For removing old glue from tubular rims, I've had excellent results with a small propane torch and a rag. 'Found this technique being demonstrated on a YouTube video some time ago. I'd recommend caution until you get the feel of it, but what you do is gently warm the rim until the old glue starts to bubble a bit. It will be really soft and that point and wipes off easily with an old cotton dishrag. I used two passes. About 90% of the old glue came off in the first round. The second time around left the rim with next to no glue remaining. 'Takes very little time.

Dean

Not all tubular glues are the same regarding removal. I find Vittoria Mastik is almost impervious to most solvents. (Acetone, MEK, Alcohol, Goo Gone.) . According to the MSDS, I probably need Xylene or Benzene. I did however have great luck with paint stripper (Methylene Chloride). It's nasty stuff, but it disolves it without much trouble.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...dd491fb18a.jpg
The glue I removed with Goo Gone was red. I am not sure the Goo Gone did much besides act as a lubricant and keep the glue form just moving to another spot and sticking. As the glue comes off with the steel wool it gets coated with goo gone oil. That is my guess anyway. Those glue remover chemicals never worked for me very well. The Goo Gone made it easy and cut the time in half. :)

Has anyone tried Challenge Tubulars?

Only Grifo = 33mm cyclocross tire for my 'gravel' bike.
They have been on 2 wheelsets and still seem ok.

Yes. They are my favorite cyclocross tubulars (the Limus is a spectacular mud tire). I also run a set of Strada 300 TPI 25mm on the road. They are very easy to mount, and easy to get on straight.

Great Thanks.

I ordered a set of the Criterium's in 25's. The pricing on the Vitorias and the Veloflexes are getting a little beyond my price range.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8e879b335e.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ef9e1a3900.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...56df3f79db.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...295920c9f4.jpg

So I picked up this wheel set on CL for my 82 Peugeot Super Competition on a whim to replace the original clinchers that are on it, same hubs. The tires that came with it were glued on but do not look to have been ridden, wheels look brand new after cleaning. The tires are probably 35 years old, very nice looking Vittoria Corsa CX tires. The side walls are shinny like they have been coated. I do plan on riding these wheels and tires. I see no cracks or damage to the tires and the base tape is still intact. Are these by chance silk? If they are silk that would really be cool because I have heard so much about silk tires? I did not ride tubular tires in my youth, these will be the oldest tires I have ever tried out. Will they be safe after all these years?

Corsa CX were cotton, not silk. They are very high quality racing tires, and more or less replaced the old Clement silks when they came out.

I don't see any visible signs of rot -- often it is quite obvious, but it'd still be careful with these. Cotton does decay, and these likely date from the 80s.

CX were available in silk though... back when $40 was a lot for a tire.
Too many good newer tubulars are available now for me to want to ride 30+ year-old ones though.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...622d0f12df.jpg


I was there that day too, and followed some Aussie pro's back down The Mountain... they were wearing backpacks and had to ride to the team buses at the bottom.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5035ba3d9f.jpg

Thanks for the info diabloscott , Salamandrine and gaucho777.
. I am a bit disappointed that they are not silk. I was buying the wheels assuming that the tires were just junk anyway. I was surprised that they even held air. I am torn now. Not sure I want to ride them always worrying but hate to just toss them in the trash. I have no dangerous hills to deal with around me so maybe I will try them out and watch them? Keep them on the trails and see if I can get a season out of them? Not sure there is a market for 35 year old tires except for maybe people with wall hangars? I think the wheels would look pretty cool on the Peugeot with period correct tires?

Silk was out of fashion when those were the cool tire to have. Not sure why. As diabloscott pointed out, they did come in a silk version. For whatever reason not as cool and popular in say 1984 as cotton. Definitely not junk. Those were top end pro racing tires of the time. I couldn't afford them BITD.

If you're not riding fast descents, it might be OK. They at least look good now. Rotting cotton tires are pretty obvious since they basically start to fall apart. Safest to only run them on the back.

Keep in mind I am very conservative and careful with tires. I won't run a patched tire on the front. I like to know I can hit 60+ on descents without worry.

Latex rubber usually get that dark, shiny look when they dry out. That is how most hoods look when they start to dry out and get hard. I would say that is usually not a good sign if you see it on the sidewalls of an old set of tubs......
The inner tube should be in better condition as it was not exposed to the elements, so it will still hold air. I will not trust the casings as much.
You should try out Vittoria's new Graohene compound Corsa tires to replace them. They feel really fast and light! Not cheap, but worth every penny, IMO..... and the big plus is, they come in tan sidewalls too, for C&V bikes!:thumb:

Keep 'em to use as spares. I think I have one in my pile-o-tires in the basement.

Steve, a late follow up to the thread on old Vittorias. I went into my Box o' Tubulars and found my old ones, also I'm trying to build onto my nearly-alive resurrected Mondonico ("we have the technology ... "). Here's what I have:

Two Vittoria Special Pro Racing Team, 22 mm, cotton. I've had them inflated on rims for about 3 weeks. I'm convinced the tubes are butyl.

One Vittoria Corsa CG Ultra P-R Squadra Prof, also 22 mm cotton. This has beet carrying pressure for about 1.5 weeks. Butyl tubes as far as I can tell.

I just set up my Challenge Parigi-Roubaix tubulars, on rims, 27 mm (more like 29). It's only been a day, but this morning they went onto the rims well and they are still hard after 6 hours. Can't say what the innards are, yet.

I have a few pairs of Gommitalia Espresso, handmade and supposedly latex. So far I've had trouble stretching them initially onto rims. Once I can get a pair of those to mount and take air, I'll have four decent pairs of sew ups in usable condition!

What are their shipping charges like? I know alot of the UK sites ship for free.

That's a deal. Just wish they came in a Tan Wall.

I don't think they make them in the green anymore.

a lot of places are offering similar deals - I wasn't going to say anything because of low inventory, but now I've got a good supply.
I'm going to miss my green stripes someday, but it won't be soon.

Didn't know Panaracer made tubulars. Might be the finishing touch on your vintage keirin restoration:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/222893304912

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...be3b61d479.jpg

They still do, BTW: https://panaracer.com/lineup/road.html :thumb:

Need some advice from those with more tubular experience than I. Some background: I built a set of wheels with Chorus hubs, DT competition spokes, and Mavic GP4 rims. This was a couple of years ago, and I only rode these wheels once or twice. They were a second set of wheels for my Lemond Alpe d'Huez. I'm planning to use these wheels on my Masi build, so I checked them out and the glue has dried out and I could push it off the rim (uninflated) very easily. No stickiness at all. Definitely need to fix that.

I'm considering a significant upgrade to either Vittoria Corsa G+ or Veloflex Carbon tubulars. The prices I've seen for these are comparable, any thoughts one way or the other? I will probably use 25mm, the frame has plenty of clearance for this width, assuming that the installed width on the GP4 rim is close to the stated width. Now that I think about it, tubular widths should be more consistent than clinchers, since the rim width really isn't a factor. Is that true or false?

Also considering the Effetto Mariposa Caronga tape. Obviously my glue job wasn't spectacular, and the reviews on the tape are all positive. it's not cheap, neither the tape nor the rim cleaner, but if the adhesion is good and reliable then it might be worth the expense. Any thoughts or experience with the Caronga tape?

Thanks in advance.

A couple of thoughts:

Will you be riding or looking at the tubulars?

If looking, I have no opinion.

If riding, I'd consider getting a couple cheap tufo tires and learn to glue them on. Different glues and personal assessments of how much glue is enough will vary.

When I got back into tubulars, I used the Continental glue, closely followed the directions, and the glue job didn't hold very well (tire moved under braking and a got a hump around the stem - good thing I was close to home). Vittoria cement is excellent but for me I need less than recommended (I couldn't reposition the tire once on the rim). I like Tubasti, but then again I like French weirdness.

If you dont want to mess with glue, the Tufo tape is generally well thought of. However, I read and hear of nightmares getting the tires off.

The reason I recommend cheap tufos (e.g., S33 pros that can be had for $30) is that they are very durable and don't ride all that bad, despite what the elitist tubular fans contend. And if you totally get glue all over the place, it is only a $30 tire. On the other hand, you get a $100 tire and flat it the second time out, you will be likely back on the clinchers.

Just my 2cents

Good luck

I can't claim to be experienced but I've been riding tubulars for a few years now. I ran through a pair of Vittoria Corsa EVO SC clinchers then a comparable set of sewups (I forget the model name). Then I decided to try Veloflex, the Master clincher and equivalent Criterium sewup. I've been using them ever since. I started using Vittoria Mastic on the advice of a friend and have never had reason to change. It grips well, stays grippy, maybe ever getting stronger with time.