Chombi

Real nice 80's classic wheels, except for the shop grease and the dust, they're very close to mint condition after some wiping down. 32H Mavic GL330s, DT spokes, 6 speed. 13/24 regina freewheel/cogs and Campy Atehna hubs! Barely used and looks like the now petrified glue on it was the first and only application. These would be my first ever pair of tubular wheels and This is pretty much as close as I could ever dream of very setup that I dreamed about buying back in the 80's to then upgrade my bike, so It was like a dream come true when I found these for a very reasonable price, compared to a new set of wheels which will not be period correct for my PSV and the other classic French bike I just won at auction that's still to be delivered. I figured that these would be the special wheels I would have for both bikes if I want to ride tubies once in a while. I still can't believe finding them hanging at the very back of the shop, almost forgotten amongst the hundreds of wheelsets hanging next to it.
Anyone here have any experience with the GL330s (later non-red label version) and the Athena hubs? The dried-up crusty glue seems to be coming of slowy but surely with Goo Gone and a toothbrush, but how do I clean up the spoke end "wells" that seems to be catching a good amount of crud that I'm trying to get off. Do I have to clean them out totally? The wheels seem to be nice and true when I spin them, but do I have to get the spokes re-tensioned by the LBS wheelbuilder before I ride them??
Again, I'm a noobie with tubulars and any suggestions and tips to getting these 330's on the road again will be very much appreciated.
Now, I guess I have to read up on glueing/tubular tire mounting procedures for the next big challenge!
I'll post some pics once I get them cleaned up good.

Chombi
84 Peugeot PSV

Old Fat Guy

Too anal, glue them and ride.

Road Fan

I agree, basically. But you can do some basic things just to make an assessment. If they're true, go around the wheel squeezing the spokes to see if they're even all around. If there are big areas that are not even and you have a local ace wheel builder, see what they say. If you can't get anyone you trust, just ride.

Cleaning the rims is of some minimal value, but you really can live without it completely.

What tires are you going to use? You really can just glue them up and go. I like Vittoria Mastic and the procedure on the Vittoria package, 'cep I don't believe in massive work to clean off old glue. Just take an old butter knife and scrape around to knock off loose and big chunks.

ScottRyder 

Chombi,

I'm like you, very new to tubulars. I started off having a set to ride for "fun" but really relying on the clinchers for every day trips. That was in the spring and now most of my riding is done on tubulars. I've added three more wheelsets to my group. Three of my Fuji's have tubulars, my Raleigh Competition and I'll be switching my Raleigh Pro back to tubulars pretty soon. I love the way they handle and roll. Good luck!

Scott

Old Fat Guy

The OP stated that there was only one application of glue, "it was the first and only application".

No need to do anything, except a proper re-gluing.

I would suggest that the OP look here for good deals on both glue and tires (tyres):
https://www.probikekit.com/index.php

yellowjeep

I was going to suggest the pair and a spare deal from Yellow Jersey but if these are going to be 'nice day' wheels they might as well have nice tires.

miamijim

Wire wheel on drill....like a hot knife going through butter.

Chombi

I finally got most of the glue off the front wheel (but it still has a little bit all over that I will hit one more time with mineral spirits and then a good wash with soap and water) and just started on working on the rear tonight. I cut strips of paper towel this time, soaked them in Goo Gone and stuck them on the rim to keep the Goo Gone on it overnight and soften the glue real good before I scrape and wipe it off. Also was able to clean out the glue gunk that collected in the front wheel's spoke end wells (mix of old glue, Goo Gone and shredded paper towel...yuck!) Used my dremel with a small brass wire brush bit. I figure I should really dig that stuff out cause what's the point of getting lightweight tubular wheels if that thick junk collects in all those spoke end wells and and add weight to the wheel, plus I don't think it's good for the spoke nipple and spoke threads soaking in that stuff for extended periods because corrosing might set in.
Haven't bought the tubular tires yet, but there's not too much to chose from at the local bike shops. Most of them don't even carry tubulars anymore, but I did remember seeing a couple at the local PBS (IIRC, Vittorias). I figure, I won't be too picky with my first pair of tubular tires but I'll still do some research before i buy them to make sure I don't buy trashy tires either.
This is a lot of work but still fun, so far. Can't wait to finally try out tubulars for the first time!

Chombi
84 Peugeot PSV

Chombi

Thought of using my dremel with a brush to go over the whole rim (although I did use it to clean out the spoke end wells), but I think it will take off the nice dark grey anodized finish on the GL330s. I'd do it too if I have silver rims like yours.

Chombi
84 Peugeot PSV

Esteban32696

I have a brand new set of Mavic tubular wheels if anyone is interested. Drop me an PM.

Road Fan

I am amazed and respectful of your heroism, but this really isn't necessary. You only have a litte bit of glue on there.

I would tend to err on the side of preserving the anodizing that is present, and foregoe the satisfaction of having cleaned something. Or, focus my already weak cleaning motivations on the spokes, bearings, and hub.

The weight of that glue is totally inconsequential, as is the potential corrosive effect of GooGone. Unless it's highly acidic, and I'm convinced its not, it will not attack your parts. It's composed of organic solvents more like soap than like acid.

I'm a fan of cheap tubulars, so I'd suggest the 3 for $50 deal from Yellow Jersey, or a pair of Vittoria Rallye in 23 mm width. I've had good results with both of those, but we don't have much glass on the road here in Mich.

Bianchigirll 

I should send Chombi a set of my wheels to clean the glue off *giggle* I was always taught that it didn't really need to be cleaned off. I think we are slowly loosing this bit of cycling art and riders are going to usless extremes, either needlessly removeing glue or over applying.

gomango

+1 Bianchigirl. Thirty years ago when I raced using tubs we never bothered cleaning a thing. Doesn't mean it was the right way to do it, but we did anyway. I don't recall it ever being an issue. Glue and ride. Also, find a set of Continental Gatorskin Sprinters. You won't be disappointed.

cb400bill

+1

For my Viscount, I bought a set of 3 Vittoria Rally tires and some Continental glue from PBK last December. It was my first time working with tubulars and, with the help of this forum, installing them went a lot easier than I thought it was going to.


Search out the thread "Totally Tubular" and read up.

scozim 

Maybe some of the cleaning is preference. I started using tubulars this year for the first time and the Wolber rims I had were pretty nasty with two layers of hard, thick dried glue. I didn't get them perfect but felt a whole lot better that they were 90-95% clean before regluing.

Chombi - I have several of the Mavic GL 330's from my dad - several with Campy hubs. He used these a lot in the 80's and early 90's on his PSV and really liked the ride. For the most part he had Continental Sprinters and really like them. I have Continental Giro's on right now. I did put a new Bontrager tubular on and don't like how it leeches air out quickly. It can be down to 40-50 lbs in two days of sitting.

I know a few people who have gone with the Yellow Jersey 3 for $50 and for the most part the tires worked well. They did get a couple that had a few defects in them.

ScottRyder 

CB, did you have trouble with the way the Rally stem bases fit into the rim hole? I've got three sets but none of them seem to seat as well as I'd like.

Scott

Road Fan

This much pressure loss could be the result of a latex tube, or a slow leak. I tend to avoid latex. Yes, they are the ultimate ride and better for serious competition, but I just ride, tubulars or not. Not having to unlimber the pump so often is what's important to me. I use butyl-tubed tires. Chances are if the tire company doesn't specify, it will be butyl. Pressure si usually good for at least a week.

shrinkboy

i raced through the 80s, and i recall that when mounting a new set of tubulars, the practice was to go over the rim with rag dipped in mineral spirits and let it dry, then spread a new layer of glue on, let it get a little tacky, then mount up the tire and let 'em sit over night. tubs were the standard, and high pressure clinchers were coming in late in my racing days. i even remember opening up the casings and repairing flats, then re-stitching....aarrgghh! don't recall ever needing to completely remove old glue layers

cb400bill

Mine fit fine. Loose enough to slide in but not so loose as to allow them to rattle.

KtotheF

I've had this same problem, and somebody before told me to just ride it a few times after you mount them (after letting them dry for a day obviously) and they'll settle down.

JohnDThompson 

My setup is similar to miamijim's, but mine is bench-mounted and probably more aggressive, if anything:


It hasn't hurt my dark-anodized rims:

23skidoo

You can call me a Tubular Heretic, but I refuse to glue any of my tubulars and use Tufo rim tape for all of them with no adhesion issues whatsoever. I'm also a big fan of the yellowjersey Servizio Corse tires at 3/$50, a tough deal to beat and I've never had a problem with the dozen I've purchased from them.

SJX426 

I found 2 NOS 330's that I picked up for $40. I have a set as original equipment on my Colnago. Note the wear pattern!

Chombi

Thanks for posting the pic. Interesting wear pattern you have there. There seems to be deflection on the rim sidewalls caused by loads where the spoke comes into the rim. I never encountered this on my clincher rims, even with the lightest ones I had/have. Must be mostly harmless characteristic of the GL330s, being that you have been riding it long enough to cause that pattern without failure. Makes me wonder if this is a real issue with the even lighter GL280s.....
Looks like you have Vittoria Rallys on you bike, I ended up getting those yesterday to put on my new wheels. I can't help it, they were there (3 of them) with the nice (period correct) latex "naked" sidewalls, on sale at PBS, staring at me, on sale for 20 bucks each!....... I know they're not the best out there, but I figure the Rallies would make for a good begginer tire for sewup noobies, and I wouldn't feel too bad if I mess them up a little, but they do look nicely made with real straight treads and clean and straight mounted base tapes. The naked cotton/latex sidewalls also reminds me of how the old Turbos look too. I'll take some pics to post this evening if I don't feel too dead from work. They're currently dry mounted on the now cleaned up wheels to stretch out before the big install which may come up this next weekend. I guess I'll practice getting them on a few times before do it with glue. I was surprised how much easier they went on the rims after hearing all those horror stories about people wrestling with their tubulars. I guess getting used to mounting foldable clinchers with just my hands helps a lot. We'll find out when I do the mounting for real in a few days. I'll let them stretch out a bit, fully inflated on the rims till then.
BTW, Out of curiousity, I weighed the front wheel to compare with my front clincher last night and the front GL330's weighs about 10 grams less than my lgiht clincher front (with the ultralight Hutchinson Atom 20mm section tire, 50G Evo Vittoria innertubes and very light rims from Rigida, I think). The weight got close I think because of the Rally's heaveir than usual weight for a tubular (it's weighing on my scale slightly less than the published weight at 270ish grams, instead of 290-300 grams. Some weight does come from the Campy Athena hubs with it's thicker diameter "spool tube" and the skewer which seems to have been designed to lock down a tank's hatch. I'm thinking that the 330s might still feel quite different from my clinchers because the weight reduction is mostly at the rims which is reciprocating weight that you have to move/accellerate.....we'll see......

Chombi - Tubie Noobie
84 Peugeot PSV.

Chombi

Actually, I did try out using a small brass wire brush bit with my Dremel to touch up cleaning the rear rim, and it did not harm the anodizing as you have shown in your pic. the dried out crusty stuff came of easily turning it to puffs of white dust when I hit them with the spinning brush head. I'm thinking of going over both rims again with a bigger diameter brass wire brush on my Dremel to do a final general cleanup before mounting on the tubulars tires with cement.
Some are correct to consider cleaning off the glue as much as I did before mounting on the tires as being a bit "anal", but I just don't like thinking that there's any of that nasty, pertified, 20 year old glue between the one I put on and my new tires when I ride. Although it might indeed hold up OK, I'm sure it will still affect my confidence when cornering.
I wonder if Tufo tape might be easier to clean off than brush-on glue...anyone?
BTW, I'm going to be using Continental brand glue (in the orange/yellow tube). PBS, where I bought the tires and glue did not have the much preferred Vittoria "mastic" glue.

Chombi
84 Peugeot PSV