Lance Armstrong rides aged tubulars

Discovery Channel aired a TV documentary yesterday entitled, "The
Science of Lance Armstrong". In one segment, Lance's longtime Belgian
mechanic was profiled. He took the camera crew down into his "wine
cellar", where he stores scores of tubular tires for the pro team. He
had stacks of tires specifically designated for Paris-Roubaix, the
other spring classics, and, of course, the Tour De France, for which he
claimed the tubular tires had been specially *aging* for up to seven
years to improve their performance characteristics. This guy's been a
pro mechanic for 40 years, so he might know something about the
subject.
Comments?

Aging adds nothing to a properly designed tire. It made natural rubber
a bit harder and longer wearing.

Yeah, I saw the same show. Really surprised me about aging the
tubulars. I don't know anyone riding them, so I do not know if this is
common practice for racing.

Its obvious this "GURU" pro mechanic with 40 years of experience hasn't
read the Bicycle FAQ:

What advantage is there in aging tubulars?
None! The aging concept arose from the same source as the "steel frames
need to be replaced because they get soft with age" concept. Both were
intended to improve sales during the off (winter) season by bike shops
with too much inventory on their shelves. Tires oxidize, outgas, and
polymerize from ultraviolet light. The concept of a tire manufacturer
making a tire that cannot be used until ripened for six months from the
date of purchase is ridiculous. Tires can be made to any specification
at the factory. Tires are most flexible and durable when they are new.
They don't improve with time and exposure to heat, light, and oxygen or
ozone.

"Over-aged" tubular tires, have crumbling hard brown latex on their
sidewalls that exposes separating cords directly to weather and wear
and they have treads crack when flexed. Considering that this is a
continuous process, it is hard to explain where, in the time from
manufacture to the crumbly condition, the optimum age lies. The claim
that tires are lighter after aging is true. Their elastomers have
evaporated making the tire brittle and weak.

Purchasing tubular tires in advance to age them is unwise, although if
there is a supply problem, tubular tires bought in advance should be
sealed tightly in airtight bags and kept in the dark, optimally in a
freezer. For best results, use new tires because aged tires are only as
good as how little they have aged.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/tubular-fables.html

This guy's been a
> pro mechanic for 40 years, so he might know something about the
> subject.
> Comments?

He may know very little about it, unless he has subjected his
assumptions to a controlled test.

The fascinating thing is that he can stock up on tires 7 years in
advance!... when he doesn't even know who he will be working for or
what their tire sponsor will be. Or do teams generally not use the
tires that their sponsors make? Are 7 year old tubulars readily
available? I didn't see the show BTW, so maybe this was explained.

-Ron Ruff

bfd wrote:
> Its obvious this "GURU" pro mechanic with 40 years of experience hasn't
> read the Bicycle FAQ:
>
> What advantage is there in aging tubulars?
> None!

Then again, Lance hasn't been known to have an exceptional number of
flats (even assuming Lance has actually been using this guy's tires).
Maybe there's something special in the vermin juices of this cellar.

what do we smell here?

I think that this guy is just making a few Euros for renting out his
old wine cellar!

itsa cover for a weed op!

Jay S. Hill wrote:
> bfd wrote:
>> Its obvious this "GURU" pro mechanic with 40 years of experience
>> hasn't read the Bicycle FAQ:
>>
>> What advantage is there in aging tubulars?
>> None!
>
> Then again, Lance hasn't been known to have an exceptional number of
> flats (even assuming Lance has actually been using this guy's tires).
> Maybe there's something special in the vermin juices of this cellar.

Hey, maybe he's perpetuating the myth "to improve sales during the off
(winter) season by bike shops
with too much inventory on their shelves. "

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

datakoll@yahoo.com wrote:
> what do we smell here?

Garlic butter chicken with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and seasoned
broccoli followed by some red wine. Would you like some?

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

"Mike Krueger" <skubanut@aol.com> wrote in message:
This guy's been a
> pro mechanic for 40 years, so he might know something about the
> subject.
> Comments?
>

Back in the mid-80's I recall an article in a cycling publication where a
mechanic for a pro team said they would re-use the same set of tubulars for
certain major races. He said that they would use a team set of Vittoria
Pavés for the Paris-Roubaix, then after the race put a thin coat of latex on
them (to *prevent* aging), dismount them and put them away for another year.
That tire had reputation for being bomb-proof at the time, but maybe too
heavy for other races. Perhaps this practical system evolved into the aging
practice mentioned in the documentary.

Blake

Mike Krueger wrote:
> Discovery Channel aired a TV documentary yesterday entitled, "The
> Science of Lance Armstrong". In one segment, Lance's longtime Belgian
> mechanic was profiled. He took the camera crew down into his "wine
> cellar"

Wine cellar? That would slow the whole process down and seems to do the
opposite of what they want. The key is to buy them new, put them in the
oven on clean, and then you can have properly aged 7-year tires in less than
2 minutes!

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

Phil, Squid-in-Training wrote:
> datakoll@yahoo.com wrote:

>> what do we smell here?
>
> Garlic butter chicken with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and seasoned
> broccoli followed by some red wine.

Dinner menu @ Gitmo?

Phil, Squid-in-Training wrote:
> datakoll@yahoo.com wrote:
>
>>what do we smell here?
>
>
> Garlic butter chicken with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and seasoned
> broccoli followed by some red wine. Would you like some?
>

Make that a good ale and I'll be right over.


Robin