Tubs

I've always used Mastik One for carbon fibre rims, and the normal Conti orange tin for alloy rims, been tres bon.

SF - how did you get on with your tub folding?

I glue mine, let the glue dry, then stretch the tub out with the valve at one end, make a small fold at each end so the tub is base-tape up, as it were, then you fold it over and over so the glued side doesn't contact itself.

Last time I had a flat (I was out with Howard) I managed to change the tyre in the same sort of time as I would a clincher.

This is a track forum

I lol'd.

I'm a bit worried about my spare tub now, folded it base tape to base tape to prevent dirt getting to the glue. Going to nag on my mind until I get back and check

Yup, glue is bad, without a huge amount of effort can peel the tub back off the rim. Problem seems to be its adhesion to the rim surface (totally clean with decent acetone), its just bobbling off.

That is the point of the cement. If one can remove a tyre from its rim without a lot of effort it means that the bond was insufficient. Lateral forces acting on a tyre in tight turns are not insignificant. Rolling a tyre results in not only a crash but tends to take down a number of other riders.

Did the usual 2 thin thin coats over 24 hours on the rim, then 1 more generous coat and immediately fit tub (which has also had 2 thin coats at least 24hrs before).

Depends on the mastic. Generally the point of the first coats is to build up a nice rim bed. With typical road mastics (such as Conti or Mastik-One) the final coat does not need to be thick. Thinner is better. Also let dry a bit before installing the tyre or you'll make a mess.

Zefal Pastali = shite for Mavic CD rims.>

Pastali is NOT good mastic. Its best use is for repairing latex tubes. I suggest that one should keep generally to Conti, Mastik-One or TEROKAL 2444.

And Mavic CD rims? They are "shite" for anything. That coating one needs like a @!#. The basic reflex is fine. If you really want to get a "coated" rim I'd keep to the Nemesis. Despite its black anodization it is a very good rim and its coating is relatively robust.

The nemesis are great rims in my experience

I havent tried yet.

The front tub would currently make a good spare. Has a decent amount of wear. But still very much usable. The rear, annoyingly, Looks pretty good despite me skidding all over Gran Canaria on it, and despite it being a pitstop repaired hand-me-Down.

The reason this is annoying. Is that I simply cant wait any longer to put my FMBs on. They trolling me from the washroom wall everyday.

It literally took me Close to an hour to prise mine open. That was from the Comfort of my workroom, With loads of different Tools to hand.

Oh dear. What glue did you use?

The conti crabon specific stuff. It gives an extra strong hold incase the rims overheat. Which makes it a bit trickier to apply. But once its on, its on.

The real issue is that it was definitly stronger than the glue used to apply the base tape. So even once I'd worked an opening. I couldnt just use brute force.

Still find it unbelievable that I rode overnight, through the Norwegian Mountains, With this lump of useless rubber strapped to my saddle. Massive facepalm.

I used Mastik One, so maybe it won't end disastrously. I'll report back

Riding a sportive on tubs is a bit of a facepalm anyway

Definitely going to have to call you out on that one @dan. I realise tyre reliability is basically Down to the individual and where they live/ride. And I get the feeling the roads are less stabby up here. But frankly I wouldnt have ridden that sportive on fecking clinchers if you'd paid me. All but the most massive punctures on a tubular will result in a slow flat, and are fixable With some pitstop. Whereas on clinchers I find I get a violent 'blowout'. Even after switching to thick butyl inners. Not something I want happened while Power napping during a descent. I also find I'm far more chilled about hitting the odd pot hole, or descending over broken roads, on tubulars. Providing I dont do enough damage to crack the Whole rim I'm fine. But if you disrupt the bead Lock on a clincher rim hitting something at speed, Things can get ugly.

For me tubulars are simply safer, and as they tend to last me untill the tread is fully worn, they arent much more expensive to run.

/rant.

I've heard this all before... I don't buy it.
It's possible to justify any cycling purchase if you spend enough time convincing yourself of the relative benefits.
I could submit my own batch of anecdotal evidence that tubs are no more reliable than clinchers and that pitstop doesn't always work, here (I started writing it and everything.. ) - but the bottom line is is; your ability to repair/boot a clincher and it's tube by separating the tyre into component parts makes them so much more useful for day-to-day training.

We do not choose to do these things because they are easy, but because they are hard.

makes them so much more useful for day-to-day training.

A sportive isn't training. It's a RACE!!!!

I cant see how its justifying a purchase. If I dont buy tubulars. I'd still need to buy clinchers. Tyres are kind of a integral part of the bike. As it happens I get great milage from my tyres. So I buy nice ones. But I'd do that either way. My rims were In Fact cheaper than the clincher equivalent. Plus I wouldnt be so quick to buy OEM imports, if they were clinchers*, and had to hold my 110 PSI tyre on while I cooked them on a descent, or hit potholes on busy roads at speed. So I dont see how price comes into it really. At least not for me.

I dont even see them as an Upgrade. If you throw Money at Nice open tubulars, and latex inners. You can achieve the same rolling resistance, weight, and ride quality.

For me they are simply a safer design.

I Guess its very much Down to personal experiance and taste.

(*ED: not again)

argh

I've never had to boot a tyre. Or had a sidewall split on road.

(actually a lie – I have had to boot other people's tyres).

I can beat that. Ditching Devil 200km audax last year on fulcrum racing zero tubs.

Certainly got over my tub-fear that day.

I've heard this all before... I don't buy it.
It's possible to justify any cycling purchase if you spend enough time convincing yourself of the relative benefits.

Sure like 10 and 11 speed clusters. Carbon wheels etc....

I could submit my own batch of anecdotal evidence that tubs are no more reliable than clinchers and that pitstop doesn't always work, here

Sealant is NOT the solution. Tubulars should not mean sealant. One can repair them with needle and thread. Sealant is really for tyres such as the Tufos and for "emergencies".

(I started writing it and everything.. ) - but the bottom line is is; your ability to repair/boot a clincher and it's tube by separating the tyre into component parts makes them so much more useful for day-to-day training.>

One can repair and boot a tubular too. For the weight, however, a tubular tyre will generally be robuster.

Day to day training? Unless you are riding in preperation for a race you are not training. A lot of training is not even on the bike. Nearly all of us here are riding for fun. We don't train, we ride. Our gear is not about trying to get a competitive advantage but about enjoyment, even luxury or status... Nice tubular tyres provide, I think, a nicer ride.

Another vote for these....

Nemesis la reine du nord, not sure on the difference between these and normal but they seem to give a very smooth ride

Nemesis la reine du nord, not sure on the difference between these and normal but they seem to give a very smooth ride>

Those are the current incarantion--- there was also a Nemesis 2000 which had a slightly different geometry. As a shallow section rim (13mm) it provides a wonderful ride. The Ambrosio Crono is also a very nice rim and also lighter--- just not as bullet proof in a multispeed rear wheel.

Local shops got some conti in for me. Back to square one!
Getting used on glasgow track which is steep and lumpy, lots of snatch slides happen so want my tubs rock solid or they aren't getting used. Can't speak for half the folk that attend track league though, a number of them are just a liability!

You repair a tub with needle and thread at the side of the road? Please....