First Flat on a Tubular

[Keith A]

Well it didn't take long to get my first flat on my tubular tire. I've only been riding these for a couple of months on my Legend and have been pleased with the ride. However, yesterday morning at the turn around point of my 42 mile ride, all of a sudden I felt my rear go flat :crap:

To make matters a little worse, it was drizzling rain when this happened and when we stopped, the noseeums came out to greet us :butt: The bugs certainly gave me an incentive to get the tire changed quickly.

After struggling a bit to get the first gap in the tire seperated from the rim, then it wasn't too difficult using my tire lever to free a good section of the tire from the rim. After that, I could just pull the tire off the rim the rest of the way.

Fortunately my spare tire from Saab (thank you Saab!) went on without much trouble and with a shot of CO2, I was back rolling again. I did take it easy going around the corners, but I didn't have any other problems getting home.

Now I get to have a go at my first attempt to install a new tubular on the rim :rolleyes:

[oldguy00]

Well it didn't take long to get my first flat on my tubular tire. I've only been riding these for a couple of months on my Legend and have been pleased with the ride. However, yesterday morning at the turn around point of my 42 mile ride, all of a sudden I felt my rear go flat :crap:

To make matters a little worse, it was drizzling rain when this happened and when we stopped, the noseeums came out to greet us :butt: The bugs certainly gave me an incentive to get the tire changed quickly.

After struggling a bit to get the first gap in the tire seperated from the rim, then it wasn't too difficult using my tire lever to free a good section of the tire from the rim. After that, I could just pull the tire off the rim the rest of the way.

Fortunately my spare tire from Saab (thank you Saab!) went on without much trouble and with a shot of CO2, I was back rolling again. I did take it easy going around the corners, but I didn't have any other problems getting home.

Now I get to have a go at my first attempt to install a new tubular on the rim :rolleyes:

You'll have no prob putting a new tire on. If its your first time, you might want to wear latex gloves until you get the hang of it. Do a search here, lots of guys have posted super easy instructions.

[Keith A]

oldguy00 -- Thanks for the input. Yes I have been reading all of those tubular posts with interest and will be going back and checking them out again to make sure the first time goes as good as possible.

[saab2000]

Glad the spare came in handy!!! Tubulars are great. Flatting on them is definitely more of a PITA than clinchers IMHO though.

[palincss]

Well it didn't take long to get my first flat on my tubular tire. I've only been riding these for a couple of months on my Legend and have been pleased with the ride. However, yesterday morning at the turn around point of my 42 mile ride, all of a sudden I felt my rear go flat :crap:

[snip]

Now I get to have a go at my first attempt to install a new tubular on the rim :rolleyes:


Getting a flat, that's easy. Installing a new tubular tire on the rim, that's pretty easy too. Fixing the flat, that's a whole 'nother story. :)

[Keith A]

Fixing the flat, that's a whole 'nother story. :)That's why I'll be sending this off to get it repaired :D

BTW, any recommendations for getting tubulars repaired?

[Fixed]

bro there is a guy that does it in clearwater chainwheel drive would have his number I think cheers :beer:

[Too Tall]

Keith, take a deep breath and pat yourself on the back. You had a plan and made it work :) It ain't that bad.

Repair the tire yourself!!!! Get a Velox kit.

[Keith A]

Thanks Too Tall. The noseeums were more of a bother than getting the tubular off the rim. I'll have to check into the Velox kit.

[MartyE]

Keith
the guy in Florida who does repairs is Tire Alert
http://www.tirealert.com/

I've heard good an bad stuff about their work, some folks
talked about off center tires when base tapes were replaced.
then again I know folks who had tubes replaced/repaired
by them and loved the work.
Last I heard it was $20 to repair a tire, $16 per tire for 2 or more.

Marty

[oldguy00]

How expensive are the tubular tires you are using?
You can buy Continental Sprinters for about $40 US if you shop around. Not really worth sending away to get repaired.
Now if you ride $100 tubulars, and one flats very early in its life, then maybe its worth the $20 + postage to get it fixed....

[Keith A]

This (http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&description=Comp+240+Tubular+Tire&vendorCode=CONTI&major=1&minor=28) is what came on the wheels that I bought and it as very little use, so I'm thinking it is worth repairing. Plus I'm going to send this in with a friend who has 1/2 dozen or so that need to be repaired.

[spiderman]

tire. i'm thinking of stitching it with a nice
running suture of 4.0 silk in the office this afternoon...
...i'll let you know how it goes.
maybe i'll start doing repairs for free if all goes well
and i'm not too busy with real patients!

[Too Tall]

Spidey, that works...I've done that for Mtn. bike tires AND sewups. Try using a piece of silk to back the stitches (inside)...they will be decent under the seap spares and don't pump them over...ummmm...much ;)

There is a Canadian shop forumites mentioned recently who repair tubulars and for the life of me can't recall the name. Anyone?

[Keith A]

Too Tall -- I did a little searching on both the forum and the Internet and only came up with the Tire Alert place here in FL.

Edit: I did find this other service mentioned, but have no idea if this information is still correct...

Nelo's Tubular Repair Service
$12.00 per Tubular + $3 shipping first 1-2 tires + $1 for add. tire
One week turn-around

Ship to:
Euro-Sport Cycles
901 West 24th
Austin, TX 70705
(512) 474-9092

[Too Tall]

Sir Keith...I remembered it is labicyclette in canada. A quick search did not turn it up but ask Zap, he shops there. Distinctly recall they do repairs. Heck I do repairs...you do garden work? I trade. NOT KIDDING. beers beers beers

[Keith A]

Aren't you in the PNW? That would be a long bike ride to do a little garden work. Might even go through a set of tires just to get there :D

[Too Tall]

We are in Maryland.

Found it: http://www.labicicletta.com/

[Dekonick]

tire. i'm thinking of stitching it with a nice
running suture of 4.0 silk in the office this afternoon...
...i'll let you know how it goes.
maybe i'll start doing repairs for free if all goes well
and i'm not too busy with real patients!


Will that hold up?

If it will I am gonna raid the trauma center admitting area... :p Oh wait! I ride clinchers!

Tubs look like too much work for me.

[Keith A]

Too Tall -- Well that makes it a little closer :)

[stackie]

Guys, go with 0 silk. 4-0 is for human tissue without lots of stress. You're going to pump these babies to 100-125 psi. Go for something with gusto. Also, if you can find the bad boys with straight needles, they work great.

This said, I used Tire Alert for my last repair. I just mounted it. Seems ok so far. His base tape is a little narrower than stock, but works out nice as it hides better in rim. Butyl tube is an advantage because you don't have to pump it up every day. The $20 or $16 for 2 or more includes return postage, so that helps.

Jon

[OldDog]

Keith - as a newbi to a tubi :rolleyes: is the quality of the ride improved enough to justify the (percieved) hassle of tubi's and increased cost of running them?

What clinchers were you running before?

Thanks.

[Keith A]

Is the quality of the ride improved enough to justify the (perceived) hassle of tubi's and increased cost of running them?I haven't reached a conclusion on this question yet. I can say that the tubulars have smoothed out the ride on my Legend. My Legend has always been less comfortable on the road than my CSi. I first switched out the CXP33's for some OpenPros and this improved things; and now the tubulars made it even better. I only have experience with the Continental Competition tires which many have stated that although very costly, they don't have the smoothest of rides.
What clinchers were you running before?As of late, I have been using Michelin tires which include the Axial Pros, ProRace, Pro²Race, Axial Carbon, and Carbons. I've also sold off my fancy wheels and am just using Mavic OpenPros on Dura-Ace hubs with some slight variations in the lacing between 3x and 2x, but all have some version of double butted spokes.

The on-the-road-repair wasn't bad enough to keep me away from tubulars, so we will see how well the gluing goes before I make a final decision. However, I am quite sure that I won't convert all to tubulars, but will most likely keep these on my Legend since the other wheels perform quite wheel on my other bikes.

[spiderman]

...great idea...
...i'm sure i've got some of that
just laying around somewhere!

[oldguy00]

I haven't reached a conclusion on this question yet. I can say that the tubulars have smoothed out the ride on my Legend. My Legend has always been less comfortable on the road than my CSi. I first switched out the CXP33's for some OpenPros and this improved things; and now the tubulars made it even better. I only have experience with the Continental Competition tires which many have stated that although very costly, they don't have the smoothest of rides.
As of late, I have been using Michelin tires which include the Axial Pros, ProRace, Pro²Race, Axial Carbon, and Carbons. I've also sold off my fancy wheels and am just using Mavic OpenPros on Dura-Ace hubs with some slight variations in the lacing between 3x and 2x, but all have some version of double butted spokes.

The on-the-road-repair wasn't bad enough to keep me away from tubulars, so we will see how well the gluing goes before I make a final decision. However, I am quite sure that I won't convert all to tubulars, but will most likely keep these on my Legend since the other wheels perform quite wheel on my other bikes.

On the advice of others, I've typically used the Continental Sprinters. Half the price of the competitions, and seem to last almost as long, IMHO. I prefer to ride fairly high pressure, about 130, and I love them.

[spiderman]

i have boxes and boxes of 0.0 silk
but all on cutting curved needles...
...also boxes of gut
and green ethilon monofilament...
all 0.0
glad i've saved all of my torn tubbies.
i'm looking forward to winter
in a brand new way,
thanks!

[Too Tall]

Spidey, we could hang ;) Haha, but the question is do you use a hemostat to fix tubulars and what's BCBS got to say about it ;) wink wink.

[spiderman]

complete the superbill
as a level three visit
and have a laceration repair code circled
the fraud, waste and abuse police
should leave me alone
and not consider me
'low hanging fruit!'

[Too Tall]

LMAO n' ROLLING AROUND SCREAMING!!! Funny.

[cw05]

4.0 seems kind of thin, I'd go with something more substantial like O or 1-0. Just look in a chest tube or central line kit and you can find that size on a Keith/straight needle.

tire. i'm thinking of stitching it with a nice
running suture of 4.0 silk in the office this afternoon...
...i'll let you know how it goes.
maybe i'll start doing repairs for free if all goes well
and i'm not too busy with real patients!