Any interest in sprint wheels for tubs?

[petgel]

Tubs are superb: they ride so well; but there is a vast difference between cheap ones and good ones.

I’m running Vittoria Pave, and have been for a few years (not huge mileages). One of them punctured. Using the internet, I made an incision, found the hole in the tube, patched it and sewed it up. It’s a latex tube. It loses air a bit quicker than its partner, but is good for a couple of rides. I know, “Bullshit” you cry, and I don’t blame you. But it is possible and one day I will do a forensic YouTube “tubopsy” to prove it!

Anyway, the bigger problem is prolly the lack of availability of more tubs rather than repair skills.

Nothing like a pair of Clement seats. If my method works I’ll be buying up all the old knackered ones I can find and put new lates tubes in them!!

 

[doctor-bond]

Yes Deffo worth the effort (incidentally, I read somewhere that a certain Tom Ritchey supported his fledgling frame building ambitions by repairing tubs - back when there must have been good demand).

 

[Glug]

You can still get tubs for reasonable prices:

https://www.condorcycles.com/collections/tubular-tyres
https://www.tradeinn.com/bikeinn/en...subfamilia=4007@atributos=1176_3363_1&start=0

I've used both of those, my last buy was Vittoria Corsa Control 30mm from Condor for £35 each.
That was a few months back.

I find using Orange Seal has worked - no flats in about 3 years.

 

[doctor-bond]

Yes, I bagged a couple of Corsas from Condor when you outed them a while back (thanks!). But the bargains sell out leaving Rally’s which I can’t get on with (ok spare under the saddle). A good range at Bikeinn still though.

 

[bagpuss]

Sold a job lot of tubs recently for £30 .
About 6 in all good quality and un used

 

[bagpuss]

Campagnolo large flange record on Mavic pro sprint rims £100 i got depressed by falling over them.

 

[Glug]

Campagnolo large flange record on Mavic pro sprint rims £100 i got depressed by falling over them.

I'm using mine

Nuovo Tipo large flange on Monthlery Route + Vittoria Corsa Control 30mm
Rolls really nicely

 

[martinb]

Just got hold of a couple of Clement yellow label Setas. One doesn’t hold air and doesn’t even pump up to try and find a hole. As they are NOS I guess the tube has just perished.

Has anyone ever replaced the whole tube by the following method-

Remove base tape and h snip the stitching for 3 inches past the valve hole. Pull out the tube from casing and cut it clean through. Attach strong cord to the cut end. Pull the cut tube out whilst pulling the cord through the casing.

Take a new latex tube and cut the same way as above, and attach the cord. Cover in talc and use cord to pull new tube into carcass. Overlap the ends by at least an inch and splice the tube using a latex bonding solution, such as bostik 3851. Allow to cure, lightly inflate and check for leaks at the splice. Restitch the small segment of cut stitch and reapply the base tape with copydex.

Sound feasible??

Yes, done it once with a latex tube, there’s a certain way to do the overlap. It was for a cross tub so low pressure. It worked. I still do a few tub repairs but it’s more of a challenge as it’s not really economically viable and if sealant is used it’s usually a non starter

 

[Rapparee87]

Been with tubs since 1981, aged 14. Luckily I learned to fix them early on. Relatively straightforward. Sewing them up is easy enough, just a criss cross method. Rim cement to stick the tape back on, stretched over a table overnight and it's good to go. A worn out tub can be used as a donor for thread. Which can now be got on eBay either. Thread is impossible to be salvaged from say a CX though, they're just too well made, and the stitching is just at another level. A downside is that sometimes a puncture is impossible to locate. I've often pumped up a tub, listened for the hiss, but when it's opened up there's no hole there. One of the mysteries of the universe that is. So it's not fixable. I might only get one puncture a year though, as my mileage is low and roads good here, so they wear out before they puncture usually. Never used a sealant on a tub, but worth investigating I think, as I'd prefer it to taking off a tub by the roadside in winter. I get around that by only using rim cement on half the rim though, every 2nd section around. Then I can get tyre levers in and prise it off easier.

 

[Glug]

I got back into cycling about Aug 2021.
Built some tubulars Apr 2022, had a flat after 90 miles and discovered Orange Seal.
May 2023 had another flat and discovered you're supposed to top up the Orange Seal, but 1oz had lasted just over 1 year.
That was my last flat.

So that's 2 flats in 5700 miles, first cause by no sealant, second caused by no top up.
I've had a couple or spurters - Orange Seal jetting out. But I stop, remove the stone, and spin the wheel and it seals, doesn't even need pumping.
I don't both carrying a spare these days - but I'm in London anyway so there's always the tube.

Tyres: Vittoria Rubino (Butyl), now Vittoria Corsa Control (latex).
Orange Seal: 1oz per tyre every 6ish months.