Tubular tyres

MattL30
MattL30 Posts: 28
edited April 2011 in Road beginners
Something I've been wondering, how do you repair a puncture on a tubular tyre?

I don't use them (and don't intend on switching really), but to me, aren't you simply screwed if you get a puncture unless you're carrying glue and the like to fit a new tyre?

Second question, what's the advantage of going tubeless?

Comments

  • Wooliferkins
    Wooliferkins Posts: 2,060
    Second first lighter and more flexible.
    First, just carry a spare pre glued tub in your pocket or there are tubular saddle packs.
    Neil
    Help I'm Being Oppressed
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    MattL30 wrote:
    Something I've been wondering, how do you repair a puncture on a tubular tyre?

    Either unstitch a repair the tube yourself, or send them away.
    MattL30 wrote:
    Second question, what's the advantage of going tubeless

    Tubular aero wheels are cheaper and lighter than clinchers
  • Another advantage is you can keep riding them once you puncture - handy if you're racing / TT'ing
    Has the head wind picked up or the tail wind dropped off???
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    Another advantage is you can keep riding them once you puncture - handy if you're racing / TT'ing

    I am not convinced by this, I punctured a rear on the way to the startline of a TT, there is noway I could have ridden on it flat without buggering up a £50 tub and a £XXX Carbon wheel.
  • MattL30
    MattL30 Posts: 28
    cheers all. you make it sound simple!! Maybe I'll consider it properly for my next set of wheels.
  • markos1963
    markos1963 Posts: 3,724
    Tubs are repairable but be careful which ones you buy, ie Conti GP4000s can't be repaired due to their construction but Sprinter/giros are very easy. There are plenty of 'how to' vids on You Tube to show you how. Just take your time doing it.
    Out on the road you can use Pitstop sealant or carry a preglued spare.

    When someones mentions that you can ride on a flat tub what I think they mean is the tub won't fly off the rim at speed like a clincher might so it's safer. A mate of mine did flat in the last mile of a TT and he completed the course(sub 24m !!!) to no ill effect. But bear in mind that was a straight, smooth and flat run in.

    I ride tubs for TTing and racing as I like the feel they give and as Danowat mentions the wheels are cheaper/lighter. Also I love the sound they make on deep section carbon rims!! Whooooosh!
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    danowat wrote:
    Another advantage is you can keep riding them once you puncture - handy if you're racing / TT'ing

    I am not convinced by this, I punctured a rear on the way to the startline of a TT, there is noway I could have ridden on it flat without buggering up a £50 tub and a £XXX Carbon wheel.


    No - but if you had flatted 5 miles into the TT - you could have ridden home SLOWLY and not had to walk back - and done so without damaging the wheel. Not sure about the tyre :oops:


    I don't think anyone thinks you can continue to RACE on a flat tub.
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    I couldn't ride the 1.5 mile back to the HQ, I tried, it was horrid, so I ran back, in cleats, not very clever!!!
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    danowat wrote:
    I couldn't ride the 1.5 mile back to the HQ, I tried, it was horrid


    Not doubting you - but why not? I mean - I've ridden several miles on a flat clincher and also on flat tubs. Never easy - but doable.

    What was the problem with yours? Just curious.
  • oldwelshman
    oldwelshman Posts: 4,733
    These days not much advantage at all over clinchers as clinchers have improved much over the years whereas the roads have got worse so I never use tubs on the road only for the track.
    You can carry a spare tub and if you use tub tape easy to change.
    The advantage of a punctured tub is only really relevant for track as your "slightly" less likely to come off as you can ride off the track but with clincher if you puncture it is easy to roll the tyre off the rim which makes it hard to stay on bike.
    I have har tubs repaired for the track but to be honest they never last and the tape of the tub comes loose. I used to repair them years ago but not the new ones, much harder to do now.
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    Pokerface wrote:
    danowat wrote:
    I couldn't ride the 1.5 mile back to the HQ, I tried, it was horrid


    Not doubting you - but why not? I mean - I've ridden several miles on a flat clincher and also on flat tubs. Never easy - but doable.

    What was the problem with yours? Just curious.

    Because I felt the rim running on the road, and I didn't want to destroy my carbon rims!
  • markos1963
    markos1963 Posts: 3,724
    danowat wrote:
    Pokerface wrote:
    danowat wrote:
    I couldn't ride the 1.5 mile back to the HQ, I tried, it was horrid


    Not doubting you - but why not? I mean - I've ridden several miles on a flat clincher and also on flat tubs. Never easy - but doable.

    What was the problem with yours? Just curious.

    Because I felt the rim running on the road, and I didn't want to destroy my carbon rims!

    I've done it Dan, but it sounded like the rim was on the road but upon inspection it was clear.
  • bramstoker
    bramstoker Posts: 250
    Had a tub pop this morning, no spare :( Rode 6 miles home at 9mph no real problems.
    A feather is kinky, a whole chicken is just perverse.
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    Yeah, but for the sake of walking/running a couple of miles, I'd rather not risk a couple of hundred quid wheel!
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    bramstoker wrote:
    Had a tub pop this morning, no spare :( Rode 6 miles home at 9mph no real problems.

    Don't take this wrong, but why wouldn't you carry a spare tubular? I've noticed more than a few people, on this forum, talk about riding(or walking) home with a flat because they didn't have a spare. With the knowledge that ANY bike tire could flat at ANY time, and everyone knows this, what possible reason could anyone have for leaving home without one? Other than forgetting? :? :? :?
  • bramstoker
    bramstoker Posts: 250
    dennisn wrote:
    bramstoker wrote:
    Had a tub pop this morning, no spare :( Rode 6 miles home at 9mph no real problems.

    Don't take this wrong, but why wouldn't you carry a spare tubular? I've noticed more than a few people, on this forum, talk about riding(or walking) home with a flat because they didn't have a spare. With the knowledge that ANY bike tire could flat at ANY time, and everyone knows this, what possible reason could anyone have for leaving home without one? Other than forgetting? :? :? :?

    I sold my ultegra wheels and i Was waiting for a new set of wheels to be delivered (clinchers) and just slung a set with tubs on to be able to ride today, havent got a spare tub for the racing wheels yet so i knew there was a risk, but after reading about how you could ride tubs flat i thought it was worth taking the chance.
    A feather is kinky, a whole chicken is just perverse.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    bramstoker wrote:
    dennisn wrote:
    bramstoker wrote:
    Had a tub pop this morning, no spare :( Rode 6 miles home at 9mph no real problems.

    Don't take this wrong, but why wouldn't you carry a spare tubular? I've noticed more than a few people, on this forum, talk about riding(or walking) home with a flat because they didn't have a spare. With the knowledge that ANY bike tire could flat at ANY time, and everyone knows this, what possible reason could anyone have for leaving home without one? Other than forgetting? :? :? :?

    I sold my ultegra wheels and i Was waiting for a new set of wheels to be delivered (clinchers) and just slung a set with tubs on to be able to ride today, havent got a spare tub for the racing wheels yet so i knew there was a risk, but after reading about how you could ride tubs flat i thought it was worth taking the chance.

    I know what you're saying. I've read some posts on this forum where people have talked about riding them while flat and while I agree that you SORT OF can, I'm confused as to where people ever got the idea that this was anything you'd want to do or even consider
    seeing as how a spare change on the road is much simpler than clinchers? I like tubulars
    but no spare out on the road? How did that ever get to be "optional"?
    :? :? :?