Was it me, or did Stadler look just like I look when I’m trying to change a tubular, LIKE HE WAS DYING. I mean, I hate that feeling trying to get that stinkin thing off. I know some people recommend carrying around a razer blade and cutting the dang thing off, so sometimes I consider carrying around my multitool with knife which weighs 270 grams, but still, it is still hard. I don’t know why everyone still thinks it is SOOO EASY. That guy looked so sad using a stick to get the bloody thing off. I’m not trying to spark the old debate, but it’s just an observation.
I leave about 2-3 cm unglued exactly 180 degrees from the stem. This provides a starting pointt for ripping it off - I have never really had “Stadler” type problems getting my tubie off.
I’ve been in that same situation trying to pull a tubular off during a hot hard workout on the side of the road and I never want to go there again. Switched to clinchers. They maybe slower to change but they are predictable. I can postage stamp a flat and get going again in about 5 minutes.
But, aside from the Tubie and clincher debate. I think it comes down to athlete preparation. Why wasn’t he prepared for a flat? I recall seeing IM Brazil a few years ago when a female pro was leading and had to stop because the allen bolt on her seat loosened. She sat by the side of the road basically crying until an age grouper gaver her a multitool. Why wasn’t she prepared? For the most part these tools are not that heavy. Above all, I don’t think the additional weight of be prepared with the right tools is going to cost them the victory. Hardly any of these races are won by mere seconds. How much time would adding a multitool to your saddle bag or bento cost? We know how much time it cost by NOT having the tools. DNF…
make sure you start a thread about how seriously unsafe it is to leave a section unglued like that when you’re taking a corner at 30+ and your tire rolls off your wheel. I’m sure you’ll have plenty of extra time on here to do it while your doctoring your road rash! sorry to sound so harsh but that’s the reality of it. if your shop glued it on you can hold them liable and make them pay your medical bills because they should
I have 2 words to say - “razor blade”.
That tire would have been off in less then 30 seconds!!
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For the “RECORD” and yes this is true. The bike shop he used glued his tubulars on as if he was doing a criterium.
DON"T LEAVE A SECTION UNGLUED! glue is cheap; skin costs money. rather here’s the secret: get a small flat blade screwdriver approx. 6"-7" long. you are going to wrap it up in your spare. get a piece of old rubber tubing to put over the blade so it doesn’t abrade a hole in the spare from vibration. when you flat work the flat edge of the tip under the base tape at a point opposite the valve stem till it comes out the other side. YOU ARE NOT DIGGING A HOLE IN THE RIM HERE!!! you are just working it through the glue that constitutes the rim/tape interface. once through to the other side and with the rim held upright between your legs put a hand on either end of the screwdriver and while pulling the screwdriver towards you ROTATE THE SCREWDRIVER WITH YOUR HANDS. get about a foot of the tire loose and pull it the rest of the way off with your hands. it will take about 15-20 seconds to remove a tire. having traveled with pro teams for years and glued/removed thousands of tubulars understand that time is of the essence if I’m going to be in the bar with a beer in my hand at a decent hour! Try it and I hope it helps you in a race some day!
I have 2 words to say - “razor blade”.
That tire would have been off in less then 30 seconds!!
.BING-O! A small, retracting blade type utility knife, really no larger than a pen, would have saved his day just fine. And 2 spare tubulars stuck in a rear bottle cage, with 2 CO2 cartridges on the frame would have kept that man in the money.
I have no tolerance for unprepared people. I was secretly glad to see that another unprepared pro suffered the consequences of his own foolishness.
World champion IMH athlete with ZERO self-preparedness. He got what he deserved. I couldn’t care less about his crying, but having a backup plan that doesn’t rely on anyone else might have saved that guy a spot on the podium, if not first place overall.
I am very curious about seeing some pictures of the Pro’s on their bikes (side profile) and seeing if they are carrying a spare tire. Have the pro’s become use to getting help out on the course that they do not carry a spare and tools any longer.
I use Tufo tubular tape. They offer a “Regular” & a super sticky version. I find the tape much cleaner & easier.
That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard!!
- When we say you leave a section unglued, it’s meant there is already old glue in that spot. You just don’t put new glue there again.
- What happens every time you change your tubular on the road after a flat? You certainly don’t glue on a new tubular!! You put on a tubular which already has residual glue on it. So, if you had a puncture in the first 10km you would be riding 170km with an UNGLUED tubular. That still works because I’ve done it before.
- Why would you want to slip a screwdriver under your tubular and risk damaging your rim when you don’t have to. That is only used if all else fails. If you leave a section unglued, you wouldn’t have to resort to such tactics.
- When have you seen pros in a peloton stop and change there own tubulars?? They wait for a wheel change or as a last resort, use one of their team bike.
- Pros (in cycling) glue their tubulars on as if doing a crit because of #4 above AND they do come screaming down mountains at over 90km/hr AND do a lot of breaking in some situations which can cause glue to melt. We aren’t even close to those conditions in IM races.
Not sure where you get your info, but it surely doesn’t apply here.
The solution is simple. Carry 1 tire lever with each spare tubular. Start opposite the valve stem, work it under the tire so it’s sticking out equally on both sides. Then, with the wheel between your knees, push the lever (using both hands) around the rim. One good push forward, then a good pull backwards will get 1/3 to 1/2 of the tire away from the rim. It’s all downhill from there - and takes about 15-30 seconds.
This also negates needing to leave sections underglued.
That being said, learn to glue your own tubulars. It’s not hard at all and means you don’t have to be kept awake wondering if the overworked dude at the bike shop really knows what he’s doing.
GB
PS - choose a tire lever that will easily slide through (no plastic nubs or knobs on the sides)
Yeah, I do glue my own tubulars but don’t have that much experience since I’ve glued a total of 3 tubes in my life. I probably will use the razor blade advice and I actually do use tire levers to take the tubulars off, but I’m serious when I say that even using tire levers, I still feel and look like poor Normann with that stick poking it in there trying to get it off.
you should have seen em taking the corner coming down palani hill during the city loop at the beginning of the bike leg in hawaii!!!
Yeah, I do glue my own tubulars but don’t have that much experience since I’ve glued a total of 3 tubes in my life. I probably will use the razor blade advice and I actually do use tire levers to take the tubulars off, but I’m serious when I say that even using tire levers, I still feel and look like poor Normann with that stick poking it in there trying to get it off.This is advice that far too people will take the time to prepare for, but use a retractable razor blade. Simply one slice of the tire, and you can stick your finger in and begin to rip the tire right off of there. Can’t take 20 seconds. It’s not like you’re going to reuse that tire anyway.
Thanks for the warning! See polarbears comments above.
I have been using the small unglued (prior glued section is more accurate) section for close to 30 years of road racing and triathlons. Never had the 1st problem. I’ve also trained extensively in the mountains on tubies, at times over 60 mph.
PBear,
Agreed on all points. Thanks for the reality check.
Not sure why this is so hard for people to get. Perhaps it’s the simplicity of it all that’s getting them.
Fleck