Check out BIKETIRESDIRECT.COM on those Continential prices.

I haven't seen the gatorskin sprinters yet, I'd be willing to put a pair on the
Serotta but the LBS doesn't stock em. They weigh about twice as much as the regular
sprinters and a bit more than Tufo Elites roads (another bullet proof tubular).

I just bought a new sprinter (not gatorskin) and it doesn't have the file tread (or crosshatch),
the tire isn't slick its a textured bumpy kind of tire, anyone seen this?

Marty

What are the advantages of box vs. oval tubular rim cross-sections?

I had an "opportunity" to experience first-hand swapping out a tubular tire today after a flat. It took about 3 minutes from flat to rolling again, and my ride partner commented that it was the fastest flat repair she'd ever seen. I'm lovin tubulars. :D

tubular
 

hey, can i ask a question? i hear enough about people fixing a flat sew-up in minutes and getting back on the road, but what's the concern about glue-drying time? because i've seen just as many posts about people taking their time stretching the tire and prepping it as much as i've seen about people getting the tire on the rim and taking off in minutes.. also, what's the story with getting glue on the tire itself, besides it looking like a sloppy job? thanks-

The tire you are using for a spare should already be stretched and have a coat of glue on it. Combine that with the glue on the rim and the weight of the rider on the tire after few revolutions, and it holds pretty good. The stretching and prep is done on the initial install of the tubie. As for glue on the tire, some use a plumber's flux brush, I put a bead on the tire and spread it using my finger with a plastic bag over it.

sorry to be redudant, but to be clear, i'm traveling with a spare that's already got a coat of glue on her? so this things in my bag or under my seat, just glued, ready and waiting? or are you saying on the spot i've slapped some glue on her..? thanks again-

Your spare is pre glued, the friction of riding should heat the glue enough to resume riding, but I re-glue the tire at home to be safe as rolling a tire is not something I ever want to do. I use either a worn or cheap tire for a spare as it is only a band aid to get home.

please help... I blew my tubular and now I am riding cheep clinchers off my girlfriend's bike. It's painful how much they suck and how much heavier they are. I don't know what kind of tubular tire to buy. I am a recreational road rider an do ride a lot of city sreets... so there is definately rough pavement. I am 180lbs and over 6'3" so think 23mm would be a good size. What would you recommend? EVen the tubulars in the clearance bin at the LBS are $50. I'm thinking I should get a set from ebay for that price?? online shop?

oh and the LBS told be there is an old italian guy who will come in about once a month a patch all the tubulars they want for $5 each so I am willing to consider high end tubulars seeing as I can get flats fixed. However the blow out was large (i learned my lesson about running them at 130psi) and it was really old anyway. 10+ years.

Rough pavement, city streets etc. I'd go for Conti Sprinters with gatorskin technology.
They weigh a bit more than the normal sprinters but are supposed to be bullet proof.
Speaking of Bullet Proof Tufo Elite Roads are damn near indestructable, but they're
heavy, not a go fast tire at all.

Marty

my next daily driver tubies will likely be the Conti gatorskins. I've started off with Vittoria Rally's and they're pretty durable so far (with only about a month on 'em), but I'll be experimenting.

how do you carry a glued tire so that it doesn't stick to itself?

Let it dry before you fold it up. It might stick slightly but will not create a problem. I use old tires that are worn or repaired so they are already dried. I cringe at strapping a new nice tire under my saddle for long periods so spares are old tires.

I found a nice dumpster bike with tubular rims, that needs a back tire repair (getting a new one).
I don't really know what I'm doing, though I understand the instructions in this thread. My concerns with glue are mess, time and my ultracheapness regarding the extra $5-7 for what seems like a lifetime supply tub of contact cement (I'm uncertain about my lifetime commitment to tubulars) .

Is Vellox double sided rim tape ok? http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=A8071
On clinchers, I will generally always slow down to at least 30kph when doing a 90* turn into a single traffic lane. (3-5ft to 15 foot apex)
What speeds can you safely do with no adhesive whatsoever? with tape? -- any not obvious disadvantages to tape only?

I'm still using glue, but you're right, tape might be cheaper in the long run because the glue starts to dry up after a year. Don't know about Velox, but I've heard that TUFO Extreme tape is really good, which I plan to try when I'm out of glue, or the glue is no good anymore. I just put on a new set of tubulars and didn't want to use any of the old ones as a spare because they're really bad and the base tape is coming off, so I have a new one for a spare. I didn't even put glue on it because it felt quite tacky and would probably stick quite well to the fairly new glue on the rims. I'll be swapping it out for one of the tires I have on now very soon. As for how hard to corner with a newly installed spare, I'd *****foot until I got home. Where I ride, sand and loose gravel on the corners is a greater danger anyway.

don't know about now but back in the day, the Jantex tape SUCKED.
it was really bad, great idea stupid execution of it.
I used Tufo regular tape, it too sucked.
From Tufo N.A. Tufo Regular tape is for cyclocross tires,
Tufo Extreme is for road tires. No where have I seen that, not
on Tufo's web site or anywhere else.
I'm sticking with good old Glue (no pun intended), yah it's a bit
more time consuming but. . . .
marty

From reading stuff on the TUFO website and forum, it seems that the Extreme tape was developed after US cyclists in very hot areas found the standard tape was melting. From that I gather that Ectreme was designated for road applications and the regular tape was relegated to cyclocross, where it's usually wet and cooler. (Cyclocross is, or used to be, a winter sport in Europe.)

I'm assuming your spares have no glue at all... wussyfoot means 10mph tops corners? -- It wouldn't be a huge deal if the setup had a 15mph max cornering speed, as long as it was totally safe at that speed. Did the old crappy tape at least allow for that?

My current spare has no glue at present, but as I said, it's "tacky". Given the tackiness of the glue on the rim, I'd expect the spare to stay in place when inflated to 100 psi, but I'd be a bit cautious. Another reason I retired the old tires (not a pun!) is that they were pretty beat and the base tape kept shedding threads. I had intended to re-glue it completely, but since I had new tubulars available, I wondered what I was saving them for.

But getting back to TUFO, I see they also have sealant you can put in a punctured tire, or before, that will seal it right away. Apparently it only adds 20 grams. I've repaired my share of tubulars when I was younger and adventurous, but don't relish the thought anymore. Most cars nowadays have those mickey mouse skinny little spares that aren't even the right diameter, so you have to drive slowly to a tire shop to get a flat fixed. Many people now carry aerosol fix-a-flat cans to avoid using the spare. I'm thinking this tire sealsnt stuff would be a great idea, unless you have a tire that completely blows up.

be aware that the tufo sealant and all the others
(Vittoria has one now) are stopgap measures to get you home.
Above 100 psi the sealant either oozes or spews out of the puncture
site depending on how much pressure you pump the tire up to.
I think they also are rather limited in the size of the cut they will
seal, even if I had sealant in the tires I would still carry a spare just
in case.
Oldyellr Tire Alert in Fla repairs tubulars, including replacing base tapes if
you want to salvage those tires.

Marty

If you look at the picture in the link for the velox/Jantex tape, the packaging looks very 1970's-ish to me.
Is the packaging different than what you have used before?
You also mentioned the Tufo stuff sucked too. Are you by any chance in a hot dry area of the world?
I assume also, by suck, you mean it came off easily.

I'm currently leaning towards tape for my project. The Tufo has some endorsements. Velox has none that I can find.

Not really worth salvaging Clement Super Condors I bought for less than $10 each years ago. I see it costs $20 to fix a tubular. I'm running $20 Michelin Liberty's now. Now, someone running $100+ tires....

$15 per tire if more than one.

Am I in a hot dry area? like Texas? it was 104 (41) today.

the regular glue never sets, it created a sticky gummy mess that oozed out
from under the tires, picked up all sorts of road debris (but it held, I got
blood blisters removing the tires). In addition to that it was a gawdawful
mess to clean the rims after.
whatever you do just get the extreme tape.
Jantex box looks the same to me as it always did.

Me? I'm convinced that Glue and a bit of patience is the way
to go. I also think that everyone should learn how to glue
tires, its a tradition.

marty

+1. Well stated.