Re: [CR]questions on mounting tubulars

(Example: Production Builders:Peugeot)

Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 17:25:49 GMT
To: aphillips9@mindspring.com
Subject: Re: [CR]questions on mounting tubulars
From: <brianbaylis@juno.com>
cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

Ann,

I had the job of mounting tires on the wheels I built when I first started at Masi Carlsbad. Faliero was VERY particular about mounting tires; mainly that not a speck of glue end up on the tire. I was taught to sling the tire over the back of my neck and then use my knee to stretch the tire in front of me. Sometimes you woul hear a slight tear as the basetape "expanded". A good tug that way was the first thing. Air up the tire so it will just hold it's shape. To mount tire, stand over the wheel (just a rim will not be strong enough to work here) and insert the valve into the hole which is pointing straight up. Then as you begin to push down and use your hands to seat the tire to rim, use your knees to help stretch the tire real tight outwardly and down. This is most important. I think most mounting problems begin with not stretching the tire from the valve hole real hard as you start. Then as you follow the rim to the floor from above you can exert stretching and pressure all the way down. Once you get to the floor and there is only 6 or 8 inches of tire left to seat, puck up the wheel and lift the last part onto the rim. Then go around and straighten and seat the whole tire as neccessary.

Conti tires can be tight. A good jerk with the knee really helps on the tight tires. Stretch real hard in the beginning and keep it up all thre way down. That usually does it. A few dry runs without glue and you'll probably get the technique down.

Brian Baylis La Mesa, CA Mounted hundreds of tires without ever getting glue on them, under penalty of death from Faliero.


-- ADP wrote:


Yeah, I know, I know, lots of stuff in the archives...

At least on gluing. I'm not even talking about gluing here, I just spent 45 minutes getting them on the rims to pre-stretch.

Is there any easier way to get them stretched enough to get them on the rims without such a wrestling match?

2 of my cats were sitting there watching me, being very concerned about the cursing and complaining (all the while I was hoping the phone would not ring) while I was trapped by a pair of Continental Sprinters and Mavic CX18s.

I had lots of thoughts about stretching for prestretching, while I was trapped, with such Rube Goldberg inventions like as a hand crank expandable rim or two 12" kids rims, a ceiling hook and a 50 lb weight.

My big concern is after those tires sit there for three days, how am I ever going to get them on once there is glue involved? Should I inflate them a little as part of the stretching thing? Should I pay someone to do it? Should I just leave them on the rims, not glue them and never actually ride the Scandalous Medici? Wait 6 weeks? Move them to larger and larger rims?

Are Continental tubulars tight fits like their clinchers and I was just silly to buy these, or what?

The last bike with tubees I had was at age 14. While I remember gluing straight was a challenge, I don't remember getting the darn things on being such a pain!

Advice needed, except for advice like, sell those Mavic CX18s and 32 hole low flange Record hubs to me, or you bought the wrong tires, buy these better tires from me...

Ann Phillips, Decatur GA