[CR]Re: [BOB] Sew-up help

(Example: Bike Shops:R.E.W. Reynolds)

Date: Tue, 1 Jan 2002 13:38:07 -0500
From: "Christopher Oliver" <cao-clasrend@fritz.traverse.net>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]Re: [BOB] Sew-up help

Before I sent off my tires, I'd do some serious looking about the I'net (USENET, Google, AltaVista) in regards to Tire Alert.

Stitching advice: buy a leatherworker's stitching awl and solid nylon thread from a crafts or leather shop. I've used this sort of thread for over a decade without any blowouts. This stuff just holds up! I can't say that about the little card of "fils de lin," and dental floss just scares me. As far as glue for hand made cold process tires, I understand Jevelot doesn't exist anymore, but Val-A Tear Mender is great stuff, and it's readily available. Both are water based ammoniated natural rubber emulsions, but since Val-A is trying to market to everybody rather than just sew-up geeks (hey... I'm a sew-up geek too), the price is reasonable. On the other hand, as Jobst suggests, if you've a friend in the carpet laying biz, I'm sure he can get you the junk even cheaper still. I don't know anyone who does carpets, so for me, TearMender it is.

I've finally come to the conclusion that reattaching long length of base tape to a synthetic Conti is a lost cause. (Mea culpa, Jobst) I'm more or less convinced that the tread and tape are attached with some sort of hot process glue, and trying to repair any tape lift beyond the shortest length is a dangerous undertaking. Latex emulsions don't penetrate, and the fancy 3M neoprene glues don't stick. I have a couple of Sprinters with new tapes (2 plys of bias cut muslin) attached with Val-A, but I think they're strictly for spares to be ridden verry verry gingerly home. They have a tread, and hold air, so I'm loathe to simply pitch them, but I wouldn't dream of riding them in a group, and as far as real cornering, I donna tink so.

Happy New Year!

--
Christopher Oliver
Shoveling snow (bletch) in northern Michigan