Re: [CR] tire alert

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From: "Ted Ernst" <ternst1@cox.net>
In-Reply-To: <AANLkTimRoyYqUem203YEXtHyEqC-69RMCCfTNymjzx81@mail.gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 1 Jan 2011 00:12:58 -0800
References: <DEA7CD14480F4FD08D38C06DEE22F137@DELL> <AANLkTimvCaYSqK6rMQCsXAgOv0gZ9w+rh3fTBLoozbXq@mail.gmail.com>
To: Ken Freeman <kenfreeman096@gmail.com>
Cc: Charles Andrews <chasds@mindspring.com>, Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: Re: [CR] tire alert


I'm out there and here and maybe too far out once in a while. As far as sidewall repair is/was concerned, I knew a few guys who would replace cords/plies when cut damaged, but it was more than I ever did. We did however put boots in the inside of the sewups and which were thin and strong would keep up to about a 1/4' cut/break in the casing not a problem for tube bulge and subsequently we could use the tire depending on cut as a rider forever till worn out or as a spare to get home. We usually used silk sewup casing less the strip. Nice and thin and made to hold pressure, it was already contoured to fit the tire and with excess cut off, didn't leave a bulge or cut the tube. Some of the sewup patch kits also had fabric boot material in them made of cloth and with a black covering of glue that stuck in place when some rubber cement was applied. Kept the glue from absorbing into the cloth, and kept moisture out of tire. As to the old tires, sewups were never compared or thought of when the "Stonies" or "Stone Crusher" single tube garden hose type tires were made and ridden. These were stock for regular bikes and guys would train and even race on them but were never intended or designed for that purpose. When we trained years ago we had one set of wheels with heavier rims and tires for training use and least two sets of lighter sewup wheels for racing. Often we even had a warm up set with light rims and one weight heavier tire which could be used as an emergency racing wheel if the "first" wheels were rendered out of commission. Most guys had one training set of road wheels and one racing set, all sewups, but not too many guys had two road bikes. Almost all the guys had two track bikes once they got to Cat one or two, because they all road "team/madison" races and a spare bike was needed in case of a wild spill. Much like the pros at the 6-days. I don't remember the old tires we raced on on the track as having any coating on the sidewalls. The black coated or coated sidewalls were almost always used on/for the road, probably for weather protection. Guys used coated tires on track too, if that's what they had. But basically our track tires were just plain tires, whether silk, cotton, or other fabric, nice and light and simple, no coating of any kind. Remember, the strips or protector as called on the continent, that's Europe to you provincials, (have to insult my friends and colleagues to start the year properly you know), are nice and constant in thickness for the track, and tapered to varying degree for the road. The top for racing along was a little thicker for road racing and it tapered slightly thinner towards each side so that when cornering it wouldn't squish or mush to detract from good positive handling while leaning in turns. Check it out. I still use sewups, started on them in '47, never got unused to them. Maybe if find it hard to change tires in a few years and I'm still riding, I may switch to - ugh- clinchers, but not yet. When we spoke years ago about equipment to people, we always said racing tires, and then explained the difference to the folks. It's the way it was, and we liked it! Ted Ernst Palos Verdes Estates CA USA

On Dec 31, 2010, at 4:25 PM, Ken Freeman wrote:
> What kind of sidewall damage are we talking about, exactly? And George,
> this is not an attack, just to try to better understand what you're
> experience has been.
>
> Plus in another post, you mentioned sewing on base tapes. In my experience
> they are not sewed on, but glued, with latex.
>
> The only sidewall restoration procedure I know of is to paint the sides with
> liquid latex of some sort. It restores a degree of abrasion protection
> to the sidewall, but I don't think any procedure exists for repairing
> damaged or severed casing threads. It's really more of a preservative, not
> a restoration.
>
> Just trying to understand what expectation is not being met. I have some
> oldies too, that could use some extra help.
> On Fri, Dec 31, 2010 at 3:49 PM, George Hollenberg <ghollmd@gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> Sorry Dr. C:
>> Don't try to personalize my arguments. Having bought a bike from you I
>> realize we have different standards-that's OK
>> I love Ron for what he does well-repair modern tubies. I repeat he cannot
>> repair damaged sidewalls, cannot use original valves, doesn't work well
>> with
>> silk and, through no fault of his own, usually use original base tape.
>> I think that if you really ride tubies a lot you should use good ones like
>> Veloflex 24mm. You get good feel, a better ride and better control too.
>> That's all I use on my vintage riders. You can buy them on the net in Italy
>> for half of what they cost here. Repairing tubies is always risky
>> business-and where one's safety is concerned-what's a few bucks. Some
>> people
>> claim they ride their vintage bikes but it's really around the block-any
>> tire will do.
>> George
>> George Hollenberg MD
>>
>> On Fri, Dec 31, 2010 at 3:37 PM, Charles Andrews <chasds@mindspring.com
>>> wrote:
>>
>>> Dr. George wrote:
>>>
>>> The valve stems cannot
>>> be salvaged in most cases either. He cannot restore side walls of any
>>> tires.
>>> No matter how well his work is done, in the case of a vintage tire, one
>> is
>>> left with an old casing in a new tube-in my opinion and experience,a
>>> dangerous situation for spirited riding.
>>>
>>> _________
>>>
>>> I've sent Tire Alert many tires over the years and have been quite
>>> satisfied with the results for the most part, including tube replacement
>> in
>>> high-quality cotton and vintage silk tires. I'm riding tires tire-alert
>> has
>>> repaired.. It's a great service.
>>>
>>> However, that said, you won't have a new tire when you get your tires
>>> back..and the base-tape, while better than in previous years, will not
>> look
>>> especially original. And in every case, the tires will fit looser than
>> is
>>> ideal, and should be glued up very carefully.
>>>
>>> If you want to salvage an expensive tire with life left in it though,
>> Tire
>>> Alert is a good choice.
>>>
>>> I tend to agree with Chuck Schmidt: if you ride tubulars a lot, on one
>>> bike or on one set of wheels, buy decent cheap tubulars, like Vittoria
>>> Rallys and just throw them away when they flat. It's one way to go.
>>>
>>> Charles Andrews
>>> Los Angeles
>>>
>>>
>>> "No man is an island, entire of itself; every
>>> man is a piece of the continent, a part of the
>>> main. If a clod be washed away by the sea,
>>> Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory
>>> were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or
>>> of thine own were: any man's death diminishes
>>> me, because I am involved in mankind, and
>>> therefore never send to know for whom the bells
>>> tolls; it tolls for thee."
>>>
>>>
>>> John Donne
>>> Meditation 1624
>>> _______________________________________________
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> George
>>
>> George Hollenberg MD
>> CT, USA
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>

>

>

> --

> Ken Freeman

> Ann Arbor, MI USA