How tubulars saved my life

[Too Tall]

So you thought all the talk about tubulars being safer was BS?
Take a gander of what happened today...on the way to the forum.
I was finishing a ride with friends when on the last descent I was following 20 feet back traveling close to 40mph and heard my pal Winn yelling...looked in time to see a 12 foot wide by 12 foot 6 inch deep road repair in progress...sharp 6 inch drop to concrete and a 6 inch lip. I choose life and lofted the bike to get over the first lip and yanked the fr. wheel up to get over the second lip sacrificing the rear...it was tooooo fast to control two hops. The impact crushed the Zipp Pave and left the tire intact. The tire is 100% fine and was pumped to 100lbs even. All I have to say is if it was a clincher I'd be roasted...instant blowout and sketchy return to a stop if I was very talented and lucky. Check out the pics and note the pristine tire :) Amazing ain't it? The county is going to get a really really scarey photo in the mail monday with a letter that starts "F" you, strong letter to follow :rolleyes:

Friends don't let friends ride clinchers.

[William]

So you thought all the talk about tubulars being safer was BS?
Take a gander of what happened today...on the way to the forum.
I was finishing a ride with friends when on the last descent I was following 20 feet back traveling close to 40mph and heard my pal Winn yelling...looked in time to see a 12 foot wide by 12 foot 6 inch deep road repair in progress...sharp 6 inch drop to concrete and a 6 inch lip. I choose life and lofted the bike to get over the first lip and yanked the fr. wheel up to get over the second lip sacrificing the rear...it was tooooo HS to control two hops that fast. The impact crushed the Zipp Pave and left the tire intact. The tire is 100% fine and was pumped to 100lbs even. All I have to say is if it was a clincher I'd be roasted...instant blowout and sketchy return to a stop if I was very talented and lucky. Check out the pics and note the pristine tire :) Amazing ain't it? The county is going to get a really really scarey photo in the mail monday with a letter that starts "F" you, strong letter to follow :rolleyes:

Friends don't let friends ride clinchers.

Glad you're ok big dude. :beer: I've been there before on a clincher and lived to tell about. Scarey would a coulda. Your belief in tubies has served you well my son. Now, GO GET THE COUNTY PLANNERS AND ROAD CREW!!! :butt: The rest of Team Titan has your back bro.


William

[coylifut]

so as I understand it, you lifted your front wheel over the far edge of the pit, but the rear wheel didn't clear and trashed your Zip? That looks expensive. I'm glad you didn't go down.

[catulle]

Great to know you're fine TT. I think you just made up my mind. I'm expecting a pair of Fulcrum wheels and I've been debating whether to switch my order from clinchers to tubies.

On the other hand, I have a set of Campy Neutron hubs from a set of wheels (tubulars) I wrecked. I've been trying to use the hubs but it is very difficult to find replacement rims for those hubs (26 and 28 spokes, if I recall correctly). Any ideas about silver tubular rims (I kind'a don't like black rims and spokes) I could use for these hubs?

[slowgoing]

Great story and glad to hear the good results.

I don't descend anything fast that I haven't climbed the same day for exactly this reason. Too many new hazards that arise on a daily basis.

[Fixed]

bro stuff happens when you ride a lot. the main thing is you came home safe and sound . cheers banzai :beer:

[Sandy]

Actually, the reason that you didn't crash was 15 percent the tires and 85 percent your superior bike handling skills. Think about it. I just did.


Superior Sewup Sandy

[slowgoing]

Actually, the reason that you didn't crash was 15 percent the tires and 85 percent your superior bike handling skills. Think about it. I just did.

True. You could have endo'd if you hadn't hopped your front wheel.

[Too Tall]

What slowgoing said. Lofted the bike to clear the first lip than yanked the fr. wheel up to clear the second lip and let the rear wheel "take it". Ouch what a sick feeling. Queen just came home, took a look at the wheel and got a bit v'klept. I am lucky. Gonna send some $$s the charity today.

[Grant McLean]

TooTall,

1 down, 8 more to go?

-g

[pdonk]

.... Now, GO GET THE COUNTY PLANNERS AND ROAD CREW!!! :butt: The rest of Team Titan has your back bro.


William

Actually it would be the public works / engineering department, not the planning department that would be responsible for road work. As a planner, we get blamed for everything because we are the only ones that answer our phones.

[William]

Actually it would be the public works / engineering department, not the planning department that would be responsible for road work. As a planner, we get blamed for everything because we are the only ones that answer our phones.

You're just tryin to throw us off the trail. I'm on to you....expect us when you least expect us.....because no one expects the Spanish Team Titan. Well, they will be wearing orange and kind off stick out like a sore thumb. Maybe we should pick out a different color? Maybe gray or gold with yellow pipeing? Red with blue panels might be nice. Maybe matching bibs and sticks with yellow handles? Yes, that would be nice too. Do you think we should have matching Brikos or Rudy Projects? Good point, we can't forget the gloves. Silver with red knuckles....hey, were did he go..... :confused:



William :rolleyes: ;)

[jeffg]

hey, I am willing to learn about tubs.

My reservations are #1 I am not mechanically inclined)and #2 what do you do when you get a flat and then have a technical descent ahead of you on the way home with a tubie that is not fully glued? I have flatted with many climbs/descents ahead on an organized ride so it is not just a theoretical question.

TT: Good job with the bike handling -- you rock! Sorry about the wheel, though ...

[vaxn8r]

You ride more carefully...

It's not like the the new tire wants to roll right off but you will have to take your time on any corner or descent.

[OldDog]

Glad your safe as that could have been really ugly.

No "road work ahead" signs warning of this? I hope you got on the phone with the cops before anyone else gets nailed, a soccer mom in a mnivan with a load of kids, or a trailer full of chickens on thier last ride to be slaughtered, or a flatbed loaded with nuclear warheads, or...... :rolleyes:

[catulle]

hey, I am willing to learn about tubs.

My reservations are #1 I am not mechanically inclined)and #2 what do you do when you get a flat and then have a technical descent ahead of you on the way home with a tubie that is not fully glued? I have flatted with many climbs/descents ahead on an organized ride so it is not just a theoretical question.

TT: Good job with the bike handling -- you rock! Sorry about the wheel, though ...

1- There is nothing "mechanical" about gluing a tubular to a rim. Maybe a little messy like gluing an envelope with white glue but with time the job gets tidier.

2- You should not have any problems with the spare tubular, but if you are overly concerned you can always carry a little tube of glue with you. I was once bludgeoned on this forum for insinuating the possibility of adding glue to the tubie while on the road, but if I don't mind doing it I don't see why someone else would if I do.

3- Tubulars are way cool and worth all the gluing hassle.

[Kevan]

with those willies for a couple days, now ain't it? Scary stuff indeed.

It never ceases to amazing how our instinct seems to take over with fractions of seconds to spare to pull our sorry asses out of oblivion. I had a similar event happen to me a couple seasons ago, but I was lucky to have it happen on the lower end of a steep downhill. I fortunately had enough speed and hill drop to clear a 6-8’ pavement cut out. Best dang bunny hop I ever did, but the rest of the ride was spoilt with the case of willies.

Good move TT.

[keno]

I take it that this isn't the time to tell you that I'm picking up some Mich Pro Race clinchers today from my guy Danny for $28 per? Nor the time to bring up OLM blowing a clincher at 50mph on Reed's Gap last year and hopping around to tell?

As a big cat, you get 18 well deserved lives. Enjoy them all. Like your $$, the lines should cross at your last breath.

keno

[chrisroph]

TT-Glad you made it ok, sounds like one of those reactive moments that are real scary in retrospect.

[Too Tall]

Thanks guys and THANKS for the extra lives Keno I plan to pass them on to someone more deserving.

Whever posted regards worrrying about riding a spare after chainging on the road. Well, like the man said...the tire really does not want to pop off and if you maintain a nice sticky base on that spare you will be fine to take corners like a tourist...NOT EL Falcon ok? You'll be fine.

PS - For whatever reason this "incident" did not rattle me. I had my cornering mojo intact at todays race. Go figure?