I thik its too late, the bonding at glue up time is when it is critical...
gluing tubs is a learning curve...
my first pair were lumpy as heck!

Continental or Vittoria. Those are the ones sold at shops I frequent.
I don't put on 3 layers of glue.
On my 'lazy day rider' the rear tire isn't glued (or taped), never a problem.

This, and this way:



In a pinch a few summers ago I tried the Vittoria Mastik One and was unimpressed with the adhesion in hot weather.

Haven't tried the conti. Is it less viscous than Mastik? Does it stay "thin" longer?

Everyone has different results. I tried the panaracer glue once. It was good stuff. Removal of the tires was a real pain. Literally yanking at the tire with all my strength. So the "your results may vary" should be applied.

That was exactly the problem I had with Mastic one. I destroyed the two tires I used it on. After that I went back to Fast Tack. Works great and I use the Mastic One to glue the base tape back on after repairs. Best use of both products.

I'm not sure it is any less viscous, but it sure goes on easier than the tubes of Vittoria Mastik I used. After I have stretched the tire at least a few days, I "paint" on a coat on the rim and tire and let dry for a few hours, and then apply another coat to both. 24 hours later I do another liberal coat on both rim and tire, and immediately mount the tire. I air it up and quickly center as needed, and then wait 24 hours before I ride it.

The Conti glue allows some tire re-positioning within the first few minutes, whereas the Vittora adhered fast where the the tire and rim initially touched and was a real pain to lift to get the tire centered.

I removed a worn out Tufo tubular on a hot day in August that I had installed the previous season with the Vittoria Mastik glue. It came right off and the old glue was almost greasy feeling. Very alarming. I've never seen that with the Conti glue, and I typically have to use a plastic tire lever and really work at it to break the bond and get a start.

I can't share that experience. Mine have come off clean. It may be a function of the quality of the tire base tape adhesive. I do leave about 1 " of minimal to no glue opposite the valve so I can get a single tire "iron" (plastic) under the tire for removal.

That's right - it was pretty old stuff in a (large) can. I didn't think the stuff was supposed to have a shelf life though - so I just went with Panaracer.

That's a very good tip!

Have also been looking into tubular glues and methods for the original tubular wheels of a 1974 Jack Taylor.

I enjoyed this site, which summarized quantitative tests of adhesion and roll-off tendency after using different glues.

Mastik One clearly wins, see: TUBULAR TIRE ADHESIVES

good old contact cement!!!
horse of a different color..

i really doubt it, some tires are just lumpy and that is the way they are.

I have used nearly all of the above. I don't use any of the above any longer since finding Miyata rim tape. It is thinner than Tufo and holds better in my opinion. I had occasion to remove a tire and it was very difficult to remove. The edges were hard to get started coming off. The residue left on the rim was more like glue than tape and I was able to mount the spare and ride home without problems. I had been concerned about that issue with the Tufo tape as it seems to come off with the tire. I still have some tires glued, but am slowly converting them to Miyata tape. The Miyata tape is cheaper than Tufo, also....at least last time I bought it.

Mount the valve first, stretch real hard one direction holding on to valve valve about 6-8 " then the other side of valve. when all done let out all the air and roll the tire over a broom stick to seat the base tape to the rim curvature. Cures the valve problem. I like Vittoria Mastik ...

I use either Vittoria Mastik or Continental because that's what's available at the local bike shops in the area. I prefer the Vittoria Mastik slightly. Neither is as good as the old Clement glue.

I've also used the 3M Fast Tack. It was one of the essential items in my race day bag in case I got a flat the night before a race, or even during pre-race warm up. I've read that tests have shown it doesn't bond as well as other traditional tubular glue. However, my experience is that it quite strong, and I have pulled off more than one tire's base tape when removing a tire glued with the stuff. I wonder if there is a solvent that weakens the glue between the base tape and tire casing. It's worth a try if you don't have time to wait the usual 24 hours or so for regular tubular glue to harden.

Never tried tubular tape. I don't mind working with glue.

I'm going to try the zip tie trick (or maybe toe straps) around the valve stem next time. I've got one wheel that didn't set up properly and makes a little noise at the valve stem with each rotation. Drives me crazy and haven't been riding that bike much because of it.

I also scrape the cotton base tape with a file prior to gluing because that's how Faliero Masi did it.

On a subject slightly related tue due yue glue, I received a set of Veloflex Criteriums in the mail today. They look to be very nicely made, light, similar to the Vittoria Corsa EVO SC. I pulled them over a set of old unglued rims and pumped them up to stretch them. They appear very smooth and even.

Of course, there is no direction arrow and they have a label on both sides, so there is no indication of rotation direction other than a directional chevron pattern in the tread. What's a rider to do? I don't want to violate the C&V tire-mounting rules. Ah, I know. Check the tread pattern against the Vittorias. Got it. We're okay now. Never mind.

I buy whatever is on sale. The only time I ever rolled a tire was when I knew I was taking a chance by using too little cuz I'd pretty much run out. This whole thing about what glue to use is skeet hunt. Use enough with proper technique and you'll be fine.

Nobody mentioned Pastali. Probably because it sucks.

Another for Mastik. Doesn't allow much time though.

Well after reading this thread I have decided I do not want to try these kind of wheels out. The learning curve sounds painful.

Not if you use tape. Tufo tape works for me. It's neat and easy and the tire stays on.

It sounds MUCH tougher than it really is. Just go slow the first time, make sure the rim has all loose glue removed and mask off the brake surfaces on the rims before applying new glue. The ride of tubies is SO worth the effort.

I use Mastic One and am happy with it. For a field repair I carry a glued tire and some Tufo tape. I've never had to use a spare. Every flat I have had was repaired with the Tufo tire sealant.

I use Conti's carbon-compatible glue on carbon tubulars, mainly because it's less susceptible to heat, per the Conti rep at NAHBS. For everything else, I use Tufo tape. I've never had it fail, and I've never had the ability to outride the tape's adhesive, period. I doubt any of us can. I'd like to try the Miyata tape, just have never seen it.

I continue to prefer tubulars, but only have 3 sets of the wheels: tri-bike, new crit/racing bike, and a mid-90's roadie with early 90's tubulars. I have a set of tubeless-capable wheels, but don't really want to take that plunge yet.

I've used Tubasti glue, and made a pretty complete mess of a pair of khaki's, the tires, and the rims, but it held very well. It should have, I used way more than necessary.

[MENTION=353902]Steve Whitlatch[/MENTION] This is a C&V forum which implies that we enjoy ALL things C&V including tubulars or what some of us have grown up with, sew-ups. It is a C&V thing that you gain appreciation for over time only with expereince. You may not be ready. That is okay. The devil is in the details now matter what you do. Once you get use to doing it, it is second nature and it is a personal ROI decision.

All I can say is that I grew up believing the racers new what the best was and that became my standard. Today it is heavily modified but I enjoy touching the past with present available capability including running tubulars which I think are still superior to clinchers. Not all agree and that is okay too!