A tubular tire or a “sew-up” is a thin bicycle tire that contains the inner tube sewn within the outer casing. It seats directly onto a specially designed tubular rim.
Professionals prefer tubular tires because they roll smoothly, are lighter in weight, and will travel far even when having a flat. But everyday riders do not use them so much because you have to glue or tape them onto the wheel and have a harder time putting them back on in the case of a quick fix. But riders do use them for time tests and smooth tracks because they ride very well.
