2nd off in 24 hours :-(

Simon L said the following on 13/12/2007 12:05:

Quoted message said:

So what's up with my front tyre? It's a 26" x 1.5" Specialized slick
pumped to 50-60 psi. Too hard?

No tread?

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

Simon L said:

Honest, I've been cycling quite carefully.

My first gripe is about cycle paths with lots of mud and compacted
leaves at the edges. Had my front wheel slide out from under me
yesterday lunchtime leaving me sprawling in said mud. Roads are at
least better kept.

My second gripe is about roads, they are hard. This morning as I
turned onto the industrial estate where my workplace lies, my front
wheel didn't want to know. Thanks to a kindly car driver who stopped
to check I was OK.

No damage execept a sore knee. My gloves also spared me some nastiness
I believe.

So what's up with my front tyre? It's a 26" x 1.5" Specialized slick
pumped to 50-60 psi. Too hard?

If you've got tyres which grip well on ice then I'd like to get a pair
myself! It was a bit slippery walking up to the doctors here this
morning.

peter

naked_draughtsman said:

If you've got tyres which grip well on ice then I'd like to get a pair
myself!

Try these:
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/studdedtires.asp

The Nokian Hakkapeliitta W106 work well for me, but with a significant
increase in rolling resistance.

Bob

On Dec 13, 12:49 pm, Bob Johnstone <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

naked_draughtsman said:

If you've got tyres which grip well on ice then I'd like to get a pair
myself!

Try these:http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/studdedtires.asp

The Nokian Hakkapeliitta W106 work well for me, but with a significant
increase in rolling resistance.

Bob

2nd-ed. Most of the time they're probably overkill, but if you leave
for work in the early hours - you don't really know what you're going
to face until you're well on your way - and the piece of mind they
give is very real.

I have a spare wheels-set with the Nokians on, and keep an eye on the
weather report - if it's forecast much below zero I'll swap the front
wheel the night before. Haven't bothered with the rear yet, but will
probably put it on if we get any snow forecast.

The studs make a small noise on the road but other than that, they're
fine - don't really make a noticeable difference to the ride time...

You'll need a slightly different flavor for 26" wheels - if anything -
they should be easier to get hold of. Take a look at this link
http://www.icebike.org/Equipment/tires.htm for advice on all kinds of
winter tyres - if you do go for studs you wont want too many, i.e. the
w288 comes with either 288 of 144 studs, 144 would be better for the
road.

ps If it is icy you'll want to drop the psi a bit, depending upon the
ice, maybe even down to 40? Otherwise keep 'em pumped up to about
100psi. Don't worry about what the max rating of the tyre wall says -
if it's a quality tyre, i.e. £25+ it will take it.

Regards,

Duncan

Regards,

Duncan

Simon L said:

Honest, I've been cycling quite carefully.

My first gripe is about cycle paths with lots of mud and compacted
leaves at the edges. Had my front wheel slide out from under me
yesterday lunchtime leaving me sprawling in said mud. Roads are at
least better kept.

My second gripe is about roads, they are hard. This morning as I
turned onto the industrial estate where my workplace lies, my front
wheel didn't want to know. Thanks to a kindly car driver who stopped
to check I was OK.

No damage execept a sore knee. My gloves also spared me some nastiness
I believe.

So what's up with my front tyre? It's a 26" x 1.5" Specialized slick
pumped to 50-60 psi. Too hard?

No. You just need to be much slower turning into side roads from the
main road, make sure you stay within the tyre line of the cars that
have already made the turn where the road will be warmer and watch out
for manhole covers.

To a very good approximation you cannot recover from a front wheel
skid while cornering when on two wheels. If a car slips an inch or two
as it turns then it's likely the driver won't even notice and also has
the advantage that as long as one front wheel is on a good surface the
car won't slip anyway unless the driver is being stupid with their
speed in sub-zero conditions.

Tim.

Simon L said:

Honest, I've been cycling quite carefully.

My first gripe is about cycle paths with lots of mud and compacted
leaves at the edges. Had my front wheel slide out from under me
yesterday lunchtime leaving me sprawling in said mud. Roads are at
least better kept.

My second gripe is about roads, they are hard. This morning as I
turned onto the industrial estate where my workplace lies, my front
wheel didn't want to know. Thanks to a kindly car driver who stopped
to check I was OK.

No damage execept a sore knee. My gloves also spared me some nastiness
I believe.

So what's up with my front tyre? It's a 26" x 1.5" Specialized slick
pumped to 50-60 psi. Too hard?

need a wider footprint i'd guess so either lower psi or wider tires. but
will be slower. on the few times i take my mountain bike on road it
doesn't flinch at leaves grot and such. and that is just the tires,
which being wider and softer aren't so troubled but such things. but are
not the quietest nor fastest tires.

roger
--
www.rogermerriman.com

Roger Merriman said:

Simon L said:

Honest, I've been cycling quite carefully.

My first gripe is about cycle paths with lots of mud and compacted
leaves at the edges. Had my front wheel slide out from under me
yesterday lunchtime leaving me sprawling in said mud. Roads are at
least better kept.

My second gripe is about roads, they are hard. This morning as I
turned onto the industrial estate where my workplace lies, my front
wheel didn't want to know. Thanks to a kindly car driver who stopped
to check I was OK.

No damage execept a sore knee. My gloves also spared me some nastiness
I believe.

So what's up with my front tyre? It's a 26" x 1.5" Specialized slick
pumped to 50-60 psi. Too hard?

need a wider footprint i'd guess so either lower psi or wider tires. but
will be slower. on the few times i take my mountain bike on road it
doesn't flinch at leaves grot and such. and that is just the tires,
which being wider and softer aren't so troubled but such things. but are
not the quietest nor fastest tires.

I just switched back last weekend from mud tyres at about 80psi to slicks at
120. Riding up the hill last night the rear wheel was breaking traction on
each pedal stroke, which may be good for teaching you to spin (but I don't
have gears for that hill hill sitting down) but ain't much good for
confidence... I think I may switch again, to wider, softer tyres for
January!

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; Semper in faecibus sumus, sole profundum variat.

Simon Brooke said:

Roger Merriman said:

Simon L said:

Honest, I've been cycling quite carefully.

My first gripe is about cycle paths with lots of mud and compacted
leaves at the edges. Had my front wheel slide out from under me
yesterday lunchtime leaving me sprawling in said mud. Roads are at
least better kept.

My second gripe is about roads, they are hard. This morning as I
turned onto the industrial estate where my workplace lies, my front
wheel didn't want to know. Thanks to a kindly car driver who stopped
to check I was OK.

No damage execept a sore knee. My gloves also spared me some nastiness
I believe.

So what's up with my front tyre? It's a 26" x 1.5" Specialized slick
pumped to 50-60 psi. Too hard?

need a wider footprint i'd guess so either lower psi or wider tires. but
will be slower. on the few times i take my mountain bike on road it
doesn't flinch at leaves grot and such. and that is just the tires,
which being wider and softer aren't so troubled but such things. but are
not the quietest nor fastest tires.

I just switched back last weekend from mud tyres at about 80psi to slicks at
120. Riding up the hill last night the rear wheel was breaking traction on
each pedal stroke, which may be good for teaching you to spin (but I don't
have gears for that hill hill sitting down) but ain't much good for
confidence... I think I may switch again, to wider, softer tyres for
January!

reminds me of the hill up to my folks place which darn steep ie well in
to 30% range. and is fairly beat up lane so is rather gravelly and gets
debrie from storms, so riding up you have to keep your weight right, too
much forward and the rear spins to a stop. too much to the rear and the
bike will start to get worringly light at the front...

still it's rather fun in it's way.

roger
--
www.rogermerriman.com