The great thing about latex is if you need to replace a tube you can just cut it in half and splice it back together once inside the casing, as opposed to unsewing and re-sewing the whole tyre
VP is right, there is a lot of Zen in doing your own and you don't rush it which may be the problem with shop glued.
There is a simpler if controversial solution .tub tape. I can feel all the wagging of heads and furrowed brows at the suggestion but it depends what you are doing with them. I have taped on tubs on my classic bikes which is fine and makes changing at the roadside a lot easier than if glued. I have road raced on tape and used to use it on Manchester velodrome all without problems (not sure thats allowed these days)
Although i will concede that if you want maximum security and ride crits and the like with reckless abandon then glueing is probably best. True faith that they will stay on will only come with doing a few yourself.
i remember playing at a function a few years ago, a wedding i think, and this rather attractive (possibly drunk) young lady in a strapless dress decided she'd adjust her tub tape right in front of the horn section.
best section to get reliable results Will :-) I've used tape on track tubs too Tim...never had a problem so far...famous last words poss. I agree that tape allows one to change tubs easily and no mess....TUFO do the best tape IMHO. When racing I guess the stresses, especially in cornering will test the bond to the limit so I would think glueing best. Lots of fun doing it yourself . Oh, and Jane...wish you'd typo'd glue for clue :-)
God wins most things Mark....but in fairness to Theo that reference on forums normally arises from bloggers getting irate with each other and starting to get abusive....not the case here but well spotted. Technically it still counts.
laterally thinking all this glueing and mention of Titanic reminds me of the vast floating equipment transport designed by Barnes Wallis in wartime....he realised that if you shipped goods in icy waters then making the hull from a vast frozen straw mattress was cheap and effective. Water is a great glue in freezing conditions. Back on topic....if anyone wants to buy Tufo tubs I can get these at a good reduction, or let you have contact details.
My first tubs were glued on using the resin secreted on trees in the forests of India and Thailand by the female lac bug. Those female lac bugs really knew how to secrete good stuff.
In other words, Shellac - it took ages to glue a tub on with it because you had to mix shellac flakes with alcohol to make a mixture, then mix that with more alcohol to make a thinner mixture, paint it on, leave it two days to dry, then add another layer, let it dry, zzzz.... zzzz...
A tubular tyre (aka tub) is made from a casing and an inner tube. The tread is bonded onto the casing and the inner tube is sewn into this. The whole assembly is then stuck onto the rim using glue which, in order to create an air of mystery, is called cement. In the event of a puncture you have to rip the tub off, unstitch the sewn joint, pull out the inner tube, patch it, then sew up the casing and glue it back onto the rim. (This is why they are not well suited to unsupported races or training rides!)
You can pump up tubs to huge pressures as, unlike a clincher, the greater the pressure the tighter they hold onto the rim. Another benefit is that the shear force between the casing and the rim is distributed over a greater area than the bead/rim contact of a clincher. Many high quality tubs use latex inner tubes making the tyre more supple and able to conform to the road surface. Casings are made from various fabrics made from materials including Kevlar, silk, cotton and nylon.
Tufo tubs differ from real tubs in two respects. Firstly is that the inner tube is integral to the casing, this makes them less supple than those with non bonded inner tubes. Secondly the casing is stitched on the outer surface (not the inner) and then the tread is bonded on top of that. This makes it impossible to unstitch a Tufo tub. However there is no inner tube to remove, so there is no need. This construction means the tyre is much more like a tubless tyre so in the event of a puncture you can use latex sealant (not a great idea for traditionally constructed tubs) or even stuff shards of adhesive into the cuts. However the disadvantage is they are more stiff and thus less compliant resulting in less spectacular handling than a traditional tub.
The characteristics of the Tufo construction mean that, in my opinion, they are a very good choice for cyclocross and offroad (as you can pre fill with latex) but that traditionally constructed tubs are better for the road and track.
I no longer use tape to attach tubs to the rims and trust a gluing regime based on the Dutch Method.
Theo "Shellac is for tables". only if you want them French polished...high polish, damages easily, doesn't resist liquids, used on antiques. and yes Tim...be careful what you wish for :-) anyone tried fish glue or animal glue on tubs...Mark?
Is the Dutch method essentially the same as the Belgian Method, but without the Belgian tape (and possibly a bit of Dutch courage for the decisive mounting manoeuvre)?
The Dutch Method is indeed similar to the Begian Method but with a greater emphasis on adapting the rim profile to match the tyre by using narrower section tape, see LINK.
While this has being brought back up to the top I just wanted to know what techniques people are using to clean the old glue of Carbon rims after a puncture? I've seen videos of pro mechanics using everything from knifes, sandpaper and wire wool but I'm slightly hesitant about trying these. Do these methods do any harm to the rims or am I best off using acetone and abit of elbow grease? If so where abouts can you buy pure acetone to use other than ordering it online?
Comments
There is a simpler if controversial solution .tub tape. I can feel all the wagging of heads and furrowed brows at the suggestion but it depends what you are doing with them. I have taped on tubs on my classic bikes which is fine and makes changing at the roadside a lot easier than if glued. I have road raced on tape and used to use it on Manchester velodrome all without problems (not sure thats allowed these days)
Although i will concede that if you want maximum security and ride crits and the like with reckless abandon then glueing is probably best. True faith that they will stay on will only come with doing a few yourself.
best gig ever.
I've used tape on track tubs too Tim...never had a problem so far...famous last words poss. I agree that tape allows one to change tubs easily and no mess....TUFO do the best tape IMHO. When racing I guess the stresses, especially in cornering will test the bond to the limit so I would think glueing best. Lots of fun doing it yourself .
Oh, and Jane...wish you'd typo'd glue for clue :-)
Can't believe no one has mentioned the Belgian method -
Back on topic....if anyone wants to buy Tufo tubs I can get these at a good reduction, or let you have contact details.
In other words, Shellac - it took ages to glue a tub on with it because you had to mix shellac flakes with alcohol to make a mixture, then mix that with more alcohol to make a thinner mixture, paint it on, leave it two days to dry, then add another layer, let it dry, zzzz.... zzzz...
Oh, and "HMS Titanic"!?
Shellac is for tables; it's worse than conti carbon cement!
A tubular tyre (aka tub) is made from a casing and an inner tube. The tread is bonded onto the casing and the inner tube is sewn into this. The whole assembly is then stuck onto the rim using glue which, in order to create an air of mystery, is called cement. In the event of a puncture you have to rip the tub off, unstitch the sewn joint, pull out the inner tube, patch it, then sew up the casing and glue it back onto the rim. (This is why they are not well suited to unsupported races or training rides!)
You can pump up tubs to huge pressures as, unlike a clincher, the greater the pressure the tighter they hold onto the rim. Another benefit is that the shear force between the casing and the rim is distributed over a greater area than the bead/rim contact of a clincher. Many high quality tubs use latex inner tubes making the tyre more supple and able to conform to the road surface. Casings are made from various fabrics made from materials including Kevlar, silk, cotton and nylon.
Tufo tubs differ from real tubs in two respects. Firstly is that the inner tube is integral to the casing, this makes them less supple than those with non bonded inner tubes. Secondly the casing is stitched on the outer surface (not the inner) and then the tread is bonded on top of that. This makes it impossible to unstitch a Tufo tub. However there is no inner tube to remove, so there is no need. This construction means the tyre is much more like a tubless tyre so in the event of a puncture you can use latex sealant (not a great idea for traditionally constructed tubs) or even stuff shards of adhesive into the cuts. However the disadvantage is they are more stiff and thus less compliant resulting in less spectacular handling than a traditional tub.
The characteristics of the Tufo construction mean that, in my opinion, they are a very good choice for cyclocross and offroad (as you can pre fill with latex) but that traditionally constructed tubs are better for the road and track.
I no longer use tape to attach tubs to the rims and trust a gluing regime based on the Dutch Method.
Daniel
Dutch method???? what's that then? Daniel I thought we had shared all we knew about tubs.
and yes Tim...be careful what you wish for :-)
anyone tried fish glue or animal glue on tubs...Mark?
Seriously, I can't help but would really welcome the chance to learn the art of tub fixing. Fancy throwing a clinic Theo?
Tub repair is as much as an art if not more than tub gluing.