Tubulars?????
 

I was just finishing the build on my SR Semi-Pro that I saved from the trash a while back. I was putting new tubes in the tires, because I thought they looked rather new, and I noticed that thee 27" tires/rims are tubulars? Is that right? I was not planning on using these wheels for too long, but now im not sure if I want to use them at all. are lots of the old 27" wheels tubulars?

thanks folks.

If you're not going to use them, are they straight? If they are, and they're 36 hole, and italian, and chrome (or unpainted alloy of some kind) take a picture and I'll make you an offer.

I guess im just confused about them. they are Araya 27x1/4" laced to some hubs that just say Shimano. Do these require glue? Where can I get tires for them?
Thanks

You are sure you have tubulars? In anycase, tubulars are usually called 28", they have essentially the same diameter as a 700c clincher. Yes tubulars require glue and patience. You can get tires at your local high end LBS or on the internet... try biketiresdirect.com, their prices seem good. Yellow jersey sells really cheep tubulars just labelled servizo course and people on this forum have said they are of decent quality.
check out this thread for more info:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...otally+tubular

heres some pictures
notice there is no place on the rim for the bead on a clincher
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i4...6/100_0436.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i4...6/100_0435.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i4...6/100_0437.jpg

Those are run of the mill 27 x 1 1/4 clinchers. NOT tubulars. A 27" clincher tire will work fine.

Yeah, those are not tubular rims. Schwinn refered to those as a "tubular" rim meaning they took a tube, not a glue on tire(old style). You can still, for the time being at any rate, get a small variety of good tires for it.

You make a good point though about the rim not have a place, or lip to hold a clincher bead. Some modern clinchers might blow off that type of rim. You need older style wire bead types. Modern folding tyres probably would have trouble.

Awesome. so just a wire bead clincher?
See, the tire said tubular so it threw me all off.

Quite easy to understand your confusion. Until two years ago I'd never seen a tubular rim or tire - and I imagine a large percentage of cyclists never have either. If you're going to use that rim, go with wide, wire beaded tires that are rated 90 pounds or less - and even then, don't pump them much past 80 psi.

yeah, ill definately use them now.
I really dont expect my GF to put too many miles on it, so they should be fine

Schwinn's steel rims were more resistant to twist than a lot of others in the day, due the sheet metal having been formed so as to create more little tubes in the cross section. That's what they meant by "tubular." That distinguished them from say, Rigida steel rims, that did not last as long IMHO. You often needed a special Schwinn-design bead for those rims.

Road Fan