jacobpriest

I recently purchased a 80's handbuilt frame by a guy named ROMIC out of houston. I got the bike from a guy at my LBS that raced it a few years ago. The wheelset is superbe pros laced to campy victorys (tubulars) and the old conti sprint tires are rotting fasttttttttt.
First question, Does anyone know anything about this framebuilder?
MAIN QUESTION, i am going to need tubulars for brakeless street riding, so what do you think are the most durable/longest lasting for street riding?
(and yes i did a search)
thank you in advance if you can help!

visitordesign

ooof... do you ride hard on the street? doesn't sound like a good idea. investing in a cheap clincher wheelset may actually end up being cheaper and less hassle.

i rode tubular cyclocross clinchers all winter without incident. a few weeks ago i decided to take 'em to an alleycat. the difference between riding "hard" and riding "alleycat hard" was enough to rip apart the tubular i had on the back as well as the clincher i had on the front while cornering off of a curb into a chinatown street...

it was bad news. i was able to fix the tubular when i got home, but couldn't do it at the race in the pouring freezing rain and it screwed us up.

moral of the story... save tubulars for the track or tubular cyclocross clinchers for the snow/ice. they're impractical if you ride aggressively on the street.

ZappCatt

I use the cheap Vittoria Rally tubulars on my road bike(with brake)
https://www.performancebike.com/shop/...slisearch=true

Ceya

Do a search as I covered this many times here. I ridden them over 18 yrs , 15 plus as a NYC messenger and still mess on them.

Romic passed away but has built great frames. A search here will help also.

S\F,
CEYA!

jacobpriest

yeah i ride pretty hard.
I have clincher wheelsets but i really wanted to run the superbe pros and i love the feel of tubulars.

and thanks CEYA. i'll search your posts as i couldnt find anything on a regular search but i'll search your posts.

Landgolier

Ceya, I'm digging through your old posts but I can't find where you say what makes/models you ride on the street for flatproofness. Hookabrothaup?

jfmckenna

I don't think there are any 'flat proof' tubulars so just go with the cheap ones and replace as necessary. I have not ridden them since the late 80's but you used to be able to get cheap tubular training tires and your racing set could cost a fortune. But they were not any more expensive because of the tread wear life. Just search online for tubulars.

dutret

Why do y'all ride tubulars? Is it a style issue or just because they are better and you think they are worth the expense/hassle and you rarely ride in places where flats are an issue?

Not trolling but most roadies gave them up for most purposes years ago. I just wondered if y'all find them stylistically more pleasing? Also do you use road or track style glue?

Landgolier

I know none are flatproof, was just looking for advice on which ones are better in this regard. I know there are some $30 vittorias out there and whatnot, I'm wondering if these are worth it at all.

I "ride" (ok, want to ride) tubs because I bought a bike that came with a tub wheelset, and I want to give it a go just for fun. I'm probably going to build up a clincher set for it as well (see the sig block). Generally, there's a certain Mac vs. PC quasi-religious thing with them, but other than racing applications I mainly see people riding them just 'cause, or because they've been doing it so long it keeps history in their minds and lives.

dutret

If you want to prevent flats next time you get a flat you could unsew the entire thing when you go to patch it and put flat proof liners in. I suppose you could do it before you get a flat also but it seems like alot of work.

How many spare tires do you carry with you? What type of glue do you use? Do you run out of spares ever?

dolface

tufo s22's are pretty tough, and designed for the street
https://www.tufonorthamerica.com/tire...php?seriesid=1

keevohn

+1

Just remember to fill them with Tufo's sealant goop... I rode these on the street for a year or so, and they were pretty good.

However, I don't think you can open them up for repair. I remember them being constructed differently than other tubbies.

jfmckenna

It's not because of style. They actually flat less then clinchers do and when glued on properly they are safer in the event you do flat. You can ride a flat tubular home without destroying your rim. Cary one spare tubular and a sew up kit on long rides. If you have to sew up on the side of the road it sucks (never happened to me ) but changing a flat with a new tire is pretty easy. I cant even remember the glue that I used and I always had an experienced friend glue them on for me. People claim that they give a different road feel and it's been so long I really don't remember nor was I experienced enough to know the difference.

I've gone back to tubulars last year for cyclocross racing and the difference in ride quality and flat protection is stunningly obvious. It aint got nothin to do with style they are purely functional. Believe me I would not go through the hassles and mess of gluing on tires for style

dutret

If you can change them on the road you are not using track style glue.

Having had to ride a flatted tubular home before I can state that it may technally be possible but it is not at all pleasant or feasible. After my second flat I would much rather break out the instant patch kit for a quick fix then have to take apart a sew-up or ride a flat home. But I also often ride fr away from home and used to have big climb at the end. How far is the longest you've ever ridden on one?

Also I've never had a pinch flat with high pressure tubulars on the road although I could see how it would be a possiblity in CX. Bu this quesiton wasn't about racing.

There is indeed a different feel but these days its not that much between equivalently priced clinchers and tubulars.

Renz

One thing I noticed when I switched to tubulars immediately was that they humm... literally.

Anyone know why? Is it the more rounded shape?

Ride quality-wise it's not that drastic a difference from clinchers, but it's noticeable. It's smoother, feels lighter, more so like riding on air, but since I upgraded from crappy stock clinchers, it's perhaps not a fair comparison.

freebird

Here's what I got. Ray Gorsiowski (Probably spelled wrong. Sorry) built ROMIC frames. Worked for Schwinn in R&D in the 70's before striking out on his own in Houston. Built a limited number of very sweet track and road frames. Every one I've seen with stickers has been built out of 531. Some of the track frames (mine included) have very nice wraparound seat stays, and the lugwork is VERY nice. My frame sports Suntour track ends (way cool) but I've seen 'em with Campy too. I think he died around '97/'98. This is all info I've gotten from talking to people about it (I met a guy at the NAHBS who knew Ray personally thru the Houston velodrome), and is just second hand. Anyone knows more/better, please let us know.

Oh yeah, PICS?

jfmckenna

Yeah I really can't remember what glue it was but I guess if track glue is harder to get off then you probably wouldn't want to ride it on the street. I used to ride quite a bit around town but probably never more then 30 miles from home at most. Believe me at the time I really had no idea what I was doing. I relied on a good friend who was in the know.


It's funny you mentioned that. I was trying to tell some friends that I thought the tubulars sounded different and they thought I was nuts.

Ceya

I will write up a whole thing covering tubulars on the streets. Pro/Cons.

I will do it as I fly back home. TUFOs will not be in it as I dont use them.

S/F,
CEYA!

I will dig up the old posts also.

jacobpriest

cruddy camera phone quality, when i get new tires i am going to clean it up and take some nice picture.
thanks for the info on the builder!
My seatpost lug is goofy as hell and has to have an aero styled seatpost and i really need another 2 cm up on it but there is no room. any idea where i can get a replacement for this styled seatpost?

Fugazi Dave

Sort of related: I'm now running a Tufo Pro Jet 19mm tubular clincher up front and it's holding up very well to the massively horrible roads in Missouri and the glass that is generally strewn about them. I picked it up to deal with tire clearance issues. It rides really nicely. I put the sealant in, though so far it hasn't come into play. Funny, though - one of the first things that I noticed when I got this tire was the sound it makes. Definitely different from a clincher. It's sort of like a little roar when you're really accelerating hard, sort of a hum when you're cruising. Not sure why it does this, but it's definitely there.

Tufo tires are, as far as I can tell, one-piece and tubeless, meaning they cannot be opened up, patched, and sewn back together again like with older-style tubulars.

Ceya

I will post this evening here if the site doesn't go down again,again and again.

Vittoria's Rally, Conti's Giro, Hutchinson's UNO are good training tires for the street.

S/F,
CEYA!

visitordesign

that's why they call it a "jet."

auk

Beautiful bike you got there.

Tufo's are pretty tough. Try to find a set of the Hi-Comp Carbons. Lots of heavy rubber and so far this season, no nicks or cuts. I would, however, not use these on the track as they do roll a bit slow. The other choices that CEYA has put forth are great alternatives as well.

Ceya

How many spare tires do you carry with you? NONE


What type of glue do you use? PANARACER OR SOYO


Do you run out of spares ever? NOPE

S/F,
CEYA!

dutret

So you have never gotten a flat or you rip appart the tubular to patch it up whenever you do?