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trailrunner

I'm new to this forum, and wow, what a load of great information. I have a 1973 Tour de France that I bought new while working in a bike shop. I haven't ridden it in years, and just started cleaning it up to start using it again. The most obvious problem is the tubular tires are rotted. Over the years I had considered relacing the wheels for clincher tires, but never did. Is there a good source around for tubular tires? Should I consider the swap to clinchers? Has anyone here switched wheels and been happy or unhappay about the change?

I'm getting a kick out of all the photos posted here. I didn't think anyone still treasured these old bikes. I actually put mine out during a garage sale a few years ago, tagged at $40. Fortunately, no one was interested.

scozim

I've run clinchers for a long time and started making a switch to tubulars this past year. I really like the way they ride. In fact, I'm picking up some more tubular Mavic wheelsets tonight from a former racer in town who won't be using them anymore (free is good). What wheels do you currently have on the bike - Mavic, Super Champion or something else?

I run Continental Sprinters on two of my bikes. When they wear out I'll probably switch to more of a training tire like the Continental Giro or Vittoria Rally. There are also some advertised at Yellow Jersey for something like 3 for $50.

Hard to believe nobody jumped on your bike for $40. As you say - that's fortunate for you.

Scott

trailrunner

The bike has Mavic rims. I'd like to stay with tubulars, but I'm not sure where to buy them at a reasonable price.

The only reason I set the bike out at the garage sale was my wife yapping that I never rode it. My current plan is to clean it up/fix it up and use it again. I swapped a lot of components on it the first few years, and stripped all the stickers off it (so it wouldn't look "expensive"). The crazy things we do when we're 19.

Update: I just looked at the Yellow Jersey website. Looks like I've found my source for new tubulars! I like their "Random thoughts" page about tubulars. Thanks for the advice.

Dave

verktyg

Tubulars have a unique feel. If you live in an area where there aren't many goathead thorns they're great.

I ride in tubulars in goathead free areas if there is such a thing. A friend saw them growing in Beijing, China!

Saturday a week ago I got 2 flats on 1 ride with clinchers. Thirty years ago I moved from Albuquerque, NM (the goathead capital) to the SF Bay Area and this was the first goathead I picked up in all those years!

The second flat was a glass sliver.

I've been buying Servizio Corsa sewups from the Yellow Jersey - three for fifty bucks!

http://www.yellowjersey.org/tt.html

One out of three may be a little lumpy but put it on the rear...

You'll need to remove the old rim cement. I've been using a citrus based paint stripper Citrus Strip. It works fast and is less messy than some other methods. Don't get it near the rim decals, it will destroy them.

I like Tufo Extreme rim tape in the orange box for mounting sewups. They had some in a yellow box but it looks like they discontinued it. Tufo Extreme Tape is easy to apply, just follow the instructions.

Stay away from the other brands of tubular rim tape!

Tufo also makes tire sealants that can be used before or after a puncture. They have the standard in a yellow package and Tufo Extreme in an orange box. I've only used the yellow label stuff. It's great for small punctures like goat heads but nothing will save a tire with a gashed casing.

Last suggestion, regardless of the recommendations on the tires and what the "experts" tell you, only inflate the tires to 90 PSI. There is much less likelihood of getting a flat at that pressure than at 110 PSI!

greyhundguy

verktyg

Jay,

Goatheads (Tribulus terrestris) are the bane of cyclists, bare foot walkers, dog owners and others throughout much of the western US.

http://www.goatheads.com/home/gh1/page_41

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribulus_terrestris

They are a flat growing plant that spreads out in a circle from a central root tap, almost a flat vine. They do well in dry sandy or gravely soil like that found on the berms of paved roads. They frequently grow near interstate highways and connectors. The get spread by car and truck tires.

The yellow flowers are about 9mm to 12mm in diameter and the plants can range from several inches to several feet in diameter. They only grow a few inches above the ground.

I've seen them with spikes as long as 3/8" and once saw a car with completely bald tires get a flat from goatheads!

I encountered them when I first arrived in New Mexico. I was walking around bare foot and I walked across a lawn to meet my new neighbors. They were sitting on their porch and started gasping. I picked up 27 goatheads in my feet before they could warn me!

What we found was that at tire pressures below 90 psi there was a good chance that a goathead wouldn't puncture most bike tire on the first revolution of the wheel. Above 100 psi it was almost a guarantee!

We sold tire scrapers called "Sticker Flickers" that mounted onto the brake bolts. They floated over the tread of the tire scraping off goatheads and glass shards.

You could get them commercially but one of our customers who had a machine shop used to make them for us. He used very soft iron wire and the most flexible surgical tubing available.

I remember riding sewups and running over a bunch of goatheads in the road. I looked down at my front tire in horror as the sticker flicker did it's job! No flat!

BTW, last year I got a pinch flat with clinchers when I rode over a 3"x6" pine cone that fell on the road in front of me!

trailrunner

In Texas we have something called a sand burr. Looks like a little star. Sticks in bare feet, dog paws, and probably my bike tires.

I've always (20 to 30 years ago) glued my tires on. I never saw the tape you mention. Why do you prefer tape to glue? Does it perform better, or just less mess?

Also, a dumb question - what size tires do I need? I assume there's different diameters or are they all the same? (I've been away from bikes for a long time). I'll probably buy the $50 three pack from Yellow Jersey.

Dave

greyhundguy

Chas.,
I did a Google search for "goathead" after I posted. I found the US distribution for the plant. My youth riding was in New England (none shown there) and in the past 30 years VA and NC (distribution only along the coast of these States). I lived in Virginia Beach for 3 years but was not riding. That may explain why I have never encountered them.

Gumballs (size of a ping pong or golf ball) can be found all over this area. A big pain in the yard, not so much on the road.

Jay

verktyg

Jay,

Goatheads tend to flourish in dry gravely soil and don't need much water.

Here's a soultion for goatheads...