xiaoman1 

I was so excited to find some 650c tires I pulled the trigger before realizing that these were tubulars....and not having a T wheel makes it even worse....yeah I know I am a
knucklehead so I guess I will send them back unless I can find a 650c front wheel.

Does anyone have a built front that they want to part with(tubular or clincher)? I am trying to find one to finish a Bertoni Crono.
Best, Ben

smontanaro 

I have done the reverse. Man, I wish companies wouldn't use the same names on clinchers and tubulars.

xiaoman1 

Well, I should have read the package but my eyes just saw 650c...what was funny when I was speaking to the salesperson I ordered tubes and it didn't register with him either.

I am still in the market for a 650c, so if anyone has a complete front wheel, I would be interested in a PM from you.
Thanks, Ben

jonwvara 

I picked up a nice set of old tubular wheels in a trade with member Andy_K a month or so ago. (Thanks, Andy!) The Normandy Luxe hubs proved to be in tip-top shape after bearing ball renewal and fresh grease. Cleaned off the fossilized tubular cement with a small brass-bristled brush and some lacquer thinner, got down pretty much to bare metal. The new Vittorio Corsas went on perfectly with Jantex tape--I was too chicken to use cement for my first attempt at mounting tubulars. They're nominally 28mm wide, but actually measure just a shade over 27. Close enough.

And really, "perfect" might be too strong a word. I got confused and both labels on the tire sidewalls ended up on the non-drive side. Oops. I suppose I should be thankful that they're both on the same side of the bike.

Earlier today, I took them out on a ten-mile rail-trail outing with my wife (on the wonderful Lamoille Valley Rail Trail). It's unpaved, though quite smooth, so I had some misgivings, the more so since I don't yet have a spare tubular or even any sealant. But I concluded that since these tires are going to live in Vermont, where it's hard to go anywhere without encountering some gravel road, they might at well get used to it from the start.

They performed very well. I had not ridden on tubulars since 1971, when Complete Book of Bicycling author Eric Sloane sold me on them at first mention:

"...[T]hey and the wheels they are used on are lighter and more responsive, making cross-country pedaling easier and more enjoyable."

Frankly, they were a big disappointment 49 years ago. In particular, I didn't notice that they made pedaling even slightly easier, although the 45-23 low gear on my new Gitane TdF--compared to the 40-28 or whatever it was on my previous Raleigh Record--may have had something to do with that.

Today's ride was nice. I didn't expect to notice a dramatic change in the quality of the ride, and I didn't. If I pedaled along thinking "wow, these tubulars are really responsive and enjoyable," then yeah, I could sort of imagine that something wonderful was going on. Was that the tires or the 32-spoke wheels? More likely just my imagination. If I just rode along and looked at the scenery they felt pretty much like the 28mm Paselas that were on there before (I had the tubulars inflated to my usual 70 psi). That's fine--I'm too old to believe in magic these days

Still, it's fun to be one of the cool kids now.

[Suddenly anxious] Wait, you guys aren't going to make fun of my label placement, are you?

pastorbobnlnh 

Jon, welcome to olde skool throw-back true C&V riding once again! Retirement brings on adventure and risk-taking!

However, you really need to try them on pavement for a real comparison to clinchers.

P.S. Purchase a couple of cans of Vittoria Pit Stop for an emergency flat repair. If you'd like I can send you a new Vittoria Rally to use as a spare.

semroc

Just put one of these on the front of my Rossin. Wow! Great tire. My bike really jumped.

DiabloScott

Seeet! Does it measure a true 25mm or a little wide? Actually I was looking at 28mm because that's a hard max for the Merckx.

squirtdad

I have these on the 84 team miyata, super nice ride......I don't have a lot of miles so can't talk about durability. construction looked good. Running at 130 (i am 245). after meeting I can go and measure mine

obuckler

I believe in magic!

Comparing a tire’s effect on ride quality is admittedly subjective. But one thing I compare (beyond how I think it feels) is this: while riding I keep an eye on my front tire’s leading edge. I watch how much vibration it exhibits.

Clinchers vs tubular or even a hard tire vs a supple tire all show different degrees of bounce or chatter which is easily seen. This is not entirely objective but it is at least observable.

My supple Corsa G+’s barely move. Other tires chatter.

It would be interesting to see if others notice any correlation of tire quality to ride quality this way.

Other factors in play here: the wheel build (rim type, spoke number/gauge/butted or not, etc.) and tire size/inflation are probably the biggest two.

My wheel builds are all 36 spoke 3 cross and butted spokes (15/16/15 or 1.8/1.6/1.8). For all my tubulars I ride the rear at the lowest psi recommendation and the front 5-10 psi lower. Today on 25mm tires that meant a bit over 100 rear and a bit over 90 front.

semroc

It's 25mm. 80psi, in back 78 in front. Sweet ride.

squirtdad

measured mine at 25mm (ruller and caliper....what can is say) at 130psi

DiabloScott

OK thanks, so the 27mm version ought to be fine for me. I do like'em a little cushier.

jonwvara 

Well, there's about a mile of new pavement between here and the village of Marshfield. I'll have to ride them over it and see what I see.

By the way, I'm also riding a Vittoria G+ in front, and another Vittoria G+ in back. (That's roundabout phrasing, but I couldn't come up with a rational-looking way of making a plural out of "Vittoria G+.") They seem like nice tires, although I have nothing to compare them to.

seedsbelize 

A question for the group. I bought a pair of tubular rims a year or so ago, and a set of Record hubs is awaiting me in Ohio.
A couple months ago I suffered an injury to my left index finger and, just this week learned it will never again be fully functional. As in the flexor tendon waited too long to be repaired. Doctor error.
Can I consider mounting tubulars in this condition? It wouldn't be the end of the world.
TIA

obrentharris 

seedsbelize I just went out to the garage and tried mounting a tubular to a rim without using my index finger. It was more difficult but not insurmountable. My method is to insert the valve into its hole, then with the wheel vertical, valve and hole at the top, I grip the tire on either side of the valve with my two hands and stretch it onto the rim working from top to bottom. Gripping and stretching without use of the index finger was awkward for me. The tire I used has been previously mounted to a rim, so not as difficult as some brand new tires. My suspicion is that, just performing your normal daily tasks, you will learn to compensate with your other fingers but I'm no occupational therapist.
Brent

seedsbelize 

I feel the same, but wanted to check. Thanks for doing that.

79pmooney

Also, keep your eyes and ears open to what tires (and to a lesser extent rims) mount easiest, This isn't like clinchers where too easy and you risk blow-offs. Once the glue is set, tightness doesn't matter.

I was just thinking that you could have a slightly smaller "rim" (maybe a clincher 26" rim). cut it in half, hand the tire from the top half hung on a hook, fit the bottom half onto the bottom of th etubular, and hand a (say 15#) weight from it. Let it sit in a dark closet a few months.

Caution, the above has had all the rational thought and review that was left over in my little brain while being primarily occupied with typing. But pre-stretching tubulars has been done for probably more than the past century, Not a new or untested. concept

Ben

Trevsears

Hi, does anyone have experience of repairing loose base tape on old tubulars ?
I picked up a 1970s Motobecane 10-speed at a junk yard and want to clean it up for occasional short trips around where I live.

The old tubulars were flat of course after years of being abandoned somewhere, but I pumped them up to 100 psi and they held pressure without an issue.
When I took them off the rims they came right off because the glue was long gone, but some of the base tape is not so well connected to the tyre.
I want to keep the bike as original as possible and not spend much money on it, so if I could avoid buying 2 new tubulars I’d like to try to fix them up.

Classtime 

seedsbelize I would avoid Continental tubulars. The Competitions are a real bear and the Sprinter Gatorskins are almost as bad. The Vittoria Corsa and Rally are much easier. You could have the LBS or a neighbor put them on your stretching rims and then do your gluing a couple weeks later.

squirtdad

another option with the caveat you get what you pay for is the 3 for 50 deal here tubular tire sewup tire Servizio Corse $19.95 tubular tires at Yellow Jersey; possibly the Best Value Tubular In America for 2020!

semroc

The two challenge tubulars I've mounted went on very easy after a two day rim stretch. Too bad about your finger. Way to toughen it out and stick with tubulars like a tough old professional. ☺

Wileyone 

I just mounted a set of Veloflex Vlaanderen 27mm on my Limongi the rear cleared fine but I had to put a shim under the front brake mount so it would clear. Really Really nice tyres.

CV-6 

Tire Alert

$16 each for new base tape. If you spring for that, you may as well spend another $20 to get the tubes replaced. Personally, I would buy new tires.

CV-6 

We all know tires make the ride. It was proven to me once again over the last few days. I acquired a 78 Team Champion and just so I could ride it, I threw some Pelissier 2000/GP4s on it mounting Challenge Strada tires. Bike felt sluggish. Rode it twice just to be sure it wasn't just an off day for me. Still a slug. Switched to Pelissier 2000/OR10 with FMB 25mm Paris-Roubaix. Well, I was having an off day, but the bike was alive and I rode further than I would have otherwise. Granted the rims are lighter on the latter, but this is not the first time I have put good tubulars on a slug and it came alive.

My conclusion. Spend the money of good tires. You only live once. I have found Veloflex and FMB to be a cut above most others and less prone to flatting.

YMMV

DiabloScott

definitely on my short list of possibles... true to size?