Record for least number of miles on Tubular

[elcolombiano]

I bought a pair of Continental Competition 22mm tubulars. The rear punctured today after striking a bulk dot (markers on the pavement in California) at about 20 MPH. The tire had all of 45 miles on it. I can not find any marks on the casing or tread but when inflating the tube and putting it in the sink filed with water bubbles come out 2 inches from the valve.

Is my tire defective? If so how do you make a claim?

Should I try to repair the tube my self?

Should I send it to tire alert.com to have the tube replaced?

I thought these were good puncture resistant tires. I can understand flating from glass or a nail, but a bulk dot? I mounted an old NOS Conti Sprinter to get home and was surprised at the amount of hop the tire had. Has the quality of Conti tubulars gone down?

[Louis]

Is my tire defective? If so how do you make a claim?

Should I try to repair the tube my self?

Should I send it to tire alert.com to have the tube replaced?

1) Probably not.
2) I don't know.
3) Your call. I don't think many around here repair their own tubulars.
4) That's what I would seriously consider doing.

5) I believe Wiggle had PR-4's on sale the other day. :)

[christian]

Pinch flat. Conti Comps are a little susceptible to this because of the butyl tube. I had a double flat on Comps a couple weeks ago, because I was bombing down a gravel descent. Stupid me! :)

That said, Conti Comps are very easy to repair, so I'd recommend doing it yourself. You'll need a Velox tubular repair kit and some barge cement. First, peel away about four inches of base tape - I'd recommend about an inch toward the valve and three inches the other way, since not disturbing the valve is ideal. Easiest way to loosen the basetape is to take a thin screwdriver or the repair needle and push it under the basetape across the tire. Then move the implement sideways, gently rocking back and forth and you'll loosen the tape as one long strip.

Then cut, unstitch, and secure the ends of the stitching by tying them off. This will leave you a a four inch gap. Push the white liner gently to the side, and tug out the tube. Clean and then repair with vulcanizing fluid and a patch. Test after 10 minutes by inflating to 25 psi or so.

Push tube back into tire and move white liner back into position. Take needle and thread from Velox kit and stitch the tire shut. I'm sure you're really supposed to chainstitch, but I'm a hack and cross stitch and that works fine. Glue base tape back on with barge cement. Let dry for a few minutes. Mount on stretching rim, inflate to 100 psi and wait 8 hours for barge cement to fully dry.

Remount and ride.

I've now done three Comps and it takes me about 45 minutes, but I admit I'd not like to do it roadside. In front of the TV, it's not bad at all.

[christian]

PS: Vittoria Pitstop is likely to fix this as well. Squirt and go.

[parris]

It sounds like it could be a pinch flat and not a puncture given how you described it. I had a similar thing happen years ago on a ride where I hit a pavement repair just the wrong way.

[laupsi]

before you give up all hope try some Stan's tire sealant. I punctured on a tubular, put 2 oz of Stan's in the tire and wa-la, like brand new. Still using the same tire, have about 1000 miles on it, only I put Stan's in all my tubulars now prior to riding them.

good luck!

[Germany_chris]

No pinch flatted a Schwalbe tubular in about 300 meters..

[djg]

I don't know what sealant might be best -- I think that Pit Stop and Cafe Latex might both be latex based. OTOH, I'd give something like that a shot to see if it's a quick fix.

DIY or tire alert? Either seems fine, depending on your time and inclination.

I've no idea whether the tire was defective in some way. Most shops will take a tubular back before you glue it, but not after (basically, you air it up and take a look when you pre-stretch the tire -- it should be fine, but if something is wrong that's your opportunity to return it). I was never much of a sprinter user -- haven't used comps for a while, but I did tend to find them pretty round and reliably made when I did -- in a couple of cases I had base tape issues, but not valve or tube issues.

There are such things as bad luck. I don't mean in any magical sense of "luck" -- just weird little unanticipated bits of the world that cluster here and there and you happen to run into them. Some precise odd way you hit the road feature with the tire at a particular psi, whatever. Good luck with flats for 12 straight months and then three in a week. Maybe it was a problem at the tire factory, or maybe it's just that things happen.

FWIW, I've been really liking the Vittoria 320 tpi road tubular tires. On the down side, that's not a straightforward traditional repair if you flat one. Seem to hold up fine -- not a last forever triple-thick whatever tire, but not fragile. OTOH, while you're taking a survey, I flatted a new Vittoria cross tubular at a pre-season practice this year. One hour on the grass, then added some air and hit the road and got maybe 20 miles.

[oldpotatoe]

Pinch flat. Conti Comps are a little susceptible to this because of the butyl tube. I had a double flat on Comps a couple weeks ago, because I was bombing down a gravel descent. Stupid me! :)

That said, Conti Comps are very easy to repair, so I'd recommend doing it yourself. You'll need a Velox tubular repair kit and some barge cement. First, peel away about four inches of base tape - I'd recommend about an inch toward the valve and three inches the other way, since not disturbing the valve is ideal. Easiest way to loosen the basetape is to take a thin screwdriver or the repair needle and push it under the basetape across the tire. Then move the implement sideways, gently rocking back and forth and you'll loosen the tape as one long strip.

Then cut, unstitch, and secure the ends of the stitching by tying them off. This will leave you a a four inch gap. Push the white liner gently to the side, and tug out the tube. Clean and then repair with vulcanizing fluid and a patch. Test after 10 minutes by inflating to 25 psi or so.

Push tube back into tire and move white liner back into position. Take needle and thread from Velox kit and stitch the tire shut. I'm sure you're really supposed to chainstitch, but I'm a hack and cross stitch and that works fine. Glue base tape back on with barge cement. Let dry for a few minutes. Mount on stretching rim, inflate to 100 psi and wait 8 hours for barge cement to fully dry.

Remount and ride.

I've now done three Comps and it takes me about 45 minutes, but I admit I'd not like to do it roadside. In front of the TV, it's not bad at all.

What he said altho I use waxed dental floss and a 3 sided carpet needle. A thimble is essential also. Seems a little stronger and easier to get thru the needle holes.

Add a beer....

[ultraman6970]

Those continentals arent the best around.

As for flas you have to be lucky and never overinflate the tubular, 80 to 100 is ok, more or less than that range (depends on the tubular and your own weight too) means to increase the chance of flats.

Doubt tires direct will swap the tubular because of a flat, if it had exploded while putitng air to them is understandable because is a manufacturing failure but a flat is not. You can try, maybe you get lucky.

I get those 3x50 bucks that some people say are bad but so far the 3 i got are in perfect condition, well... 1 was retired because it got a nasty bump because the threads were gone so i was expecting the problem (or a flat) but in that ride even with a bump the tubular made it home after 60 miles. Never a puncture. The other two are still in good shape.

Time to learn how to fix tubulars i guess.

[oldpotatoe]

Those continentals arent the best around.

As for flas you have to be lucky and never overinflate the tubular, 80 to 100 is ok, more or less than that range (depends on the tubular and your own weight too) means to increase the chance of flats.

Doubt tires direct will swap the tubular because of a flat, if it had exploded while putitng air to them is understandable because is a manufacturing failure but a flat is not. You can try, maybe you get lucky.

I get those 3x50 bucks that some people say are bad but so far the 3 i got are in perfect condition, well... 1 was retired because it got a nasty bump because the threads were gone so i was expecting the problem (or a flat) but in that ride even with a bump the tubular made it home after 60 miles. Never a puncture. The other two are still in good shape.

Time to learn how to fix tubulars i guess.

???? More than 100 psi(more than I recommend on a tubular), regardless of person's weight and the tire, does not increase your chances of a flat.

I use Sprinters exclusively, gonna try the new 290 TPI 25c Vittoria as soon as they get into the US. I think the Comp 22 and Conti GP tubie are racing tires with the corresponding thinner(lighter) casing and tread..

[saab2000]

I once flatted a brand new Vittoria CX (when they were still Italian made and desirable tires) in the first 5 miles.

As to the Continental, it's probably not defective. Sometimes flats happen. As to a pinch flat, it's possible but I've almost never heard of that on a tubular but it's not impossible I guess. Continental Competitions are pretty good tires. Not as sweet riding as Veloflex but tough as nails. I've never flatted one and they wear like iron. Pumped to about 90 PSI the ride isn't horrible either. My biggest issue with them is that they are really, really hard to install and this ends up messy and not straight. They'd probably be easier if I cleaned my rims ever but I don't and probably won't start anytime soon but that's a whole 'nuther ball of wax. The Veloflexes I prefer are easy to install and ride better so that's what I use.

If you can identify the location it might be worth fixing it yourself. But I've heard Tire Alert is pretty good.

Sometimes sh*t happens.

[christian]

Add a beer....
What HE said!

[christian]

As to a pinch flat, it's possible but I've almost never heard of that on a tubular but it's not impossible I guess.
2 of my 3 recent Competition flats have been pinch flats. I run them at about 95 psi, but I ride A LOT of rough gravel roads. I should be on 27s, but my Merckx only clears the 22s.

[zap]

Bad luck about the op's conti. Had that happen to me more than once.

Conti Comps are ok in terms of reliability and the ride is not bad at 115-120psi.

As much as I liken the ride to cheap, Chinese manufactured, plastic hose, Tufo sub<215 are hard to kill. Easy to mount straight too. They can handle dirt roads/trails but are skinny tires so not the fastest for that application.

But if ride is important to you, look for another brand.

[oldguy00]

OK, long time tubie user with probably a dumb question.....
How does the tube inside a tubular end up getting 'pinched'?
I always thought there was no such thing as a pinch flat with a tubular..

[oldpotatoe]

OK, long time tubie user with probably a dumb question.....
How does the tube inside a tubular end up getting 'pinched'?
I always thought there was no such thing as a pinch flat with a tubular..

If ya hit something hard enough, the tube can be pinched between the thing you hit and the edge of the rim. Very unlikely, but it happens. i've never done it with tubulars in the 27 years I've been riding them. AND I use about 95psi, I'm .1 offa tin..

[Germany_chris]

Bad luck about the op's conti. Had that happen to me more than once.

Conti Comps are ok in terms of reliability and the ride is not bad at 115-120psi.

As much as I liken the ride to cheap, Chinese manufactured, plastic hose, Tufo sub<215 are hard to kill. Easy to mount straight too. They can handle dirt roads/trails but are skinny tires so not the fastest for that application.

But if ride is important to you, look for another brand.

I'll never buy another TUFO that new ruber siding on the cloth prefents in my experience a good bond. The TUFO's I bout last year are fine though..

[OperaLover]

Had a Vittoria with a slow leak straight from the facory (latex tube). Some Stan's fixed it right up! Still riding it a year later!

[tuscanyswe]

Ive had shorter life on a tubular.

Was one of the worst days as a messenger that i can remember. Late fall and cold. Lots to do, was stressed out. Started the day on Cross tubulars. Flated both on glass outside a bikestore when i was going there only to inflate the tires..

Thought to myself. Hmm thats 150 euros worth of flats (challenge grifo xs in white, i remember cause they were new and i really like em :))

Bought some new conti sprinters for both front n rear. Took me like 30 min to get them both on and rolling again. Dident even make it a block before the front had another flat. Got a new conti sprinter for the front. Both the remaining sprinters flatted later that same week. I then sold the wheels (carbon discs wheels) to a forum member :)

I was pissed!

[redir]

No pinch flatted a Schwalbe tubular in about 300 meters..

You may have me beat. I got some early 80's vintage Veloflex tires last year for my vintage Guerciotti. You know, everything has to be dated to perfection :rolleyes: I think I made it about 1K when I hit a nail that went through the sidewall. No way to repair it and they weren't cheap :(

[Germany_chris]

I think I'm going to go with conti 4000's over the winter. The LBS has them for about $120 each. I've been trying to come to terms with the price for 3 months. I figured I'd get those while the frame is out getting it mounts added and new fork built.

[tuscanyswe]

I think I'm going to go with conti 4000's over the winter. The LBS has them for about $120 each. I've been trying to come to terms with the price for 3 months. I figured I'd get those while the frame is out getting it mounts added and new fork built.

Ive got some used gp 4000 if you could do with used ones.

[Germany_chris]

Ive got some used gp 4000 if you could do with used ones.

I just ordered some from Ribble after they were pointed out by another forum member.

I never really look at the parts places any more for some reason.