Tubular Tire Gluing question

[520 Dan]

I rolled my first tubular off the rim this weekend in a race. Here was the situation. Last week, I raced a very muddy course, and after the race hosed my bike off, including the front tire. I did not re-glue the tire after the washing. Apparently, the water weakened the bond. So this week, I rolled the tub off the tire (still holding air) in a hard corner. When I examined the tire, the tire looked like there was hardly any glue on it at all, when I had over 6 layers of glue on the tubular itself. I had read that you should re-glue tubs after muddy races, but since I live in the American SW, this usually isn't a problem. SHould I use more glue next time? I use conti cement, and up until now it has worked flawlessly. Is there a better cement? Also, I have heard about a "belgian tub gluing" technique, does anyone have a website explaining this?

[Stolichnaya]

From Cyclocrossworld.com: tips re: using tubular tape:
The steps are: Stretch the tubular. Lightly sand the rim. Using Vittoria Mastix One, apply one layer of glue on the rim. Apply the tape. Apply a layer of glue to the tubular. Take the other protective layer off the tape and stick them together. The glue shouldn't be allowed to dry when you use the tape. Let sit overnight. The advantage is the adhesion is stronger while the connection is 'softer'.

I have also heard of people using stuff like Shoe Gu to put an extra layer of protection around the bead of the tire (to fill in the crack between rim and tire).

You should also look at the rim width and tire connection you are using. Too big a tire on too narrow a rim can cause those rolling problems you had.

The Tufo Extreme tubular tape works very well if you are using Tufo tires.

[520 Dan]

Yeah, i kinda wondered about the rim width. I have heard bad things about Tufo tape, but generally with carbon rims, which I am not using. I have also been told that 3M Fast Tack works well. ANyone used this?

[topcarbon]

Many tubulars come with a coating on the tape part. The coating prevents the glue from soaking in. No matter how much glue you use, rolling is likely to happen. Take a dull knife and run it perpendicular to the tire. Shave the unwanted coating off the tire. This for sure cure the tire rolling blues.

[520 Dan]

i deffinitly scraped the base tape before gluing. It just appeared to me that the water from washing and mud really affected the glue bond. I should have just reglued after the race.

[Boonen]

Dan, I usually clean my crossbike with a powercleaner after training (because I'm lazy ) I always train on tubulars and haven't rolled a tire since I switched back from tape to glue again.
As said, roughen the basetape on your tubular and sand down the inside of your rim a bit and make sure both are 'degreased' before applying glue. IMO you can't use to much glue, go in small steps and add one layer at the time. Better to have a layer to much then having to little glue on there.
I use vittoria glue (the clear brown type) and it works good for me. I always reglue my tubs at the beginning of every season and last time I did it they where pretty hard to get off the rims, so it should last at least one season of mud and powercleaning.

PS: when cleaning lift your bike a bit and spray at the tire at an angle. Your wheel will begin to spin fast and will get clean very easy and you don't have to get more water then neseccary in there. If you use dugasts make sure you let them dry well!

[madcow]

Dan, I know some people don't like fast tack, but I've got to recommend it. As you might know I've been gluing tires for Gord for over a decade now. Always on fast tack. Never have I had his or any other persons tire roll. The only real drawback to fast tack is that it weakens the base tape and adheres really well. So sometimes when you remove a tire it will rip the basetape off of the tire. But honestly I'd rather ruin a tire this way, than by rolling it in a corner.

As you might remember a few years ago, T Wells rolled a tire in the cross worlds, it was the only tire of his not glued with fast tack. I glued all of his tires for that trip except for one. It was glued by someone else using Conti glue.

And besides the grip, you can glue a tire in 2-3 minutes.

[520 Dan]

Thanks, Kyle C was reccomending fasttack the other day as well. How does Fasttack work on carbon rims? I just glued a tire "the belgian way" and have to say that tape is a WAY bigger pain than gluing. I should have just had Fairwheel do it!

[deejay]

http://www.engr.ku.edu/~kuktl/bicycle/bicycle.html

hopefully the link will work - should answer some of your questions!