So I recently purchased some new wheels. Been using tubular rims for over a decade without issue. Yes, there was a learning curve for me in the early years, but not something a little practice doesn’t resolve. Even with the new trends of carbon clinchers, I chose to go down tubular route once again with some new “fat” rims for races. Low and behold, I found a good deal on ebay for a brand new set of Zipp 606 FC tubulars, never ridden, but the company glued tires on them “for you”. They were craptastic “Kenda” tires, so I decided I would just rip them off, clean up the rims, and put on my tires of choice. Not a big deal considering I saved some coin on the ebay win on brand new rims.
Little did I know I would get what I consider the worst glue job I have seen in 15 years of cycling. It was sloppy, all over the rims, literally everywhere on the wheel, and then when I pulled the tire off, it came off without any effort whatsoever. It was easier to take off than a clincher tire! Then I noticed there wasn’t even a spot of glue on the tire anywhere. They looked brand new. ABSURD! So now the cleanup process. I tend to be cautious with tubular rims just like anyone else and use goof off, blue scratch pads, soaked cloths, acetone, etc. and with a little elbow grease and patience, it isn’t an issue. Well, that’s a normal process. This stuff was something that didn’t seem like glue. Nothing I tried would even make it budge. It didn’t even thin it out. NOTHING. I worked on it for 2+ hours without so much as making a glimpse of a removal. I tried a sort of unorthodox method that has worked, but I’ll keep that a secret so I don’t hear everyone badger me for my methods. I really had no choice after trying everything I have ever read to remove tubular glue from rims. I was at my breaking point.
The point is, I wanted to show you each a picture of the rim I have not touched yet and the rim I have cleaned. It still took me 2+ MORE hours to get it off, but it looks almost brand new now. I don’t want to kill someone’s online ebay business b/c this is a bike shop I believe and I don’t want slowtwitch to get on me for throwing a name out there, but if you are interested in this ebay “company” that is selling many more like this, please PM and I’ll give you the name. If Dan (@Slowman) or someone tells me I can publish the name, I’ll absolutely put it out there for the world to see. On a side note, if anyone has ever seen this type of glue, I’d be interested to know what kind of glue it is. It doesn’t even act like glue when I finally got it off. It’s not sticky, but more of a solid - almost like paint or something. It is a tubular cyclists nemesis for sure! And yes that is one of the spoke holes you see in this picture completely covered. I had to dig about 1/4-1/2 inch of this crap out of each hole on the other rim.
