Tubular tyres for racing

07Lapierre

How many of you race using tubulars?

I’ve always used clinchers but I’m thinking of getting a new set of race wheels and try tubulars for the first time.

As I won’t have a team car following me during a race or a mechanic for fixing punctures am I mad?

Thoughts?

Chips Lovell

I've raced on tubulars a lot and generally prefer them for racing.

I've always done so on the basis that: a.) If I don't get a new wheel my race is over, regardless of what I'm racing on and b.) even if I'm racing on clinchers, I'm not going to be carrying around a spare tube, levers and pump with me.

For open races, I'd usually drive there and rely on the club car or neutral service (if there is one) for a wheel.

For club races, I'd usually cycle to/from the race and have a spare tub in a saddle bag. I'd leave it at the start/finish in a bag with my jacket and stuff.

If you don't get a spare wheel, the advantage of a tub is that you can ride a flat one back to the finish or until you bum a lift.

07Lapierre

Not having to carry a pump is one of the reasons im giving them some serious consideration (for racing).

Do you fix your own punctures or leave them in somewhere to be repaired?

Chips Lovell

No. Most of my punctures, the tub has been relatively well used and I'd repair with sealant (which doesn't last forever and reduces RR a bit but fine if you're going to get a few more months out of one). If ever punctured a new tub, I'd probably mail it to that chap in England who repairs them.

07Lapierre

You send tubs to the UK for a puncture repair? surely they can be repaired in ireland?

koutoubia

i repair tubs if its of any use to any of yis.
Since I use tubs all year round its an art I have learnt.
Lapierre are you thinkg of using glue or tape?

Plastik

I'm flabbergasted you lads don't carry a small pump, tube and a tyre lever when racing without a team car or neutral support.

Lumen

Plastik wrote: »

I'm flabbergasted you lads don't carry a small pump, tube and a tyre lever when racing without a team car or neutral support.

I dimly remember marshalling a club race a few years ago. A forlorn looking rider approached me and asked me for a pump to fix his puncture. When I told him I didn't have one, he tutted. Actually tutted.

It wasn't Baron.

Where do you carry those things?

07Lapierre

koutoubia wrote: »

i repair tubs if its of any use to any of yis.
Since I use tubs all year round its an art I have learnt.
Lapierre are you thinkg of using glue or tape?

Eh to be honest, I didn't know there was an alternative to glue! What's this tape you speak of?

koutoubia

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/tufo-tubular-rim-tape/rp-prod134375

or even better

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/effetto-carogna-tubular-rim-tape/rp-prod150152

Plastik

Lumen wrote: »

Where do you carry those things?

In one of my three pockets! My pump is crap, it'll only get 50psi in, but it's small enough not to be any hassle at all. Carrying them isn't going to be the difference between me getting dropped or not, but may be the difference between having a major pain in my arse or not.

I also, and you might not believe this, put my gel wrappers back in my pocket. Imagine that! Pump, tube, lever, empty wrappers. I'd be winning the Elliott every year if I wasn't handicapping myself like that.

Lumen

Plastik wrote: »

In one of my three pockets! My pump is crap, it'll only get 50psi in, but it's small enough not to be any hassle at all. Carrying them isn't going to be the difference between me getting dropped or not, but may be the difference between having a major pain in my arse or not.

I've heard some people express the view that you shouldn't carry anything in your pockets that might puncture an organ in a crash, but I guess you'd be quite unlucky to be impaled by a pump or tyre lever.

07Lapierre

Lumen wrote: »

I've heard some people express the view that you shouldn't carry anything in your pockets that might puncture an organ in a crash, but I guess you'd be quite unlucky to be impaled by a pump or tyre lever.

That is something that I thought about. I was going to get a mini pump and attach it to the frame via the bottle cage bolts. I think that's a better option than carrying one in a back pocket.

The way I see it, if you get a puncture in a race, your race is over anyway and all that matters then is getting back to the car or home. Maybe I'm wrong, but I also think that getting a puncture on a tub in a race, is a bit safer than a puncture on a regular tyre, as you can still ride on a flat tub. (Especially a front wheel puncture)

So what brand of tubs do you lot use? Which is better tape or glue?

koutoubia

With glue you need to have a spare with a layer of glue pre applied.
Once you put the spare on it will hold for a good while.

With tape:
carrogna comes off with the tyre and leaves the rim clean but you need sealant or use a pre glued spare and be careful getting back.


Tufo tape can be replaced on the side of the road but as its only racing you should be able to ride back on it.

i have used Vittoria and Conti Comps.
Not a fan of Vittoria anymore but a currenty riding the original version of the great Pave's.
Managed to pick up a load of Conti Comps Pro Ltd a good while back.
Grip is far superiour to Vitts running 85 -90 psi on 25c.

Contis really need to be prestretched as they are a PIG to mount form new.
Vitts easy to mount from new.
Will probably go to veloflex for the summer!

Plastik

Lumen wrote: »

I've heard some people express the view that you shouldn't carry anything in your pockets that might puncture an organ in a crash, but I guess you'd be quite unlucky to be impaled by a pump or tyre lever.

07Lapierre wrote: »

That is something that I thought about. I was going to get a mini pump and attach it to the frame via the bottle cage bolts. I think that's a better option than carrying one in a back pocket.

I've heard the same, and I'm sure someone will post an anecdotal story of a friend of a friend that it happened to, but in my experience the chances of that happening are extremely slim. Everyone is racing in aero-cut kit which is damn tight. There is no chance that my pump/lever are moving from their position parallel with my body to one where they are at an angle that they're going to pose a threat of impaling, while they're still in my pocket. They're also the wrong shape to cause a puncture wound in the sort of crash (I've) generally encountered while racing.

CramCycle

Lumen wrote: »

I dimly remember marshalling a club race a few years ago. A forlorn looking rider approached me and asked me for a pump to fix his puncture. When I told him I didn't have one, he tutted. Actually tutted.

It wasn't Baron.

Where do you carry those things?

I am surprised he didn't have his butler there with a spare wheel, maybe the butler dropped him on the lead out?

I learned my lesson at the DW open race last year when my front wheel stopped on someones front chainring. Thankfully a good man (from these parts), sorted me out and I rolled back at 40psi but that was the last race I ever went out without a tube, pump and levers. I got caught the year before on the second day of the Wexford 2 day, and had a long walk back along the N25 until someone heading to the finish line pulled over and gave me their front wheel (no space for a lift).

They fit in my jersey pocket and if those are the differences between winning or losing, so be it. If I had spare wheels or a team car, maybe I would change my mind but for now, that's the way it will continue.

07Lapierre

Plastik wrote: »

I've heard the same, and I'm sure someone will post an anecdotal story of a friend of a friend that it happened to, but in my experience the chances of that happening are extremely slim. Everyone is racing in aero-cut kit which is damn tight. There is no chance that my pump/lever are moving from their position parallel with my body to one where they are at an angle that they're going to pose a threat of impaling, while they're still in my pocket. They're also the wrong shape to cause a puncture wound in the sort of crash (I've) generally encountered while racing.

Agreed, but that's the excuse I'm using with Mrs Lapierre to justify new wheels!

Carawaystick

Lumen wrote: »

I've heard some people express the view that you shouldn't carry anything in your pockets that might puncture an organ in a crash, but I guess you'd be quite unlucky to be impaled by a pump or tyre lever.

Despite having ribs inside your jersey primed to puncture lungs...

eeeee

I race with a tool bottle in the seattube bottle cage. I've raced a couple of times without, but the fear of the long cleaty walk doesn't appeal. I also fear the equipment impalement in case of crashing.

el tel

Tubulars are a whole load of pointless bother. I once got chatting with a guy in his 30s at a coffee stop who was out training on tubulars. He had no spare because he said he didn't know how to change them anyway, but he has not behind the door telling me how superior they were to my Michelin clinchers. We set off together and about two miles along he got a puncture and had to ring his mummy, to drive 40-odd miles to rescue him.

CramCycle

el tel wrote: »

Tubulars are a whole load of pointless bother. I once got chatting with a guy in his 30s at a coffee stop who was out training on tubulars. He had no spare because he said he didn't know how to change them anyway, but he has not behind the door telling me how superior they were to my Michelin clinchers. We set off together and about two miles along he got a puncture and had to ring his mummy, to drive 40-odd miles to rescue him.

To be fair, over the years I have met plenty of people on clinchers who couldn't do that either :pac:

Derrydingle

el tel wrote:

Tubulars are a whole load of pointless bother. I once got chatting with a guy in his 30s at a coffee stop who was out training on tubulars. He had no spare because he said he didn't know how to change them anyway, but he has not behind the door telling me how superior they were to my Michelin clinchers. We set off together and about two miles along he got a puncture and had to ring his mummy, to drive 40-odd miles to rescue him.

But that's what mothers are for:-D

coL

I am a big fan of tubulars and have been racing on them for a year or two now. I carry a bottle of sealant with me when training/racing and in the event of a puncture that should be sufficient to bring me home or to the finish line.

One of my tubs recently gave up the ghost and I am in the process of changing it at the moment. Finding it very hard to get the new tyre onto the rim and was just wondering what methods people use for stretching their tubs before fitting them?

harringtonp

Plastik wrote: »

I'm flabbergasted you lads don't carry a small pump, tube and a tyre lever when racing without a team car or neutral support.

I carry them but most guys don't seem to

koutoubia

coL wrote:

One of my tubs recently gave up the ghost and I am in the process of changing it at the moment. Finding it very hard to get the new tyre onto the rim and was just wondering what methods people use for stretching their tubs before fitting them?

Put it onto an old rim first with no glue on the base tape. Pump it up to almost max psi and leave it like that for a least a day.
Then when mounting onto your good rim..... Let the glue dry on the base tape and put the last coat of glue in the rim right before mounting.
Put the valve in through the rim and make sure it's straight.
Working on the valve being at midday on a clock face then go to five to one then ten to two then quarter to three but you need to keep as much tension on the tyre as possible so as you pull the tyre on pull both sides away from the valve in the direction you are mounting.
When you get to the bottom lift the valve section into your waist ......say sorry to your thumbs .....and keep going.
It will pop on but you gotta keep the tension on the tyre as you go around and the longer you can leave it stretching for the better.

doozerie

Lumen wrote: »

I dimly remember marshalling a club race a few years ago. A forlorn looking rider approached me and asked me for a pump to fix his puncture. When I told him I didn't have one, he tutted. Actually tutted.

It wasn't Baron.

Where do you carry those things?

My pump (Lezyne Road Drive) is attached to a bracket fitted between bottle cage and frame, and my levers, spare tube, multitool, tyre boot, and self-adhesive patches are in my (small Arundel) saddle bag (yes, I carry the lot, all the time. And my winter bike has a bigger Arundel saddle bag containing a larger multitool, a second spare tube, and a puncture repair kit as well).

If I win a race (I've never won a race) I'll laugh at those who mock me for having a saddle bag and pump on a race bike. If I lose then I point at the bag and pump and curse them for being entirely responsible (so I curse them a lot).

My pump is the medium length aluminium Road Drive, I've toyed with the idea of replacing it with the shortest alu version, or going "full retard" and buying the carbon version as the lightest possible alternative (at a price per gram rate that makes the eyes bleed). But if I did that I'd start to undermine my very silly but very reliable and acceptable excuse for being shyte.