shellac for track tires...

[tbushnel]

Just wondering if using shellac to apply track tubular tires is a useful skill to try and learn. Mostly I am wondering is that a very useful thing to consider doing assuming one is only a recreational track racer and never going to be going for records (other than personal bests).

I sense that it is a lot of work and may not be worth the hassel in a case like mine.

Now I will get back to work. :)
Cheers,
ted.

[11.4]

No, you don't want to learn how. There's a reason trackies stopped using it as soon as better glues came along. You have to get your rim and tires immaculately clean. Latex on the tire (even small amounts) is an absolute no-no. The stuff is very flammable and any rags with even a small amount of shellac solution are an exercise in spontaneous combustion. You can't just use Zinsser's Shellac in a tin -- you have to make your own from anhydrous ethanol (unless you prefer anhydrous methanol on your skin and in your lungs) and hope that your solid flake shellac isn't contaminated so it doesn't harden up properly. The alcohol absorbs water if not kept perfectly sealed with no air space available (and you just pour out a little bit each time you need it), at which point it doesn't work properly as a glue any longer. And while the shellac dries quite quickly, you have to put 10-15 coats on the rim and 4-5 on the tire to make it work like it's supposed to -- quite a commitment of time unless you're doing several wheels at a time.

In addition, it doesn't necessarily work well on carbon rims. It also creates a very tenacious bond but not one that heals itself -- as a result if it pulls free, it's all over. In contrast, regular Vittoria Mastik One may separate slightly faster but will then reseal as soon as the separated area moves past the contact patch on the tire.

I still shellac tires from time to time, but I can assure you it isn't worth the hassle.

[tbushnel]

put the last nail in the cofffin for me. Good, now I can worry about other things... like riding my bike.
:beer:
ted

[cadence231]

Now, as Swoop would say, that is the practice of one "Dark arts" of cycling.http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m131/cadence220/064.gif

[mister]

don't the steher and motor pace guy still shellac their tires????

[11.4]

don't the steher and motor pace guy still shellac their tires????

It varies. Some old-school steyer mechanics do shellac the tires. However, this is part of a process for that specific application where they then wrap shellac-soaked strips of silk around the tire and rim and allow it basically to glue everything together. This is to ensure that the tire absolutely positively will never come off the rim. This is the reason why tires like the Conti Steher are still made all of natural cotton and are as big as they are. Tread is secondary because you are actually riding on shellac-impregnated silk for most of the tire. Speeds are extremely fast but you don't really sprint in this event so this approach works pretty well. I assure you, the tires look weird as heck, and after you've handled such a wrapped front wheel you have to go wash your hands in alcohol because they stick to everything -- it's a mess. Ride over a piece of paper on the apron and you pick it up on your tire -- nutty. The hot glue for steyer wheels these days is neoprene cement -- it glues so hard you have to cut the tire in pieces to get it off, but you end up with a really good wheel for this purpose.