Glueing tubulars [the tubular thread]

[Calnago]

Yeah, but I think he's saying to throw the tire on first without glue, straighten (take all the time you want), then draw the lines. The advantage being simply that you have all the time in the world to straighten it versus doing it in a sticky fast drying mess. Take it off, apply the glue, then when you put it back on you can just check and immediately see where adjustment is needed by the lines versus the tread. Seems a brilliant and simple idea, and it only took 150 pages or so of posts to come out. Just would want to make sure the line is not permanent. Probably will continue doing it the way I do it, now that I've got it down but thinking back, this would probably have prevented some minorly annoying "crooked treads" that weren't worth fixing in the past.


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[HillRPete]

Interesting idea, but as a relatively recent (handful years) tubular convert, with only a 1-2 glue jobs a year under my belt, let me ask this. Does a lot of base tape usually show? On my Conti Comps, Sprinters and Podium TTs, the base tape seems to just fill a 21mm tubular rim bed. With HED, the rim bed is wider. And then there's the issue with Conti's black base tape, too (except Podium, iirc).

[Calnago]

@wassertretter: that's a good point you raise. I suspect on wider rims or certain tires, the base tape might not even be visible. I also think wider rims can tend to "flatten out" a nice tubular if it's too small for the rim. But to each his own. For me, I've finally gotten to the point where I can install and straighten pretty good without any lines so drawing them would only create an extra step. But it did have some appeal to me when I recall some of the wobbly looking tires I rode on. Didn't affect the ride, just bugged me that it wasn't perfect.


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[fdegrove]

Hi,

Seems a brilliant and simple idea, and it only took 150 pages or so of posts to come out.

Are you sure it wasn't mentioned here before?
This is nothing new but I find it a little too time consuming to my taste. Easiest and surest way is to use a wheel truing stand and check the tyre for trueness iso the rim. Works even with your eyes in your pockets.

Ciao,

[Calnago]

Hi,

Seems a brilliant and simple idea, and it only took 150 pages or so of posts to come out.

Are you sure it wasn't mentioned here before?
This is nothing new but I find it a little too time consuming to my taste. Easiest and surest way is to use a wheel truing stand and check the tyre for trueness iso the rim. Works even with your eyes in your pockets.

Ciao,

No, can't say I'm sure it's never been mentioned here before but I don't recall seeing anything along those lines. I wouldn't expect anyone to look through this entire thread for it if there was however. Everything in this thread has probably been mentioned a hundred times. That alone makes it fascinating... And yeah, all this wheel stuff I only do on a truing stand. We all have our own methods. But never hurts to hear how someone else does things.

[PinaRene]

Thanks for the comments guys....

As for a truing stand - I use one to glue the rims - but to line out the tires when glued I use my hawk eye .... and I use the marker lines to place the tire straight on the rim, and the inflate it up to 3 bar. After that I spin the wheels several times between my hands, and looking at a white wall to see if the tires are straight on the rim. The main reason to start with the lines was that after I glued some 23mm on the DA wheels last year, the tire was not perfectly straight on the rim. So when straightened glue ended up on one side of the base tape as you can see and I hated it all year....

[Geoff]

I hear you all, but I still think that the 'trick' is not whether you are able to see whether or not a tire is on straight or not, rather, it is to actually be able to get it on straight.

This thread is loaded with posts from guys who know that their tires are not on straight - they can plainly see that by looking at their tread. The issue is that they cannot effectively get the tire on straight in the first place. The real issue is how to glue a tire up so that there is enough 'play' in tire to get the tire on straight before the glue sets-up too firmly to allow it to be straightened. Personally, I believe that the answer lies in putting the last layer of fresh glue on the basetape, not on the rim. Lots of people (maybe even the majority) have the opposite view, though, so it comes down to what works for you.

If you find that having a more concrete reference point than the tread helps you get the tire straight, by all means do it! If all it means is that you can act more quickly to adjust the tire before the glue sets-up to firmly, then that may be worth the price of admission all by itself. I still believe that the key is in the gluing, though.

[Calnago]

Ah, I see what you were getting at now. I assumed (perhaps incorrectly) that people know how to get the tire on straight... you see the tread to the left or right of center for example... lift and center it, spin and repeat till tread straight, and @PinaRene's method just made the process perhaps a little easier for some. I guess whatever works... but yeah, I hate it if it isn't straight, so much that I would pull the whole thing off and reglue it if necessary.

[Geoff]

In my experience, many newer users of tubular glue are surprised at how quickly it holds a tire very securely - too securely to allow the tire to be easily centered on the rim. I agree that the 'lift and drop' method is often an effective methodology, but some people experience difficulty doing it. I have heard lots of complaints about thumb-pain, and even blisters, as a result.

[HillRPete]

Geoff, yeah, i tried both ways, the last-layer-on-tyre upon your suggestion here, back then. With the Contis, though, and the coercion they need to get into the rim bed, I found it a bit more messy, than having the fresh glue on the rim.

[fdegrove]

Hi,

In my experience, many newer users of tubular glue are surprised at how quickly it holds a tire very securely

Especially so when using Conti rim cement. Add Conti tubs and sure enough you'll end up with sore thumbs....(Not to mention all the not so nice four letter words...)

Ciao,

[Kjetil]

I just have to share: Today I scored a set of Campag Nucleons. They might have a thousand km on them. Yay!

Now I just have to remove the 21 mm Corsa KX (what were they for, actually?) and some Tubasti goop, and glue Veloflex Arenbergs on with Mastik 1. Oh bliss.

[teleguy57]

Congratulations on the Nucleons! I'm lucky enough to have found two pair in the last year -- albeit with a lot more use but still with lots of life yet. Now I need to decide if I really need both sets or should "spread the love" and put on on the market.

[Zoro]

Hi,

Seems a brilliant and simple idea, and it only took 150 pages or so of posts to come out.

Are you sure it wasn't mentioned here before?
This is nothing new but I find it a little too time consuming to my taste. Easiest and surest way is to use a wheel truing stand and check the tyre for trueness iso the rim. Works even with your eyes in your pockets.

Ciao,

I also will not read through all the posts to see if this has been said before...

It doesn't matter. Side to side tubie movement just messes with your head. It won't hurt.

Up and down, by over stretching or bad tire will give you bumps. That matters and the marking technique won't help.

[petepeterson]

Ordered a set of Bora One Dark Labels w/ Arenbergs.

When they came in the shop was shocked when I said I wanted to glue my tires myself. They were even more surprised when I told them I wanted to do it simply because I enjoy it.