How do You Carry Spare Tubulars?

[powerste]

I'm getting my first set of tubular wheels/tires over the next week. When I start riding them I'll of course want to carry a spare. Thus far, I've been riding around with a very small seat bag (prolly ~25 cu. in.) containing little more than a clincher patch kit. Obviously, it won't begin to hold a spare tire.

I do not want to strap on a large seat bag (e.g., some of these things are 6 x 6 x 10 inches - godawful!) to accomodate a spare tubular -- I want the most compact bike possible.

So, I'd appreciate your tips/tricks/suggestions/best practices. Can I fit the spare into a modest size seat bag (say, ~100 cu. in.)? Put it in a ziploc bag in a jersey pocket? Cover/protect it somehow (Ziploc bag again, maybe?) and then strap it to the outside of a seat bag? Other ideas?

Please share your experience, wisdom, or just plain conjecture.

Thanks a bunch!

Steve

 

[RC2]

1. get a big enough saddle bag, 2. jersey/other pocket (not good in my book b/c it jiggles around too much and feels bad), 3. over the shoulder and around the neck (probably not the top choice here).

 

[DiabloScott]

1. get a big enough saddle bag, 2. jersey/other pocket (not good in my book b/c it jiggles around too much and feels bad), 3. over the shoulder and around the neck (probably not the top choice here).

Folded up in an old sock, stuffed in my second bottle cage.

 

[Wurm]

Forget the seat bag. Just fold the sew-up small enough to fit under the saddle, tie the rest of your repair kit to it with a rubber band, and strap it under the saddle with a strip of velcro.

 

[RC2]

strap it under the saddle with a strip of velcro.

...OK...strap *carefully*, loosing it on a rough section guarantees a flat (murphy's law), and things falling into your spokes drivetrain whilst in motion is Never a good thing.

 

[wilmar13]

Forget the seat bag. Just fold the sew-up small enough to fit under the saddle, tie the rest of your repair kit to it with a rubber band, and strap it under the saddle with a strip of velcro.

Or just use string for the hardened-masters-racer look. I still remember a couple of old guys in the first team I was on who took me under their wing, always trained on tubulars and always just tied their spare on with string under the seat. What good is the repair kit with tubulars? If you can repair a tubular on the side of the road you are very good, but you will still be very late for dinner.

 

[Wurm]

...OK...strap *carefully*, loosing it on a rough section guarantees a flat (murphy's law), and things falling into your spokes drivetrain whilst in motion is Never a good thing.

Here's how you do it:

1. Take the folded tire/tube, tire levers, CO2 carts/nozzle, etc., and bundle them together with a heavy rubber band, but placing a velcro strip across the center of the bundle before atttaching the rubber band. Wrap it 2, 3, 4 times to be sure it's tight. You may want to cover the bundle in a plastic bag or such to keep out road grime. My tubes come packaged in a small zip-loc bag already, so I just leave the rest exposed.

2. Place the bundle up into the gap between the seat rails and top of the post. Wrap the velcro around the 2 seat rails, making sure you've pulled the strap tight and everything is snug and secure.

Never had a problem doing it this way. If you do it right it won't come loose.

"Spartan"? Yep. "Old school"? Yep. But it works, and you're not lugging around seat bags and stuff you don't need. In the days before that magical invention velcro, we used narrow leather straps with buckles or just tied knots in leather shoestrings or twine.

Before that, in the days when wheels were still square, they carried sew-ups wrapped around their neck and under the arms.

 

[eric_the_red]

For years I used to strap mine under the saddle with an old toe strap, now I use a Tufo bag, last item on this page
http://www.cbike.com/saddle_bags.htm

 

[tcklyde]

1. get a big enough saddle bag, 2. jersey/other pocket (not good in my book b/c it jiggles around too much and feels bad), 3. over the shoulder and around the neck (probably not the top choice here).

Ahh but over the shoulder around the neck gets you 1920s old, old school cred!

 

[robkit]

worse still i used to ride a TT bike with a 650c front wheel and tubs - so two different spares required!

solution was to fold up the tub(s), elastic bands to get them as small as possible, then store them in one of the the foot ends of a nice thick pair of nylons - will get things a lot neater and tighter than an old sock. this was then tied under the saddle/behind the seatpost and people used to comment what a good solution it was!

never did puncture on tubs though, thank god.

 

[alonblue]

I used to attach the spare tire with velcro straps to the saddle and the seatpost. Grew tired of it because it was bouncing around too often, and bought a special saddle bag from TriSport (very similar or identical to Tufo's) and I'm very happy with it. I have a compact frame so the seatpost is long and the saddle bag doesn't look big or bulky. It's pretty narrow so it has a sorta aero look.
Another option is to carry the tire in your jersey pocket (sticking out), but I personally don't like having too much stuff in my pocket.
I saw some pros attaching the spare tire to the top tube from below with three wide adhesive tapes. They folded the tire only into four or so, so it will be long and not thick. The tire was with its side against the top tube, and not its tread. I guess you can do the same with velcro straps.

 

[Wurm]

I used to attach the spare tire with velcro straps to the saddle and the seatpost. Grew tired of it because it was bouncing around too often,

Like I said: "If you do it right it won't come loose."

 

[powerste]

Well, I just took the plunge and popped for the Tufo bag (per eric's suggestion, seconded more-or-less by alonblue). I googled for it and got it for ~26 bucks shipped from worldcycling.com. There was a similar bag on the 'Bay for about the same price, from Lone Peak, but I liked the look of the Tufo better.

We'll see how it goes once it arrives. Hopefully it will be a big waste of $ cause I'll never flat, of course

Thanks to all for all your suggestions. I really enjoiyed visualizing some of them!

Steve

 

[jcbarnett]

Well, I just took the plunge and popped for the Tufo bag (per eric's suggestion, seconded more-or-less by alonblue). I googled for it and got it for ~26 bucks shipped from worldcycling.com. There was a similar bag on the 'Bay for about the same price, from Lone Peak, but I liked the look of the Tufo better.

We'll see how it goes once it arrives. Hopefully it will be a big waste of $ cause I'll never flat, of course

Thanks to all for all your suggestions. I really enjoiyed visualizing some of them!

Steve

My seat bag, which is carried/strapped into one of the two bottle cages in my "behind the seat" twin bottle cage carrier, is full of CO2 cartridges/adapter nozzel, Tufo tape, emergency money, etc., so I simply carry a rolled up spare tubular in the center pocket of my jersey. I really don't even notice it at all when riding. I carry my cell phone in the left pocket and my house key and spare gum in the right pocket. They might get a little sweaty at times, but sandwich bags prevent moisture damage.