changing or better yet patching a tubular tire is pretty easy after awhile. You do the same as a clicher but you use needle and thread. No pinch tubes with tubies.

S/F<
CEYA!

I ride fixed and geared on tubulars. I use brakes and will only skid to avoid an accident.
My newer tubulars are Hutchinson Tempo 1 training tires. I also use and like the Tufo tubular clinchers with the sealant. If you insist on skidding on tubbies then cyclocross versions might give you longer tire life.

I don't hold back because you will never know what the tire is worth by limiting it potential.

S/F<
CEYA!

What do you keep in your toolkit for fixing flats (a strong needle, maybe? what kind of thread? etc.)? My next bike will have tubulars, and I'm gonna need to learn.

J, they have a kit for tubies , VELOX it is very good stuff too. I ride on my flats, fix them later if no spare is around.

S/F<
CEYA!

where do i buy such a wonderful kit?

A Bike Shop, Conrad's ,Toga,R and A. It is in a orange squeare tin can.

S/F<
CEYA!

are the tufo cyclocross tubular clinchers comfy for a bad weather beater bike? i want to put some fat, knobby tires on something i'm building up now. those look good. is the grip decent in rain/snow?

http://www.rei.com/product/1654.htm

http://images.rei.com/media/546116Prd.jpg

Yeah, but I still haven't figured out how to peel back the base tape. I tore it on one tire, and just gave up on another. It's *so* hard to pull back.

Yeah, I've never actually done it. I'm in the process of learning how to glue...hopefully I'll have a while before I have to learn about repairing flats (these wheels are track-only).

When it's time to patch a tubular, are you able to feel/hear the leak in the tube while it's sewn up? You don't have to unsew the whole thing, do you?

There's a well-documented procedure for patching a tubular. It's easy enough to find the hole, and you need only pull back a few inches of tape and stitching to apply the patch. But as I said, I've never gotten past that first step of pulling back the base tape. That time I tore it I tore it enough to have a good look at the threads and realized that undoing and re-sewing them wouldn't be easy (for me).

Would you want to race on a patched tire anyway? Just replace it. Since I can't patch, I carry a preglued spare with me on long rides when I have a tubular wheelset on. Otherwise I just ride home on the flat and replace the tire at my leisure.