It is possible to patch around the base of a tubular (or any) inner tube;
just take any patch, preferably small and thin, and use a regular office
paper hole punch which will put a hole in the patch a good size to slide
down over a Presta valve. Re quality of tubulars, I repaired them through
the 70's and 80's and still occasionally ride them. IMHO there is and has
been no tire made as well as the 1980's to present day Vittoria CX and CG
series; the ride, the casing durability, straight and round (even high end
Continentals are often impossible to mount straight, and have high and low
spots.) They're also very repairable even when they've had large casing
cuts and breaks. I rode plenty of handmade Clements in the day, and they
were both more fragile and less well shaped than current Vittoria stuff.
David Feldman
Vancouver, WA
> In a message dated 12/10/02 5:30:54 AM Pacific Standard Time,
> wa2vuy@mindspring.com writes:
>
> << Being new to the tubular world, and now recognizing that it may be hard
to
> find these tires, how do you fix a leak around/by the valve stem? I have
a
> green labeled Criterium Seta Extra (not selling/trading) which is has been
> mounted but not ridden. Air escapes by the valve as fast as you pump it
in. >>
> The leak my not be as close to the stem as it appears. With latex tubes
that
> old that are questionable to start with, you probably ought to do a
> "tube-ectomy" and replace the whole tube. Open 4 to 6" TO ONE SIDE of the
> valve hole. Cut the new tube in an appropriate place and use the old tube
to
> pull the new tube through the tire casing. when the new tube is
positioned,
> fold a lip back so that about 1" of tube is doubled over. Apply glue to
the
> exposed portion, insert the other end of the tube, unfold the one over the
> other and mash it around until the glue sticks. Be neat with the glue
> application so you don't glue the tube together internally. Apply talcum
> powder. Re-sew casing.
> Stevan Thomas
> Alameda, CA