Re: [CR] Tire sizing - then & now

(Example: Framebuilders:Brian Baylis)

Date: Tue, 1 Dec 2009 16:43:09 -0800
From: Jerome & Elizabeth Moos <jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>, David Boston <zzboston@yahoo.com>
In-Reply-To: <433601.93737.qm@web36602.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [CR] Tire sizing - then & now


This has been discussed here before, but some years ago. When narrow high pressure clinchers were first becoming popular, the market was in its superlight era. So there was a race to claim the lightest weight for tires as well as everything else. Several tire manufacturers, notably the Japanese, who made the Specialized tires, used the trick of overstating the true width of their tires. If a nominal 700 x 25 was actually only 100 x 23, it was obviuosly easier to make it lighter. The Europeans got involved in this game as well, but generally not to the extent the Japanese did.

Regards,

Jerry Moos
Big Spring, Texas, USA


--- On Tue, 12/1/09, David Boston wrote:


> From: David Boston <zzboston@yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [CR] Tire sizing - then & now
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Date: Tuesday, December 1, 2009, 5:32 PM
>
>   The tires were stored rather properly...no cracking on
> sidewalls or tread
>   to indicate drying. And they mounted quite normally on
> current day 700c rims.
>   I bought them probably back in the early to mid 80's.
> Kevlar bead...had they
>   shrunk that much proportionally, mounting would have
> been impossible.
>  
>   Dave Boston
>   Tucson  AZ   USA 
>  
> --- On Tue, 12/1/09, Jim Sullivan <jimnavillus@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>
> From: Jim Sullivan <jimnavillus@gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [CR] Tire sizing - then & now
> To: "David Boston" <zzboston@yahoo.com>
> Date: Tuesday, December 1, 2009, 6:19 PM
>
>
>
> not sure, but is it possible that they shrunk some?  how
> old are the tires?  i know with modern tires, different
> makers 700x23's are all different.  also same with rim
> sizes.  michelin tires on shimano wheels are close to
> impossible to put on, despite their both being 700c.  also,
> sometimes old dryrotted tires are a pain to get off.  maybe
> due to shrinkage???
>  
> jim sullivan
> fenton, mo usa
>
>
> On Tue, Dec 1, 2009 at 5:14 PM, David Boston <zzboston@yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>
> List-
>   I was rooting through old stuff and found some
> Specialized Turbo Infinity/SK4
>   tires marked 700x25. I was going to toss them, but
> decided to do a trial mounting
>   and see how they would do. Great, as it turns out, but I
> noticed the actual size of
>   these 700x25 tires to be smaller than the current day
> 700x23 tires I removed, which
>   were Conti Grand Prix 3000s. Both measurements, across
> and off the rim, were
>   smaller. Why is this? Have the numbers come to represent
> something different?
>   They could be mis-sized, but I recall back in the day
> during the introduction of
>   skinnier clincher tires that 25c would be the narrowest
> I would want to ride on the
>   road, and today I'm riding 23c tires with no
> consideration. Well, I guess because
>   they're bigger.  So, have tires come to reflect the
> overall cultural obesity situation
>   or is there some other "inflationary" cause for this? 
> Anyone else notice this in older
>   tires?  Was this a gradual change or did I miss a tire
> sizing revolution somewhere?
>  
> Dave Boston
> Tucson AZ  USA
>
>
> --- On Sat, 11/28/09, Charles Andrews <chasds@mindspring.com>
> wrote:
>
>
> From: Charles Andrews <chasds@mindspring.com>
> Subject: [CR] ebay outing: mondia special
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Date: Saturday, November 28, 2009, 9:51 AM
>
>
> Optimistic sellers just put a little ray of sunshine into
> the world, you know?
>
> http://ebay.com/<blah>
>
> nice bike, but I'm thinkin' no more than 700-800 bucks in
> this, or any, market.
>
> Be interesting to know what it ultimately sells for.
>
> Charles Andrews
> Los Angeles
>
>
> Q:  "Why do people spoil everything for
> themselves?
>
> A:  "In big ways, and little ways too,
> people do that all the time to themselves.
> We can't stand prosperity.
> We have to tinker with the machinery."
>
> --John D. MacDonald
> _______________________________________________
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
>
>
> --
> Jim
>
> http://johanbike.blogspot.com/