speedyspaghetti

Hey guys -

So I recently (stupidly) told someone that I don't flat very often and of course that meant that I would flat on two consecutive days. Yesterday on my gravel bike, today on my road bike. My road bike currently got a wheel upgrade to some Reynolds 32 carbon tubulars with Vittoria Corsa tires. I got the wheel + tire combo for a sweet deal and I love how light they are. Today, of course, I was thinking about how ****ty it would be to flat with the tubular since I don't have any way to fix/replace on the side of the road, and sure enough that's what happened. The puncture was a small piece of rigid wire but it completely flatted me. I got a ride home from a friend that lives nearby but now I don't know what the best way is to move forward.

Do I need to replace the whole tire? Is there a way to patch the tubular? Can I run some sort of sealant in it? What are my options here?

Thanks as always.

ptempel

Reading this:

https://www.velonews.com/gear/techni...s-it-worth-it/

talks about some trying sealant on small leaks like yours. That could be an option. The old school method is to remove the base tape near the flat, cut the seam, unthread enough to get at the tube inside. Then apply the patch and sew it back up. Finally, glue the base tape back on. It has been so long that I've tried it that I would probably give it to someone more experienced.

randallr

I had your situation, put in some sealant, rode the tire several more years.

billridesbikes

If it went 0 psi flat immediately on the road the hole is probably too big for sealant. I carry a can of CaffeLatex ‘Espresso’ which works fine for thorns or glass shards, you could try that before you rip the tire off.

Sorry, but you probably need a brand new tire.

Buy two so you can keep one under the seat with a toe strap old school style for the next time you flat.

Russ Roth

The orange seal is supposed to work on latex, I'd toss some in and see if it holds. How's your sewing skills? The tube is replaceable. The old tradition was to keep a previous year's tire under the seat as it already had glue and was already stretched, might want to buy two and start stretching the extra, installing new tires on the side of the road is a pain.

Iride01 

I always flat three times in a very quick succession. So you might have another flat coming!

Once that is over, usually good for a year or two. But my experience is on clinchers. So if tubulars only require two flats in succession, that might be another reason to consider them.

datlas 

You can try the sealant trick. You should always ride with a spare tubular tire or risk the sane thing happening again.

Tubulars do ride great but are such a pita not worth it for most of us.

There is a reason why so many “sweet deals” on gently used tubular wheels.

woodcraft

Get a new tire, and one of these, or the like.

https://www.jensonusa.com/Velox-Smal...lar-Repair-Kit

Put on the new tire, repair the other one at your leisure and carry it for a spare.

bruce19

Tubeless. Two years and no flats.

Sy Reene

That's awfully lucky. What setup are you riding?

63rickert

Carry a spare tubular. Pull off the flat tire, mount the spare, pump to full pressure and ride home.

In days of red glue this was fastest way to change a flat by far. With current glue and the way tires are generally very very glued it takes a while to break the bond and get that tire off. Still very possible at roadside. The spare should be pre-stretched for easy mounting. If your spare is a Vitoria Corsa G pre stretch not necessary. For the ride home you have no glue. Air pressure alone, or air pressure and a little friction with old glue, is what keeps tire on. So pump it hard. Yes, this works. No sprints, no high speed descents. I have forgotten the spare is on many times and cruised in pack at 35mph, air pressure does it. But try to be sensible.

Sealant is easy. With tubulars it only works on tiny holes. If a single thread in the casing has been cut the tire will bulge and keep bulging. The tire needs a boot and must be opened up to put boot in. Also once sealant is in tube you must keep that tire inflated. Sealant will glue to itself if the tire is stored flat. I got away with it three years and then boom, lost a Vittoria Corsa G.

You can learn how to open and patch a tubular. Not that hard, time consuming. Takes a certain talent to keep the tire round and straight when you sew. Some of us do it, some of us don’t. If you just won’t, give the tire to someone who will.

bruce19

Mavic Ksyrium Elite UST.

JohnDThompson 

+1 this.

Save your puntured tires and repair them at your leisure during the off season. I've found a sewing awl and waxed thread useful both in handling the tough casing material and creating a locking stitch like that created by sewing machines.

"Tire Alert" in Florida specializes in repairing tubular tires. A good option especially for the fancier tires.

Fox Farm

Put some sealant in your saddle bag, such as Tufo. I think that Vittoria also makes stuff called pit stop. Remove the valve core with the little tool that comes with the sealant, turn the wheel so that the valve hole is at 4 or 8 o;clock, squeeze in about half of the tube of sealant, put the core back in, spin the tire to coat the inside of the tube, pump it it and you should be ok to go. Look for where some of the white sealant may be coming out of the puncture hole. I have repaired my tubulars on the roadside in the past this way. You can also put some of the sealant in the tires/tubes when doing a new install and it may self plug any such holes as you described. Carry a spare tubular with you, could be a used one. If you are using glue and not tape, smear some glue on the replacement tube, let it dry, fold it up and put it into a small plastic bag and then in your saddle bag. You can peal off the flat tubular and put on the replacement tire and it should be good to ride you home, assuming that you don't get crazy on downhills and into corners.

ptempel

Heh, another supporting statement for the belief that "everything comes in threes". I forgot to mention that I also spin the wheels and rub down the tires with paper towel. Then slowly check the tread for any tiny objects stuck there (glass, metal, rock, etc). This has saved my bacon more than a few times. It was also surprising just how much debris I would find at times in the front tire even though the rear tire still gets the brunt of the wear and stuff stuck there. So that's my "secret" to the OP. Wipe and check your tires either after or before every ride. I also wipe the chain right after that to keep it relatively clean.

JohnJ80

I have been riding tubulars for years but just recently switched to clincher tubeless. I never had flats on my tubulars but I was running the Tufo tubulars which are tubeless tubulars. You put sealant in them or you use a plugger just like with a tubeless tire. Ran them for years.

J.

topflightpro

Watch this video on how to fix a tubular flat out on the road:
Tire Alert is great if you cannot get things fixed on your own. I've sent plenty of tubulars there over the years.

speedyspaghetti

Awesome - thanks for the help everyone. I was able to use some Stan's in the Vittoria and it seems to have patched it up. I inflated it to 100 psi and left it overnight with the hole facing down and it is still holding air two days later. I went ahead and bought a new tubular anyway, but I'll keep this one as a spare just in case. Hopefully no more tubular flats for a while!

woodcraft

I've never really understood that video. Supergluing the tire won't stop the tube from losing air, and if sealant stops the leak, then why bother with the superglue?

ccrrar

I have used that Velox tubular patching kit....if you go that route make sure you have a metal thimble otherwise you will never get the tire sewn up again. It also takes some practice to not puncture the tube again while sewing the tire closed.

Rob