How Carogna Tape Makes Tubular Gluing Fast, Clean—and Reusable

For decades, gluing tubular tyres has been something of a dark art—messy, smelly, time-consuming, and intimidating for newcomers. But at Effetto Mariposa, we’ve always believed in making cycling better, smarter, and cleaner. That’s why we created Carogna, a double-sided adhesive tape that brings the performance of traditional mastic into the modern age—without the mess or the guesswork.

The Simplicity Cyclists Deserve

With Carogna, gluing tubulars becomes a five-minute job rather than a multi-day ritual. Whether you ride road, gravel, or cyclocross, Carogna guarantees top-level performance with minimal effort. No more sticky brushes, no more toxic fumes, no more worrying if you’ve applied “just enough” glue.

Instead, you get:

• Industrial-grade adhesion on the rim side that sticks when it should, but peels off cleanly when needed.
  

• Permanent, pressure-activated glue on the tubular side, originally developed for underwater use, that conforms to any base tape surface for unmatched contact and grip.
  

• Performance in any weather, from -40°C to a scorching 150°C—beyond what even the best mastics can offer.
  
  

Re-gluing Made Easy

One of the biggest advantages of Carogna becomes clear when it's time to remove and reuse a tubular. Simply deflate fully and peel the tyre off the rim (yes, you’ll need to pull with conviction—Carogna tape holds on for real), then remove the Carogna tape from the tubular base tape. If a thin layer of the permanent glue remains on the tyre, that’s perfectly fine.

You won’t need to scrape your rim clean: Carogna is designed to leave minimal residue, meaning your rim is essentially ready for a fresh strip of tape and a new mount. No solvents, no wire brushes, no drama.

Tailored to Every Wheel

Carogna comes in four widths to match every kind of tubular rim—from classic road to wide gravel and CX setups:

• S (16.5 mm) – for traditional, narrow rims
  
  

• SM (20 mm) – the most common size for modern road rims
  
  

• M (25 mm) – for some aero and cyclocross rims
  
  

• L (30 mm) – ideal for ultra-wide gravel rims
  
  

Using the correct width is crucial—especially in demanding conditions like cyclocross. A tape that’s too wide can collect dirt at the unbonded edges, compromising adhesion over time. Better to match your rim size or trim any excess tape before mounting the tubular.

Cyclocross-Proven (and Loved)

Cyclocross is one of the toughest proving grounds for tubular gluing, with its low pressures, high lateral forces, and muddy chaos. Carogna doesn’t just survive—it thrives, provided it’s used correctly:

• Clean, smooth surfaces are key. Don’t sand your rims—just remove any old glue (Carogna Remover works perfectly for that), and degrease thoroughly.
  

• Give it time. Unlike mastic, Carogna sets through pressure. Inflate to max pressure and wait: 80% adhesion is reached in 8 hours, full strength in 24.
  

• Keep the warmth. The initial gluing process should happen in a warm workshop (21–38°C). Once set, Carogna is unfazed by arctic races.
  

For extra grip on raw cotton base tapes, we recommend applying a gluing primer on the tubular (like our Eau de Carogna) to prep the surface for taping. An excellent substitute to gluing primers is… traditional mastic. A single coat on the base tape of the tubular will seal it for good and prepare it for taping. Allow mastic to dry completely before gluing with Carogna tape.

A Nod to the Past, Built for the Future

"Carogna" may be a cheeky name—it means “carrion” in Italian, a nod to the old mastic's unforgettable smell—but its performance is no joke. It’s a clean, high-tech tribute to the traditions of tubular riding, designed for cyclists who want the best without the mess.

Whether you're a seasoned racer or new to tubulars, Carogna lets you spend less time in the workshop and more time on the road (or trail). Because gluing shouldn’t feel like a chemistry experiment—it should just work.