Tubulars

There is a lot of misinformation and conjecture of tubulars, I want to demystify them for you here and now.

The first thing you need to know is paitence , second thing is cleanliness with these two skills you will have success.

This system requires several days 4 at a minimum because of stretching and drying time of the glue.

Tires need to be stretched on the rims that they will be used on , this is important because not all rims from different manufacturers are the same dimensions. ( usually with in one manufacturer they are the same ) Most tires will go on quite easily on new rims. There is an exception Continental's tires are always on the very tight side there is an excepted trick to help them along, it dose add extra time to the process. Wetting the base tame and gently pushing on the tubular from the valve stem down with make things easier. Once the tire is on it should be inflated to 40-60lbs so that it can stretch gently. Tires need to stretch for a few days to gain the full benefit. Once stretched you will need to prep the base tape for it's first layer of glue. The tape should be free of all contaminants, latex,rubber,etc. use a knife to scrape it clean or a file never use chemicals as they can adversely affect the base tape.

Rims need to be clean just before the fist coat of glue you need to rid them of all contaminates. denatured alcohol or 90+% rubbing alcohol are about the most friendly chemicals I can recommend. Old dried glue must be removed via chemical or scraping any glue that still has elasticity is fine to lean and will lessen the amount of glue by one step.

Wearing of gloves during the cleaning and gluing process are highly recommended to avoid contaminates and to keep you clean.

The first layer of your chosen glue ( personal favorite is Mastic 1) is very important and you need a few things to for this acid brushes are invaluable for cluing buy a package of them to have on hand, some type of small container you can throw out that will hold glue and brush old coffee cups work well, glue always buy one more than you thing or is suggested. Now on to the first layer on the tire inflate the tire with enough pressure to get the base tape to face out and firm enough for pushing in the glue. The first layer on the tire must be scrubbed in to the base tape you need to be cautious not to slop every where but you need to move quickly as the open glue in the cup will be come tacky and use less. I recommenced putting small amounts in the cup about 1/4 of a tube, keep it fresh often. You want a thin even coat scrubbed in the the base tape. Find a place to store for 24hrs.


Now on to the rim you need some sort of support so you can spin the wheel as you go along. An old truing stand , or new one cover in plastic , old fork in a vise will do. The first layer needs again to be thin and scrubbed on just like the base tape though it will be easier it still need to be done. Once done it need to cure for 24 hrs just like the tire.


After the 24 hrs is up it is time to paint on the next thin layer with a new brush on tire and rim. Once done find safe storage again for 24hrs yet again. This step can be skipped if you have old good glue left on your rim.


The last step is the hard work and preparing your self is key a positive attitude and a large piece of cardboard to stand on/ avoid contamination/ save your floor of glue. Not the last layer of glue is painted on in a thin coat just as the previous but you will only wait until it is tacky this time so you can mate the rim and tire. Times can vary for this so do not get into anything else it can be a little as 5min to as long as an hour BE ALERT.

Once the glue is tacky it is time to mate the two the ease way is to push on the tire set the wheel between your legs with the valve hole facing up to you. The tire should be 90% deflated this is so you have a better grip on the tire only. Put the tire on in it's proper orientation if directional tread / sponsor labels. Start with the vale stem in and your hands at 11:00 and 1:00 with your hand gently push on by force the tire by moving your hands down as the tire goes on. Once the tire is all on it is quickly time to ensure that the tire is on true and straight and the vale stem is straight too.

ode to 32 spoked wheeels

plane and boring
is what you are
same as the masses
indeed you be

will be seen
near and far
in past and future

value and price
are what you are

skill and precision
is how you make

you take the trip
on roads here and far

Tips , tricks & tibits

These tips will save money for you in the long run by preventive maintenance and a hands on you bike daily.

Fist one is a clean pike is a happy bike and also shows issues far before they become major issues. Daily washes are necessary for day in the saddle in the woods, in the muck of winter, fall, or spring also on rain days. During the dry day of summer if you do not use a sports drink on the bike every few days is just fine. Dawn dish detergent is the pros choice for general cleaning it is a powerful oil and grease remover. You may also need a specific cleaner for stubborn grease and grime,there are many to choose from find one that works for you that you can live with using. Use a stiff bristle brush for the tires and bar tape natural is best as it does no hold on and spread the gunk. My preference for frame cleaning is for a 2.5" natural bristle sash brush. The sash brush is able to get into spots easily to wash and rinse. You will also need a bucket 2-4gal is plenty . I generally avoid spraying today's bikes unless they are a really mess then only a low pressure on the bike. Wash the bike from top to bottom then rinse out the bucket and brushes fill bucket with clean water and rinse with the brushes. If you are an over oilier or just seem to have a chain and cogs that collect crud you will need an additional brush for those surfaces. This time with you bike you should be looking over it very carefully as you wash and rinse looking for frame issue, and component issues.

To keep a drive train the days ( cogs and chain rings) change you chain at 1k-1.2k mi for most daily riders this will be once a month. With the chain change so early you can make you cogs and chain rings last over a season of hard daily use. If you are a racer or one who shifts a lot it is also time to change the inner cables for the derailleurs. The next month you should change the housings and all cables this also necessitates a bar tape swap out too. By keeping the bar tape fresh your hands will be more happy daily, by keeping the cables fresh yo save your self from broken cables that can be quite costly if a head gets jammed in the shifter. ( 200-400 per side)