It's sealant or nothing for me. I haven't patched a sewup this century. It was always a PITA and never got any easier. Plugs will only fix a tubeless one like Tufo or one of the tubeless Challenges. Luckily we don't have tack weed here so it's just glass and sharp rocks that are a problem. And not a lot of that either.
Bob Freeman

When I used to repair them, I didn't use a single over and over stitch like pictured here, I did a double needle stitch, kind of like how you lace up your shoes, sometimes called a baseball stitch. It's easier to pull it evenly together that way. At the end, you can jut pull the loose ends back under the stitches you just did to bury them. Sorry I don't have any photos. I haven't done it since digital photography existed! Here's a little video though.
https://share.google/TPFoRodr2fPl4NJSm

Bob Freeman.

I've found Continental's base tape comes off for easy patching and a patch for me is almost guaranteed to hold up whereas sealant can sometimes blow through during a ride.

Doesn't sealant have a short life inside a tube before it starts disintegrating? And then you'd have to pour more sealant in or toss the tire?

I'm using Orange Seal and initially I didn't top it up - it still worked after 1 year inside the tyre.
Then it stopped working but I think that's because I'd used up the 1oz I put in earlier, or maybe it stops working after a year.

I now add 1oz per tyre roughly every 6 - 9 months.
In theory I could remove the valve and measure the sealant depth with a dipstick but my reqime works so I haven't bothered.

Edit: flat free for 3945 miles

I recently did two flat repairs on Conti Sprinter Gatorskins. It wasn't hard.. The tricky part is always locating the leak, especially if it's small. Once that's done the rest is easy. Just pull up the base tape, cut and remove about 5cm of the stitching, pull out enough of the tube to get access to the puncture, and patch it like any tube. I use a nylon upholstery thread and try to reuse the old holes. Replace the tape using liquid latex. I clamp it tight and let dry overnight. Good as new. I don't get flats often--this was a freak occurrence--so I'm not going to beef about a couple of repairs over several years, especially when the tires are so nice to ride on. I don't judge anyone who wants things as easy as possible, but there are limits to that as well. I don't eat fast food much--convenience has its tradeoffs. Those who don't like rim cement can use rim tape--it's plenty strong.

This is a vintage bike forum, yet so many people seem averse to any of the manual work that was always part of the experience. Having a classic racing bike is a privilege but absorbs some extra time and requires skills that are not common today. Riding skinny tires also takes more skill. If you just want a bike to ride get something more modern with wide tires, indexed shifting--maybe electronic? That's fine, just a different thing..

I had clotted and useless Orange Seal after a couple years in a full bottle. The original bottle of Tufo sealant I got in Czech Republic lasted a lot longer in the bottle and still held inside the tire after many years (a tire designed to be repaired this way). I assumed the same would be true of other sealants until I read that they are temporary. But aside from that, I have to question the idea of repeatedly putting this junk inside a fine, lightweight tube in a $100 tubular. Are cyclists now so wealthy that they consider these tires disposable? Even a $30 tire, assuming you can find one. Is the idea of putting an extra tire under the saddle and doing a repair back home so unthinkable? I guess it goes along with paying someone to perform basic repairs and maintenance. What has happened to this sport?

I can’t fathom the concept of putting sealant in a quality tubular on a prophylactic basis. Furthermore, other people must have better luck repairing tubular punctures with sealant than have I. For a glass shard type puncture, I have never had sealant hold above about50 psi…So, in theory, you could sag home but not much more. I can’t imagine relying on a bottle of sealant as one’s roadside repair kit. I have had some luck sealing slow leaks with sealant…the type of leak that is caused by Michelin wire, etc. There is one big caveat….Once a tire has had sealant, the sand is running out of the hourglass for that tire for the last time. If you let that tire deflate, there is an excellent chance that the inside surfaces of the tube will bond to one another…and, of course, the sealant sealing the puncture has a finite life and may have to be augmented. You can get a little more use out of the tire, though if those obstacles are avoided. I carry a spare…a tire that has been used and has glue residue on the basetape. It will form a contact bond with the residual glue on the rim if a roadside change is necessary and after ten minutes or so of riding, the bond will be pretty effective. I know some people buy cheap tubulars for use as a spare, but I always have some used good tires that are worn and have been retired from primary use. A good tire folds so much smaller and is infinitely easier to to mount at roadside.

mikestr
Any tips on finding a leak? I can't seem to find mine, especially with small cuts.

I had thought of sticking the offending tire in water a couple of inches at a time, and then pumping in air and looking for bubbles. Presumably the bubbles would be close to the leak and I'd cut the thread there and peel out a few inches of tube to patch. Resewing after should be easier than cutting out all thread.

Bubbles don’t necessarily escape near the puncture.

pinch the tire on both sides of the valve and pump up the tire. Use vise grips or whatever. Move one of the pinch points and pump again. Repeat til you find the leak.

This is like a car-repair manual that describes a procedure with "Step 1: Remove engine and transmission."

I'll add: First run your fingers over the tread as there may be an obvious object sticking out. Next submerge one section at a time. Ignore bubbles escaping from around the valve stem or from the seam, look only at the tread, and look really hard, especially if it's a small, slow leak. Keep the tread submerged. You may see what looks almost like a very slender string of bubbles. That will be it. Believe me, you'll eventually find it.

One thing I've found: heavier weight tubulars are easier toi stitch up' the casing holds its shape well so the stitching doesn't need to be perfect. Just pull the slack on each loop and try to replicate the t tension on the original stitching. Try to start a bit before the open section and finish a bit beyond. Liquid latex or Barge cement is good for reattaching the base tape. Never cut the base tape, even though that would make access to the area easier.

“One should aspire to live in a world where man can both freely enjoy the pleasures of riding on tubulars and the convenience of getting home without a roadside sewing project.” -Ghandi on using sealant for roadside tubular repairs.

Some of these purity tests are hilarious.

Your comment assumes a practice that never existed. Nobody sews tires on the roadside. They pull off the flatted one and pull on the one tied under their saddle and pump it up. You can make anyone sound silly by putting words in their mouth.

Can you replace a transmission in less than 30 minutes? If the activity doesn't appeal to you there is a simple solution: Don't do it. I'm just saying that it's not difficult, and I don't have to do it very often. Twice in 5 years?

These sorts of comments remind me of the guy who comes to a meeting of the local Kiwanis club and takes up time arguing that there should be no Kiwanis club. This is a discussion thread for people who like to ride tubulars or want to know more about them, including them. You don't need to ridicule attempts to help them, including assurances that the matter is not so difficult.. Please start your own thread: "Tubular Tire Scoffers." I'm sure it will be successful.

C'mon, boys, play nicely.

Jonwvara - You’re right. I deleted my response lest it be considered rude.

MikeStr - Keep doing things in whatever way works best for you!

This 22mm Sprinter will become a spare.

#threadbare

Yeesh. Why? Nothing worse than putting on your spare and then having it explode as soon as you air it up!

I'm certain that this tire is good for hundreds of more miles. The tread is a little protection from a puncture and provides some grip but does nothing else. Tire engineers? Please correct me. I've ridden tires with plenty of threadbare patches and this tire currently is holding 110psi.

This might be a good segue to a wider question: new or used for a spare? I used to keep my old tires for spares, but too often found them to be faulty when I actually needed them. It really is disheartening to go through all that work, hands grimy from handling the chain and the tires, arms shaking from a thousand strokes of the mini-pump, and then "SSSSsssss...." So these days I keep only fresh, good condition tires for spares, and have never regretted it.

I often ride old Clements that are 40+ years old. One of these went flat on me during a ride recently and I was able to rescue it with sealant, to ride again. As long as they hold air, don't have lumps, the base tape is intact, and the sidewalls aren't fraying, I think they are OK.

My first thought also... why risk a blowout just waiting for the moment when you can fold and secure a new, pre-stretched 'sew-up' as a spare under your seat?

Folks are obviously welcome to do it however they see fit, and I'm not trying to pick on anyone. Obviously there is more than one person here who is happy riding tires that I personally would have thrown out! But I find that as I get older, I am less willing to take risks, and less competent at dealing with things like blowouts on a fast downhill. I might not always keep my chain clean or my handlebar tape in perfect condition, but I like my tires and my brake blocks to be as fresh as possible!