Tubular tyre glue and tape

Glue or adhesive tape for fitting tubular tyres

A tubular tyre isn’t held in place by pressure: glue or tape secures it to the rim. Choosing between them isn’t just about ease of fitting, but about safety on descents and the type of rim.

Glue

• Vittoria Mastik'One, Continental and Challenge are favourites in the peloton. They provide a stronger bond than tape, especially when hot.
• Continental offers a version Carbon, formulated for carbon rims, whose bonding surface doesn’t offer the same grip as aluminium.
• Fitting requires three coats on the rim and one on the tubular tyre’s base tape, allowing each coat to dry before applying the next, then leaving it to cure for 24 hours before riding. It takes time — that’s what puts people off, but it’s also what makes the bond secure.
• The 250 g tin is enough for many tyres; the 30 g tube is suitable for a pair.

Adhesive tape

• Velox Jantex 14 for carbon, Jantex 76 for aluminium : the formulations differ, so they aren’t interchangeable.
• The Tufo double-sided tape is the quickest to apply.
• Tape goes on in one step, without odour or waiting: it’s the option for roadside repairs and fitting tyres away from home.
• On the downside, it copes less well with heat from prolonged rim braking, and a tyre fitted with tape is easier to pull off — a drawback on descents.

The cyclocross case

This is the discipline where a secure bond matters most: riders use pressures of 1.5 bar and lateral forces pull on the tyre. Glue is the norm here, and many mechanics add an extra coat. A tyre can roll off the rim at this pressure without warning.

Removing a tubular tyre cleanly

Glue residue can be removed with solvent and a brass brush on an aluminium rim. Take much more care with a carbon rim — never use a metal scraper, which can damage the resin. New glue won’t bond properly to a rim that hasn’t been cleaned thoroughly.

To find out more: How to fit road bike tubular tyres

See also: Road tubular tyres · Cyclocross tubular tyres · Road wheels for rim brakes