How do I Use a Weather Strip Adhesive to Mount Tubular Tires?

Tubular tires are bike tires that have no tube. They are a sealed unit that is glued onto the rim in one piece. They were developed for racing, but they are still in use today as an upper-level bike tire. There is a special glue that comes in a tube for tubular tires, but it is no different than other glues that stick to rubber and metal alike. You can use weather strip glue as a viable alternative to tubular tire glue, but first you need to remove the old tire.

Things You'll Need

  • Tubular tire
  • Weather strip adhesive in tube
  • Plastic baggie
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Instructions

    • 1

      Grab the wheel with both hands and set it down on its edge in front of your knees. Slide your thumbs together and push hard on the tire to break the old glue seal from the flat tire. When it comes loose, continue pushing until you can get one hand on the tire.

    • 2

      Grab the rim with one hand and, holding the loose tire with the other hand, pull hard to separate them. Hold them at shoulder height and pull them apart, use both hands to pull the tire completely off the rim.

    • 3

      Run your finger around inside the rim where the tire came off. Feel for clumps of old glue. If you feel any built up glue or residue, use the end of a wrench to scrape it off until the rim is smooth on the inside.

    • 4

      Clip the end of the tube of weather strip adhesive with a pair of diagonal pliers. Squirt a bead of glue along the inside perimeter of the rim. Put a plastic baggie on your finger and then use that finger to smear the glue into a flat smear inside the rim all the way around. Try to cover most of the inside of the rim with glue.

    • 5

      Hold the tire with one hand and run a small bead of glue all along the inside of the perimeter of the tire. Use your finger inside a baggie to smear the glue into a flat smear.

    • 6

      Set the wheel in front of your knees with the valve stem hole facing up. Insert the valve stem through the hole. Hold the tire with both hands, thumbs on both sides of the valve stem. Push the tire down on the rim as you move your thumbs apart, pushing the tire onto the rim from both sides until the tire is within 6 inches of popping onto the rim. Pick the wheel up. Flip it upright so that the last few inches of any tire not on the rim is at eye level. Put both thumbs together on the tire and push hard to pop the last few inches of tire onto the rim.