Tubular Survival Kit
There was never any question in my mind that tubulars are more romantic than clinchers, and as a Velominatus I was always convinced that the additional time and care that goes into gluing on a set of tires would make you feel just that much more connected to your bike and the history of the sport itself. I was skeptical, however, that tubs would ride noticeably better – and even if they did – whether they would prove to be too much of a hassle to make riding them worthwhile.
Two and a half years after building my first set of tubular wheels and gluing on a set of handmade tires, I have eliminated clinchers from all my bikes. The ride is better, the gluing is a quick and easy process (once you learn a few tricks), and a tubular can be changed more quickly than a clincher. Plus the glue gives you a little buzz; what’s not to like?
The switch from clinchers to tubulars did require a change to my tool kit, however. This fact wasn’t immediately apparent to me and I went on several rides happily armed with tire levers and a spare inner tube. Gearing up for riding tubulars is a more subtle process than it is with clinchers, a fact which gives me no small amount of pleasure. First comes the approach to folding and carrying the spare tire, should you choose to carry one. Also, with the removal of tire levers, spare tube(s), and patch kits comes the introduction of repair sealant; in the event of a flat, the first tactic is to inject the tire with some goop and see if it seals itself, eliminating the need to replace the tire in the first place. This works splendidly in many cases, and appears to be a long-term solution as well; I have one particularly beloved tire which has been holding fast with sealant since a puncture over a year ago.
After a few iterations, my tubular-friendly survival kit has evolved into a beautifully compact system which takes up less bulk in my jersey than does the clincher version. It consists of a Lezyne Carbon Drive Lite rubber-banded to a tube of Vittoria Pit Stop and a Lezyne V5 mini tool. Nothing to it. On longer rides or rides with others, I will strap my tiny tub to my saddle as extra protection in the event the Pit Stop doesn’t work.
Tubulars ride better, corner better, are easy to mount, quick to change, give you a small buzz, and require a smaller survival kit than do clinchers. You heard it here first: friends don’t let friends ride clinchers.*
*Thanks to @Nate for coining this phrase.
So, what are these tubular tire mounting tricks?
Veloflex tubbies are the magic carpet ride … Lezyne Carbon Drive pump, Lezyne SV10 multi-tool, Stan’s 60ml tyre sealant and a Tufo valve tool.
Well crap. Now I’m going to have to work out a way to bring these into the fold without triggering a variation of Rule #12’s ‘s – 1’ clause…
@Frank I thought you were going for a tube of Stan’s or equivalent, being smaller and lighter than the Pitstop?
Timely in some respects as I’ve just given up my 18 month experiment with Tubeless coming to the conclusion that the sealant has some way to go and that the options on tubeless tyres are currently not as durable as some of the clincher and tubs available given the flint ridden roads that I mostly ride.
However, this evening I came to doubt my sanity. Fitting clinchers to Campag Two Way Fit Shamal wheels the clincher blew off the rim 3 times. It seems that the nature of the deeper slot on the tubeless rim combined with the seating shelf can make the tyre grip low on one side leading to it being high on the other and blowing off (if you excuse the expression) rather than it self seating without too much hassle. This seemed to be a very sensitive issue as after the first time I was darned careful the following two until I became megga careful to work round the tyre as I inflated it.
Wonder whether anyone else has encountered this – particularly those who own/work in LBS? The tyres in question are Schwalbe Ultremo DD so I don’t know whether they have a particularly shallow band making them more difficult to seat.
Did I really say that? hah.
I have not had luck with the sealants I have tried so I rely on a spare. On long unsupported rides I might bring two, despite the aesthetic problems this method presents. The need to do this would belessened if others in the party were also running tubulars.
The last time I got out the glue pot it was to move tires from one wheelset to another. As I only needed a single coat due to everything already having some glue it hardly took more time than mounting clinchers.
I still carry a tire lever as it is sometimes useful to start working a flat free of the glue.
@Teocalli obviously you should trade the 2 way fit Shamals in for the tubular version. They are Sublime.
one day, one day
Very timelly read. I glued my first set of tubulars to the my first set of custom build wheels last weekend. Haven’t ridden them yet out of fear of getting a flat.
I run tubeless Hutchinson’s w/o any kind of sealant (on tubeless easton rims), and have had a flat yet. Sure I need to reinflate every other day but big deal.
Best of both world’s!
I should add one more piece of kit to my list: gloves, so I can wipe tires after riding thru debris.
@frank You make a compelling argument. I’m still kicking myself over that $70 tubular wheelset that I passed up on craigslist.
I ride sewups and have done so for going on 30 years. Pitstop works sometimes, but more times than not it just makes a big mess. Swapping the tie is fast and easy and I am back on my way. The road debris in my area is awful, and I go through several hundred dollars in tires a year, but they are worth it me, but too costly for many of my riding buddies. I think I have went through 7 Vittoria Corsa’s this year (7700 miles), at around 80.00 each, that starts to add up quickly.
@Teocalli I have been riding Eurus 2-way fit rims with cheap training tires (Vittoria Rubino/Zaffiro pro) now for a while.
After i fit the tyre i pump it to 1bar, then i roll the wheel by hand while pushing it down against the floor. Then i deflate again. Pump to 1 bar again and roll. Then i inflate to 9bar. When pressure is around 8 bar the bands will pop into place with a loud sound. If they dont pop, i suggest you deflate roll and try to inflate again.
@Nate
saw a new riding mate pull off a neat trick sans gloves today, bidon held lightly against the tyre on both angles to rub the road debris off.
@Mikael Liddy that works but it makes a mess of the bidon after a while.
A man after my own heart. Got a tubular wheelset about four years ago with the goal of just gutting it for the hubs. Since the rims weren’t completely trashed I couldn’t justify just tossing them so I figured what they hey and got a couple of tubular tires.
Been riding tubulars pretty much exclusively ever since.
The only problem with flats I’ve run into is that last winter I rode a lot and got a gazillion flats. If I do any riding outside this winter I’ll just slap on the clincher wheelset and suffer with it (which is the point of riding during the winter anyway, isn’t it?).
Since summer started and the roads dried up I haven’t had any flats over about 1000 miles. The rear tire is showing threads so I certainly got a full life out of it.
I still carry one tire lever in my road kit. This is because of and experience I had on a winter ride with a buddy. It’s dark and raining and I get a flat. Apparently I did an outstanding glue job because it took the both of us 20 minutes just to get the tire off (well, this was after about 90 miles so we were a bit tuckered out too). I had a cheap plastic lever that didn’t do the job so I switched to the King titanium ones. Oh, and make sure to leave an unglued gap opposite the stem. Yep, learned that lesson the hard way.
I use the small bottles of Stan’s Sealant, just throw one in my ride tool pouch and then in the jersey pocket it goes.
@Nate
It’s a good point but I’ve found I just can’t stand wearing gloves in the summer. Plus, if I wear gloves I’ll look less like Boonen.
@frank I have been going gloveless lately this summer too. I just stick an old glove in a jersey pocket for wiping purposes.
@EBruner get yourself some Veloflex. Age them 6-12 months before mounting. You will have a tire with all the souplesse of a Vittoria but with much better puncture resistance.
@Nate Just wondering why you need gloves for wiping at all? first I do wear gloves all the time because it is about the crash and wanting to go to work without road rash on my hands. As an aside I always try to find the thinest gloves with no padding because as they said in the movie “we don need no stinkin padding”.
Back to wipping glass an stuff off the tires… if you do it with gloves they will look like shit and get worn. If you do it with a finger, the finger gets a little dirty but thats it, no hurt, no pain and as a bonus you sometimes feel the glass as it gets flicked off so you know that you just avoided a flat. A wipe on the black part of the shorts and the finger is as good as new.
I do not know why this is not common knowledge…I tell others and they are, like, cool it works.
Also if you kept something in your jersey to wipe you’d already have a flat. My wipe happens as I go through the glass sometimes.
Lastly and obviously but I have to say to those that don’t know, slide that finger carefully down the the rear triangle not the seat tube until contact with the rear tire is made. Never do this without thinking first or when your tired – loosing a finger or skin would be no fun!
@Rob I’ve got cut before wiping with bare hands. You are right that the delay I suffer could be an issue.
I have in the past espoused gloves to prevent hand road rash. I guess I have gotten lazy on that point because I don’t have a pair of gloves I like right now.
This whole “ginger on the tire” business doesn’t sound safe at all….how about NOT riding over glass/ debris?
@RManneck i am certainly not riding thru piles of glass but the occasional but of small debris is inevitable. At least around here.
@Marty McFly
Thanks, I’ll try that. I was manipulating by hand (as it were) at a bit higher pressure. 170 Km today with no incident so all turned out well. In fact our lunch stop was funny. Having a nice break at 100K with a roll, cake and coffee and had been there maybe 20 mins when – pssssss. Mate and I both look at each other and at the bikes wondering which had gone. Fortunately it was his.
@Teocalli
It must be the diameter of the bead or something to do with the tire. I have a pair of 2-way fit Eurus wheels and have used Michelin, Specialized Roubaix and Conti 4000 clinchers all without a thought or incident.
I have Bontrager R3 tubeless back on there now. I’ve gone back and forth. What sealant were you dissatisfied with?
@Nate or, more elegantly, a toothbrush.
Ah tubbies. I’ve really been thinking about making the jump back for some time and this post helps. My race wheels are fitted with them and the ride is fantastic. I came into cycling riding them (cheap Clements if memory serves) and I think I flatted maybe twice over Merckx knows how many miles.
The problem would be what to do with all those clincher wheelsets (never mind how to run it past my CFO of a VMH).
I’ve ridden tubs exclusively for the last 2 years, and I’ll never go back: Pave Evo CGs on Golden Tickets is the path of righteousness. The ride is utterly Cadillac, like rolling 32mm Grand Bois clinchers, but without the weight and the need for a placid rando frame.
I have had a single on-the-road flat in all that time, and I commute on Nashville’s glass-strewn streets year-round. I once had to make a panic stop to avoid a truck, and I skidded the tire over a nail. The nail went into the tread, and exited the sidewall. It looked like a compound fracture.
I pulled out the nail, and sealed the holes up with superglue. Let sit for 30 seconds. Hit the tire with some PitStop, and spun it a bit for even distribution. Gave it 50 pumps with the Lezyne for good measure, and off I went. I finished the ride, and the tire would have kept going, had I allowed it. Prudence required that I cut it off and start fresh, of course.
When people talk about having regular flats on their tubulars, I’m incredulous. What are these guys riding, tissue paper?
I add a roll of Tufo Tape and a tiny bottle of superglue to my repair/replace kit. I like the idea not having to give the glue job second thoughts. Haven’t had the occasion to use it yet, though.
FWIW, I’ve never once wiped a tire. It’s like throwing salt over one’s shoulder, and the consequences of error are hideous. If I ride over a big patch of glass, I just stop and pick it out by hand.
@kenl
Here’s the workaround on that: I carry a tiny pocket knife in my repair kit. A $.50 razor blade works too. If things are so bleak that I have to replace the tire, a single cut with that knife will have the tire off in 60 seconds – it’s super easy to peel if you stick your finger into the tire’s carcass. No need to compromise your glue job.
Hmm, I’ll have to store this article and return to it the next time I am in the market for a wheelset. Two questions:
It’s been around 35*C here, with full-on humidity, for the past two weeks. Without gloves my hands get so damn slippery on some of my tape and on the hoods as well. Some days I can just wipe my hands on my hips periodically, but I’ve been sweating clear through my bibs lately, and I’m not a fat sweaty hog either. Also, I use my gloves to wipe my brow to keep it from tumbling down onto my Witte Sunnies. My V-jersey is too tight to allow drying of the brow.
How do you sans gloves blokes deal with the slipper hood syndrome? And sweaty brow too. I like riding without gloves, but generally find them useful.
Also, Frank…you Lezyne MT looks to have a bit of corrosion. Mine too. I’ve scrubbed it with a small wire brush, but not pristine. Shouldn’t they be making this corrosion-proof? Ideas on how to clean up/proof them? I don’t want a rusty hex tip causing a stripped bolt.
@Gianni
I’ve used Schwalbe, Bontrager and Stan’s. One thing I really like about tubeless is that when they go they tend to deflate slowly as the air has no spoke holes to gush through. I may try running them again next summer but without sealant and only put in when I get a flat. That way the sealant should always be fresh to have best chance of sealing. Maybe also some more durable tubeless tyres will come onto the market. Interestingly I was dissapointed with the Bontrager tubeless as they did not hold air very well after a month or so. Kinda like a latex tube. When I switched to Schwalbe I also preferred the ride. I was surprised at the difference.
@antihero
Funniest crash of a buddy ever: my friend was riding his brand new Tarmac (circa 2005); after we ran through some debris he reached down to wipe his rear tire (first and last time ever) and got his hand wedged between tire and aero-ish frame, bringing him to an abrupt stop. He was able to semi-track stand for a moment and let out an “uh oh” before falling over with his hand still wedged.
We still laugh about that one and we don’t wipe out tires.
@Charlie
The first thing I learned is that as soon as you have a layer of glue on everything already, it really doesn’t matter how much more you put on; I have come home on a spare tire after cornering cautiously for the rest of the ride only to barely be able to take the spare off even after it hasn’t been glued on (it just had a dry layer on it).
I slap on a layer of glue and I also don’t sweat how long I wait; the conventional wisdom is to wait 10 minutes or so before mounting the tire but I just go for it right away. The glue can be a bit messy that way but you are moving along right away.
The second trick is to stretch the crap out of it as you first mount it; if you don’t stretch it like crazy, you’ll get a little lump in the tire. It also makes it easier to get the end of the tire on the rim.
Once it’s mounted and aligned, I pump it up like a mutha and I’m happy to go ride the tire right away; I don’t lay into the corners full speed and the tire will be a bit over-inflated from how I ride it normally, but its perfectly safe to ride.
@Thomas, @Teocalli
Are you guys using the Stans prophylactically or just post-puncture? Also, once its used, is the tire usable long-term?
What I like about Pitstop is that its fast, no core removal, and the tire can go flat (latex) and get reinflated without issue.
@RManneck
The biggest bummer is the expense of flats; there is a place here in Seattle that will repair them so that’s an option. But so far I’ve not had to replace a tire yet. (Touch wood)
For the first time, I’ll be riding carbon tubulars as my winter rain wheels; time will tell if that leads to too many flats to afford it. Until now I’ve ridden clinchers on that bike but carbon rims stop better in the wet so hopefully it works out.
@kenl
I’m a little nervous about winter debris, but I rarely flat my clinchers, so don’t know why the tubs would be worse off.
@Zman
I think one of the big benefits of tubs is that the tire is one cohesive unit that doesn’t deform irregularly like a clincher does, especially when cornering. From that perspective, tubeless clinchers are just as inferior as regular clinchers.
@Nate
Can’t find gloves I like either.
@Rob
Crashing sucks ass but I’ve never crashed and only had rash on my hands. I guess I’m also a bit worried about the rest of my body.
But mostly I just plan for riding the way I want to experience it and don’t assume I’m crashing (unless I’m racing).
@RManneck
HA! I attribute my lack of flats to riding farther out from the side of the road than most people do. Not riding over crap is the first defense against flats. Great point!
@frank there is also an outfit in Florida called Tire Alert that will put new butyl tubes in a tubular for $12 including return shipping. He’ll put in latex tubes if you supply the tube. Also does base tape repairs. Touch wood, I have not required such services, but I hear good things. Note he won’t deal with a tire that has had sealant in it.
@Ccos
I took my time, moved them into other applications (ie Zipp 404’s to the VMH’s CX rig) and was opportunistic about crazy-good deals.
@antihero
One of my FMB’s got a staple in it; it went into the rubber, hit the casing, did a 180 and came back out the rubber and got stuck there. Rode it another few KM before I figured out what the noise was. TIre didn’t go flat.
@Ron
Rule #5, idiot.
Seriously, I ride Oakleys with the hydrophobic coating so just spray them with my bidon every once in a while, but sweat in the sunnies is a very annoying thing.
As for the slippery hoods, my fizik tape doesn’t have the issue but the hoods do. I just deal with it.
I think that given the price point and the fact that the tool sits in my jersey pocket getting sweated on or rained on some 300-320 days a year that I’ll forgive them a bit of corrosion. I do oil the hinges occasionally to keep it opening easily.
I had a Pro tool that had chromed tools and it didn’t rust. But the chroming process also meant the allen tools didn’t fit the bolts precisely enough making them unreliable. I’ll take a light corrosion over the imprecise fit every time.
@Nate
Cool!
Here is the link:
http://www.tirealert.com/tirealert/Welcome.html
@frank
Prophylactically – the difficult part is judging when it needs replacing. You get little clumps of what someone termed Corals after a while which I take it are the strands that block the holes. I guess the bigger strands clump first (naturally) which is a bummer if you get a flint hole. Continental recently brought out a mix which is apparently more stable over time but you can’t mix it with any of the existing ones as it gels with them as it is synthetic. They all seem to claim to seal holes up to 3mm which is rubbish in my experience.
Initially I did have good experience with them and small holes sealed well and long term but our roads got so bad last winter and continued this summer that I seemed to be picking up bigger flints than previously and holes were not sealing.
Ride more miles and it won’t be?
@frank
I put my repair tools in a Ziploc bag or two – corrosion problem solved
@frank
These might grow on you — no padding, just glove.
2 days ago, I ordered a new set of tubular full carbon wheels for a new bike build. So, I will take franks advice to heart, as I have ridden clinchers and tubeless for a long time. But, I was talked into it, after much discussion, by a lbs, who swears I will love them. So it goes with the truly bike addicted, and what comes around goes around as I rode sewups in the far past on race days, only. I plan on daily riding for this set. As with bikes and the n+1 rule, so go wheelsets apparently. Maybe n+2?
@Zman
I’ve done a conversion of my neuvation hoops from clinchers to tubeless. I use stan’s sealant. In two years, I have not had a disabling flat. I did switch to 25mm intensives from the 23mm fusion 3s, and I think I’ll stick with em. I run at 105psi and the ride is quite comfortable.
Although…just an hour ago, I broke a spoke, and the repair will take some work. The tyre will need to come off, and the rim tape removed to get that the spoke holes.with 1200 miles on the tyre, I think I’ll replace it. It such a pain in the ass doing it, that the added 800 miles I might get out of it aint worth the effort.
@azryder
Yeah, I could buy loads of wheels, I’ll tell you that. So far I only have one surplus set though (the golden tickets) which I reserve for special rides.
@eightzero
The massive bummer with recessed spoke nipples.
One ride on clinchers since this winter when I run wider tires and fenders on the CX bike, and that one was for the Cheesehead Roubaix where I wanted a bit more width than the 24mm Vittoria Paves on my Nemeses. I haven’t flatted on tubulars since, oh, wait, not going there to avoid jinxing myself.
Only one set of clinchers in the quiver now; the rest (Golden Tickets, the mythical Nucleons, and Aeolus D3 3s) are tubular. @Nate’s post reminds me that I really should get some Veloflexes again, but the Vittoria Corsa Elites in 25 are surprisingly nice on the Nucleons. Also thinking about getting some 27mm tubies for those rims as my uber-crap/gravel road surface wheels.
My repair kit includes the full-length pump old-school style along the NDS seatstay, and a single pre-glued spare in an Arundel Tubi bag to keep the tire clean. In the side pocket of the Tubi I have a small flat-bladed screwdriver with the sharp edges of the tip ground smooth for tire removal, and well as a Stan’s valve core removal tool to make it easier to put in the small bottle of Stan’s in my back pocket.
For really long rides I do have a Jannd Dual bag that holds two tubulars, but I haven’t used it since riding in Colorado last summer. Having two spares plus Stan’s is the ultimate belt-and-suspenders approach.