The divisive nature of Rule #29 is not to be underestimated. It is but a humble satchel, but our rejection of its use sends people completely out of their minds. One fine gentleman even threatened my editor at Cyclist Magazine with cancellation of his subscription on the basis that they published an article wherein I espoused the virtues of going EPMS-less. If I recall correctly, the reader felt my writing was, “a black eye on an otherwise flawless magazine.” Some people, it appears, really love their saddle bags.
Nevertheless, the truth remains: they are ugly and there is no need for one if you choose your tools carefully and maintain your bicycle appropriately. Granted, if you prefer an al fresco lunch mid-ride and therefore require room for a baguette, some brie, and a nice bottle of Burgundy, you may require more than a jersey pocket. Similarly, if you are of the mechanical inclination that requires you carry a press for on-the-road headset replacements, you might also require some additional storage. That said, if your mechanical skills are at a level that your bicycle is in such a state, I might argue that carrying a cell phone and an emergency contact list is really all you need because the tools are unlikely to help.
But I digress. Ugly though the EPMS may be, it is obviously perfectly acceptable to tie a spare tubular tire under your saddle. This is for the obvious and irrefutable reason that riding tubs is for the more cultured Velominatus and strapping a tire under the saddle is the traditional way the Europeans have handled carrying a spare tire ever since they stopped carrying them strapped over their shoulders. Do not allow yourself to be distracted by the fact that a European Posterior Tubular is often mistaken for an saddlebag. One is a nod to our heritage, the other an abomination sense and style. Trust me on this.
But carrying a spare tub does pose a challenge: how do you roll it up into a small enough package that it (a) doesn’t sway (b) doesn’t rub the insides of your pistoning guns and (c) doesn’t fall off and get tangled up in your wheel.
The first two are a matter of what style of tire to carry. The natural inclination is to carry a spare tire identical to the ones you are riding on your wheels, but that is likely to be a 23 or 25 mm tire and will be rather bulky when rolled up. Instead, the spare should be considered an emergency tire intended to get you safely through the rest of your ride; you’ll be pulling it off and gluing it on properly when you get home, so it can be chosen for its folding size and weight rather than to match it to the tires you normally ride. Then comes the question of how to roll it up into a tiny package which can be neatly strapped under the saddle (see photos). Finally – and I learned this the hard way – if the tire does come loose over some unusually rough roads (say, washboards on a high speed gravel descent), you will want it to stay in the small bundle rather than unwinding and getting tangled in your back wheel.
European Posterior Tubular Guidelines:
[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/frank@velominati.com/Folding a Tub/”/]
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View Comments
@Ccos
I've never needed any tool to get my tires off, but that doesn't appear to be universally true.
@Ron
Most road wheelset makers warn strenuously against doing tubeless conversions on clincher rims. Conversion works ok on the dirty (MTB) side of things due to the higher volumes and lower pressures. Unless you don't like your teeth/face, don't convert a clincher only road rim to tubeless.
@Nate I've got to call bullshit on that dude. Most wheel manufacturers also include a dork disc & even reflectors on their wheels. Does that mean you use those??? Warnings against tubeless conversion are strictly a liability issue. I can state unequivocally that it can be done safely on any aluminum rim I've seen. Carbon may be another story. Read what Leonard Zinn has to say about it. I've ridden thousands upon thousands of km on converted non-tubeless ready rims & never had any issues. My teeth & face are just fine thanks. Even if you do flat (extremely unlikely) the bead on tubeless tires is tight enough that it will stay seated even when flat, even on non-tubeless rims. Don't be such a pussy
@wiscot
The one next to the fence is one of my track bikes. Those are the 3T Sphinx bars.
@Cogfather
We'll want a Rule established about calling each other "dude" -- dude.
@Dr C
Yes, twice in the last 6000k. I've got Paves on my winter wheels so never had to change one. I had a taped on tub on some other training wheels last autumn (dont ask, hangs head in shame) so it was the proverbial piece of piss to change. I had another puncture the other day and when I took that one off (properly glued) it was quite a push but I find a thin bit of plastic from my tub kit to break the glue bond as you pull the tub off initially, makes it much quicker and easier. When I compare the time that people spend pissing about with clinchers, they might get them off slightly quicker, but they take a significantly longer time to get the new tube sorted out, what with checking for bits of glass in the tyre and such nonsense. Fear not!
@Cogfather
All this "enthusiasm" may have hurt your tubeless case actually.
@frank
Cement (Schlauchreifenkitt) may have been better back then -- some sort of Golden Era.
@G'rilla
+1. brilliant.
@Nate
That sort of silver/grey bag that looks much like a Lezyne Caddy?