Commuting on Tubies

[Nooch]

So I figured I'd throw my sdv66 tubie's on my caad9 for the ride to work today, since I'm not really planning on racing too much this year, it's a shame to have them sitting in the closet.

Veloflex Carbon's are glued up on them right now. So I ask, on a bike that's being locked outside, with the latex tubes etc, over the course of a 9 hour work day, how much air am I likely to lose? Is it enough to raise any concern for the ride home?

(disclaimer: these are my first tubular wheels/tires, and only my second time riding them since acquiring them for TheGunner back in the winter... so yes, I am a tubie newbie...)

[EDS]

So I figured I'd throw my sdv66 tubie's on my caad9 for the ride to work today, since I'm not really planning on racing too much this year, it's a shame to have them sitting in the closet.

Veloflex Carbon's are glued up on them right now. So I ask, on a bike that's being locked outside, with the latex tubes etc, over the course of a 9 hour work day, how much air am I likely to lose? Is it enough to raise any concern for the ride home?

(disclaimer: these are my first tubular wheels/tires, and only my second time riding them since acquiring them for TheGunner back in the winter... so yes, I am a tubie newbie...)

I for sure would not leave a bike like that with those wheels on locked outside.

[thwart]

Impressive. Commuting on Veloflex Carbons.

Note that impressive does not equate with wise...

[Nooch]

Impressive. Commuting on Veloflex Carbons.

Note that I impressive does not equate with wise...

Just an every once in a while thing..

My commute takes me on the same roads I train on, so it's not like I'm headed into some terrible-road-urban environment..

As it is, the bike is double locked and I have homeowners insurance. Life is too short to ride crap and drink crappy wine..

But none of that answers whether or not I'll be down to 80psi (from a 120/110 starting point) by the time I ride home at 5pm...

[Lionel]

in 9 hours you will lose about 10 to 15 psi on a veloflex carbon. So it's ok.

Commuting in style, i like it.

[thwart]

Hey, if the pros can ride a six-hour long race on those tires and are comfortable with the amount of air pressure lost, I think you'll do okay.

[Nooch]

Hey, if the pros can ride a six-hour long race on those tires and are comfortable with the amount of air pressure lost, I think you'll do okay.

was thinking along the same lines, but then i figured the heat in moving is keeping them from losing too much air vs. static sitting around.

It's not like it's 100 degrees today and the heat is helping keep things inflated -- had to pop a few front tires in a hot car before I finally learned that one...

[stackie]

I've used veloflex tubies for commuting for years. I, too, like to ride my nice stuff rather than spending a bunch of time on a crummy beater for commuting. I would pump them up to 115/110 for a 530 am departure. I have returned as late as 10pm with no problems. Never checked the pressure other than a squeeze.

Do it. Enjoy your bling. Besides as you know tubular a ride like a dream.

Jon

[Suntourguy]

Nooch,
Do you have latex in them? I've been riding for 2 or 3 years on a couple different sets of Tufo Elites. Which I don't think have latex inners. I think the latex helps them hold air even without a puncture. I can go more than a week with out needing to pump. I just go by seat of the pants feel because actual pressure in not critical.

[Ken Robb]

Do you carry a spare tire (I'm not referring to your physique) when commuting? If you need to change a tire will the residual glue from the flatted one be sufficient to get to work and back?

[Nooch]

Do you carry a spare tire (I'm not referring to your physique) when commuting? If you need to change a tire will the residual glue from the flatted one be sufficient to get to work and back?

Yes, have a spare tubie ready to go in my backpack and a can of pitstop -- worst case scenario is I only work 10 miles from home -- the wife can save me if need be.

Yeah, the veloflex have latex tubes -- i'm of the understanding that latex allows air to pass more easily through than butyl -> @ suntourguy

[Climb01742]

Why not find an old floor pump and stash it at your office? Then top off your tubbies as you leave the office? Just a thought.

[Nooch]

Why not find an old floor pump and stash it at your office? Then top off your tubbies as you leave the office? Just a thought.

a valid thought, for sure -- but probably more work than is necessary. it'd be a few trips up and down the stairs to bring the pump out and fill em up, then bring the pump back inside and... you see what I'm saying..

[mktng]

fill the tubs with stans sealant?
that is ..if it has a removable valve core..

[sparky33]

Do it. Enjoy your bling. Besides as you know tubular a ride like a dream.


zactly. Life is short, ride the good stuff always.

[slinkywizard]

I've been commuting on tubulars for years now. Currently I'm riding veloflex roubaix's on some older zipp 404's. No noticeable problem with pressure loss whatsoever. Love to be able to ride like this every day. The roads here (Switzerland) are pretty much pristine though...never had a flat so far. For safety, I do typically double lock my bike (current daily ride is my Time nxr) inside the building though.

[mktng]

zactly. Life is short, ride the good stuff always.

you just want to say "yolo" but dont want to be made fun of .. hmm?

[sparky33]

you just want to say "yolo" but dont want to be made fun of .. hmm?

yes... I'd rather wear my bibs to church.

[zott28]

Life is too short to ride crap and drink crappy wine Beer..



I only ride my cross check on rainy days and always ride one of my nicer bikes for this same reason.

[rugbysecondrow]

So I figured I'd throw my sdv66 tubie's on my caad9 for the ride to work today, since I'm not really planning on racing too much this year, it's a shame to have them sitting in the closet.

Veloflex Carbon's are glued up on them right now. So I ask, on a bike that's being locked outside, with the latex tubes etc, over the course of a 9 hour work day, how much air am I likely to lose? Is it enough to raise any concern for the ride home?

(disclaimer: these are my first tubular wheels/tires, and only my second time riding them since acquiring them for TheGunner back in the winter... so yes, I am a tubie newbie...)

Do you lose when you let your bike sit at home for 9 hours? When you ride for 4 hours? When you put your bike in the car and let it sit until your after work ride with buddies? If this is a problem you have experienced, there might be a little blue pill which can help?

Not to be flip, but how are folks unacquainted with your bike and gear supposed to know the air loss you may or may not experience in X condition? You can listen to all of us guess or dig a little deeper and answer your own question based on your real world gear and situation.

[Nooch]

Do you lose when you let your bike sit at home for 9 hours? When you ride for 4 hours? When you put your bike in the car and let it sit until your after work ride with buddies? If this is a problem you have experienced, there might be a little blue pill which can help?

Not to be flip, but how are folks unacquainted with your bike and gear supposed to know the air loss you may or may not experience in X condition? You can listen to all of us guess or dig a little deeper and answer your own question based on your real world gear and situation.

Oh, Rugby, I just figured people had experience with the veloflex tires and could share their experience with whether or not they lose a measurable amount of air over 9 hours of sitting... since, as I mentioned, it's only my second time EVER riding this wheels, and as such, ever riding tubulars...

Just, in general, ya know. I know my butyl tubes in my clinchers aren't going to drop 20 psi in 9 hours. these, I didn't know, especially since I filled them to 110-ish when i swapped the wheels over last night, and when I went to fill them up this morning they showed about 80 psi...

[rugbysecondrow]

Oh, Rugby, I just figured people had experience with the veloflex tires and could share their experience with whether or not they lose a measurable amount of air over 9 hours of sitting... since, as I mentioned, it's only my second time EVER riding this wheels, and as such, ever riding tubulars...

Just, in general, ya know. I know my butyl tubes in my clinchers aren't going to drop 20 psi in 9 hours. these, I didn't know, especially since I filled them to 110-ish when i swapped the wheels over last night, and when I went to fill them up this morning they showed about 80 psi...


Then it seems you have your answer. They lost about 30 psi in 9 hours.

I appreciate trying to get advice from the collective, you are the best source to answer your question as you have the variables available to you.

[Nooch]

Then it seems you have your answer. They lost about 30 psi in 9 hours.

I appreciate trying to get advice from the collective, you are the best source to answer your question as you have the variables available to you.

Eh, I just figured the collective was much smarter than I am.. without tossing in the variables of air lost in attaching the pump back onto the valve, etc...

at any rate! since i don't have a pump with a gauge on it here at work, I'll do the old sidewall squeeze and enjoy the ride and try not to worry about it :)

[Salsa_Lover]

I love tubulars and almost never flat, but I wouldn't commute on them

I guess on my work commute the main goal is to get there fast and without problems.

Repair a flat on a tubular is not what I want to do on my work commute

[thegunner]

dudeee i used to commute on those on nice days where i wanted to get training in after work. over the course of a day 10-11 hours, they went from 130 to 110. cheers!

[Tony T]

Just an every once in a while thing..

At 10 miles, it should be an everyday thing. :)
...and why not just carry a pump? ...or add an extra 5-10 lbs when you leave in the morning.

[palincss]

But none of that answers whether or not I'll be down to 80psi (from a 120/110 starting point) by the time I ride home at 5pm...

Well, even if you did have to pump it up a bit, it's just a little upper body warm up before the ride, right? And besides, isn't the reason for using tubulars that you can run lower tire pressure without pinch flats? (It's surely not the ease of fixing flats.)

[christian]

you are the best source to answer your question as you have the variables available to you.

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1/do-cats-have-belly-buttons

[redir]

I love tubulars and almost never flat, but I wouldn't commute on them

I guess on my work commute the main goal is to get there fast and without problems.

Repair a flat on a tubular is not what I want to do on my work commute

I can change a tubular on the side of the road faster than a clincher. You don't repair them till later rather you just replace with a spare. Just put a fresh coat of glue on a spare fold it up and store it. It will be good enough to get you where you need to go as long as you don't bomb the corners. There is also the fix-a-flat in a can stuff and as been mentioned cafe leytex. The stuff works amazingly well.

[christian]

I do almost all my riding on tubulars these days, keep a set of clinchers for the trainer. Once you get used to tubulars, swapping them when they puncture is no big deal. The risk of a double puncture is probably the biggest drawback.

I don't see why not to do it. Set a Strava record on the Nooch-->Work segment!

[oldpotatoe]

Just an every once in a while thing..

My commute takes me on the same roads I train on, so it's not like I'm headed into some terrible-road-urban environment..

As it is, the bike is double locked and I have homeowners insurance. Life is too short to ride crap and drink crappy wine..

But none of that answers whether or not I'll be down to 80psi (from a 120/110 starting point) by the time I ride home at 5pm...

Lose about 20 psi in 24 hours.so in 9 hours, lose about 8 psi or so..but ya got a pump..top 'em off.

[Nooch]

I don't see why not to do it. Set a Strava record on the Nooch-->Work segment!

Remarkably, I failed to do this yesterday, although I thought I was moving at a pretty solid clip!

The baby was up most of the night and extra cranky, so I overslept this morning. Not to worry, I strapped the bike to the roof and will ride it home today -- the long way!

I do love the ride, though. Whether it's the fact that they're high $$ tubies, or the fact that they're carbon rims, it's certainly a different ride experience.

I'm anxious to build up my nemesis rims, and maybe glue up an arenberg or pave -- these will be more focused on commuting and training than the reynolds, i suppose.

[oldpotatoe]

I only ride my cross check on rainy days and always ride one of my nicer bikes for this same reason.

I ride my Moots on rainy days..like today.

[palincss]

I do almost all my riding on tubulars these days, keep a set of clinchers for the trainer. Once you get used to tubulars, swapping them when they puncture is no big deal. The risk of a double puncture is probably the biggest drawback.


Swapping a spare on the road is one thing; repairing a flat is quite another: there's all that fun with finding the puncture, cutting the stitches, patching the tube and sewing it all back together again.

[christian]

It's not that big a deal. Takes me about 45 minutes for a Conti. I haven't yet tackled a Vittoria with the latexed-on base tape, but I bet I could finish it faster than an episode of "Nashville."

(Secretly, I think it's fun!)

[stackie]

I think it was a reasonable question. Obviously there will be air loss. He just wanted to know if people had problems. I haven't had any problems riding them home with just a few pounds less than ideal.

I can change a tubular tire on the road faster than a clincher. No worries there.

As far as repair. I used to do it when stuck in the hospital on call with nothing to do. Now, no in house call, so if I flat a tire in the first 1/3 of its life, I send it to Tire Alert. $17 for repair last time I did it. More than 1/3 gone, I just trash it.

Jon

[palincss]

Takes around 5 minutes to patch a clincher tube including finding the puncture, and most of that is waiting for the glue to dry. And you get to dunk the whole tube in a sink of water to find the puncture, too: no inspired guessing or pinhole dowsing required. Best of all, no needle and thread ever enter the equation. But you knew that...

[rugbysecondrow]

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1/do-cats-have-belly-buttons

that was funny.

[oldpotatoe]

Swapping a spare on the road is one thing; repairing a flat is quite another: there's all that fun with finding the puncture, cutting the stitches, patching the tube and sewing it all back together again.

Not a big deal. The hardest thing is finding the hole as air, in the water, sometimes 'travels'. Another 'tale' about tubies that isn't really quite accurate.

[mister]

no big deal commuting on tubs.
i've used FMB PR 25mm, stehers, vittoria evo corsa cx, sprinters. they've all been fine.
usually don't flat until the tire is worn out anyway.

the latex tubes will lose air as you all know, but it's not a big deal, i air it up firm in the morning and ride home on a little softer tire in the evening. i only notice it on the rear tire really.

once you get used to the process of the tubs and have a few extra tires waiting to be glued up, then clinchers really do seem like a hassle.

[christian]

mister -

have you tried the "new" stehers? I'm tempted to use them as a road tire.

[mister]

i have two on some spare rims but haven't ridden them yet
i just wore out an older steher so i need to glue one up though

i haven't touched the new stehers in 4 mos. probably so it's not fresh in my mind but i remember thinking the new steher probably won't be as supple as the older ones, but they still feel more supple than the sprinters i have around.

sprinters are $54 at worldclass and stehers are $57...
but also considering that ribble has vittoria for around $60 when they are in stock, i'm temped to just ride those all the time. the conti's are tougher tires though, and the sprinters are usually about $38-40 from ribble if i remember correctly.
the latex glue on the vittoria basetape is kinda a turn off for me though, i hate filing it off and i hate having it stay on my rim when i pull a tire off...

then there's that new cheaper vittoria with the butyl tube and you can get it in 25mm...

[christian]

Yeah, the Vitt Corsa Elite with the butyl tube does look interesting, but I agree about Conti's being generally easier to deal with -- I don't like the latexed base tape either. I don't have many sharps around here, and don't like the way the Sprinters ride. Was hoping Steher might be the "Competition on a budget" solution.

[mister]

sprinters are ok if you get the air pressure just right
the stehers are kinda the same in regard to air pressure
they are more supple than the sprinters but they don't ride like a vittoria or FMB

i haven't ridden the competition so i can't compare that to the steher.