Re-glue tubulars? I’ve had mine on my wheels for two years now and am wondering if the glue loses its strength after a while. Should I just rip the suckers off and re-glue?
My LBS recommends once a year, but I guess that depends on amount of use etc? Overall the glue seems to be pretty sturdy & should last for at least 6 months.
Might depend also on the amount of glue you use - I have spoken to other single/tubular users who leave some gaps/lighter areas of glue at various points around the rim so its easier to get off for example in a race situation.
WRONG! Tubulars are like rotor blades on a helicopter. They should last for many hours of flight, but you check them EVERY time you fly.
Why? You go to the race and do well so you stick around for the awards after putting your race wheels in the car. The temperature in the trunk or back seat of your car nearly melts the glue. You do a race where you are descending at over 35M.P.H. and you really have to use your brakes hard. The braking casues your glue to soften (ask Joseba Beloki) and you have the beginnings of a problem.
I check my glue before every ride on tubulars. Without exception. It only takes a second. about every three months I see the adhesion starting to fail in places. I re-glue it. It is too late to do it when you rolled your rear tire going through a turn at 19 M.P.H.
Check your glue often, reglue your tires early and frequently. The price of a tube of glue is some of the cheapest insurance you can own.
Thanks Tom - will do
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Mr Tommy what do you think of fast tack ? A lot of folks use for tubies.I used it when I had no other glue . Am I in danger? Should I reglue or get new tires ??
BTY welcome home from the other side of the earth.
Dirtball!
Hmmm, well, my inclination is to say not use it. But, I will admit that I have never tried it and I know guys who use it. I haven’t heard any horror stories. There is some vague labelling on the tube that says something to the effect of “Not intended for any purpose other than automotive trim” or some such thing. I like the Continental tubular cement and also Panaracer. Most clear tubular cements seem fairly similar and pretty good. I don’t like that awful red stuff (is it clement?) or that ghastly, milky crap- Tubasti? (tube-nasty).
I was thinking about my rotor blade analogy. That is a good one. When rotor blades go it is a yard sale of epic proportions, same with a tubular. It comes off, you’re probably going to fall off your bike.
An thank you for the welcome back. It is cold and rainy here, absolutely awful. But last night at midnight I was eating Coney Islands in downtown Detroit with my men and then sleeping with my cat on my chest. -Good to travel, good to be home. The weather is killing me though getting ready for IMNZ though, so I did the only thing a man can do: I enrolled in Doug Stern’s Triathlon Traiing Camp on the Island of Curacao on Januray 23rd to get some warm weather training in again. I’m looking forward to it.
I liked that island. Dutch ,Good food I had some great lamb. Dutch beer. I ate an iguana we cought in a tree . It was big very big . I went out one night met up with some Dutch marines drinking downtown .I was in the USMC. Things got a little rough. Well thats an old story. I still got my pasport so it wasn’t so bad. Santa comes in on a boat .Thats a big event. Great place .Have a great time .