Cyclocross - Tufo tubular tape

Just wondering if anyone is using this? I have two thoughts....

1. Its so easy that it scares me and can't possibly work properly.
2. Wow, it looks so easy I would really like to use it.

Tape is fine, just not that tape (only because we're talking cyclocross).

Tubular Tape (http://cyclocrossworld.stores.yahoo.net/tubulartape.html)

+

Vittoria Mas'tick One (http://cyclocrossworld.stores.yahoo.net/maonetuglcan.html)

=

No chance of evAr rolling a tire.

This is how Stu Thorne (as well as every Belgian cyclocrosser) does it.

dont mess with tufo tape. Take the time to learn how to properly glue tires. Yes you could also pay someone to glue your tires but learn how to do it.

You'll probably get glue everywhere the first time but you'll learn quickly and soon be gluing tires like a pro.

Second Tufo tape and a couple of layers of Mastik on the tire. Holds like the dickens. Just glue is great too, but takes skills I have yet to master.

-B

Second Tufo tape and a couple of layers of Mastik on the tire.



No no no.

Don't do that.

Too late!

My old-school, former-euro-pro, still-elite-level-cyclocross-racer coach told me to ABSOLUTELY use the (standard) Tufo tape for my brand new tubulars. He uses it exclusively, and doesn't believe in the "Belgian method" of using glue and tape. He said the standard tape works better for low-temp CX applications; he uses the "extreme" tape for the warmer road season.

The key to Tufo tape's success, from what I've gleaned, is to use it only with Tufo tires, which have a stitchless basetape that better adheres to the glue tape. And then there's also the common sense stuff like making sure the rim is clean of any oils or contaminants before applying the tape, etc.

He said he's never rolled a tire in many years of elite-level CX racing. But he does adhere to the Tufo-only tire policy (which is fine by him; his favorite tires are Tufo Elites).

I'm fairly heavy at 185 pounds, and I like keeping the pressures low (<35psi), so I may be a bit of an extreme example. I'll report back with any news, good or bad.

--D

As I understand it, the weakness with the Belgian method is still the tape. Yeah, you have a layer of glue on top, but that doesn't help much if the tape starts to fail adhering to the rim.