Tubulars ?

[jmullen0401]

Been ridin a few years, back in the 80's I had a set of tubulars. They rode great, but the glue and mounting and dismounting was no fun. I was hanging out at the local bike shop and they told me about the new tape you can use now instead of the glue. Any body have any experience with this ??

http://www.doityourselfbicyclerepair.com

[zmudshark]

Great the first time. When you have to change a tire, not so great.

I like glue. It's not that hard to do.

[rwsaunders]

great the first time. When you have to change a tire, not so great. I like glue. It's not that hard to do.

+1.

[jmullen0401]

It sounded like the tape would be cleaner and easier? no

[shovelhd]

Maybe, for the first time. The problem comes when you have to remove it. It's much easier to remove glue.

[ultraman6970]

+1 here too...
+1.

[ultraman6970]

Works too good, tape was made for the paranoids that had the bad custom of dropping like 1 glue tube per wheel and then they end up with glue even in their butt crack :D

Tape is super nice and clean but god saves you at the time you have to remove the tire, at least with the 1st generation of tufo tape (happened to me) at the time of removing the tubular for x or y reason almost 2000000% the tape of the tubular was going to get stuck in the glue. That's not good. I read the last generations of tufo tape were not as sticky as the original one, not intentions to find it out :D

To me at least, is better just use glue, if you know what are you doing you barely will get the hands with the glue.

It sounded like the tape would be cleaner and easier? no

[tmf]

Look up some of the videos on youtube and find some of the step-by-step instructions for gluing tubulars. The basic points I use are: Vittoria Mastik glue, "acid brushes" to spread the glue and I have a cheap, old truing stand that helps a lot. When you get the procedure down, it really isn't too bad.

[ultraman6970]

Noticed that nitrile gloves work awesome too. Curiously the glue is not that sticky with that material because it dries super fast.

[fogrider]

as others have said, glue is not so hard. the key for me is using old toothbrushes to spread the glue, latex gloves and leather toe strap to help mount the tire (a strap holds one end of the tire and keeps it from slipping). I like to use tape on carbon rims and after a flat, I leave base tape on and add glue. makes cleaning glue off the rim much easier.

[oldpotatoe]

Been ridin a few years, back in the 80's I had a set of tubulars. They rode great, but the glue and mounting and dismounting was no fun. I was hanging out at the local bike shop and they told me about the new tape you can use now instead of the glue. Any body have any experience with this ??

http://www.doityourselfbicyclerepair.com

The only advantage to tape is you can mount and ride immediately BUT downsides are a-many, as has been mentioned. A can of Mastik or Panaracer, a wee solvent brush..doing it all is no big deal. In spite of the clincher tire/tubeless 'market-speak', nice tubulars ride better than anything on a bike. BUT you gotta decide if the extra stuff is 'worth' it to you. It is for me. I see NO compelling reason to use clinchers..And I glue, 'say no to tape'..

[thwart]

Great the first time. When you have to change a tire, not so great.

I like glue. It's not that hard to do.

Yep. I'll never forget changing my first taped tubie flat. Thank god it wasn't a carbon rim…

Can of glue, flux brushes, gloves, 30-45 minutes.

And if you flat (less likely than a clincher tire, and even less if you put in some sealant) you can actually change the tire in less time than you think.

[velomonkey]

I'm having issues reconciling what it being said

I've used tape a few times on my carbon Mavic Ultimates - gotten a few flats - it's no big deal to get it off. Maybe a bit harder, but not much.

The way I use tape now is to mount the tires at home with Glue and then if I get a flat on the ride mount the spare with tape. My spare bag is tape, Co2 I ride that in my jersey and then put the spare tire under my seat.

I've never had issues with Tufo tape being hard to peel a tire off and I've been using it for 4 years now.

[Little Bill]

What is not been said is how much rolling resistance the tape adds vs glue. Al Morrison has done a bunch of testing. Google is your friend.

[seleniak]

Tried Tufo tape when it first came out on a set of carbon rims. Easy to install tires, never had a problem getting the tire off, but it was absolutely evil to get the plastic and adhesive residue off the carbon rim if you decide to go back to glue.

[Jaq]

What is not been said is how much rolling resistance the tape adds vs glue. Al Morrison has done a bunch of testing. Google is your friend.

And clinchers have even less RR than tubulars, upwards of 40% in some comparisons. And yet the pros - for the most part - still ride tubulars glued with Mastik. Honestly, the RR of Tufo tape - or even tubulars overall - isn't such that it's going to make a whit of difference to 99.999% of the riders here, or elsewhere.

There have been too many tests in which two equal riders, one on high-end carbon, the other on steel (or Al or Ti) will stay together (when riding together). The reason has everything to do with human psychology, and little to do with the actual tech.

I ride tubulars because a) I've been riding them since the '80s and b) because I recently got myself a fixie with clinchers and have been plagued with flats; something like 4 in six months. Anecdotal, perhaps, but in my recent experience, clinchers suck.

I use mastik when I can, but I've used tape in a pinch (which is what it's ideal for). Both work just fine.

[rnhood]

Disagree, I like clinchers and will stick with them. However, I do agree that human psychology is easy prey for marketing. Data in a lab may be factual and real, but it doesn't necessarily carry over to the road. Fact is, anyone that can beat you on tubulars or clinchers, will also beat you on the other. Same with box/deep dish wheels, aero/non-aero frames, old heavy/new lightweight frames, etc. Comfort rules and should be the priority in my opinion. That said, my tubulars with Veloflex tires ride and feel very nice but I am more comfortable riding clinchers since I can change a flat in about 3 minutes and be back on the road. Easy as cutting cake. Another person might think the same with tubulars and more power to them. Whatever you're comfortable with is good.