Help me with tubs

Right then. After messing about with wheels for the TT for a while I’ve now managed to sell the clinchers before the tubs so tubs it is. It’s a nice set of older Zipp 1080’s with Powertap in the rear, so pretty decent kit. I could have done a lot worse.

But. How the hell do you deal with these things?

First I had some cheapskate Tufos but the wheels deserve better so I’ve stripped those off again. Cleaned it all down and now ready to glue some Corsa G+ Triathlons on there.

  1. Any tips for the glue part? Ordered some Mastek and some brushes according to various videos and posts.
  2. What’s your glue process?
  3. Do I fill them with puncture-proofing like my tubeless?
  4. Do I glue the Tufo as a spare?
  5. Do you just fold it up, glue on the inside, and pack it behind the saddle?
  6. If I do puncture mid-race, what’s the process? Known problems/tricks?
  7. Anything else you can add that I don’t know?

Seems peculiar to go back to something now considered “old tech” but my TT is a definite “just for fun” bike. And if tubs used to work I should be able to make it work as well I assume. :slight_smile:

Advice gratefully appreciated.

I still run tubs. They are a fucking pain in the arse. Glueing I do 2 coats on the tire, one on the rim. I tell a lie I dont do that. After losing the skin on my palms trying to fit the wankers I gave up and took them to an LBS. A wheel trueing stand helps with the glueing. Also the hocks used to hang paint cans are good for hanging the tyres when they dry.

Punctures mid race your options are cafe latex or vitoria pitstop. If that doesnt work, cut the fucker of and fit new pre-glued tyre.

I like my tub wheel, they are incredibly light. But clicnchers are so much easier to deal with.

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for gluing road tubs I use this brilliant stuff. Called tape :wink: on the track i used cement but similar process, 1 coat on wheel, leave 24hrs, another coat on wheel and one on tyre leave 24hrs then another coat on wheel and tyre and fit. coats should be thin, use a paint brush

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Yeah, deffo use tape for triathlon. I use Jantex 76, the thin clear version for alloy rims. It’s absolutely fine on carbon rims in my many years experience using it, in all weathers, including 40 degree heat.

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I’ve done Lanza twice with taped on Tubs, one in particular being really really hot, and not had any issues.

Switched to clinchers now… never going back!

  1. triathlon, never glue. Nightmare to get off. Jantex 76 only. They stay on and come off “easily”
  2. As above.
  3. No.
  4. Tape it and ride it round the block for like 20km or so to “set it.” Leave it on the run for a few days to stretch it. Then take it off carefully with the tape intact.
  5. Yup. Exactly that.
  6. Stanley knife blade taped under the saddle. Just slice the tyre straight across and rip it off. Easy. Then put on your pre-stretched Tufo S3 Pro/Lite and hope it works!
  7. A canister of PitStop or similar before the above usually works.

I love tubs.

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I’d add if using tape leave half inch gap opposite the valve. Gives you a place to grab and rip off old tub in race situation. I’ve never needed a blade.

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Cheers for the answers. I knew I could count on honest answers. :slight_smile:

The half an inch trick, any risk in that in regards to rolling off the tyre?

I’ve never had issue on the road.

Tbh, a tub should stay on a rim with just high air pressure, probably even with very gentle cornering. You only really need adhesion for harder cornering.

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Ok, Jantex 76 used and a nice set of Corsa G+ mounted. So far so good, thanks! :slight_smile:

The spare tyre - do you pre-tape it direct on to the tyre but leave the protective layer on the outside? I’d imagine this would make it fairly easy to install roadside and kind of peel it the reverse way to normal. Could leave it to settle on a rim anyway, just plop it on with the tape cover remaining. Otherwise, how do you fold it up?

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Okay…controversial here…

…just a tacky layer on the spare tyre.
Mount it with a few bits of tape, leave it a few days to stretch and bed in, take it off carefully, then fold it.

The new red backed tape isn’t as tacky as 76 and you can fold it up very easily.

I use a Tufo as my spare, that I got from @Jorgan
It is tiny folded up.

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Can you get that badboi on a rim okay? I had to stretch it a LOT when I first got it.

Yes. I’ve used it three times to get me out of a pickle. Goes on like a dream.

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Good to hear such a compact light tub has provided such good service!