Cost of gluing a tubular

Anyone got a guide price for the above including removing an old tyre and preparing the rim?

Thanks

I had one done at Geofrey Butler in croydon
And they charged me 20quid. A small charge to know that it was done correctly.

Up to £30, depending on location. It's going to cost more in Soho Bikes / LMNH than somewhere less central.

Of course some shops might deliberately price themselves out of it...

...including removing an old tyre and preparing the rim...

Depending on the condition of the rim, it'll likely either be expensive, or a poor job.

It can be a cunt of a job and it's why I price myself out of it.

Thanks for all the answers. I have glued a few now (2 track, 1 road) for a very trusting person and so far so good. Continentals were very tight and Vittoria's were a pleasure in comparison.

My first tubs were CX on 50mm crabon. Done 'the belgian way', i.e. a lethal mixture of glue and tape and much swearing.

Then @coldharbour had to take em off and re-lace the wheels. Happy days. For him. I'm sure.

Bet he still has nightmares.

What kinda riding is this for btw?

I'm hearing lately that tapes have improved so much that there's no need for gluing.

If the rim is clean enough I charge a £10. Really you spend 5 minutes apply glue one day, then another 5 minutes the next and another 5 minute for the tyre. Mount centre and inflate. It takes 20 minutes and that is over three days. Glue is not expensive and if you use tubs I think you should simply watch me do it once and then do it yourself. Happy to show folk it really is very simple and the tyre wont be comming off in a hurry.

Modern tape are apparantly quite good. However I don't care how good they are I like the process of gluing. Something satisfying about it.

My local shop charges £70 for a Tempo II including fitting if that helps give an idea of cost (don't know how much the tyre is on its own).

I recently taped a pair with Tufo tape, it was quick, definitely quicker than mounting a pair of 4 Seasons clinchers and tube, I did need 4 hands to get the tub on to the rim to preliminarily inflate it though, but it was fine once stretched.

Cheers for all the replies.

Would a bike shop be able to offer any protection if a tubular they glued rolled off and the rider was injured?

A bike shop should have a public liability policy to cover situations like this.

Luckily I've never been in a position to test how willing a shop is to admit fault and pursue a claim though.

Would a bike shop be able to offer any protection if a tubular they glued rolled off and the rider was injured?

They wouldn't advertise that, no, but the good / big ones might have something in place.

If you think you need it if I were you I wouldn't do that kind of work.

tufo tape is sticky as sh*t. I never have had any problems with tyres coming off. I did have to replace a tyre and it was harder to get the tyre off with tub tape than it was when it was glued.
Its cleaner and you can keep a spare roll with you if your out on the road so you are not stranded when you get a puncture.

Whenever possible, I try to use brick and mortar shops rather than the internet to buy stuff. I'm a bit old fashioned, and think we will regret not supporting our shops, once they have all gone.

I need some tub tape, so have been trawling round some local shops without success:

Decathalon Surrey Docks - Not really a bike shop (but they used to stock it) - no joy
Cycle UK Greenwich - Worst bike shop on earth - no joy
Pedal-it Lee Green - Once the great Young's Cycles - no joy (although genuinely apologetic)
Evans Canary Wharf - Clueless. Didn't know the difference between rim tape and tub tape.
Bespoke Cycling Canary Wharf - Also seemed a bit clueless, which is a disgrace given the price of the bikes they are trying to flog.

Anyway, I've spent the best part of a rainy day trawling the area without success.

I blame Margaret Thatcher.

http://www.edwardescycles.com/ - Give them a call and see if they have some, they did when I called a few months ago

Me too re: Thatcher

I'm sure Edwardes and BC (when it opens) are both a good bet.

Seriously though, ANY lbs would get tape or glue or whatever you want in one or two days. Same diff as online and, as you say, would help support LBS - which I applaud.

I know you're in SE London: did you try A) Vaidas on Honor Oak Park, or the Catford shop (can't remember the name) just off Stansted Road near Catford Bridge st - not a bad shop at all.

Anyway pick your best shop to support, ask them to order.

I really really like Vaidas. A very unassuming shop but I believe he's a good wrench and is very reasonable.

I know all the shops you mention.

To be honest, I work up in town and can easily pop in to Condor or one of the larger Evans.

I am amazed though that most bike shops these days are clueless, and stock virtually nothing.

Even stuff as basic as brake cables can leave some shops stumped these days. Any any shop that sells bikes for the price that Bespoke in Canary Wharf does really should employ people who have a bit of a clue.

+1 for Vaidas (didn't the shop used to belong to Ron Cooper, and then Geoff Roberts)?

Also have a fond spot for Edwardes. Probably got the widest range of bits and pieces of any bike shop in (proper) South East London. I also like the fact that the staff can be a bit arsey.

I think the one you mean in Catford is Compton Cycles.

I suspect they are banking on their customers not having a clue

Whenever possible, I try to use brick and mortar shops rather than the internet to buy stuff. I'm a bit old fashioned, and think we will regret not supporting our shops, once they have all gone.

I'm with you, up to a point, but bike shops are just shops like any other: if they're shit or don't satisfy a need, then they'll go under.

And like it or not, tubs are a declining market: modern clinchers are at least their equal and as cycling has become more popular, it's a decreasing share of the market that C(an)BA.

LBS thrive on labour and how many people who C(an)BA to do tubs, don't glue them themselves? Considering the usual online/in-store price pressures, I'm not surprised you're struggling to find a local source.

Paid my first - long overdue- visit to Seabass Cycles in Camberwell just now.

They stock Tub Tape!

Also seem to have there shit pretty much together as a bike shop. 10/10, will visit again.

Of course the flip side of what I was blathering on about, is that when something is no longer "mainstream" it presents an opportunity for a niche player...

Not too sure you have to be that niche.

I my part of town, there are many folks with a reasonable level of disposable income who cycle either as commuters, for recreation or both.

It's very difficult in this part of town to find a shop that stocks event basic parts (I accept tub tape might be seen as a bit niche).

With the exception of Decathalon, all of the shops I mentioned in my original post were empty when I visited them.

What's the point in even visiting a bike shop if they are unlikely to stock parts or consumables you might want, and if you wouldn't dream of letting the mechanics anywhere near your bike?

Ultimately, all these places are banking on the fact that they can get a big mark-up for flogging someone an expensive Trek, Giant or Cube. But I think that might be a fairly short-term strategy.

The big opportunity for independents, I would think, is that the chains are just shit.

I was just talking about tub tape/glue.

I suppose the online competition has made stocking consumables for retail unprofitable: if you're going to make a buck you also need to fit the cable/tube/tape etc.

I think you're right that the "new" bike shops will increasingly just be salesrooms for OTP bikes and workshops: no bits and bobs for the home mechanic, as there's no money to be made from them.

I think you're right that the "new" bike shops will increasingly just be salesrooms for OTP bikes and workshops: no bits and bobs for the home mechanic, as there's no money to be made from them.

This. Except emergency item like lights, brake pads etc. And coffee.