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are older bicycle tires hazardous too?

Started by Ben Pfaff · · Last activity · 19 posts · 759 views

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Road Cycling
Published
8 November 2004
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10 November 2004
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Ben Pfaff
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  1. I just noticed the following news article:

    DETROIT, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- A Massachusetts consumer safety
    group wants Washington to require easy-to-read "born-on" dates for
    vehicle tires, the Detroit News said Monday.
    Safety Research & Strategies cited 50 crashes resulting in
    37 fatalities caused by older tires with very little wear and tear
    in its petition to the National Highway Traffic Safety
    Administration.
    [...]

    I just bought an older bicycle (1980s?) a few weeks ago, and its
    tires (27"😉 seem to be old, but in decent condition. Should I
    replace them anyway?
    --
    Ben Pfaff
    email: [email hidden]
    web: http://benpfaff.org

  2. On Mon, 08 Nov 2004 14:51:15 -0800, Ben Pfaff <[email hidden]>

    wrote in message : said:

    I just bought an older bicycle (1980s?) a few weeks ago, and its
    tires (27"😉 seem to be old, but in decent condition. Should I
    replace them anyway?

    Look for cracks in the sidewalls. You know rubber degenerates in UV,
    right?

    Guy
    --
    May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
    http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

    88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at Washington University

  3. In article <[email hidden]>,

    Ben Pfaff said:

    I just bought an older bicycle (1980s?) a few weeks ago, and its
    tires (27"😉 seem to be old, but in decent condition. Should I
    replace them anyway?

    Are there any cracks in the rubber or mold/mildew on the casing?

  4. "Ben Pfaff" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    I just noticed the following news article:

    DETROIT, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- A Massachusetts consumer safety
    group wants Washington to require easy-to-read "born-on" dates for
    vehicle tires, the Detroit News said Monday.
    Safety Research & Strategies cited 50 crashes resulting in
    37 fatalities caused by older tires with very little wear and tear
    in its petition to the National Highway Traffic Safety
    Administration.
    [...]

    I just bought an older bicycle (1980s?) a few weeks ago, and its
    tires (27"😉 seem to be old, but in decent condition. Should I
    replace them anyway?
    --

    Yes! over time the rubber loses it's oils and elasticity so there is no grip
    when you need to turn quick or stop on wet pavement. i had to learn this the
    hard way.
    -alan

  5. (do not spam) said:

    In article <[email hidden]>,

    Ben Pfaff said:

    I just bought an older bicycle (1980s?) a few weeks ago, and its
    tires (27"😉 seem to be old, but in decent condition. Should I
    replace them anyway?

    Are there any cracks in the rubber or mold/mildew on the casing?

    No mold or mildew. I don't know what qualifies as a "crack";
    there are numerous short, narrow, very shallow striations
    parallel to the rim, but nothing deep enough that I'd call it an
    actual crack.
    --
    "Now I have to go wash my mind out with soap."
    --Derick Siddoway

  6. alan' .@. said:

    "Ben Pfaff" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    I just bought an older bicycle (1980s?) a few weeks ago, and its
    tires (27"😉 seem to be old, but in decent condition. Should I
    replace them anyway?

    Yes! over time the rubber loses it's oils and elasticity so there is no grip
    when you need to turn quick or stop on wet pavement. i had to learn this the
    hard way.

    Interesting. I thought the braking was poor because it's a cheap
    older road bike; I certainly do get better braking on my 2003
    Trek 2300. It hadn't occurred to me that tire performance could
    be an issue too.
    --
    Ben Pfaff
    email: [email hidden]
    web: http://benpfaff.org

  7. "Ben Pfaff" <[email hidden]> wrote

    Quoted message said:

    Interesting. I thought the braking was poor because it's a cheap
    older road bike; I certainly do get better braking on my 2003
    Trek 2300. It hadn't occurred to me that tire performance could
    be an issue too.

    Chrome or alloy rims? Brake shoe condition/age?

    Pete

  8. Pete said:

    "Ben Pfaff" <[email hidden]> wrote

    Quoted message said:

    Interesting. I thought the braking was poor because it's a cheap
    older road bike; I certainly do get better braking on my 2003
    Trek 2300. It hadn't occurred to me that tire performance could
    be an issue too.

    Chrome or alloy rims? Brake shoe condition/age?

    I assume that a magnet would stick to chrome rims, but not alloy?
    Then they're alloy. The brake shoes are in good condition.

    I guess the style of brake could be another factor? The Trek
    2300 has Ultegra dual-pivot calipers and the old bike has
    "Weinmann 610 Vainqueur 999" brakes which according to a website
    found via Google are centerpull calipers. Actually according to
    the same website those brakes were made through the mid-70s, so
    maybe this bike is older than I thought.

    This bike is also certainly heavier than the Trek: steel frame
    and outfitted with a rack and baskets. It's for commuting and
    grocery shopping mainly, whereas the Trek is just for fun.
    --
    "How could this be a problem in a country
    where we have Intel and Microsoft?"
    --Al Gore on Y2K

  9. On Mon, 08 Nov 2004 14:51:15 -0800, Ben Pfaff quoth:

    Quoted message said:

    I just noticed the following news article:

    DETROIT, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- A Massachusetts consumer safety
    group wants Washington to require easy-to-read "born-on" dates for
    vehicle tires, the Detroit News said Monday.
    Safety Research & Strategies cited 50 crashes resulting in
    37 fatalities caused by older tires with very little wear and tear
    in its petition to the National Highway Traffic Safety
    Administration.
    [...]

    Odd, my car has been on the same tires for 10 years. I asked our
    mechanic about them because they've got a lot of little surface cracks,
    and he said not to worry. (My mountain bike has been on the same knobbies
    for 10 years as well.)

    bkr

  10. Beaker wrote:
    :: On Mon, 08 Nov 2004 14:51:15 -0800, Ben Pfaff quoth:
    ::: I just noticed the following news article:
    :::
    ::: DETROIT, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- A Massachusetts consumer safety
    ::: group wants Washington to require easy-to-read "born-on" dates
    ::: for vehicle tires, the Detroit News said Monday.
    ::: Safety Research & Strategies cited 50 crashes resulting
    ::: in 37 fatalities caused by older tires with very little wear
    ::: and tear in its petition to the National Highway Traffic Safety
    ::: Administration.
    ::: [...]
    ::
    :: Odd, my car has been on the same tires for 10 years. I asked our
    :: mechanic about them because they've got a lot of little surface
    :: cracks, and he said not to worry. (My mountain bike has been on the
    :: same knobbies for 10 years as well.)

    What's odd? The fact that you drive on the same tires for 10 years or the
    fact that older tires, with very little wear and tear seem to present a
    greater risk of crashes? Obviously, you know that just because you're riding
    old tires don't mean the observations are wrong.

    ::
    :: bkr

  11. On Tue, 9 Nov 2004 08:56:14 -0500, Roger Zoul quoth:

    Quoted message said:

    Beaker wrote:
    :: On Mon, 08 Nov 2004 14:51:15 -0800, Ben Pfaff quoth:
    ::: I just noticed the following news article:
    :::
    ::: DETROIT, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- A Massachusetts consumer safety
    ::: group wants Washington to require easy-to-read "born-on" dates
    ::: for vehicle tires, the Detroit News said Monday.
    ::: Safety Research & Strategies cited 50 crashes resulting
    ::: in 37 fatalities caused by older tires with very little wear
    ::: and tear in its petition to the National Highway Traffic Safety
    ::: Administration.
    ::: [...]
    ::
    :: Odd, my car has been on the same tires for 10 years. I asked our
    :: mechanic about them because they've got a lot of little surface
    :: cracks, and he said not to worry. (My mountain bike has been on the
    :: same knobbies for 10 years as well.)

    What's odd? The fact that you drive on the same tires for 10 years or the
    fact that older tires, with very little wear and tear seem to present a
    greater risk of crashes? Obviously, you know that just because you're riding
    old tires don't mean the observations are wrong.

    The oddity is that my mechanic and the "safety group" seem (SEEM) to be in
    disagreement, although the story clip doesn't actually specify the tire ages.

    bkr

  12. Beaker wrote:
    :: On Tue, 9 Nov 2004 08:56:14 -0500, Roger Zoul quoth:
    ::: Beaker wrote:
    ::::: On Mon, 08 Nov 2004 14:51:15 -0800, Ben Pfaff quoth:
    :::::: I just noticed the following news article:
    ::::::
    :::::: DETROIT, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- A Massachusetts consumer
    :::::: safety group wants Washington to require easy-to-read
    :::::: "born-on" dates for vehicle tires, the Detroit News said
    :::::: Monday. Safety Research & Strategies cited 50
    :::::: crashes resulting in 37 fatalities caused by older tires
    :::::: with very little wear and tear in its petition to the
    :::::: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
    :::::: [...]
    :::::
    ::::: Odd, my car has been on the same tires for 10 years. I asked
    ::::: our mechanic about them because they've got a lot of little
    ::::: surface cracks, and he said not to worry. (My mountain bike has
    ::::: been on the same knobbies for 10 years as well.)
    :::
    ::: What's odd? The fact that you drive on the same tires for 10 years
    ::: or the fact that older tires, with very little wear and tear seem
    ::: to present a greater risk of crashes? Obviously, you know that just
    ::: because you're riding old tires don't mean the observations are
    ::: wrong.
    ::
    :: The oddity is that my mechanic and the "safety group" seem (SEEM)
    :: to be in disagreement, although the story clip doesn't actually
    :: specify the tire ages.

    That's odd?

  13. Beaker said:

    The oddity is that my mechanic and the "safety group" seem (SEEM) to be in
    disagreement, although the story clip doesn't actually specify the tire ages.

    The full article, if I recall correctly, said that tires older
    than six years were considered to be "too old" in the study.
    --
    Ben Pfaff
    email: [email hidden]
    web: http://benpfaff.org

  14. "Beaker" wrote: Odd, my car has been on the same tires for 10 years. (clip)
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    Presumably your tires were not old when they were installed. What if they
    had been stored for six or seven years and then put on your car? They would
    now be 16 or 17 years old.

    Is your car kept in a garage? I would expect outdoor parking to cause more
    rapid ageing.

  15. On Tue, 09 Nov 2004 18:12:44 GMT, Leo Lichtman quoth:

    Quoted message said:


    Is your car kept in a garage? I would expect outdoor parking to cause more
    rapid ageing.

    80% outdoors during their lifetime. I was a bit concerned about the age
    and surface cracking, but the mechanic said they were fine. They could
    easily go another couple years before the tread gets too low, but I may
    reconsider now.

    However, I'll take my chances with my mountain bike knobbies.

    bkr

  16. Quoted message said:

    Odd, my car has been on the same tires for 10 years. I asked our
    mechanic about them because they've got a lot of little surface cracks,
    and he said not to worry. (My mountain bike has been on the same knobbies
    for 10 years as well.)

    bkr

    The same tires for 10 years? I wish I could get 6 months out of my
    tires. I think it has something to do with the way I drive and
    especially the way I park. :-) The curbs jump up and hit my tires. I
    can't even imagine having tires 10 years unless I kept the car in the
    garage. http://hometown.aol.com/lbuset/

  17. "Maggie" <[email hidden]> wrote

    Quoted message said:

    The same tires for 10 years? I wish I could get 6 months out of my
    tires.

    *Car* tires every 6 months? Dayum.

    Rotate, and take some of the lead out of that foot.

    Pete

  18. On 9 Nov 2004 13:01:26 -0800, Maggie quoth:

    Quoted message said:


    The same tires for 10 years? I wish I could get 6 months out of my
    tires.

    Bike/bus/walk to work and play and you will. I only drive it once every
    week or two.

    bkr

  19. "Pete" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

    Quoted message said:

    "Maggie" <[email hidden]> wrote

    Quoted message said:

    The same tires for 10 years? I wish I could get 6 months out of my
    tires.

    *Car* tires every 6 months? Dayum.

    Rotate, and take some of the lead out of that foot.

    Pete

    I think it has to do more with the way I park. I can't seem to park a
    car without hitting the curb. I've been trying to master this for
    over 30 years. I am losing hope. :-(
    http://hometown.aol.com/lbuset/

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