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Warped tires — what?

09.17.2009 by Ray Niekamp // 11 Comments

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I had a warped rear tire that may have been responsible for my broken front derailleur. At least, the tire — because of its bent shape — rubbed against the derailleur.

The derailleur was fixed, and the tire replaced. But now, here’s what the front tire looks like: Warp

Remember, the other warped tire was on the rear. This is on the front. The warp is more obvious when it’s next to the brake.

I haven’t noticed any ill effects from riding on this thing. Last Sunday, it went on a 30-mile ride with no issues. It turns out that this was the tire I did the time trial on two weeks ago, too.

I suppose I should replace it, but there doesn’t seem to be any urgency to it.

So I’m trying to figure out what caused it.

The wheel appears to be true — it’s the tire itself that’s bent.

Some folks have suggested that it’s the way I mounted the tire on the wheel — but this tire has been on the wheel for quite awhile now, since February. The warp didn’t become obvious until quite recently.

Because of all the 100°+F (38°C) days we’ve had this summer, the garage where I keep the bike has been a broiler. I’m guessing late afternoon temperatures inside the closed-up garage were in the 120°F (48°C) range. I wonder if that had anything to do with it? The badly warped rear tire had been hanging from two hooks in the garage most of the summer, until I got it down to replace a tire that had a screw puncture it. I assume the hooks in the heat could have softened the rubber enough to warp it.

Maybe it’s the brand. These are Hutchinson Top Speed Pro Tech Kevlar (whew!) tires. The Hutchinsons are the only tires that have warped. Specialized, Vittoria, and Continentals have been fine.

So what do you think? Have you ever experienced this kind of thing? Should I replace the tire right away, even though it isn’t causing me any problems?

Oh, and before the snarky comments come in — I took the picture after our club ride last Sunday, and washed the bike later that evening.

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Categories // tires Tags // tires

Tire poll results

09.06.2009 by Ray Niekamp // 5 Comments

The other day I asked Bike Noob readers to send their tire recommendations. This, after dealing with a couple of flats myself, and getting an email from a reader who has had a rash of flats. The question was, What tire do you recommend for puncture resistance?

GatorskinWhile I was pleased with the responses, there were not enough to create a meaningful sample. However, of those who did respond, a clear trend emerged: Continental Gatorskins.

Riders praised Gatorskins for their ability to last many, many miles without flatting. Some suggested that Gatorskins aren’t as “nimble” feeling as other tires, but were willing to make that tradeoff to avoid flats.

The only other tire to get multiple mentions was another Continental model, the GP 4000S.

I put a Gatorskin on the rear wheel this week, after my experience with a warped tire (although I suspect the warping was the result of my hanging the tire in a hot garage for several months). No problems after 60 miles of riding, so I’m happy, but that’s not enough to come to any conclusions.

The only issue with Continental tires is their price. Gatorskins cost about $50 apiece, and the GP 4000S run more than that. However, their proponents seldom mentioned cost — I guess people are willing to pay if it means they have the peace of mind of not worrying about flatting. Sharp-eyed consumers can find bargains online, though. Jeff Hemmel says he paid $31 each for his GP 4000S tires at Pro Bike Kit (probikekit.com) with free shipping to the U.S.

Other tires that got favorable mentions from readers included Schwalbe Marathons and Specialized Armadillos (several for each), Maxxis Columbiere, and Michelin Lithions.

Reader Mike from California had high praise for his Lithions:

LithionI am a heavy guy at 270+ lbs. and Lithions are all I will run. I rarely flat and the last one I replaced on the rear had over 1300 miles on it and had NEVER flatted, not once. It was still at pressure after a 40+ mile ride when I discovered that it was worn all the way around and the casing was beginning to peel.

Several readers mentioned the importance of good rim tape. It’s probably worthwhile to replace the stock rim tape on your wheels with some new stuff, and to replace it every three years or so.

Here’s wishing you a flat-free Fall.

(I noticed that no one is running the Hello Kitty tires pictured in the original post.)

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Categories // tires Tags // flat tire, tires

Flats — get different tires or ride it out?

09.01.2009 by Ray Niekamp // 11 Comments

KittyAfter my experience with a flat two weeks ago, and a warped tire last week, this e-mail from Don in California hit home:

Flats have been bugging me for what seems to be the past month. I had a double blowout with old tires. I put on new tires and am still getting them, including averaging about one a week to the point that I’m considering changing to a different type of tire. The ones I’m using now are Forte Pro DC, the same tire that came with my bike. I had only ONE flat in about the first 1800 miles of riding. Now they are coming on like lemmings. Should I look at changing tires? If so, what brands should I consider or should I just try to ride this string of flat luck out?

My reaction to times like this has been to change tire brands. I’ve run Specialized, Vittoria, Hutchinson, and Continentals. I have yet to find a tire that will last a full year on the bike, although one managed to hang on for over 2,000 miles. Kevlar belts seem to help, but they’re not a panacea, either.

Furthermore, I have a special request of Bike Noob readers: Give Don a suggestion in Comments about dealing with flats, but send me a separate e-mail naming your favorite make and model of tire. Include a line or two about why you like them best. I’ll collect the votes and see if there’s a single tire that’s head and shoulders above the rest, and I’ll post about it at a future date, when I’ve got enough data.

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Categories // tires Tags // flat tire, tires

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