes it suitable for speeding. Usually, the tires offer a kind of hindrance to the movement of the wheels, causing the speed to reduce.

Still, the technology used to design the Continental Sprinter tire eliminates that problem.

Continental makes some of the best tires with their advanced build. This tire is puncture-proof; it has four polyamide layers. This feature gives the tire incredible strength with a high degree of lightness.

You can even use it for racing.

It comes with Duraskin sidewall protection and an anti-puncture breaker belt. This tire can last you for a very long time without problems.

Advantages

  • It’s made with ASC Silica technology.
  • The tire is guaranteed to last you for a long time.
  • It has a Duraskin sidewall protector.
  • It features four layers of polyamide.
  • The tire is very puncture resistant.

Disadvantages

  • It’s a bit uneven.

2. SCHWALBE One Tubular Review

SCHWALBE One Tubular - Best Tubular Tires Review
High End

Overall Score: 81

The Schwalbe One HT Black Tubular Tire offers you a lot of possibilities.

It’s a well-constructed tire, and you can use it for professional races. The tire allows you to attain the high speeds needed for races, and it offers little rolling resistance.

If you’re living in an area with constant weather change or you ride to different locations with different weather conditions, you’ll like this tire; it comes with a diamond tread pattern.

The tread pattern improves the grip of the tires, and you can ride easily on wet paths.

The tire is made from a blend of polyester and cotton called the Onestar Triple Compound.

This compound gives the tire low rolling resistance, they make it possible to ride on wet terrains, and the tire is also puncture resistant.

This tire has a RaceGuard, which makes it suitable for racing, and also increases its strength.

Advantages

  • The tire is very light and strong.
  • It’s designed with a Onestar Triple Compound.
  • It’s puncture-resistant.
  • You can use this tire under any weather condition.

Disadvantages

  • It’s not very durable.

3. Continental Road Bike Tyre Sprinter Gatorskin

Continental Road Bike Tyre Sprinter - Best Tubular Tires Review

Overall Score: 85

We are looking at another one of the Continentals products; they are well known in bikes. Continental makes some of the best bike parts, as well as tires.

The 28-inch Sprinter Gatorskin Tubular Tires are another one of their top products.

This tire comes with Gatorskin technology; it’s made from a carbon black tread mixture. This gives the tire its strength.

This tire is one of the strongest on our list, and it’s also very suitable for speed. It has DuraSkin sidewall protection and layers of polyamide that increase strength and durability.

The design and technology used in making this tire ensure that it will last you for a long time. The tire is standard enough for professional use; it’s strong, fast, and has low rolling resistance.

Advantages

  • The tires are comfortable to ride.
  • Offers good grip on any terrain.
  • It’s light.
  • It’s puncture-proof.
  • It features Duraskin sidewall protection.

Disadvantages

  • No problems found.

4. Vittoria Rally Tubular Tire

Vittoria Rally Tubular - Best Tubular Tires Review
Budget Buy

Overall Score: 80

The Vittoria Rally Tubular MTB Tire is one of the latest on the market. The tire is one of the toughest out there.

If you want to go riding on rough terrains like mountain riding or any other off-road path, then you should look into this one.

The design of the tire supports speed, high performance, and strength. This tire will last you for a long time; it can handle the road’s pressure.

The tire is further built with a PRB breaker; this gives it its puncture-resistant ability.

It’s constructed with a Kevlar 3D compound and is a strong material with a high density. It can withstand the pressure generated by friction between the tire and the road.

It allows you to speed up without a lot of resistance, and it also increases your stability.

This tire is one of the cheapest on our list. For a tire at this price point, it offers you a lot of advantages.

Advantages

  • It’s made from a Kevlar 3D compound.
  • The tire is available in 21 and 23mm.
  • It has a Herringbone file tread.
  • The tire has a solid grip and high stability.
  • It’s sure to last you for some time to come.

Disadvantages

  • It’s not suitable for paved roads.

5. Tufo C S33 Pro Tubular-Clincher Tire

Tufo C S33 Pro Tubular-Clincher - Best Tubular Tires Review

Overall Score: 82

As the name suggests, the Tufo C S33 Pro is a unique blend of tubular and clincher features.

This makes it one of our top picks we know as it offers you strength and stability, and it has a low rolling resistance.

This tire is designed with a carbon black tread compound. This material is very strong and resistant to puncture. The treads of the tires also ensure a good grip and low rolling resistance.

If your bike has a 28-inch rim, then you can use this tire. The tire is quite light and boasts a weight of 335 grams. You’re sure to enjoy a stable and easy ride.

Advantages

  • It’s made from a carbon black tread compound.
  • The tire weighs 335 grams.
  • It’s compatible with 28-inch rims.
  • This tire is best for training.

Disadvantages

  • It’s not compatible with every bicycle.

6. Tufo S33 Pro Road Bike Tubular Tire

Tufo S33 Pro Road Bike Tubular - Best Tubular Tires Review

Overall Score: 76

If you’re planning on going for long rides, you should check out the Tufo S33 Pro. It can withstand the rigors of long-distance riding.

The tire makes it easy for you to cruise along the road without much rolling resistance. With this tire riding for a long time becomes easy and less stressful.

The tire is compatible with 28-inch 700c rims and can hold 115-175 psi. It has 60 TPI along the sidewalls and 90 TPI under the tread. The tire is a great choice for professional riders, as well as casual users.

When installing this tire, you don’t need any professional help. It’s designed so that you can easily fix it yourself and enjoy your ride. The tire is puncture-resistant and easy to handle.

Advantages

  • The tire allows cornering.
  • It’s suitable for 28-inch 700c rims.
  • The tire has a reasonable weight.
  • You can easily ride a long distance with this tire.
  • The tire is fit for professional use.

Disadvantages

  • The tire doesn’t last long.

7. Continental Competition Tubular Review

Continental Competition Tubular - Best Tubular Tires Review
Top Pick

Overall Score: 86

This tubular road bike tire is known for its strength and toughness.

This tire is well-known among the big leagues; it’s designed majorly for its strength and ability to withstand heavy use.

You can use this tire on rough roads or even paths with sharp rocks; the tire is big on the puncture-proof feature.

It comes with Continental Black Chilli compound; it’s a strong material resistant to punctures. It also has a 3/180 casing with a pressure capacity of 175PSI.

The tire has an inner tube that’s 0.4mm thick, it weighs 280 grams, and is compatible with 28-inch rims.

This tire is suitable for speed; it’s one of the fastest tubular tires 700c. It’s very light and adds little weight to your bike; it also offers you stability.

Advantages

  • It’s compatible with 28-inch rims.
  • The tire is made from Continental black chili compound.
  • It has a Vectran puncture protection insert.
  • It’s 25 inches wide and has a weight of 280 grams.

Disadvantages

  • The tire starts to crack with time.

How to Buy the Best Tubular Tires

Tires are an integral part of any bicycle. You shouldn’t rush to get just any tire for your bicycle; you need to consider the type of tire you want to get careful.

We have provided some points to consider when deciding on a tire to get. If you’re going to choose the best triathlon tubular tires for sale, pay attention to these points.

Rubber

The tire is only as strong as the material they have used to make it. The rubber compound determines some of the tire’s limits.

There are different levels of rubber components that come with varying degrees of softness.

The softness of the tires is measured in durometers. Tubular road bike tires with less than 50 durometers are the softest, they have good grips, but they reduce your speed.

Tires with 60 durometers are often considered the best type; they give you both grip and speed, and finally, tires with 70 durometers are the hardest, and they are suitable for fast riding.

Tread

The tread pattern of your bicycle is as important as the tire size; the pattern affects your bike’s speed and grip. You have to pay attention to the tread pattern on the tires; there are different tread patterns.

You also need to know the type of terrain you want to use the bicycle; some tread patterns are good for a particular terrain type.

Certain patterns make it easy for you to ride on wet, muddy tracks, but you may not enjoy the same tire on dry paved roads, so it’s important to get a tread pattern that matches your ride path.

Size

There are different tires on the market; a particular size may not fit your bike, so it’s important to know your tire size before you buy any tire. You can find the wheel and tire width on the side of the tire.

Most adult bikes have a size of 26 inches or 29 inches, while some other bicycles have 27/5 inch wheels. If you get the wrong tire size, it will affect your rides. 

In case your tire is too big, you won’t be able to pedal it well, your balance will be all over the place, and you might even fall off.

If your tires are too small, they can affect your movement; and they will quickly wear out from your weight and pressure.

Durability

Your tire’s durability is key; you don’t want a tire that will need repair after every ride. It would help if you got a tire that offers puncture-proof features.

Most of the best tires have features like Duraskin sidewall protection, extra layers for puncture resistance, and Kevlar 3D compounds.

If the tire doesn’t have those specific additions, make sure it has something similar and strong.

Weight

As we’ve seen in our reviews, the tires are all lightweight, but some are even lighter than others.

Your tire’s weight isn’t a very serious factor because you’re a casual rider. But if you’re into a more serious form of riding, it’s better to get the lighter models like those that weigh around 220-260 grams.

What Are Tubular Bike Tires?

The tubular tire is a type of bike tire that’s joined with the inner tube to give one closed tire.

The tubular tire is light, lighter than the clincher, and great for high-speed riding. It can function with different air pressures, and it’s not very prone to flats.

The tire is suitable for a wide range of activities like triathlon, training, cross-country riding, and commuting.

It’s more durable than the clinchers. If you get a flat with a tubular tire, you can still use it for a reasonable amount of time; it’s better to use a tubular tire if you’re worried about getting a flat tire on your ride.

You can also check out my guide on the best bike tubes for preventing flat tires to see some top options available on the market.

Top Manufacturers of Cheap Tubular Tires

Tubular mountain bike tires aren’t as common as clinchers but there are still some manufacturers that put a lot of effort into them.

Continental

Continental is one of the leading brands that make bicycle components. We’ve looked at some of their Continental tubular tires on our list, and they have proven to be up to standard.

Vittoria

Vittoria is one of the latest brands on the tubular tire market, and they have proven themselves to be one of the best.

Tufo

They are also a well-known brand. They make some of the best tread patterns and use unique technology in their construction. 

The Continental Sprinter Has the Vectran Breaker Robust Puncture Protection Layer…

We have looked at some of the best tubular tires for triathlon, their individual properties, their advantages, and the problems we experienced when using them.

Our research and reviews show that Continental Sprinter Tubular Road Tires is the best tubular road bike tire at the moment.

It’s carefully designed, and the materials used in the production are the best possible. This tire is made with ASC Silica technology which gives it a low rolling resistance that allows you to accelerate with ease.

Shailen Vandeyar

A proud Indian origin Kiwi who loves to plant trees and play with my pet bunny when not out cycling through the best routes, reviewing the latest gear, and sharing tips on everything biking.

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