Final week I flatted a tubular tire on the Cervino:
Since all my spares had been dangerous and I needed to return the bike to rideability as quickly as doable, I put in an order for some new tubular tires–virtually instantly after which I opened an e mail from a kindly and beneficiant reader who supplied to ship me “a number of unused, gently aged tubular tires.” Naturally, I accepted. I didn’t even suppose to ask him why he needed to ship me a number of unused tires of top quality, largely as a result of I simply assumed like most individuals he’d come to his senses and realized tubulars are a ache within the ass. I assumed the identical factor a few years in the past when I discovered an entire cache of classic tubular rims within the trash on a Brooklyn sidewalk–that the proprietor had lastly snapped, introduced “Fuck these items!,” and threw them away. (I saved them for years for stretching tires and stuff, solely just lately eliminating them myself once I figured I’d in all probability by no means cope with a tubular tire once more…and right here we’re.)
Then I noticed, “Duh, why don’t I simply put a pair of contemporary clincher wheels on the Cervino?,” which turned out nice and made me notice I didn’t really want to cope with the tubulars in any respect:
Nonetheless, what’s the purpose of proudly owning a cultured classic bike for those who don’t no less than sometimes trip the stylish classic wheels that got here with it? And with an ample provide of tires for it on the best way (which amongst different issues will enable me to trip with spares that may truly maintain air) there’s actually no purpose to not maintain them rolling. Most significantly, they need to present me with ample alternative to make an ass of myself.
The freebies are nonetheless en route, however the unique pair I ordered simply arrived, so the very first thing I did was name in an skilled:
Although I’m sorry to report issues didn’t go effectively:
Simply kidding:
Clearly issues went fantastically.
In any case, I’m unsure I’ll use these or the freebies, but it surely’s at all times thrilling to get new bike stuff, so I figured I’d no less than put them on the wheels with out glue to be able to stretch them and verify them out or no matter. Again once I raced and had a pair of tubular wheels I largely used Continental Sprinters, which appeared like compromise between mild weight and sturdiness–till the inevitable flat, in fact. (You at all times swear by a tire till the second you get a flat at which level you swear by no means to make use of it once more.) Nonetheless, I just lately discovered there’s now such a factor as a Continental Gatorskin, so I figured I’d give {that a} attempt:
The lingerie-like black base tape was completely different from the Sprinters I bear in mind, however the tread that serves solely a beauty objective was nonetheless there:
Subsequent I went to the wheels, the rear nonetheless wrapped in that sorry, structurally unsound spare:
Talking of out of date know-how, in case you’re questioning, the freewheel is a Suntour Winner:
It’s a 13-21, so with the 42-tooth little ring up entrance it nets me the identical “low” gear I used to conquer barely survive the Swiss Alps.
I’m torn between altering it to one thing a little bit decrease and leaving it on there eternally so I can maintain congratulating myself.
Earlier than gluing no matter tires I finally find yourself utilizing subsequent, I had an essential resolution to make with regard to the entrance wheel:
As all people is aware of, you’re supposed to place the tire label on the drive aspect of the bike. Moreover, the emblem on the hub ought to oriented in order that it’s legible from the saddle, and the emblem on the rim needs to be legible from the drive aspect of the bike. Nevertheless, again once I first acquired the Cervino, I seen that, sure, the tire label and the emblem on the rim had been dealing with the identical approach as they need to:
However the precise stamped branding on the rim was dealing with the reverse approach because the sticker:
Additionally, with the entrance wheel on the bike with the tire label and rim label dealing with the “proper” approach, the emblem on the entrance hub was dealing with the “unsuitable” approach:
So once I mount the brand new tire, what do I do?
Mainly the sticker and the tire presently agree, and the hub brand and the rim stamp presently agree, however there’s no solution to make them all agree. So do I observe the hub brand? The rim sticker? The stamp within the rim? Do I peel the rim sticker and attempt to stick it again on the opposite solution to make it agree with the stamp and the hub brand? And if I do orient the hub so the emblem is legible from the saddle because it’s alleged to be, which means the wheel shall be spinning in the wrong way it’s been spinning all this time, and all people is aware of the sudden reversal might trigger the bearings and races to fail catastrophically:
Simply kidding.
Clearly I’ll simply be throwing the wheel away and getting a brand new one.
Subsequent I peeled off the entrance tire:
I hadn’t actually seen when peeling off the rear tire since I used to be largely simply centered on getting again on the highway, however I noticed now that the tire was coming off very cleanly certainly, at which level I noticed Paul had in all probability used tubular tape, which I’d by no means tried:
Given how tidy it was, I noticed I in all probability ought to have simply ordered a few of that as a substitute of a large tub of glue I’ll in all probability make a large number out of and that I’ll by no means get by anyway until I get a hankering to re-tile the toilet:
So I figured I’d do no less than one sensible factor to make up for all that. Throughout the flat debacle I’d discovered the exhausting approach that one in every of my spares wouldn’t maintain air. I meant to make use of the tire I simply eliminated as a spare, so to ensure I didn’t combine it up with its flat counterpart I wrote “good” on the sidewall:
Sadly it appears to be like prefer it says “Gooo,” and I can virtually assure that I’ll neglect doing this anyway, which implies that in a number of months I’ll surprise why the hell I’ve a tire that claims “Gooo” on it, conclude the tire is in some way dangerous, and use its flat counterpart with no ambiguous markings on it because the spare. And the cycle will proceed.
(Sure, I might simply throw out the flat one, however a part of utilizing tubulars is deluding your self into considering you’ll restore it at some point.)
As I say, I’m unsure which tires I’ll find yourself gluing, so I mounted the Gatorskins dry to see what they appeared like in situ and to offer them stretch:
They went on fairly simply and appeared good and straight:
Better of all they’ve labels on each side so that you don’t really want to fret about which approach you mount them in spite of everything:
Like me, they haven’t any path.
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