Tubs

Anyone know the difference between Challenge Elite and Vulcano tubs ? Both 295g 220tpi butyl tubed tubs available in black or tan sidewalls. Similar prices (on bike24)

As cheap gum walled tubs go, I'm quite happy with the Challenge Vulcano - certainly seem to be better than Vittoria Rally or Conti Giros for similar prices. Just wondered what was different with the Elite ?

Typically after posting the above, the Vulcano let go after being cut by glass today.

Not sure which tubs to pick next. Continue with cheap tubs and replace when inevitably cut to shreds by glass ? Or spend up on Veloflex or Dugast in the hope they'll be a bit more durable (whilst having an infinitely nicer ride than cheaper butyl tubs) ?
Currently leaning towards trying out Dugast, anyone tried the Strada or Paris - Roubaix ? Both about £60 a pop from Mantel / Bike24.

Also, anyone had any luck with pressurised sealant cans ? The Zefal one I tried today failed to get sealant into the valve, all mostly sprayed around the outside

My experience of sealant has lead me to the position of pre-dosing the tub, then if it flats then take it straight off and stick a fresh one on - I commuted for a two year stretch on tubs (and am back commuting on them once again now) with sealant inside - I'd get to work and note the little white star shape on the tyre that indicated I'd had a hole that had been sealed at some point on the ride.

If the hole gets past the sealant then it's new tub time, rip off the old, on with the new, pump up and off.

Thanks. Be interested to hear your experience with what tubs have worked for you commuting, and with which sealant. It's always broken glass from riding through cities that defeats the tubs I've used.

Ideally I'd want a gum wall tub as it's a vintage bike. Which rules out Conti Sprinters / Comps (which I've found to be nigh on indestructible previously on other bikes)

The sprinters have a mesh that stops glass slicing - which means the cuts remain within the mitigation capabilities of the sealant. I commuted on Sprinter Gators, now on Schwalbe Thingies- the latex tubed tubs they no longer do

I'd second that, I ride a lot on Conti regular sprinters and comps and had less punctures than with clinchers ( with sealant in tubs )

Is it true I can't put sealant in Vittoria Corsa G+ because latex is porous?

That's what my LBS is telling me.

Not true sealant works even better with latex tubes but the sealant can cause the tube to stick together if left flat.

Conti tubs are robust. I happily ride any distance on them.

effetto mariposa say their sealant works better than others with latex tubes, something about ammonia.

I wish there was a half way house between Conti and high tpi latex tubed tubs. Something that doesn't fall apart when it goes near glass, but also gives a nice ride.

I made end up buying another wheelset. Stick Conti Sprinters on one set for wet/city riding, Veloflex or Dugast on another for dry / country roads riding.
Anyone selling 126 spaced screw on block Campag Record hubs on a nice tub rim ?

Not true sealant works even better with latex tubes but the sealant can cause the tube to stick together if left flat.

That is the case with latex based sealants-- the ammonia used as an anti-coagulant evaporates. This should be less of a problem with Mariposa Caffélatex or Conti-Revo.

Quite a lot of stuff here.

Rather than the pressurised sealant cans, has anyone had success taking a bottle of something like Tufo extreme with them and adding in to the tub on the roadside after a puncture ?

As a replacement for a spare tub?

Doesn't make that much sense to me unless you cannot carry a spare with you.

Mended 3 flat conti's with orange seal tubeless sealant.better by far than that pit stop stuff.avoid that from now on seeing as this orange seal works as I had hoped .

Something that doesn't fall apart when it goes near glass,

Good luck with that, I'm seeing more and more glass debris in bike lanes lately.

Rather than the pressurised sealant cans, has anyone had success taking a bottle of something like Tufo extreme with them and adding in to the tub on the roadside after a puncture ?

I used to sometimes carry a hypodermic syringe filled with latex milk. It did save the day on a few occassions as an emergency fix but was a bit messy. Mariposa now has a product called "Zot" that works in concert with their Cafélatex-- looks at least on paper a whole lot better and should suffer less from aging (latex emulsions needs to be fresh).

I have been having my first attempt at gluing tubs. Finished third coat of the rim last night - mostly nice and even although a few globs of glue here and there. Do I need to start again if it's a little bit bumpy in places?

@onyerbike Which tubs are you using ?Some tubs, especially cheaper ones like Vittoria Rally's are bumpy, especially around the valve hole.

In the continuing search for durable gum wall tubs, I've order a pair of Schwalbe Lugano T. Cheap, Kevlar puncture strip, hopefully normally durable Schwalbe rubber.
Also ordered a bottle of Conti Revo sealant. I don't want to carry around a full 240ml in my jersey pocket, any suggestions for something smaller I could carry say 30-60mls around in ?

@Dammit - How long does the Revo last in the bottle once it's been opened ? I've heard things like Tufo Extreme start solidifying pretty quickly once the bottle has been opened.

The Lugano's have turned up. First impressions are good, mount easily with minimal stretching (unlike the also low TPI Conti tubs) and don't appear too lumpy around the valve. Will see how they ride.

Thinking of something like this to carry Revo sealant around in, what do you think ?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10X-30ml-Squeezable-Empty-Clear-Plastic-Liquid-Dropper-Bottle-Needle-Tip-Loop-/322113947948?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

Edit - Actually, these look better
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-x-30-ml-Dropper-Bottles-Unicorn-Pen-Style-Thin-Tip-Liquid-Fluid-Childproof-/361779276016?hash=item543bb9a8f0:g:h5EAAOSw-tNXHoah

Sealant to go? Mariposa Caffelatex comes in 60ml pouches. A single tubular takes around 30ml so it is sufficient for two tyres. The big bottles are cheaper but probably less economical. Conti Revo is quite similar and much cheaper but comes in larger bottle (smallest is 240ml) so need to portion out. Probably could fill into 30ml syringes-- available from your favorite chemist-- for the road...

How long does the Revo last in the bottle once it's been opened ? I've heard things like Tufo Extreme start solidifying pretty quickly once the bottle has been opened.

Not sure TBH, I buy Orange Seal when I'm in the US as that's commonly available, and I have a big bottle of Bontrager TLR as it scored the highest in the Slowtwitch sealant review. I also have some Stans which I use for tubeless and some Revo knocking around from my old bike, which seems to still be fluid. In terms of how long does it last inside the tyre? That I suspect depends on use, environmental conditions and the tube - I top the tyres off before going and doing something interesting such as high mountains etc.

My general approach is to have sealant in both mounted tubs and a spare pre-glued tub under the saddle, if I get a flat then that tub comes straight off and the spare goes on.

I'm currently undergoing my first experience with tubs. Looked up the how-tos and ound two good Zipp videos:

Removing old tubs and glue
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LY7polDoW1c

Putting new tubs on
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGw3DlZMRGI

All that seems within my capabilities, but some questions:

1. At 3:12 in the first video, he recommends just keying the surface of the rim with 180-grit sandpaper -- "very light sanding". 180 grit seems coarse to me. Is that right?

2. I have three tubs that were originally glues onto my three rims. I want to do a practice run with one tub/wheel combo. Do I have to remove or reapply glue to the tub itself, or can I use the (possibly decades old) glue that's on there?

I've never bothered sanding a rim so can't help there.

WRT the old tubs - pull off any lumps of old glue, use a latex adhesive to stick the basetape down if it's pulled away anywhere, then give it a thin coat of glue and leave to dry.

Once it's dry glue the rim, stretch the tyre over it, inflate to ~30 psi or so and even it out. Give it a good roll along the floor to push the tub into the rim.

Do not - I repeat, do not - then pump the tyre up to 160 psi as I used to do, this causes the tyre to try to rotate on the rim and will pull the entire tyre out of alignment. Wait 24 hours for the bond to form, then pump up to operating pressure