Tubular tape or tubular cement...?

gaffy

Hi, bought a custom planet x stealth from ebay

front wheel is a mavic cosmic deep sectionc carbon rim - tubular tyre came separate in the box

so need advice on attaching tubular to wheel rim

there seems to be some slight residue from previous glue - does this need to be removed or seeing as it doesn't seem to bad can i just glue over it?

also, obviously need advice on what product to buy to get it stuck down?

do i use tubular tape or tubular glue/cement stuff

could only see velox tape, someones finding out how thick it is for me but also saw rim cement by continental and another one

so advice on the following would be excellent:

what should i use to glue my tubular to the wheel?
tubular tape/tubular cement or other?
any brands or particular products anyone has found to be good?
do i need to remove previous glue residue?
any preparation needed
is 30g of cement enough to do 2 wheels?

any information would be very much appreciated, thanks!

Berk Bonebonce

I tried cement about 20 years ago; have used tape ever since. I've used two types of tape; both give exactly the same results apart from colour.

kilo

Usualy use Jantex rim tape, never had a problem with it.

If you go down this route this is how I fit them

Clean the residue off the rim
Put the tub on the rim - unglued- inflate and leave for a few days to stretch it slightly
Remove tub put tape on and leave the upper paper backing on the tape
put the tub on and don't inflate
place a wooden pencil under the tub by the valve
as you peel the upper backing paper of you move the pencil along allowing you access to the backing paper.
As the backing paper comes off ensure the tub is seated straight on the rim.
finish remove pencil, inflate tub, fit wheel on bike, ride, race, p.b, glory, podium girls, etc, etc

With this method if you intend to do long races you can go through the above and then remove the tub and the tape should stick to the tyre which you fold up on itself as a spare

Rodrego Hernandez

Glue is far better, allows tub removal without ripping the base tape or rim to bits. Do it properly and you're laughing. The boffins will tell you that glue gives a better ride but personally I find it easier n the long term. Plus, if you need to change the tub when out, there will be residual glue on the rim to hold the tyre safely.

jonmack

I use Jantex tape, haven't had a problem with it (i'm only 66kg) but I am thinking of moving over to glue, it's not as difficult as it seems, I use Vittoria Mastik One.

I feel stupid as this is the second time in as many posts that I've posted this link, but check this out,

http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/12/ ... lar_151594

andy_wrx

I've used glue.

Takes a bit of time
- put tub on wheel dry and inflate, allow to stretch for 24hrs : depending on tub and rim, it will initially be very tight
- apply layer of glue to tub and layer to rim, allow to dry overnight
- apply another layer to rim and fit tub, work it straight whilst it's still pliable
- leave 24hr to dry before riding

No need to worry about the residual glue on rim or tub, just slap more over top - the new glue will soften it and it'll all melt together.

You should be able to do two tubs with one tube of glue, but rather than run out, for confidence, might be worth buying two.

If you have a puncture, you can carry a preglued spare (usually an old part-worn one, just peeled-off carefully with the existing glue still on it) : you can just slap it on, inflate it and ride, just don't lean on it quite so much in corners.

gaffy

hmmm.. im 50 50 on this now thanks to you guys! lol cant decide

altho kilo says pbs and girls in his tape answer

i imagine there's prob nothing in it

the tape sounds like its easier to apply and easier to remove if needs be

my only concern is getting glue all over the wheel and all over the tub

also if i get puncture does that mean my tub is done and needs binned?

really appreciate the comments guys make my mind up tomorrow as it is way too late ! cheers

jonmack

Tape it easy to apply, but when I taped mine, I did a layer of glue on the rim beforehand to try and give a bit more of a more secure bond. My issue was I didn't have an acid brush (plumbers brushes, you can pick them up at WIckes, B&Q, etc.) so I just wore a set of latex gloves and did it with my finger, so as the video spoke about, I tended to get a fair few "spiderwebs" and got a bit on the rim surface itself which I then had to scrape off. Since then I've read people often mask up the braking surface with masking or electrical tape, I think if I had done that then I could have glued it easily first time. I know the guy in the video is a professional mechanic but it's only gluing, it's not rocket science!

Without a doubt the easiest way is to tape it. If I hadn't had done a layer of glue first then it would have been about a 10 minute job, I put the tape on the rim, pulled off a few inches of backing from either end of the valve hole just incase the tape broke, and then sat the tyre ontop of it. I didn't stretch the tyre overnight at all, I just did it there and then. Then I pulled the backing off from under the tyre (which ripped a few times), then pumped the tyre up and rolled/leant on it as he does in the video to seat it. It really is that easy, with gluing you obviously have to be prepared to turn it into a few day thing as you wait for the glue to dry overnight, but I don't see that as much of a big deal.

I got a puncture in one of my tubs within 2 rides, I was gutted but I bought some Vittoria Pit Stop, squirted it in the tyre and it was fine! As Andy said, if you get one out on the road you can just rip off your current tub and pop a pre-glued spare on, I wouldn't race on it in that condition, but as long as you get it centered and pumped up, it shouldnt roll off.

markos1963

Jantex tape used here.
Some say use glue if racing but to be honest I took a chance and raced some crits and they were fine.
Easy to fit if you use a pencil or old toothbrush handle to lift the tub whilst pulling off the backing paper, 5 mins max.
I had a valve problem once and had to lift the tub off the rim once whilst out on a ride, there was enough stickiness left to hold the tyre until I got home although I didn't need to go fast.

gaffy

really appreciate the input people, probs going for the tape option prob try glue down the line at some point, so just to clarify

literally apply tape to bare aluminium rim and place tub on top thats all you need to do>

i dont need 'base tape' or glue as well or is this just optional

thanks

AlanW

Tape unless you intend to ride the track, in which case they MUST be glued.

hopper1

Base tape is the tape on the inner side of the tyre, ptotecting the thread.
If you use Vittoria PitStop, or similar to seal a puncture then you can't get a repair done afterwards.
You mention that there is glue residue on the rim from the previous user...
I would remove it (glue), as you don't know which make it was, or how evenly it was applied. Get some acetone from Super Drug (Don't get nail varnish as it's sh!t). Apply it with a rag and clear the mastik off... May not be easy, but at least you'll know where you are with your tub finish at the end of the job. Oh and acetone eats nytrile gloves!... Absorbs the oils from your skin, too...
For glue, old rule of thumb is, if it's a Vittoria tub, use Vittoria glue, Continental for Continental, blah, blah, blah...
Use nearly any brush to apply tub glue, as pointed out above, it isn't rocket science.
I glued mine, with no previous experience (or youtube!)... Bit of a faff the first time, but still kept all surfaces clean and clear and know it will be a piece of cake, next time I glue.
At the end of the day, it's still your choice...