We can mimic the pros in many ways; kit, bikes, shaving our legs. Even if we’ll never ride like them, we can try (mostly in vain) to look like them. We’ll buy a piece of equipment because our favourite pro endorses it, or even adopt trends that the peloton have, such as alloy classic bend bars, slamming a 140mm stem, or putting those plastic sticky things across the bridge of our noses (yep, I actually did this in the mid 90’s when Tinker Juarez was rocking them on the mtb World Cup circuit. It didnt help a bit, and I looked like a twat). There are many pro traits that are certainly frowned upon and should never be attempted, like wearing the rainbow bands or maillot jaune. Then there are things we would love to be able to do, like snort cocaine with 18 yo models, but there’s as much chance of that as Cav finishing the Vuelta. And finally, there’s things that we can do, but are probably too cautious or conservative to do.
Like running tubs.
We know that every pro bike has the tyres glued to the rims, but how many of us actually own a set of tubs? How many would like to own a set? How many get the fear of Merckx put up them at the mere thought of getting caught miles from home with a flat? Ok, I hear you say, they’re only for racing, but how many of us are good enough to benefit from the reduced chance of a pinch flat on the cobbles, or the decreased rolling resistance from a 100 gram weight saving? I’m not seeing many hands… anyone, anyone? But still, I want some!
I’ve been on a mission to find a light set of wheels for Il Profetta, and scouring eBay and TradeMe has coughed up quite a few sets of tubs. Some going pretty cheap too. Several times I’ve been poised to push the ‘buy now’ button, but like a kid too scared to jump into the river from the highest bridge in town, I keep pulling back from the edge. It’s like, I might hit the water wrong and break my neck, but probably won’t. At worst, my shorts might fall down while scrabbling back up the bank to dry land, with the other kids pointing and laughing. It’s a risk I’m not willing to take. Clinchers are like having extra-strong elastic in the trunks, plus a drawstring for back up. Tubs on a punter’s bike are like a pair of Speedos on a fat bastard.
Just as I was ready to give up the idea of tubs altogether, we received an impassioned email out of the blue from an enthusiastic sew-up fan going by the moniker of “Tubolari”. He suggested in no uncertain terms that it was less than hardcore to ride clinchers or even to use tyre levers to remove them. The most surprising thing was, he wasn’t a grizzled old Italian mechanic or former Belgian domestique, but has only been riding for a year. Is it merely a case of wet-behind-the-ears zeal, or is he onto something? Should we all be digging out under the house and storing a stash of tubulars in there to age them? Let’s see…
Tubolari’s reasons for riding tubulars:
- You get to say you ride tubulars with a smug grin.
- It is an appropriate procedure to simply ask for tubulars in determining whether or not a bike shop is a REAL bike shop even if you don’t plan on buying tubulars.
- Tubulars are generally relegated to the lightly used sections of a store thus making you more hardcore because you need to blow dust off of the packaging just to read the specs that you’ve already read online.
- Personally, I use tape (Velox Jantex 76 Competition tubular tape) and that pretty much takes the hassle out of it. I think though, it makes me less hardcore than those who use glue.
- I love it when a machine breaks (tubbie flats), it shows that a machine is just as vulnerable as a human. I love to bring my machine back to working order like a doctor. It also gives me a reason to don my Campy cap and sing Italian tunes like in Breaking Away.
- Subjective qualities:
- I take a corner at speed with tubs (Gommitalia Challenge $30 a pop) and feel the bump (I begin to panic) but the tubbies have already deflected around the rock and I’m safe, I grin and press on.
- I take a corner at speed with clinchers (Continental Grand Prix 3000, $75 a pop) and feel the the bump (I begin to panic) and jump about what feels like half a foot sideways (I check my shorts, they are dry), I press on.
- I joined a charity ride as a volunteer (ride guide), I am the official tubular tire repair/changer mechanic and get my own car, walky talky and office. The office I use will be for participants to drop off their tires and wheels for spares so I can SAG them on the ride. Not bad for starting road biking last year right?
- Piling spare tubs in your jersey gives others a conversation piece when on tours with your local club.
- Merckx rode tubulars so it seems only fitting ;).
- Tubulars are like wine, you like some, you don’t like others. Some go well with Steel and some go well with Carbon Fiber.
Some compelling points for sure, and it’s hard to argue with his passion. Or is it? Keeper Gianni loves an argument, and can refute the strongest of opinions with a sneer, or just by hitting the reply button;
Yeah, yeah, senor Tubolari, talk to me in a year when you have peeled off, opened up, patched, re-sewn, re-glued, and re-glued more a bunch of tubolaris. Sure you may get laid more often riding tubulars, but trying to get a girl’s bra off with all that tubasti glue on your mitts is tough.
I’ve done my time with them and moved on, tubless road clinchers is where I’m heading, the great beyond. Come with me.
Cheers, Gianni
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View Comments
@mouse
In my experience those jerseys tend to give one a big mouth.
@paolo
Except its not a bag; it's a tire. Which is, when tied to your saddle with a toe strap is totally OK. Still looks worse than nothing up under thur, but awesome is awesome...not much we can do about it.
@mouse
Well played!! You win.
@frank
There is at least one too many "is" in your reposte. Is the plural of "is" "is's" or "is" or "isi" Anyways just thought I'd point it out since theres been a lot of that sort of stuff going on recently. And damn it man stop wasting watts on typing!! You know you should be riding!
ps I'm sticking to my beautiful dura ace clinchers with conti GP4000's so there!
@Oli
There's your mistake right there. I can hardly be bothered to spell check the articles. Once it's up and I'm posting, I'm as bas as the rest of you lot. You should see my emails.
I used to actually endeavor to edit everyone's posts for grammar and spelling but...that is impossible. When it was five posts to an article it was one thing, but now...
I have used 3M Fast Tack for all my tubular gluing. It is very easy to use and very quick to do if one gets the proper technique.
1. Run a small bead of it on the center of the tire's base tape, do so in roughly 18 inch sections and rub it gently with one finger to spread it thinly and evenly on the tape before going to the next section, put aside.
2. Holding the wheel in one hand rotate it until you can't turn your hand any more then run a bead around the entire rim in one motion from the valve hole back to the valve hole down the center of the rim. If done right you end up with the right amount that does not drip (newspaper on the floor for beginners).
3. Put the tire on starting at the valve and working it on evenly until the last bit (making sure to get it on centered as you go), then holding the rim valve down with your Feet (toes are best, I kid you not) slip on the last bit with good upward pressure to make sure it goes on without squeegeeing the bead of Fast Tack off the center of the rim. By doing this the tire has been seated directly over the bead and when it seats down the bead is squeezed out evenly to each side.
This may sound complicated but it is not and the end result is a tire that is put on in under 10 minutes and can be ridden in a few hours. 3M Fast Tack is a very strong industrial contact cement, by having the tire layer thin and drying as you put the rim bead down you are starting the "contact" process but with a small grace period provided by the wet bead on the rim. As the tire squeezes the rim bead you will see little bits of Fast Tack come out either side showing that the whole tire is glued. It will stet up very fast but will be incredibly strong indefinitely and remain pliable so that when you do take it off it is still tacky.
I wanna see what that tubular looks like after spending a few hours under the saddle - riding in the rain. I'd imagine one road grit coated, sticky ass mess...
@Dan O
It as bad as you might think.
The secret is how you fold it.
Get all the air out, divide in half with the valve stem at one end.
Start folding with the glue side up, rubber down where the glue always contacts the tread.
Make sure it's done as tight and evenly as possible and you'll find that road grits not such a problem.
Besides, if it gets too filthy, you could always put the tire in your jersey pocket.
@Dan O
Living in the PNW, mouse is right. Better yet, when the conditions start to suck, switch to the clinchers. I actually wouldn't advocate for having only sew-ups. I have a buddy that only rides tubs, but, much like russian roulette, eventually you're going to lose. Probably when it's 3C out and pouring rain.
Love riding them, but I try to be savvy about running them.
Brett, you are obviously still in nappies yes that's right NAPPIES...just as Mr Merckx rode SINGLES!!! yes that's right sew up tyres are SINGLES always have been and always will be....you namby pamby new wave hipster twits who jump on the tour train and become blinded by "efforts, intervals and watts" fail to recognise the historical importance of cycling culture and offend those who have ridden before you by failing to follow correct protocol in bike speak...SINGLES and HIGH PRESSURES. These are the types of tyre available to "racers" "tubulars & clinchers" are for the uneducated "blinded by lance" types....get with the progam and show some respect for those of us who have gone before.
@cam
Yes, and...?
Way to miss the entire point of this website in your first post.
Can you please point me to the 'blinded by Lance' section? bet there's some guys who fucken hate his guts if he blinded them...