Gluing Tires
#1
total Newbie
Thread Starter
Gluing Tires
Would like to get your opinions on this. I haven't really kept up with trends and don't do my own bike maintenance (live in tiny condo)
I have tubular tires on my road bike and I skipped my service apt this year due to COVID and no bike shops being able to take me. I got my tires glued last year at a shop that i'm not particular fond of.
I've called 2 shops around me asking to get my tires looked at to see if they need re-gluing (i'm paranoid) and the first one replied "tubulars? how old is your bike?" and i told him i've had it around 10 years now to which he said "weird, i would have thought a lot older if you're running tubulars" so i didn't bother taking it there assuming they don't have much experience. The next shop said they no longer glue tubulars and they just tape them saying it's less messy and tape is just as strong now.
Is there any truth to that? Can I just get new tires taped instead of glued or should i find another shop?
Thanks,
I have tubular tires on my road bike and I skipped my service apt this year due to COVID and no bike shops being able to take me. I got my tires glued last year at a shop that i'm not particular fond of.
I've called 2 shops around me asking to get my tires looked at to see if they need re-gluing (i'm paranoid) and the first one replied "tubulars? how old is your bike?" and i told him i've had it around 10 years now to which he said "weird, i would have thought a lot older if you're running tubulars" so i didn't bother taking it there assuming they don't have much experience. The next shop said they no longer glue tubulars and they just tape them saying it's less messy and tape is just as strong now.
Is there any truth to that? Can I just get new tires taped instead of glued or should i find another shop?
Thanks,
Likes For colnago62:
#3
total Newbie
Thread Starter
Thank you. I'm going to watch this. For the record though, when i buy a new tire, they should be glued instead of just taped right?
Likes For colnago62:
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 7,570
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1852 Post(s)
Liked 679 Times
in
430 Posts
Don't tape. Use glue.
If you're tires have already been glued on for a year and you already have a solid base of glue on the rim and tire, it's not too hard to re-glue them. Just pull the tire - carefully to not damage it. Apply a layer of glue to the rim and the tire, let it dry 24 hours. Then put a layer on the rim, let it sit about 5 min. Spray a thin layer of water on the tire - helps it slide on and sit easier - and then put the tire on the rim.
Make sure the tire is centered. Then roll it around on the floor to press the tire in. Inflate about halfway, roll on the floor again - straight and at an angle. Then inflate fully, roll again. And let it all dry. You're good to go.
One tube of Mastik 1 should be all you need for this. Acid brushes work great for spreading the glue, and they are cheap, so you can toss them when you're done. They cost like $3 at Harbor Freight for a bag of 30.
If you're tires have already been glued on for a year and you already have a solid base of glue on the rim and tire, it's not too hard to re-glue them. Just pull the tire - carefully to not damage it. Apply a layer of glue to the rim and the tire, let it dry 24 hours. Then put a layer on the rim, let it sit about 5 min. Spray a thin layer of water on the tire - helps it slide on and sit easier - and then put the tire on the rim.
Make sure the tire is centered. Then roll it around on the floor to press the tire in. Inflate about halfway, roll on the floor again - straight and at an angle. Then inflate fully, roll again. And let it all dry. You're good to go.
One tube of Mastik 1 should be all you need for this. Acid brushes work great for spreading the glue, and they are cheap, so you can toss them when you're done. They cost like $3 at Harbor Freight for a bag of 30.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Nor Cal
Posts: 6,016
Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1814 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 923 Times
in
569 Posts
Tape should be just as secure as glue (and has been), but starts with a clean rim and tire, so makes more sense with new tires than reglueing existing ones.
I don't believe I've ever pulled a road tire off just to glue it back on, but suit yourself.
I don't believe I've ever pulled a road tire off just to glue it back on, but suit yourself.
#7
total Newbie
Thread Starter
yea i would never. If my tires need "regluing" i'm just going to get new tires. It was more of a question if its acceptable that they're just taped and not taped AND glued.
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
Posts: 2,751
Bikes: Merlin Extra Light, Orbea Orca, Ritchey Outback,Tomac Revolver Mountain Bike, Cannondale Crit 3.0 now used for time trials.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 126 Post(s)
Liked 55 Times
in
34 Posts
Same experience here for me with tape. Have used Tufo tape for about 20 years, quick, easy but yes it should be applied to clean rims. Used regular glue also for many years but the need to wait a day for it to cure turned me to tape.
Last edited by Fox Farm; 08-13-20 at 07:19 AM.
Likes For Fox Farm:
#9
Senior Member
I generally wait overnight for my freshly glued tires to be ready. It’s been more than 30 years and never a problem.
Likes For waters60:
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Music City, USA
Posts: 4,444
Bikes: bikes
Mentioned: 52 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2622 Post(s)
Liked 1,429 Times
in
711 Posts
I've raced my tubulars (in crits, with very high speed and hard cornering) for 2-3 years without gluing (have always had to replace tires within 3 years). Agreed with the above about not pulling a tire off just to reglue it, unless the bond is already so weak.
This is another reason why it's important to glue your tires really well. They shouldn't be easy to pull off even after a year or three if you glued them right. The better the glue job, the less the rolling resistance.
Bad glue jobs make your tires slower.
This is another reason why it's important to glue your tires really well. They shouldn't be easy to pull off even after a year or three if you glued them right. The better the glue job, the less the rolling resistance.
Bad glue jobs make your tires slower.
Likes For rubiksoval:
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Minas Ithil
Posts: 9,173
Mentioned: 66 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2432 Post(s)
Liked 641 Times
in
398 Posts
Paying someone to glue your tubulars is like paying someone to wash your dishes. It's easy. I think some people overdo it on the glue. I personally use two coats on the rim and one on the basetape, let it sit overnight and go. But I saw some used tubulars a professional team was selling for spares and by looking at them you could tell the mechanic just put one small coat of glue between each spoke hole. There was like a big dry space on each side of where the holes were.
#12
South Carolina Ed
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Greer, SC
Posts: 3,889
Bikes: Holdsworth custom, Macario Pro, Ciocc San Cristobal, Viner Nemo, Cyfac Le Mythique, Giant TCR, Tommasso Mondial, Cyfac Etoile
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 344 Post(s)
Liked 291 Times
in
138 Posts
Don't tape. Use glue.
If you're tires have already been glued on for a year and you already have a solid base of glue on the rim and tire, it's not too hard to re-glue them. Just pull the tire - carefully to not damage it. Apply a layer of glue to the rim and the tire, let it dry 24 hours. Then put a layer on the rim, let it sit about 5 min. Spray a thin layer of water on the tire - helps it slide on and sit easier - and then put the tire on the rim.
Make sure the tire is centered. Then roll it around on the floor to press the tire in. Inflate about halfway, roll on the floor again - straight and at an angle. Then inflate fully, roll again. And let it all dry. You're good to go.
One tube of Mastik 1 should be all you need for this. Acid brushes work great for spreading the glue, and they are cheap, so you can toss them when you're done. They cost like $3 at Harbor Freight for a bag of 30.
If you're tires have already been glued on for a year and you already have a solid base of glue on the rim and tire, it's not too hard to re-glue them. Just pull the tire - carefully to not damage it. Apply a layer of glue to the rim and the tire, let it dry 24 hours. Then put a layer on the rim, let it sit about 5 min. Spray a thin layer of water on the tire - helps it slide on and sit easier - and then put the tire on the rim.
Make sure the tire is centered. Then roll it around on the floor to press the tire in. Inflate about halfway, roll on the floor again - straight and at an angle. Then inflate fully, roll again. And let it all dry. You're good to go.
One tube of Mastik 1 should be all you need for this. Acid brushes work great for spreading the glue, and they are cheap, so you can toss them when you're done. They cost like $3 at Harbor Freight for a bag of 30.
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Oahu, HI
Posts: 1,399
Bikes: 89 Paramount OS 84 Fuji Touring Series III New! 2013 Focus Izalco Ergoride
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 286 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 74 Times
in
54 Posts
Hard to get glue in Hawaii, so I went with the Carogna tape. As mentioned not cheap, but does a nice job. When I have pulled a tire (old tire) it's pretty hard to get off, but the tape sticks to the tire base tape (might not be so nice if you are repairing a flat) and leaves the rim clean. So if you have to mount a tire on the road (haven't yet with sealant) they suggest putting your spare on unglued (I would definitely use co2 and inflate on the high side and of course watch how I cornered).
scott s.
.
scott s.
.
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 12,922
Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder
Mentioned: 129 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4813 Post(s)
Liked 3,941 Times
in
2,563 Posts
I haven't ridden tubulars in 20 years but did since the early '70s. Settled in on using Tubasti for all my wheels except my good race wheels got Clement, Tubasti is a little different from Mastic or Clement becasue it does not set up hard but keeps some tack. I never stripped my rims. The longer they had been going and the more tire glues I'd done the more I trusted them. After a few I knew I could do a dry pull and mount a spare on the road and have a well glued tire by the end of the ride.
I am going back to tubulars as my current rims and tires wear out. Velox is still making Tubasti and a quick check shows a lot of current vendors. I would have no issues with riding tires on Tubasti'd rims for years or riding them after they've been sitting a long time. (Yes, I'd blow them up to around 80 psi and give them a good, hard sideways push.)
My brush-less glue application technique was pretty simple, Squeeze on a toothpaste bead between spoke holes (amount varied on thickness and condition of the old glue), take a folded small piece of stiff paper or thin cardboard, bend it with my middle finger to the shape of the rim, and go around the rim using it like a squeegee to spread the glue. Toss the paper. Fast and cheap.
Ben
I am going back to tubulars as my current rims and tires wear out. Velox is still making Tubasti and a quick check shows a lot of current vendors. I would have no issues with riding tires on Tubasti'd rims for years or riding them after they've been sitting a long time. (Yes, I'd blow them up to around 80 psi and give them a good, hard sideways push.)
My brush-less glue application technique was pretty simple, Squeeze on a toothpaste bead between spoke holes (amount varied on thickness and condition of the old glue), take a folded small piece of stiff paper or thin cardboard, bend it with my middle finger to the shape of the rim, and go around the rim using it like a squeegee to spread the glue. Toss the paper. Fast and cheap.
Ben
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Back-of-beyond, Kootenays, BC
Posts: 751
Bikes: Specialized Roubaix Expert Road and Specialized Stump Jumper FS Mountain; De Vinci Caribou touring, Intense Tracer T275c, Cramerotti, Specialized Allez, Condor, Marinoni
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 166 Post(s)
Liked 101 Times
in
58 Posts
#16
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Ffld Cnty Connecticut
Posts: 21,844
Bikes: Old Steelies I made, Old Cannondales
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1173 Post(s)
Liked 931 Times
in
616 Posts
Huh ? New tires instead of $4 tube of glue ?
__________________
Bikes: Old steel race bikes, old Cannondale race bikes, less old Cannondale race bike, crappy old mtn bike.
FYI: https://www.bikeforums.net/forum-sugg...ad-please.html
Bikes: Old steel race bikes, old Cannondale race bikes, less old Cannondale race bike, crappy old mtn bike.
FYI: https://www.bikeforums.net/forum-sugg...ad-please.html