Ezg_Cannuck Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 I know there are a lot of threads about tar, but when I used the search, I couldn't find any that told people how to heat the tar and how to apply it. So if any of you have used tar and heated it by yourself, please give some instructions for those of us who are noobs...Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trials_pimp Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 You dont need any heat, that would make the tar too sticky.The best method for applying tar is as follows:Suport bike and Spin required Wheel with handHolding tar in free hand gently contact tar to sidewall of rimRepeat for other side if extra brake force is needed.Its as simple as that, just run the block of tar along a wheel as it spins.To much tar will just make your brakes stick on, and thats bad. Dont se too muc pressure on the tar, just gently let it contact the rim as it spins, your only looking for a light coating, not a layer.You dont want to paint the rims Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Dark Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 i just scrub it on...loads of the stuff till i can barely see silver, my brakes never locked on before Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrishayton Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 i just scrub it on...loads of the stuff till i can barely see silver, my brakes never locked on beforedont do what he said. If you have to use tar just spin the wheel and gently apply it to the rim as the 1st replier stated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 all i do is draw lines on my rim with it along the length of the rim, and I reapply when i notice my brake being quiet and/or my brake not working so well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezg_Cannuck Posted March 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 (edited) Will it work if I just pick some tar up off the road? The kind of tar they fill cracks in the pavement with... Edited March 11, 2008 by Ezg_Cannuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex@Flawless Bikes Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 The tar they use on the road is softer then the tar you can buy in the shop, but it still works it just like to melt in puddles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trials_pimp Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 the tar on roads is tarmack, it wont work, you want neat bitchumenbest place is building yards, you could allways ask nicely, as a peice about 1" square will last literaly years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex@Flawless Bikes Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 I robbed a big torpedo of tar from same road works years ago, it worked really well. However as i said it got hot one day and the whole thing melted all over my mate garage floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littleharrys Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 Hey,Half the post's above are a load of rubbish, I won't go in to which ones!!I'm an old school rider who has been running tar on smooth rims since I started trials about 6 or more years ago.Which tar to use?The best tar to use is roofing or road tar. Don't melt it or peel it off the roads, that's just daft, I wouldn't recommend stealing it either cos you might get caught and it makes you scum. Go to any roofer/builders yard e.g Travis Perkins etc. Just ask for a block about the size of a tennis ball, you should get it for free or cheap, it will keep you going for years.How to apply the tar?Flip your bike upside down so it rests on the handle bars and seat/back tyre. Holding the seat stay or chain stay tube lift your bike up so its just on the handle bars. Then either spin the wheel or cranks to get the wheel moving. Then apply the tar to the braking surface, for best results push firmly but so hard your trying to push your bike over. The aim is to get a speckled effect like large dust or tiny rain drops. Do this on both sides of the rim.Each time you apply tar ride around and gently drag(hold half on so the pads drag the rims) the brakes for a minute or so, this helps the tar spread more evenly over the rim.Bad things and warnings!!If the tar gets too hot like by dragging the brake too much whilst riding or on a summers day it melts. When it melts it becomes very sticky like thick glue. Not always but often when you pull the brake the pads will lock on to the rim but not release. This is bad. Imagine your brake locked on at the edge of a drop off? Face plant coming soon!!Tar is bad in the wet, in the rain it turns to oil, so your brakes wont work well if at all!! Do's and Dont'sNever apply tar to your front rim unless you know what your doing otherwise you'll be over the bars before you know what's hit you!!You don't want big lumps, big lines, a completely covered rim!!! Remember - It's better to use less than too much, you can always add more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezg_Cannuck Posted March 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 (edited) Hey,Half the post's above are a load of rubbish, I won't go in to which ones!!I'm an old school rider who has been running tar on smooth rims since I started trials about 6 or more years ago.Which tar to use?The best tar to use is roofing or road tar. Don't melt it or peel it off the roads, that's just daft, I wouldn't recommend stealing it either cos you might get caught and it makes you scum. Go to any roofer/builders yard e.g Travis Perkins etc. Just ask for a block about the size of a tennis ball, you should get it for free or cheap, it will keep you going for years.How to apply the tar?Flip your bike upside down so it rests on the handle bars and seat/back tyre. Holding the seat stay or chain stay tube lift your bike up so its just on the handle bars. Then either spin the wheel or cranks to get the wheel moving. Then apply the tar to the braking surface, for best results push firmly but so hard your trying to push your bike over. The aim is to get a speckled effect like large dust or tiny rain drops. Do this on both sides of the rim.Each time you apply tar ride around and gently drag(hold half on so the pads drag the rims) the brakes for a minute or so, this helps the tar spread more evenly over the rim.Bad things and warnings!!If the tar gets too hot like by dragging the brake too much whilst riding or on a summers day it melts. When it melts it becomes very sticky like thick glue. Not always but often when you pull the brake the pads will lock on to the rim but not release. This is bad. Imagine your brake locked on at the edge of a drop off? Face plant coming soon!!Tar is bad in the wet, in the rain it turns to oil, so your brakes wont work well if at all!! Do's and Dont'sNever apply tar to your front rim unless you know what your doing otherwise you'll be over the bars before you know what's hit you!!You don't want big lumps, big lines, a completely covered rim!!! Remember - It's better to use less than too much, you can always add more.Thanks a ton, awesome advice!Cheers Edited March 12, 2008 by Ezg_Cannuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ogre Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 grind your rim? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Scarlet Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 I don't see why everyone sees a grinded rim as the answer, have you honestly been able to say you have had a good smooth rim and tar set-up?Theres only one advantage a grinded rim has over tar, and that is that it works in the wet, but performance wise in the dry, I like tar.As for apply it, I ride my bike for a bit (do a few hops, so create a bit of heat on your rim as its bloody hard applying tar to a rim straight from the cold shed), then put the bike on the floor and put about 5 lines around the rim, each line about 2 inches long.And then when you use your brake it naturally spreads around the rim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookyboy Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 Just scrub it on til the rims black! works well good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oli Smith Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 Just scrub it on til the rims black! works well good.Bet it bloody does with that much one lmao, but like someone said above tar makes your pads stick and a drop off could end in a horrific way if your pads stick.. Could loose your face lool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gavyn. Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 the tar on roads is tarmack, it wont work, you want neat bitchumenbest place is building yards, you could allways ask nicely, as a peice about 1" square will last literaly yearsThey use bitumin on roads to fill cracks and smooth the transfer between new and old tar or concrete, thats the best stuff to get it's already been heated by the people who laid it so it's the best consistency. Just peel it off and mould it into a ball using your hands unless it's incredbly hard then you'll need to heat it with a blow torch to get it off and to mould it. remeber the blacker the better so if you see stuff thats been there for ages and is grey it's not worth using.if you get roofing tar it's worth heating until it's boiling then leaving to cool before you use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 When the roofers were redoing the flat roof at work I asked if they had any tar spare, was only expecting about an inch ball of it and ended up with half a breeze blocks worth Its very good stuff, makes my 4 year old brown koxxbloxx work again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
python_man Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 grind your rim?so much easier. or failing that just run smooth rim zoo pads. perfect mix just dont ride in the wet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezg_Cannuck Posted March 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 Cheers for the help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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