Gumwalls: Love em or Leave Em?

[pjmsj21]

I have been riding Veloflex Arenbergs which I have really liked. I am now thinking of going with the Veloflex Valeenderen which is a gumwall. Are gumwalls difficult to keep looking reasonably good? They will be going on a Serotta Concours with Hed Belgium rims, all black. Thoughts?

[jpritchet74]

I have gumwalls on one of my bikes and I LOVE the look.

KarlC mentioned in this post that he uses https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MAZJJDW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

in this post https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=231447&page=8

to seal the sidewalls on his Vlaanderens.

That's what I will do when I get some new gumwall tires.

[Blown Reek]

Not to hijack, but how do the Vlaanderens size? Is the 27 more like a 25, in true Veloflex fashion?

[wtex]

They are a true 27

[Clean39T]

But now come in 28, so they are probably a true 28..

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[pjmsj21]

But now come in 28, so they are probably a true 28..

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Hmmm anyone have experience with them fitting on a Serotta F3 fork or the typical rear triangle?

[berserk87]

I don't hate gumwalls, but I certainly don't get the appeal of them.

I've never cared how my tires look.

[XXtwindad]

I have been riding Veloflex Arenbergs which I have really liked. I am now thinking of going with the Veloflex Valeenderen which is a gumwall. Are gumwalls difficult to keep looking reasonably good? They will be going on a Serotta Concours with Hed Belgium rims, all black. Thoughts?

I think certain gunwalls look fantastic. The WTB Resolutes come to mind. Paired with black rims (like the HEDS) I think they look even better.

In my opinion, the gunwalls clash with certain frame colors. The eye doesn't know where to focus. Generally not a concern for me, because I like very subdued frame colors or unpainted (raw Ti).

[froze]

Gum wall tires are traditionally on more classic style bikes if that matters.

Cleaning wise there is more work involved than black for obvious reasons you are about to learn. The best thing to try first is Dawn for Dishes (citrus might be better than non citrus for this job, but non citrus is better for cleaning your chain) soap, remove the wheel and the tire, put some of the soap on a wet nylon bristle brush found at most local auto parts places and start scrubbing, then rinse. If that doesn't work then that means you waited too long to clean them and the gum walls are now stained, so the best product to use at that point is found at your local car parts store that sells Black Magic stuff, it's called Black Magic Bleche-Wite...no I did not misspell that! follow the directions because it is a bit caustic so you need to wear rubber gloves and eye protection which means you don't want it to set on aluminum, stainless steel or carbon fiber at all so it's best to remove the wheels from the bike first, then remove the tires and clean them away from the all the bike stuff. Once you sprayed the tire with the stuff then use a nylon bristled brush, also found at the auto parts places, and scrub the tire. It you wait to long to clean them you may have to do it twice, but usually only one treatment is all that's needed, once done scrubbing rinse off the tires well.

Have fun with your gum wall tires!!

[dddd]

When did "gum wall" come to mean any tire with a tan sidewall?

[kramnnim]

I hate how they look on anything that looks remotely modern

[GOTHBROOKS]

gumwalls kick ass.

[Kirk007]

Vlanndarens at least to my butt ride very differently than arenbergs. Much more volume. Can be better or worse depending on what you are looking for. Veloflex roubaix are more the tan sidewall equivalent of arenbergs.

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[macaroon]

The really thin tubulars on low profile rims from back in the day look alright on a retro rig.

The modern big fat clinchers look **** though, especially when combined with a deep alloy rim/brake track.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47039785494_e015710e6e_b.jpg

Would look so much better with some Conti GP4000s

[54ny77]

damn that's nice. :cool:

The really thin tubulars on low profile rims from back in the day look alright on a retro rig.

The modern big fat clinchers look **** though, especially when combined with a deep alloy rim/brake track.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47039785494_e015710e6e_b.jpg

Would look so much better with some Conti GP4000s

[Seramount]

pretty much of a hater on any tire that isn't black...

preferably dark black.

[Jmj2323]

Depends on the bike and the wheels, but I’m usually a big fan. This is my F10 with modern wheels, modern frame, and I think it look good. Breaks up all the black on black.

[Idris Icabod]

Depends on the bike and the wheels, but I’m usually a big fan. This is my F10 with modern wheels, modern frame, and I think it look good. Breaks up all the black on black.

I concur. This bike is the dog's danglies.

[FlashUNC]

Always tan sidewall.

[KarlC]

They can add color where needed

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7886/46573750295_b4ebcfa87d_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2dXyDmK)

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7909/33612365308_c39687c1d6_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/TddaaN)

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7915/33612367178_cb9de5b515_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/TddaJ3)

[johnniecakes]

Ditto for me, tires should be black, to my eyes tan sidwalls look like toys. But ride what you like, it's your bike to enjoy.

pretty much of a hater on any tire that isn't black...

preferably dark black.

[Dino Suegiù]

I know there are many fans, and to each their own etc., but on anything other than "true retro", which isn't my cup of tea, gumwalls look very odd and out of place to me, often even hideous especially on modern framesets and builds. Too strangely cute, in a way.

All-black, with the less graphics the better, seems like a good aesthetic for tires, to keep things simple. Color can be added in so many other places.

"Leave them" vote.

Veloflex Corsa, yes always; Veloflex Master, no never. ;)

[charliedid]

I'm struggling for the right answer.

[Spoker]

We,ve got > 100 year old technique (tubulars) on the most modern bikes.
Tan sidewalls just point to where we came from.

[bianchi10]

I was on the gumwall wagon for a long time. Though i still really like the look on certain bikes, I've found myself liking the all black tire more and more over the last year.

[tuscanyswe]

pretty much of a hater on any tire that isn't black...

preferably dark black.

Reminds me of an artist i really like:

[Tim Porter]

Gumwalls, the way God and Tullio meant them to be:

https://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a583/porterphoto1/IMG_2208_zpsypuqvf4c.jpg

[Tim Porter]

On the other hand, black can be nice . . . .

https://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a583/porterphoto1/IMG_2054_zps04b9dad8.jpg

[R3awak3n]

I hit em with goo gone every once in a while but I just ride em dirty most of the times

[thwart]

IMO, they look much better on rims with black brake tracks (not silver), and as someone mentioned best on classic configured frames.

They can make 28's (or larger tires) look not quite so huge. After all, a lot of us would rather not have our road bike look like an MTB.

For example...

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/3llfyk79h8467dk/lemond%203-19.jpg?dl=0

The difficult part is to avoid wearing off the anodization... :rolleyes:

[weisan]

I pretty much buy whatever that's on sale and if they come in tan, so be it, I will accept em' grudgingly instead of returning for a refund.

[Jmj2323]

Gumwalls on a Merckx Team SC and HED Belgiums pull it off.....

[bicycletricycle]

I like them clean but I make them too dirty. I sometimes use them on a nice weather only type bike. One rain ride and they are a mess

[Mike Bryant]

I liked the brown sidewalls of the old Continental Gran Prix and the threads that came (off) with them. Put them on, wash along with bike, and let them stain naturally with the rear tire always getting darker than the front. Size 23 of course. If you’re an old fart like me you’ll remember. Like 20+ years ago.
It was more about did they ride well and last long than how they looked.


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[Mzilliox]

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=204431
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4178/34469104645_9f970d55d0_h.jpg

[Morgul Bismark]

All my bikes have tan wall tires of some sort - including the Kirk posted earlier in this thread :banana:

Sometimes though I contemplate going black again just for the ease of care and consistent appearance in the longer term.

[rwsaunders]

https://i.imgur.com/KXjMcEHh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/XoU0yaeh.jpg

Blackwalls when she was first built and now wearing tan walls for the last 10,000 miles. I might try the black version (Raven) of the Vlaanderen if I can find them reasonably priced. Until then, this is what the doctor ordered.

[madsciencenow]

I don't hate gumwalls, but I certainly don't get the appeal of them.

I've never cared how my tires look.



...or your bike;)


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[retrofit]

Black walls/rims/spokes when sporting modern Campy.
Tan walls/silver rims & spokes when switched to vintage Campy:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47637853811_f052d58b53_z.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47593432732_059e26f5a6_z.jpg

[93KgBike]

I enjoy the photos of the bikes in both colors of shoe.

In the end, this question brings me back to another question: do I have the optimum number of tires/wheelsets for my n+1?

[mistermo]

Gumwalls!https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4034/35536355352_901dd163b3_b.jpg

[Mark McM]

When I started cycling, high performance clincher tires were only just starting to be developed. Back then, a "gumwall" tire meant a tire with a thick natural latex layer molded over the sidewalls (i.e., the sidewalls had a layer of gum rubber). These were the kind of tires found on balloon bikes and cruiser bikes (also found on the Schwinn Varsity, "The world's heaviest 'lightweight' bicycle"). The extra layer of rubber over the sidewalls made the tires tougher, but gave them a less compliant ride (which was mitigated by the fact that most gumwall tires were 1 1/4" wide and wider).

When high performance clincher tires were developed, they had "skinwalls". These tires didn't have an extra layer of rubber of rubber over the sidewall, and the casing had only enough latex mixed in to bind the casing threads together. Unlike gumwalls, you could actually see the casing threads on skinwalls (i.e, these tires had just a thin "skin" of latex on the threads). (Tubulars generally weren't referred to as "gumwalls" or "skinwalls", as nearly all tubulars didn't have an extra layer of latex bonded to the sidewall).

The tires being referred to in this thread as "gumwalls" would been referred to as "skinwalls" back in the '70s and '80s, and even into the '90s.

[MURDERF4CE]

Love me some gumwalls.

[Jmj2323]

Ok, new Panaracers Race D with gumwalls have potential to be my next everyday tire. Just saw them in an email from Excel Sports. They are a little darker so maybe easier to stay clean. I have had good luck with the Race A.

[AllanVarcoe]

Tan/gum walls and big cassettes. Me gusta! https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190520/a4eb5b3a5e04260b3cbecb1998210ce1.jpg

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[choke]

http://hampco.ciocctoo.com/cl2.JPG

[tony_mm]

Not a fan of the gumwalls at all.
This retro look belongs to bikes from the 80s or older.

[jacobslide]

The wider the tire, the better the gum wall! Bring 'em on!

[vincenz]

On the right frame with the right components, it looks great. Not for all builds though.

[jacobslide]

True, I love them especially on bare stainless or ti frames.

[TurboNate]

I am a little burnt out on the gumwall trend at the moment. Not only that but it's all over the place! There are manila walls, brown walls, tan walls, natural walls, colored walls, you name it, it's out there. Not to get me started on the colored treads that go along with it!. There was once a time where gumwalls were just that, cotton casing tires with a rubber tread glued on top.

Now that I got that off my chest, the Vittoria gumwall tubulars at the moment, the compass tires, and the panaracer pasela tires have to be the closest to the correct color sidewall in my opinion. The Gravel Kings are too brown, WTB's are kind of orange, and the Challenge (although made like listed above) have a yellow tint.

One more nuance I have is Gumwalls should only be used with silver spokes.