Narhay

I am typing this with sore fingers after trying to true the (cheap) continental giro tires on my rims last night. I got it to an acceptable level using jantex tape but it still isn't perfect. Is glue easier than tape to adjust the tire around to get it nice and true?

The tape backing ripped and despite my efforts to seat it properly before removing the backing numerous adjustments were still necessary.

DiabloScott

1. Yes. Also,glue is better than tape in all important criteria.
2. Straightening out your tire is called "straightening", not truing.

FBinNY 

There are so many complicated mounting methods here on BF that I hesitate to say that I glue tubulars with an old fashioned gum mastic (look like shoe glue) that stays tacky for months. This allows me to do an on the road remount without fresh glue. Mounting at home I mount in to a wet coat of glue and align the tire before it sets up (gives me about 5-10 minutes to get it right before glue gets to stringy to work with).

I find regular double sided tapes a pain because it tends to move with the tire and get folded over or bunched up as you try to reposition. If you are skilled, it's possible to roll the tire onto the rim so it's already centered and little or no more positioning is needed, but that's a skill that takes practice.

If you like tape, use one like the Tufo which has a film on one side so you can mount and center the tire without adhesion, then slide the film out from under a perfectly mounted tire. Trick, start and end the tape near the valve and peel off about 1-2" and fold out to the side so you have a starting place for the peeling operation.

Narhay

Thank you. Which glue do you use?

FBinNY 

I have an old stock of glue from the Bronze Age. My favorite was an unbranded "Mastice Gutta" that came out of the tube looking like brown coarsely ground peanut butter. It had plenty of rubber (or rubber like) solids and made a very nice bed. That's almost gone, and I also have about 6 tubes of a Clement glue in a blue tube, just about as old. It seems to have less rubber solids and I reserve it as a "refresh" glue on older wheels with a decent base coat of the other stuff.

The other nice glue that I've used was from Continental, and my only objection was that it was very stringy while applying, so was messier to work with, but it had just the right hold with good residual tack.

I don't know what I'll use when my standbys are exhausted because I'm not very happy with many of the current offerings which lack the long term tack I look for. Hopefully I have a lifetime supply (at my age) of my old stuff, though I guess the better alternative would be to outlive my stock.

Grand Bois

Works for me.

hueyhoolihan

i've used both, and have found tape, all in all, to be much easier to use, but i will readily admit that once that backing is off the tape and the tire gets a hold of it, it can be a bear to adjust alignment. i think i may have ended up pulling the tire off, cleaning the rim, and starting all over a couple of times.

FBinNY 

If this is "easier" I'm afraid to imagine the alternative.

rootboy 

Wish they still made the old mastice gutta, and wonder why they don't. Some things shouldn't be "improved".
Though they always are.

xiaoman1 

I used to use glue but like tufo now....however it can be a PITA to change and fix a flat. Putting it on is a breeze, on a clean rim.
1.apply the tape to the wheel leaving the film on the tie/tube side, leave a little backing off both sides near the valve so you can pull it off later.
2.roll the tire on the rim
3.slightly inflate to set the tire and check for alignment
4.start at the valve and begin to remove the tape backing being careful to keep tire centered.....pump it up to 1/2 pressure check alignment again
(I do this with wheel on Bike)
good to go and to each their own
Regards, Ben