Any chance we can actually have a look at the Reynolds Carbon wheels? From here there's no image visible.

This is also the second time recently that I've read about tubs for MTB's. What's happening about them - are they going to be the 'Next Big Thing (tm)' in mountainbiking, and how long before they become easily available, in a choice of flavours?

Are the Horst links on that Proceed VRC frame taped over with gaffer tape? Are they not finished yet? Licensing issues?

Reynolds pic sorted - heaven knows where that went...

The Proceed is taped to the table so that it stands up ;-)

CARBON RACER-X! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH, WHERE'S MY CREDIT CARD, WHERE IS MY CREDIT CARD!?

Ahem.

Those wheels look nice too. I think tubs are too much faf for the MTB, although you could potentially carry a spare in a Camelbak. I've used carbon wheels/tubs in the summer on my road bike for 2 years now, they work very well, they give a noticably smoother ride, even at higher pressures, but I do start to worry if I'm doing a long ride, there's not a lot you can do to repair them roadside. Must've done 5000 miles without a single puncture though.

But, there's not too much advantage in being able to run 200psi in an MTB tyre, and a sidewall rip would be even more catastrophic. Not for me. Yet.

Given that tubeless tyres still have the habit of lifting off the rim and letting all the air out when they're cornered hard, tubs would solve that problem...

Yes, they'd roll off the rim altogether.

I've never actually known anyone have a pukka UST tyre/rim 'burp' air, and I never had any negative experiences with No Tubes type kits, but I know people who have.

I'm just not sure the advantages of tubs are there on an MTB.

The clincher version weighs 1588g
tub version: 1352.

Who makes MTB tubs, anyone know? The clincher wheels are rather weighty, but if MTB tubs are light the tub ones could be very light. Shame they don't use that new 205g Hugi hub!

Frishy has been running tubs for about 3 years or so. I'm pretty sure that he's a chap who chooses stuff because it works.

Hutchinson used to make tubeless MTB tubs but that was over ten years ago. They were rather good but had to be binned when they did puncture.

Can someone explain to the uninitiated what a tub is please...?

Alex, it's a tubular tyre. So, in essence the tyre and tube are the same thing.

Tubular tyre, it has the inner tube sewn in and they're stuck to the rim. It's a roadie thing (normally).

Tub mounting.

A tubular tyre is one where the inner tube is stitched into the tread, literally creating a tubular shape. This is then glued (or taped) onto the rim, which is lighter because it doesn't require the vertical wall and hook type design of a clincher rim.

They can take higher pressures, as they don't exert any pressure on the sidewall of rims.

They can be lighter, or more puncture proof for any given weight.

They grip better.

They give a more comfortable ride.

Probably most importantly, if they puncture suddenly they won't go anywhere, because they are glued on you can ride on a flat tub relatively successfully.

I knew someone would beat me to it!

I like the pic where the guy looks like he's fucked up and glued his glove to the rim.

The new Tufo tub offering looks pretty good, although I'd be concerned about shelling out all the cash for the wheels and tyres and finding the tread of the tyres is shite, there's nowt you can do!

glueing tyres to rims on mtb isn't really too much a great idea, as there're all kinds of sideways forces!

on a roadie it's not so bad, the worst you get is corners!

(that said, i ride like a bender and enjoy doing 180's and stuff)

They'd have to be a hell of a lot better than the Tufo road tyres.

It's not a problem if you know what you're doing Mike. There arises a problem :-)

Hmmm, I was thinking that!

If Conti or someone went into it I'd be more enthused. It's mainly the tread thing that scares me. A company with no experience of MTB tyres comes in with a rather sketchy looking tyre, it'd just totally ruin the experience!

There's a company that'll stitch the tread of any MTB tyre you want onto a 700c tub, so you can use carbon road rims laced to MTB hubs, Travis Brown and Roland Green used to do it!