are older bicycle tires hazardous too?

[Ben Pfaff]

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 protected]
web: http://benpfaff.org

 

[Just zis Guy, you know?]

On Mon, 08 Nov 2004 14:51:15 -0800, Ben Pfaff <[email protected]>
wrote in message <[email protected]>:

>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

 

[do not spam]

In article <[email protected]>,
Ben Pfaff <[email protected]> wrote:
>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?

 

[alan]

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

 

[Ben Pfaff]

[email protected] (do not spam) writes:

> In article <[email protected]>,
> Ben Pfaff <[email protected]> wrote:
>>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

 

[Ben Pfaff]

"alan" <.@.> writes:

> "Ben Pfaff" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> 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 protected]
web: http://benpfaff.org

 

[Pete]

"Ben Pfaff" <[email protected]> wrote

> 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

 

[Ben Pfaff]

"Pete" <[email protected]> writes:

> "Ben Pfaff" <[email protected]> wrote
>
>> 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

 

[Beaker]

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.)

bkr

 

[Roger Zoul]

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

 

[Beaker]

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.

bkr

 

[Roger Zoul]

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?

 

[Ben Pfaff]

Beaker <[email protected]> writes:

> 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 protected]
web: http://benpfaff.org

 

[Leo Lichtman]

"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.

 

[Beaker]

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

 

[Maggie]

> 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/

 

[Pete]

"Maggie" <[email protected]> wrote

> 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

 

[Beaker]

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

 

[Maggie]

"Pete" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> "Maggie" <[email protected]> wrote
>
> > 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/