Question for fellow tubular aficionados

[merckx]

Screwdrivers to remove tubs?

Yikes.

[El Chaba]

You have to be able to get a tubular off without destroying it because a nice used tubular that is not yet worn out but is stretched a little for easy mounting and has glue residue left on the base tape is exactly what you need to use as a spare. I understand destroying an FMB or a Challenge as the basetapes on those tires separate spontaneously.....but you should be able to get some of the other mentioned...Veloflex, Michelin, Mavic, Vitoria. There is definitely a technique to removing a tire. Make sure you push from the lowest part possible. In applying pressure, think slow and steady and not like an impact wrench. Pause from one side and break a little bond and then move to the opposite side. Eventually you will get some daylight under the tire. Work that section to each side. After you get a small section off, you will be able to pull from the bottom, and the rest of the tire removal will be much easier.

[robt57]

Originally Posted by merckx

Screwdrivers to remove tubs?

Yikes.

Never touches the rim... You pull toward the tire lifting as you rotate the driver. Have also used a round alloy 5-6mm tube i have, but easier to clean the steel screw driver shaft ive found.

Technically not removing the tub, rather breaking the adhesion/bond and it comes right off.

Note i never said or implied 'pry'...

[El Chaba]

I think that I am pretty critical of tubular glue jobs, and that includes my own. Having said that, this might be one of those areas where people are often on their own for figuring out what works. In the end, they see some set of instructions for gluing that are directed toward securing low psi cyclocross tubulars or something like that and they end up attempting to create a bond that will survive the apocalypse. I think it might have been Jobst Brandt who once pointed out that THEORETICALLY one could descend a mountain road with switchbacks with an UNGLUED tubular and you would be fine....UNLESS you encountered a piece of debris or an irregularity that lifted the tire from the road so that when full contact was restored that process would side load the tire....and trouble could ensue. That is one of the major reasons that tubular mastik is gummy. It is resistant to that sort of an impact in dislodging a tire while yielding to much lower but constant pressure to allow removal. Anybody using tubulars should take the opportunity to go to a big pro race early sometime so that you can seek out the mechanics working and watch exactly how they glue the tires for their riders. So the tire needs to be securely glued but it doesn’t need to be become one with the wheel.

[Tz779]

This is the correct answer 👇🏼

Originally Posted by El Chaba

You have to be able to get a tubular off without destroying it because a nice used tubular that is not yet worn out but is stretched a little for easy mounting and has glue residue left on the base tape is exactly what you need to use as a spare. I understand destroying an FMB or a Challenge as the basetapes on those tires separate spontaneously.....but you should be able to get some of the other mentioned...Veloflex, Michelin, Mavic, Vitoria. There is definitely a technique to removing a tire. Make sure you push from the lowest part possible. In applying pressure, think slow and steady and not like an impact wrench. Pause from one side and break a little bond and then move to the opposite side. Eventually you will get some daylight under the tire. Work that section to each side. After you get a small section off, you will be able to pull from the bottom, and the rest of the tire removal will be much easier.

[glepore]

Its why I miss Fastack. Never rolled a tire, but could remove them without damage. Vittoria cement, not so much. I like the phillips screwdriver idea above, but need to start it with a sharp knife.

[Viewer]

Peeling tubulars from alloy rims is dead easy. Carbonsports Lightweights is difficult. Madfiber (for those that still have them) is hard but not as bad as carbonsports. Campagnolo Boras (24.5mm) not so bad. For truly stuck tubulars, a little turpentine works wonders on the bond. It is what I use to separate the base tape from the tire when actually repairing a puncture. Mastik to rebond base tape after repair and appropriate degassing.

Yes, tubular puncture repairs are not only possible but relatively easy with the right tools. Turps, scalpel, suture needle, needle nose pliers, thread, time. Whether that is worth it is up to you, but a nice FMB or Dugast deserves a little extra effort. You paid enough for them. Make it count.

[smontanaro]

I'm in the merckx camp. I've yet to roll a tire on the road (but see below) and somehow manage to be able to remove them without damage, though Viewer's comment about alloy v carbon is a key point. All my rims are alloy.

A common bit of advice when gluing is to leave the space between the two holes opposite the valve stem clear of glue. I only remember to do this on the rim about half the time, and never remember that when applying glue to the basetape, or rather, I remember just after I've passed the halfway point of the exercise. So, that one spot is a bit less tightly adhered than the rest of the rim.

The one tire I rolled was one of a pair of used Dugast CX tires I purchased at a swap meet. (The tread was in great shape. IMO fine tubulars are too nice to waste, even if they require some work.) One tire had a leak, easily fixed with some sealant. The other tire was a mess. The basetape had partly separated and the stitching of the casing had torn in one spot. After repairing all that, I mounted them on one of my bikes and went out to the local park for some testing. Having never ridden CX tires before, I probably hasn't inflated the tire enough and rolled the front off the rim on a hairpin turn. I was going about 1mph at the time. I reinstalled it, pumped it back up and continued (carefully) with my ride. When I got home, I checked things out and reglued the tire. It's been fine on the few other rides (always at the park, just messing around).

This thread offers evidence to explain why that one tire was in such bad shape when I got it.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by CAAD

What is everyone doing with tubulars that they feel the need to rip them off? Once I glue on a tire I don't plan on removing it until I see cords.

'Some' of us repair their tubulars. As mentioned, I use a round dull screw driver, get under the tire and roll the screw driver around to get the tire off.

BUT, as I saw about 3 days ago..gent brought me a set of tubies to check the true of the wheel..after done, I 'checked' and the tire came off with ohh so little thumb pressure..so....his 'glue' job...

Yes, tubular puncture repairs are not only possible but relatively easy with the right tools. Turps, scalpel, suture needle, needle nose pliers, thread, time

I use a 'seam ripper', waxed dental floss, carpet needle and ya GOTTA have a thimble..

[jc031699]

Originally Posted by El Chaba

You have to be able to get a tubular off without destroying it because a nice used tubular that is not yet worn out but is stretched a little for easy mounting and has glue residue left on the base tape is exactly what you need to use as a spare. I understand destroying an FMB or a Challenge as the basetapes on those tires separate spontaneously.....but you should be able to get some of the other mentioned...Veloflex, Michelin, Mavic, Vitoria. There is definitely a technique to removing a tire. Make sure you push from the lowest part possible. In applying pressure, think slow and steady and not like an impact wrench. Pause from one side and break a little bond and then move to the opposite side. Eventually you will get some daylight under the tire. Work that section to each side. After you get a small section off, you will be able to pull from the bottom, and the rest of the tire removal will be much easier.

Yes and always pull to the side at right angles to the direction of the rim bed, toward either one brake track or the other, and not directly away from the rim bed to break the bond and avoid pulling carbon fiber strips out of the rim bed.


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[EDS]

Originally Posted by El Chaba

You have to be able to get a tubular off without destroying it because a nice used tubular that is not yet worn out but is stretched a little for easy mounting and has glue residue left on the base tape is exactly what you need to use as a spare. I understand destroying an FMB or a Challenge as the basetapes on those tires separate spontaneously.....but you should be able to get some of the other mentioned...Veloflex, Michelin, Mavic, Vitoria. There is definitely a technique to removing a tire. Make sure you push from the lowest part possible. In applying pressure, think slow and steady and not like an impact wrench. Pause from one side and break a little bond and then move to the opposite side. Eventually you will get some daylight under the tire. Work that section to each side. After you get a small section off, you will be able to pull from the bottom, and the rest of the tire removal will be much easier.

This is my approach. When I replace my tubulars, if one of the old tires has a little life left I will try and keep it in one piece to use as my spare for the season.

[Viewer]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

...ya GOTTA have a thimble..

Yep. Missed that one. Has to be a metal one, too. My suture needles are larger veterinary type. Nice triangular section. Sometimes you have to thread a new hole rather than go through an existing one. The suture needle makes that easy.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Viewer

Yep. Missed that one. Has to be a metal one, too. My suture needles are larger veterinary type. Nice triangular section. Sometimes you have to thread a new hole rather than go through an existing one. The suture needle makes that easy.

Yup, I use a 'carpet' needle..a 3 sided one as well..

[Viewer]

How do you separate the base tape? Turps works for me. I use citrus terpene because it damn smells great, plus 'cuts' better than mineral turps.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Viewer

How do you separate the base tape? Turps works for me. I use citrus terpene because it damn smells great, plus 'cuts' better than mineral turps.

I use a small needle nose, get under the edge and just pull it off the tire. Hardest part is sometimes finding the hole as I only pull off a section at the hole..open tire up(seam ripper)..pull out a section of tube, patch like any tube..stuff back in and sew up..I use a 'chain stitch', again, with waxed dental floss..makes getting it thru the holes easier plus VERY strong.

I reglue the base tape using tubie glue. Panaracer my favorite("Take a trip w/o leaving the farm")..use in well ventilated space.

NOT tedious(well, finding the hole can be)..very 'zen like'..patching a tubular.

Couple 'yes but'..I use Orange seal in my tubies..I have had VERY few punctures after I started doing this. If the hole is small..sealant seals..If the hole is so big that it doesn't..probably can't patch since the goop makes getting the patch to adhere really hard.