Tubs

Pre-filled tubs (latex inners). I use Effeto Mariposa sealant.

Vittoria Pitstop
Credit/debit card
smart phone

Last two to call a cab to nearest station if you dont want to carry spare tub.

Ahh yep, certainly figured a nasty puncture might lead to finishing the ride in a taxi!

So pitstop handles actually inflating the tyre too right? Worth carrying some canisters too or does pitstop do the job alright?

Last time I had a punctured tub Pitstop fixed it. The cut was about 1.5mm IIRC. I rode it home. Good idea to carry something to inflate like a pump or CO2 can. I dont think all sealants fare well to CO2, some freeze and stop working.

Ahh ok, good to know! Cheers for your help, I'll pick some up.

I carry caffelatex expresso. Plus a micro pump.

For 'normal punctures its very effective. Sometimes it takes a few mins to seal. So the pressure from the can isnt so effective. hense the micro pump.

The propellant in the can will difuse through the tub inner quicker than air. So dont panic if the tub is pretty flat the NeXT day. Might just need a bit of pumping up.

1 Attachment

have you used pitstop before? How does this compare? I inject EM caffe latex sealant as soon as I mount the tubs .. didnt know they had a similar product like pitstop.

Also do you tape or glue?

I do some city riding and not always on the best roads. I've been running an older Clement in the rear...nothing fancy but want to move to a 25mm and find something a bit more durable.

Between the Conti Sprinter and Gatorskin Sprinter, is the extra mesh layer worth it on the Gatorskin? When running clinchers I would use both Gatorskins and Grand Prixs but preferred the GP's because the Gatorskins seemed to roll slower....and not sure if that Gatorskin mesh layer did anything except when I wore them down and they seemed to ride longer with gaping flat sections. haha

Just seeing if any of you have run both the Sprinter/Gatorskin tubs in cities/crap roads and had an opinion.

Also, should there be any other durable tubs that I should be looking at? I could go 23mm or 25mm but prefer 25mm. I'm trying to keep it under $50/35 quid.

Sorry if this question has been beaten to death. Haven't read the whole thread yet.

I find this stuff better. It is ammonia free, and I use latex inner tubs. So apparantly should avoid ammonia.

I always glue my tubs. Like lacing a Wheel its one of the home maintainance routines I find relaxing (probably the fumes).

I do plan to carry a spare on longer jaunts into the Mountains. I just havent sorted one yet. To be honest the road here are stabby as fuck in spring, then suddenly turn to being supper gentle once theyve seen a few Heavy rain falls. So I may be a bit late on the spare tub front.

I'm finding it hard to justify trying anything other than Paves on my training Wheels. These are also my mountain Wheels (alu braking surface). They come up Nice and light. Roll pretty fast too. The ride isnt exactly rqacing tub silk though.

Plus theyre cheap now that the G+ stuff is out.

I use the Gator Sprinter due to the mesh layer- it keeps cuts within the range that pre-applied sealant can close. I found that without this layer the type of cut you get from bits of Flint are too large for sealant to cope with (at low temps over Christmas).

This version?
http://tinyurl.com/gsexgb8

You think that would be similar to a Sprint/Gatorskin durablity?
Seems like a good price.

Sounds like will be a Paves vs Gatorskins then. I do remember many times wearing my clincher Gatorskins down to expose the mesh through the top of the tire...but that was due to constant skidding.

Have you ridden Gator clinchers? Do the tub versions roll noticeable better?

This has been a huge help...thanks to the both of you.

I hate gator clinchers, won't ride them, I like Sprinter Gators, use them all through winter and for commuting etc in the summer- they're never going to roll like a latex tubes cotton cased racing tub, but they're pretty good.

Yeah. The Isogrip bit is important. They used to be unridable in the wet before that.

I have a pair of those in 27mm now. Nice and plush, With awesome grip on quick decents.

If you're riding in a city, then hands down Conti and I'd just go with the regular Sprinters.

Glass isn't kind to the rubber Vittoria use, I used to get a month out of Vittoria's (albeit Corsas) before they where cut to shreads by glass. Conti's rubber compound much more durable to glass cuts.
If you want to spend a bit more and get a nicer tub, consider Conti Comps or Schwalbe One's

Keep the high tpi tubs (Vittoria, Veloflex etc) for dry riding along country lanes. They're lovely in the right conditions.

Nemesis rims.....do they always lose the coating on the braking track or am i using the wrong brake pads?

Nemesis rims.....do they always lose the coating on the braking track or am i using the wrong brake pads?

While Ambrosio Nemesis rims are a bit more resiliant than most the colour is still eloxial. All anodized rims loose their coating from braking-- just as all rims loose material from braking. Some pads are worse than others.

do they always lose the coating on the braking track

Yes.

Thanks......be nice when it's all gone!

Thanks again for all of the help above regarding durable tubs. I'll most likely just go with Sprinters..the more I read about them, the more I hear good things/reviews.

One question though. This would be my first full slick tire. I'm currently running a Conti GP tubular (picking up a front tub rim next month) so the Sprinter is going in the rear. How good are the Sprinters in the rain? I don't ride like an idiot in the rain and I'm quite used to it (Seattle...we get lots of rain in Fall/Winter) but just curious how a full slick tub handles when it's crappy. Thanks again.

Anyone try the Specialized Espoir?
https://www.specialized.com/us/en/components/espoir-tubular/105767
Local LBS has them for $40

Just want them as a training tire (maybe stuff an extra in a bag/jersey)

Seems like a possible Conti Sprinter competitor.

Any thoughts? Here are the specs comparing them to Sprinters.

Big S Espoir (smooth center/grip on edges)
Casing: 220 TPI
Compound: GRIPTON
Flat Protection: BlackBelt
28 x 23mm; psi 110-150; approximate weight 320g
28 x 25mm; psi 110-150; approximate weight 340g

Conti Sprinter (grainy but smooth grip)
Casing: 180 TPI
Compound: Black Chili
Flat Protection: SafetySystem anti puncture breaker belt
28 x 22mm; psi 115-170; approximate weight 275g
28 x 25mm; psi 115-170; approximate weight 295g

So for training/general street riding, which one would you prefer?

Cars have tread to deal with aquaplaning in the wet. Bicycles can't aquaplane so in theory don't need tread for tarmac.
It's normally the cheaper tyres that have tread to reassure people who are used to their cars having treaded tyres.
The majority (all?) of the pro-peloton rides on slick tyres more or less (the tubular herringbone pattern is traditional)

Specialized tubs are made by Lion Tyres iirc ? I've not had good experience with Vittoria (another Lion brand) in city riding. I'd probably pick Conti Sprinters out of those two

Thanks, appreciate all of the help on both post.

I havent heard much about those Specialized tubs and the fact they're $40 and can be picked up at the local LBS sounded nice.

The same LBS wants almost $80 for Sprinters. As much as I hate Specialized, at least they keep the LBS selling their products at reasonable prices.

I'd go for the Spesh tyres- at that price it's worth a punt.