Tubular Removal Question

[jblande]

Hey there,

question for the tubular users:

what are you carrying to remove glued tires from carbon rims on the road?

don't want to start a carbon debate, nor a tubular one. just looking for the experiences of others with this set-up.

Thanks!

[Rob1519]

I use my thumbs to work the tire and loosen the glue to a point where I can get a plastic tire lever under the tire. I use the tire lever to get enough tire free and then use my hands to pull the tire if in an upward direction, being careful to keep base tape and glue intact.

[cfox]

If you carry a seat bag, carrying a (wrapped) painter's razor is a good last resort fix if you absolutely cannot get a tire off. Just cut through the tire, grab a cut end and it will peel off easily. This is how some pro mechanics do it when they are changing lots of rubber at once. You will, of course, nuke the tire, but at least you can get home.

[false_Aest]

I got myself a paint can opener and filed down the edge real smooth like.

I push it under/through 1 spot on the tire and work it back and forth. Once I've got a 2-3" gap I'm using my thumbs.

Obviously, its important to not push down into the CF surface or to "pry" up and down with whatever you use. I'd rather rip tape than hurt my wheel.

[regularguy412]

I use my thumbs to work the tire and loosen the glue to a point where I can get a plastic tire lever under the tire. I use the tire lever to get enough tire free and then use my hands to pull the tire if in an upward direction, being careful to keep base tape and glue intact.


^^ This.

If the tire is really old and completely worn out, I don't care if the base tape rips or not. Besides, if it rips or pulls loose that easily, I don't wanna reinstall it again.

Mike in AR:beer:

[Gummee]

depends on what I have with me.

If the tire's tough to get off and I didn't bring my 'clincher repair kit' to include tire levers, I take off the skewer and use that to get things started.

HTH

M

[Liv2RideHard]

what are you carrying to remove glued tires from carbon rims on the road?



You should not have to carry anything in all honesty. The only tool you need are your thumbs. Just work it back and forth and it will come loose. Just apply some elbow grease.

[sjauch2]

I use my thumbs to work the tire and loosen the glue to a point where I can get a plastic tire lever under the tire. I use the tire lever to get enough tire free and then use my hands to pull the tire if in an upward direction, being careful to keep base tape and glue intact.

This.

[jblande]

thanks for all the replies. was having trouble getting off with mere thumbs and thus looking for some aid.

standing for 30 minutes wrestling with a tire on the side of the road was the most aggravating experience i have yet had with tubulars.

[mister]

using the skewer...i'll ahve to remember that one in case i flat without the usualy aluminum tire lever i usually carry.

[fuzzalow]

I feel your pain. If you have done a good glue job it isn't so simple to get a punctured tubular off the rim, thumbs aren't enough. Also can't use a plastic tire iron because it is packed with the clincher spare stuff at home.

This is where riders with the older style curved handle skewer levers make out. Work the curved lever under the rim tape & between the carbon rim while pulling/peeling the flat tubie away from the rim. When you finally get through to the other side, slide the QR lever perpendicular to the tire and work around the rim with the QR lever, pulling the tire off the rim a bit at a time. You will never damage a rim tape removing this way because you are not peeling the tire off by the casing.

[redir]

I like to glue them on pretty good myself but honestly it's over kill for road tires, cyclocross is another story. I find there are two people, ones that over glue the hell out of tires and others that put a scary thin amount on. Realistically it's in between there. You should be able to easily remove a tire within reason. Like I said I don't risk it myself but I find a plastic lever works good to get the initial opening.

How do I know this? Because like a dummy once I went for a nice ride on a wheel that was merely stretching a tire. I threw it on last minute because I'd gotten a flat. I realized what I'd done later and was surprised to know that a tubular set on a wheel with lots of old glue sticks pretty well.

Or in other words I got real lucky.

[fuzzalow]

^ You are completely right. And being we're doing true confessions, I too glued it down so it was totally thumb-proof only one time. I guess that's the beauty of gluing your own tires - you know how much glue you put on and scale it back by a little the next time so it is no quite so bullet-proof to thumb power.

Nothing like the personal responsibility of knowing you pay the price for your own screw-ups should there be any. Better lucky than good any day.

[aaronf]

Agree with using a tire lever if thumbs aren't quite up to the task. Highly recommend a Mavic lever as it is quite thin but still plenty stiff. Opposite end has the spanner for adjusting hub bearing preload. And not so good as a lever for clinchers.

[ultraman6970]

Don't have experience with carbon rims so hard to tell, but now that i think about it... hmm....

[Rob1519]

I would also suggest carrying 2oz of Stan's and a core removal tool. In most cases the Stan's will take care of the puncture and you won't need to remove the tubular on the road.

[Marz]

On Dave Moulton's blog he suggests not putting any glue on the area opposite the valve, rim and tubuar, maybe two spoke holes, that way you can get a purchase on the unglued bit when you have to rip the tyre off. Sounds logical and safe to me.

Worked for him, but I think he rides clinchers now.

[Anarchist]

On Dave Moulton's blog he suggests not putting any glue on the area opposite the valve, rim and tubuar, maybe two spoke holes, that way you can get a purchase on the unglued bit when you have to rip the tyre off. Sounds logical and safe to me.

Worked for him, but I think he rides clinchers now.

This is what i have ( or more to the point - have not ) done for decades. Two spoke holes width directly opposite the valve.

[elcolombiano]

How much glue are you guys putting on the tubular tires that you need special tools to get the tire off the rim. You only need enough glue on the rim to keep from rolling the tire off while riding. I can glue three tires with one tube of glue. What are you guys doing? Or maybe all these years I have been gluing my tires wrong because I have no difficulty pulling a tire off a rim.

[regularguy412]

How much glue are you guys putting on the tubular tires that you need special tools to get the tire off the rim. You only need enough glue on the rim to keep from rolling the tire off while riding. I can glue three tires with one tube of glue. What are you guys doing? Or maybe all these years I have been gluing my tires wrong because I have no difficulty pulling a tire off a rim.

I use about the same amount as you. Can get approx. 3 tires per tube. I think it's about what brand of tire and on what rim. I use Continental Comp GP's and they fit TIGHT. Last time that I tried to just use only my hands to remove the tire from the rim, I ended up with blisters on both thumbs. Those blisters eventually popped during the attempted removal and I was forced to use a tire lever in order to make any headway. (yes, it was painful)

Even after getting a portion of the tire unseated, it still took a substantial amount of force to get the tire peeled away from the rim.

To me, less is more. I've always used approx. the same amount of glue to mount tubulars. They've always been tough to remove. I like it that way. I've rolled only one tire off in over 20 years of riding,, and that was a tire that I did NOT mount myself. In fact, that's how I got started mounting my own. After that first incident, I discovered that the LBS did not use enough glue and/or did not put it in the right places on the rim. Luckily, the roll off occurred at a very low speed and the tire did not completely come off. I did not crash. The incident was scary enough to make me learn how to do it right.

Mike in AR:beer:

[fogrider]

I use my thumbs to work the tire and loosen the glue to a point where I can get a plastic tire lever under the tire. I use the tire lever to get enough tire free and then use my hands to pull the tire if in an upward direction, being careful to keep base tape and glue intact.

I have weak thumbs and fingers so I feel your pain. I can't see using metal levers of any type on carbon rims. I've used plastic after it's started but still be careful and don't pry against the rim.

I had to just find the weakest spot and keep working it. I took me about half an hour once to get it started.

[oldpotatoe]

Hey there,

question for the tubular users:

what are you carrying to remove glued tires from carbon rims on the road?

don't want to start a carbon debate, nor a tubular one. just looking for the experiences of others with this set-up.

Thanks!

Small, metal, dull, tire lever. Be careful, you won't hurt the rim.

[oldpotatoe]

I would also suggest carrying 2oz of Stan's and a core removal tool. In most cases the Stan's will take care of the puncture and you won't need to remove the tubular on the road.

Or put the stan's in there before the ride, before you glue up tire. I do that on my tubies and haven't had a flat for a while. Yes, matilda, stans is OK with latex tubes.

[oldpotatoe]

On Dave Moulton's blog he suggests not putting any glue on the area opposite the valve, rim and tubuar, maybe two spoke holes, that way you can get a purchase on the unglued bit when you have to rip the tyre off. Sounds logical and safe to me.

Worked for him, but I think he rides clinchers now.

That is not smart, IMHO. Skip over a bump, whilst turning, land on that section and you 'can' roll that tire.

[redir]

Or put the stan's in there before the ride, before you glue up tire. I do that on my tubies and haven't had a flat for a while. Yes, matilda, stans is OK with latex tubes.

I use Stans in my MTB tubeless tires but use Cafe Latex for road tires. Does the Stans harden up after a while? I stopped putting in Cafe Latex as a preventative measure because it's ruined some of my tires that sat over the winter and developed a hard lump where the liquid rested at the low point.

[oldpotatoe]

I use Stans in my MTB tubeless tires but use Cafe Latex for road tires. Does the Stans harden up after a while? I stopped putting in Cafe Latex as a preventative measure because it's ruined some of my tires that sat over the winter and developed a hard lump where the liquid rested at the low point.

If the wheel sits for a while it will. But I stans the tires I'm using, not the ones sitting in my garage. Sitting for a 'winter' will lump them but you can also drain most of the stuff out when you hang the wheels up for that winter.

[jblande]

I personally find putting Stans in tires with valve extenders a messy business. Somehow hard to get it to go in correctly -- can be done, but requires patience...

I will try to reduce the amount of glue a bit in the future. Interesting observations here Seems to me an issue of finesse. I guess I have not yet developed it in my tubular infancy...

[Rob1519]

I use about the same amount as you. Can get approx. 3 tires per tube. I think it's about what brand of tire and on what rim. I use Continental Comp GP's and they fit TIGHT. Last time that I tried to just use only my hands to remove the tire from the rim, I ended up with blisters on both thumbs. Those blisters eventually popped during the attempted removal and I was forced to use a tire lever in order to make any headway. (yes, it was painful)

Even after getting a portion of the tire unseated, it still took a substantial amount of force to get the tire peeled away from the rim.

To me, less is more. I've always used approx. the same amount of glue to mount tubulars. They've always been tough to remove. I like it that way. I've rolled only one tire off in over 20 years of riding,, and that was a tire that I did NOT mount myself. In fact, that's how I got started mounting my own. After that first incident, I discovered that the LBS did not use enough glue and/or did not put it in the right places on the rim. Luckily, the roll off occurred at a very low speed and the tire did not completely come off. I did not crash. The incident was scary enough to make me learn how to do it right.

Mike in AR:beer:

Good thread and discussion. Several comments:

The amount of glue depends. If a new rim I apply two thin coats to the rim and one to the base tape allowing each layer to dry. A third coat is applied to the rim before mounting.

A previously glued rim with glue in good condition, one coat on the base tape (new tire) and one coat on the rim right before mounting.

I have heard of individuals leaving a small section unglued. I am not comfortable with this personally and would not do it. I understand the convenience factor but I think it is a compromise in safety. Personal choice.

Before working on my tubulars, I wrap my thumbs with a little hockey tape. This will eliminate getting blisters.

[bicimechanic]

I use one of these. Been my go to for tubular removal assistance for a long time. Thin enough and plastic won't damage anything.

[thwart]

I use one of these. Been my go to for tubular removal assistance for a long time. Thin enough and plastic won't damage anything.

Really, really great idea if you happen to be running Mavic wheels as well...

[zap]

snip

Be careful, you won't hurt the rim.

Ha, as long as its not a Zipp carbon rim...............I pulled a section of carbon composite off with the tire the last time. Sucks if that had happened out on the road in the middle of nowhere.

[thwart]

snip

Ha, as long as its not a Zipp carbon rim...............I pulled a section of carbon composite off with the tire the last time. Sucks if that had happened out on the road in the middle of nowhere.

"honey, I need you to come out and pick me up... yes, I know you're right in the middle of something and Eric has a low-grade fever."

"Why am I absolutely certain I need you to come get me?"

"... uh, well, uh... y'know that $2200 wheelset I bought... ?"

:eek:

[oldpotatoe]

snip



Ha, as long as its not a Zipp carbon rim...............I pulled a section of carbon composite off with the tire the last time. Sucks if that had happened out on the road in the middle of nowhere.

Well, the best way to be careful of Zipp is to not own or use them...

[ariw]

I have been using Tufo tape for a while now, never rolled a tire with it, but a tire can be changed on the road fairly quickly with thumbs and a tire lever. An added bonus is easy, tool-free cleanup of old tape when mounting a new tire. +1 on the Stan's for tubulars as well.

-Ari

[cfox]

I have been using Tufo tape for a while now, never rolled a tire with it, but a tire can be changed on the road fairly quickly with thumbs and a tire lever. An added bonus is easy, tool-free cleanup of old tape when mounting a new tire. +1 on the Stan's for tubulars as well.

-Ari

interesting...I like Tufo tape too, but I find it much harder to remove a taped tire vs a glued one. If anyone objects to tape, it should not be because they fear a weaker bond than glue. I recently switched back to glue on my carbon rimmed wheels. I've become paranoid the tape might pull off some of the carbon rim bed (I will add both Enve and Lightweight say tape is fine on their wheels).