Tubular Question

[jblande]

About to purchase my first pair of tubulars. After going back and forth, I'm going to give them a try. I know what tires and wheels, just wanted some advice on learning to glue.

I have been studying the Park Tool site, because I have had good experiences with other projects.

Anywhere else I should look for advice or instructions.

Thanks in advance.

JBL

[false_Aest]

weight weenies and across the hall.

[dancinkozmo]

http://www.velocipedesalon.com/forum/content.php?12-How-To-Gluing-CX-Tubulars-Not-tonight-honey-I-ve-got-a-Mastik-1-headache

[KJMUNC]

http://www.velocipedesalon.com/forum/content.php?12-How-To-Gluing-CX-Tubulars-Not-tonight-honey-I-ve-got-a-Mastik-1-headache

+1 on the flux brushes and syringe technique. Once you do it once you'll laugh at how easy it is....sure it takes some time and prep, but it's worth it.

[fogrider]

the important things to have are gloves, toe straps and old toothbrushes. gloves are great, you don't want to get glue on your hands...its just a pain to get off. you need to put a layer of glue on the tire and old toothbrushes are great for this. to mount the tire on the rim, the toe strap is a must. toe straps can be pulled tight with one hand and then you can work the tire from one side. good luck.

[PhatMatt]

This is a bomb-proof method that I have used on both 'cross wheels/tires as well as road.

http://cyclocrossworld.com/Tech.cfm?Action=Edit&MenuKey=3&theKey=46&ShowDisabled=0

[oldpotatoe]

This is a bomb-proof method that I have used on both 'cross wheels/tires as well as road.

http://cyclocrossworld.com/Tech.cfm?Action=Edit&MenuKey=3&theKey=46&ShowDisabled=0

Good article but forget about the tubular tape..not needed.

[retrogrouchy]

Goo Gone works great for removing tire glue from your hands (and it works great for a zillion other 'sticky situations' as well).

[jblande]

Thank you all for the helpful links and suggestions.

Giving it a go.

[paczki]

Most important thing. Stretch and inflate hard on a stretching rim after you apply glue to base tape. I use duct tape on the stretcher rim to stop the tire from sticking.

[Ozz]

here is the method I use:

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showpost.php?p=450&postcount=6

From "theoldman"

Quality tubular tires are great to ride on. Cheap ones are not worth considering.

Gluing a tire on a rim is not hard at all, but it does take more time than installing a clincher. Ther first time you mount a pair of tubulars on a new set of wheels, it could take days instead of an hour.

Step 1. Prestretch tire on rim (30 minutes to do, wait 2 days).
Step 2. Remove tire, clean rim, put down a layer of glue on rim, wait a day.
Step 3. Put down another layer of glue on rim, wait a day.
Step 4. Put down another layer of glue on rim, a thin layer of glue on tire, wait 45 minutes.
Step 4. Stretch tire onto rim. Inflate to 30/40 psi. Straighten tire on rim.
Step 5. Inflate tire to 120psi. Wait 12 hours.
Step 6. Go ride.

The likelyhood of getting a flat on the road with a quality tubular is about the same as with a quality clincher, or less. But if you get a flat, you remove the old tire, strech on your spare, pump it up (CO2 is fine) and ride away. Total time to change a tire, less than 5 minutes.

The only gotcha in the process is that getting the old tire off. It can be difficult at times. It helps if you have a plastic tire lever to help you get the first part of the tire off. Once you get the tire off in one spot, the rest comes off without a problem.

After installing the spare, you do not have the luxury of riding like a maniac. While the tire will be fine for riding, descending the alps through a series of switchbacks at full speed will get you into trouble! The tire is secure, but it is not as secure as a properly glued tire.

When you get home, take off the spare and glue it on properly. I have ridden a spare without properly doing the re-glue for a month. Not recommened, but I did not have a problem either.


Unlike most people, my spare tire is always a new (or semi-new), but pre-stretched/glued tire. The way I figure it, if I do flat, I want to have new rubber on the road, not an old tire. I can count on one hand how often I have had to change a tire on the road and I have been riding tubulars on and off since '74. But if I am going on a very long ride, I will also include a patch kit. Patching a tubular tire on the road is not fun, but it can be done in less than 30 minutes if necessary. In all my years of riding, it has never happened that I have had two flats on tubulars on the same ride, but I assume it could happen.


I always fix my tires if they flat unless they are old. It takes less than 30 minutes to patch a tubular.


I am currently using Continental Competition tubulars. They are a dependable tire that rides very well. They are a PITA to mount when they are new. But after they are stretched, they are a joy to use. One of the nice things about them is that they do not lose air presssure like some of the other tubulars. Most tubulars use latex tubes, which are great, but they lose air pressure very quickly. At least with the conti's, the pressure holds for a number of days.

In today's world, tubulars are a luxury item. You need the luxury of time and the econmic means to purchase quality tires and mount them. If you have little money and little time for the rituals of mounting tubulars, you are best to stay away. But if you can afford the time and money to set up a bike with quality tubular tires, you will be rewarded with a great ride, grins and easy on road tire changes.


A good web posting on the subject can be found at :
http://www.bsn.com/Cycling/tubulars.html

A tubular and clincher rider.

[djg]

I think that the Park site is pretty good. Basically, start clean, work clean, and thin even coats that really go edge-to-edge, and are allowed properly to dry (especially the first layer) and all should be fine. And pre-stretching tires can make a huge difference -- something like a conti comp can be a nightmare out of the box, and basically fine to mount if properly pre-stretched.

As for tools -- nitrile gloves and a truing stand are invaluable; flux brushes or a tooth brush can be useful , although they're really not necessary

[oldpotatoe]

Most important thing. Stretch and inflate hard on a stretching rim after you apply glue to base tape. I use duct tape on the stretcher rim to stop the tire from sticking.

Why not stretch before gluing, like most do?

I donno, I have been gluing on tubies for over 2 decades, for myself and hundreds of customers, use them everyday and it really isn't such a big deal. Takes about 30 minutes(after the tire is stretched). Really no need to wait days to let things dry with todays tubie glue. But if you glue, then wait 24 hours, then glue then wait another day, use glue and tubie tape, etc.....if that works for you, groovy.

[paczki]

Why not stretch before gluing, like most do?

I donno, I have been gluing on tubies for over 2 decades, for myself and hundreds of customers, use them everyday and it really isn't such a big deal. Takes about 30 minutes(after the tire is stretched). Really no need to wait days to let things dry with todays tubie glue. But if you glue, then wait 24 hours, then glue then wait another day, use glue and tubie tape, etc.....if that works for you, groovy.

For the first time you do it yourself it's good to have it stretched after you apply the glue because the glue contracts the base tape. Otherwise you have to stretch the tire hard while navigating it onto the rim, trying to seat it, etc.

BTW I should have added, I use Contis. This may not be so necessary with other tires.

[regularguy412]

For the first time you do it yourself it's good to have it stretched after you apply the glue because the glue contracts the base tape. Otherwise you have to stretch the tire hard while navigating it onto the rim, trying to seat it, etc.

BTW I should have added, I use Contis. This may not be so necessary with other tires.

I use Contis also. It is good to note that normally, Contis fit TIGHT! Pre-stretching (for me) has always been a prerequisite.

Mike in AR:beer:

[oldpotatoe]

For the first time you do it yourself it's good to have it stretched after you apply the glue because the glue contracts the base tape. Otherwise you have to stretch the tire hard while navigating it onto the rim, trying to seat it, etc.

BTW I should have added, I use Contis. This may not be so necessary with other tires.

Ok but it's not that hard to get a Conti(what I sell the most) onto the stretching rim before gluing. Get it on, inflate to the max psi, let sit a day or so, take off, glue....

[paczki]

Ok but it's not that hard to get a Conti(what I sell the most) onto the stretching rim before gluing. Get it on, inflate to the max psi, let sit a day or so, take off, glue....

If you know what you are doing, which you obviously do. But the glue really contracts the base tape, and if you don't know what your doing it makes it tough. If you're not strapped for time why not just make it easier on yourself and stretch the tire after you initially soak the base tape with glue?

[oldpotatoe]

If you know what you are doing, which you obviously do. But the glue really contracts the base tape, and if you don't know what your doing it makes it tough. If you're not strapped for time why not just make it easier on yourself and stretch the tire after you initially soak the base tape with glue?

In spite of beating this horse some more. It takes more time to wrap duct tape onto a rim to prevent it from sticking than getting the tire on the stretch rim. Valve in hole, pull dooowwwnnn on the tire hard, hard, pop the very last bit onto the rim....air lots, wait about a day or so.....

Take it off, glue on tire-rim-tire-rim-tire...let dry about 30 minutes, glue onto rim, mount same way as when stretching...center, air, wait 24 hours-go ride. How I've been doin' it for 25 years, for myself and lots 'o customers.

[peanutgallery]

Or you could just run clinchers of quality. There, I said it.

Most of us aren't getting any any younger and we should enjoy certain simplicities. Futzing around with tubulars is about as desirable to me as a harpoon in the back of the head.

Rode tubulars for years: planned, pre-bought, aged, stretched, glued, patched, cleaned and so on. Under the stairs was a corsa cx humidor. Had dozens of wheels and killed plenty of brain cells with the fumes, latex gloves weren't cool back then. Then one day someone showed up on the ride with a uality set of clinchers, I was sold. Bought a set of Open 4 Cd's and the nicest Michelins in about 1993 and I haven't looked back. Using clinchers did not hasten the demise of my racing "career". They were light enough, rolled OK and handled just fine. Had my share of success and failure, none of which could be attributed to clinchers or tubulars.

I kind of miss them, in a nostalgic way, but that is about it. I remember toe clips and wool shorts, but I can't say that I miss them enough to dig them out. Tubulars were a bit lighter and what not, but way more time consuming to maintain. If I took in an exchange student and their sole purpose was to maintain working sets of tubular wheels for me, then that would be another story. Until then...clinchers it is.

[peanutgallery]

PS: after watching people screw around with ghetto tubeless ATB tires, I still use tubes and clincher tires on those bikes, too.

[retrogrouchy]

Tubulars get fewer flats (on an apples-to-apples basis), and the good ones are superior to even the best 'clincher' tires, plus they're significantly lighter when you weigh the complete wheel sytem. And that's rotating mass. It's no contest, really. Folks that poop all over tubulars usually either haven't used them, or used cheap ones and (naturally) had problems, or used ones that were way too skinny/light for their body weight and road conditions. It's unfortunate that many never even try them due to incorrect assumptions based on hearsay. Those folks really miss one of the best things about cycling, in my opinion.

[retrogrouchy]

Oops - double-posted. Sorry.