Vittoria Rallys seem to be a pretty good compromise. They've worn well, ride well, have Kevlar, and aren't all that expensive. True, they aren't as nice as the latex tubed Wolbers I was on for awhile, but I liked them as well as anything else I've tried. Of course, I am a bit cheap. :o

Find this stuff truly tenacious. A lot of track riders used it cause it just doesn't pull off. I've not used it as rim cement mainly cause I want the option to REMOVE the tire ;) without havin to cut it off :)
One use I have found though is to re-adher the basetape back to the casing after a repair - doesn't seem to work on all tires (I guess dependin on what is originally used on the tire casing) but for those that it does adher to, it is tenacious!

I haven't had much trouble getting tires off, but perhaps I use it a bit more sparingly than others might. I've had success gluing tires even when I only put a single coat on the rim (and none on the base tape).

One thing that I am having difficulty finding is a decent 'tire bag' for tubulars. I am old school enough that I used to have a relitively flat, rectangular bag (I can't remember the brand name) which I strapped under the seat with a spare toe clip cinch strap. My memory is that is was specifically set up for tubulars. The bag was light weight, simple & effective. Big enough to comfortably carry a tire, kit & an odd tool or so, but also big enough that I could jam in 2 tubulars if I was in the mood.

Unfortunately, that bag ate the dust long ago. I don't like the way the tubulars fit in the under seat bags I find these days. They appear to be too areo (triangular in shape) which doesn't lend well to the tubulars. Just too many folds needed.

Any ideas or suggestions for decent tubular bags? Thanks Bob

PS. While on the subject... Any one know of a source for NOS Bata Bikers shoes?

Jandd Mountaineering
TireBag II
willhold 2, but looks pretty much like a traditional tiere sock in size, good stuff
most of the shops around here stock this if they carry Jandd...

Otherwise, Lone Peak (stilla round?) mkes one that is a bit more 'wedge', but still designed to carry a sewup with minimal folds - I gave mine to my son. Nice, w/coin pocket.
The Jandd, however, looks the real vintage deal.

Bata Bikers, dooooodeeee, prolly the same dealer/shop/place that has NOS stock on Bell Bikers... ;)

The Zeus tire holders are pretty nice too - I can only fit one tubular in though, and it doesn't hold anything else. Kind of a minimalist approach. http://cgi.ebay.com/ZEUS-spare-tire-...QQcmdZViewItem

I have used a Vittoria tire holder; which seems identical to the Zeus. It seemed to work it's self loose and fall off as the metal hooks are soft easy to bend metal. Another problem with the open air holder is that the spare tire is covered in road grime when you need it.

I also use a Cannondale tubular tire bag much like the Jandd described above. I believe that the tire bag is a better way to carry the spare but not as elegant as the tire strap.

just use an old toe strap and let the tire hang
down under the saddle or seatbag. Show em
what you got, and put your faith in the
gods of cycling that you'll never need that
spare.

marty

sliding the topic over a little.

I rode a bike today that I hadn't ridden in a while, equipped with tubulars. About five miles out of town the rear tire developed a marked thump and on inspection there was a little bump just after the stem insertion point. I said oh well (carrying my spare in my back pocket) and finished out the 20 mile loop. When I got home I pulled the wheel off in preparation for putting on a new tire, let the air out of the tire, and found that I'd never glued the dam*ed thing on!

The tire gradually crept around the rim and bunched up behind the valve stem, making a hump. I shudder to think of all of the ways that disaster may have befallen me. So, in the interest of public safety, here's a little reminder from your safety committee chairman.

Check your glue job periodically.

Thank you, and good evening.

Yes indeed. Earlier this summer I was going out for a ride with my son. I had just mounted a new tire on back. By the time I got to the top of my very steep drive way & started down the road, I felt that same thump & bump you described. I felt pretty foolish considering I had just schooled my kid on how to mount a sew-up. Good to be kept humble. Bob

This begs the question -- how safe/practical is it to use Tufo tape on non-Tufo tires? Its a given that it'll be marketed as being unsuitable for anything but Tufo tires, but they don't have a traditional base tape. Can a "normal" tubular be removed without pulling up the base tape?

I think its mostly lawyerly weasle words concerning tufo tape and
normal tubulars.
I have not problem with the base tape (and this tire was on 2 years approx.)
pulling off the sprinter tire. I had heard that rumor but that wasn't the
case, again it was the normal tape, not the extreme.
Now what does that say about how well the tire was glued to the
rim? well I had sore fingers and 1 blister from trying to remove 2 tires.
The only tire that I have that has lost base tapes were some old Clement
Paris Roubaix and they are going to be shipped off for new tubes and base.

would I use the Tufo tape again? I don't think so. Not because I felt it
was unsafe, or pulled base tape but because of the godawful sticky mess
it left behind. At least Glue dries and can be chipped off.

marty

Lotek, what do you mean about sending the Clements away for tube and base tape replacement? Who does this sort of work? I have some nice old ones that could use some similar refurbishing!

Ken

Tire Alert in florida does this kind of repairs.

Is it just me that does this but I like to spread the glue on the rim and tire with my finger :D . Guess I am a big kid I like getting my fingers in the stuff and I feel I really know the glue is evenly spread over the entire surface of the tire/rim.

I am interested in the method others use to get the old glue off of their rims when changing tires?

My method has always been rather basic (kind of like mouthing method mentioned above: the finger smearing the glue around): A little bit or acetone, adheasive remover or similar solvent (what ever I happen to have laying around) on a rag. Basic, but works.

I don't like my tires getting that much UV unless they are mounted. Check out my avatar for what I use. My old Cannondale tire sock must be getting close to 23 years old and still works quite well. A "real" sock also works OK and would be easier to find. That would be even more correctly "old school".

You mean an actual sock for one's foot? Or is there actually such a thing as an old school tire sock? And if so, where does one buy one?

Yes, there is such a thing. Read back in the thread for a link.

Oh, uh, I guess that you mean the Jandd? I have been lurking through the whole thread, I was just wondering if the new word that had appeared, "sock", referred to something even more traditional. Would that piece of canvas that Rivendell carries work, or is that too small? I'm starting to contemplate something more homemade, maybe just canvas folded over the tires in a small plastic bag?

As long as its the right size, it ought to work. This is a decidedly low-tech piece of equipment that anyone with a sewing device, a bit of sense and sufficient ambition could rig up.

Yeah, that's what I thought. Okay, thanks for being patient and sharing with a neophyte to the world of tubulars. Good learning.

I used to use an actual wool sock to hold the tubie, a dollar, and a few wrenches. Held it on with a toeclip strap...I recommend vigorelli winter socks for that totally vintage look...

funny thing, I was in LBS last week and they had Jandd seat bags on
sale. So I bought the tubular bag for cheap. It is like the bags of old,
holds little more than than a tubular and maybe a velox repair kit and
multi tool.
I like it. I'd take pics but as we know they aren't working right now.

guess I'll put that old toestrap back in the parts bin.

marty