How much glass don't we see?



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Raptor

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We've all tried steering through/around a patch of broken glass to spare our precious tires. But
we only see what's reflecting sunlight at the time. How many shards that we don't see are we
riding through? Has anyone ever done a study or analysis? How wide a berth does prudence dictate a
rider take?

(Personally, I ride on "tank treads," slime tubes AND kevlar liners. I think the tread will wear out
before I have to replace a tube. [Probably just jinxed myself.] They've lasted 1200 miles so far,
and as long as I stay away from stopwatches, they're fast enough for me.)

--
--
Lynn Wallace http://www.xmission.com/~lawall "I'm not proud. We really haven't done everything we
could to protect our customers. Our products just aren't engineered for security." --Microsoft VP in
charge of Windows OS Development, Brian Valentine.
 
"Raptor" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> We've all tried steering through/around a patch of broken glass to spare our precious tires. But
> we only see what's reflecting sunlight at the time. How many shards that we don't see are we
> riding through? Has anyone ever done a study or analysis? How wide a berth does prudence dictate a
> rider take?
>
> (Personally, I ride on "tank treads," slime tubes AND kevlar liners. I think the tread will wear
> out before I have to replace a tube. [Probably just jinxed myself.] They've lasted 1200 miles so
> far, and as long as I stay away from stopwatches, they're fast enough for me.)

I've ridden over 2,700 miles on my Micheli Axial Carbon/Victtoria Rubino Kevlar combo so far.

Dashii
 
I have over 5000 miles on my Performance K2 700 x 23 tires (bought for $8 each) with no flats and
plenty of tread left. I've raced on tires costing $50 per and these cheapies and can't see a
difference other than the more you pay the less they last :-(

"Dashi Toshii" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Raptor" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > We've all tried steering through/around a patch of broken glass to spare our precious tires. But
> > we only see what's reflecting sunlight at the time. How many shards that we don't see are we
> > riding through? Has anyone ever done a study or analysis? How wide a berth does prudence dictate
> > a rider take?
> >
> > (Personally, I ride on "tank treads," slime tubes AND kevlar liners. I think the tread will wear
> > out before I have to replace a tube. [Probably just jinxed myself.] They've lasted 1200 miles so
> > far, and as long as I stay away from stopwatches, they're fast enough for me.)
>
> I've ridden over 2,700 miles on my Micheli Axial Carbon/Victtoria Rubino Kevlar combo so far.
>
> Dashii
>
 
I usually get about two flats in the 4000 mile life of my Hutchinsons (Profile U w/kevlar).

But then I'm conscientious enough to avoid what I can, and brush the tires with a gloved hand to
catch what I couldn't.

May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills! Chris

Chris'Z Corner "The Website for the Common Bicyclist": http://www.geocities.com/czcorner
 
"Raptor" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
> (Personally, I ride on "tank treads," slime tubes AND kevlar liners. I think the tread will wear
> out before I have to replace a tube. [Probably just jinxed myself.] They've lasted 1200 miles so
> far, and as long as I stay away from stopwatches, they're fast enough for me.)

What's the big deal with an occasional flat?
 
"Raptor" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> We've all tried steering through/around a patch of broken glass to spare our precious tires. But
> we only see what's reflecting sunlight at the time. How many shards that we don't see are we
> riding through? Has anyone ever done a study or analysis? How wide a berth does prudence dictate a
> rider take?
>
> (Personally, I ride on "tank treads," slime tubes AND kevlar liners. I think the tread will wear
> out before I have to replace a tube. [Probably just jinxed myself.] They've lasted 1200 miles so
> far, and as long as I stay away from stopwatches, they're fast enough for me.)
>
>

I ride 26mm "racing tires" and suffer infrequent flats. The trick is to ride where the cars drive.
There, your likeliness of encountering sparkles is miniscule.

--
Robin Hubert <[email protected]
 
"Chris Zacho "The Wheelman"" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I usually get about two flats in the 4000 mile life of my Hutchinsons (Profile U w/kevlar).
>
> But then I'm conscientious enough to avoid what I can, and brush the tires with a gloved hand to
> catch what I couldn't.
>

Don't do that.

--
Robin Hubert <[email protected]
 
"Robin Hubert" <[email protected]> wrote:

>> and brush the tires with a gloved hand to catch what I couldn't.

> Don't do that.

Why not?

RFM
--
To reply, translate domain from l33+ 2p33|< to alpha. 4=a 0=o 3=e +=t
 
> and can't see a difference other than the more you pay the less they last :-(

I'll second that, expensive tyres are nice for racing but pick up little pieces of stone and glass
like sticky tape on training rides.

"BillX" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I have over 5000 miles on my Performance K2 700 x 23 tires (bought for $8 each) with no flats and
> plenty of tread left. I've raced on tires costing $50 per and these cheapies and can't see a
> difference other than the more you pay the less they last :-(
>
>
> "Dashi Toshii" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > "Raptor" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > > We've all tried steering through/around a patch of broken glass to
spare
> > > our precious tires. But we only see what's reflecting sunlight at the time. How many shards
> > > that we don't see are we riding through? Has anyone ever done a study or analysis? How wide a
> > > berth does prudence dictate a rider take?
> > >
> > > (Personally, I ride on "tank treads," slime tubes AND kevlar liners.
I
> > > think the tread will wear out before I have to replace a tube. [Probably just jinxed myself.]
> > > They've lasted 1200 miles so far, and
as
> > > long as I stay away from stopwatches, they're fast enough for me.)
> >
> > I've ridden over 2,700 miles on my Micheli Axial Carbon/Victtoria Rubino Kevlar combo so far.
> >
> > Dashii
> >
> >
> >
>
 
> The trick is to ride where the cars drive.

You ride your bike on the highway?

"Robin Hubert" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Raptor" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > We've all tried steering through/around a patch of broken glass to spare our precious tires. But
> > we only see what's reflecting sunlight at the time. How many shards that we don't see are we
> > riding through? Has anyone ever done a study or analysis? How wide a berth does prudence dictate
> > a rider take?
> >
> > (Personally, I ride on "tank treads," slime tubes AND kevlar liners. I think the tread will wear
> > out before I have to replace a tube. [Probably just jinxed myself.] They've lasted 1200 miles so
> > far, and as long as I stay away from stopwatches, they're fast enough for me.)
> >
> >
>
> I ride 26mm "racing tires" and suffer infrequent flats. The trick is to ride where the cars drive.
> There, your likeliness of encountering
sparkles
> is miniscule.
>
>
>
> --
> Robin Hubert <[email protected]>
 
Chris Zacho "The Wheelman" wrote:
> But then I'm conscientious enough to avoid what I can, and brush the tires with a gloved hand to
> catch what I couldn't.
>

I've been trying to do that also, but I'm having problems with the rear tire. How do you do it
without falling off or getting your hand caught in the brakes ;(

Front tire is of course easy.

--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.
 
Peter Cole wrote:
> "Raptor" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
>>(Personally, I ride on "tank treads," slime tubes AND kevlar liners. I think the tread will wear
>>out before I have to replace a tube. [Probably just jinxed myself.] They've lasted 1200 miles so
>>far, and as long as I stay away from stopwatches, they're fast enough for me.)
>
>
> What's the big deal with an occasional flat?

Inconvenience, and frankly I change tires so infrequently that I'm not entirely sure I remember all
the little tricks to doing it right.(!)

I love being able to take the bike off the wall, ride it, hang it back up, and think about
maintaining it eventually. I get around to the maintenance part at least once a season. It's a great
bike (2002 Lemond Tourmalet).

--
--
Lynn Wallace http://www.xmission.com/~lawall "I'm not proud. We really haven't done everything we
could to protect our customers. Our products just aren't engineered for security." --Microsoft VP in
charge of Windows OS Development, Brian Valentine.
 
On Wed, 28 May 2003 15:37:15 +0000 (UTC), Fritz M <[email protected]+> wrote:

>"Robin Hubert" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>> and brush the tires with a gloved hand to catch what I couldn't.
>
>> Don't do that.
>
>Why not?

Because *if* there's something on there that's loose enough to brush off, you've got 50% chance of
banging it in instead of taking it out, and 50% chance of having it pierce your gloves and making
you remember when you last got tetanus shots. Especially glass shards go through gloves like a hot
knife through oil.

Jasper
 
"Per Elmsäter" <[email protected]> wrote:

> I've been trying to do that also, but I'm having problems with the rear tire. How do you do it
> without falling off or getting your hand caught in the brakes ;(

I loop my thumb around the seatstay, then lower hand until gloved palm contacts the tire.

RFM
--
To reply, translate domain from l33+ 2p33|< to alpha. 4=a 0=o 3=e +=t
 
> >>> and brush the tires with a gloved hand to catch what I couldn't.

> >"Robin Hubert" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> Don't do that.

> On Wed, 28 May 2003 15:37:15 +0000 (UTC), Fritz M <[email protected]+>
> >Why not?

"Jasper Janssen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Because *if* there's something on there that's loose enough to brush off, you've got 50% chance of
> banging it in instead of taking it out, and 50% chance of having it pierce your gloves and making
> you remember when you last got tetanus shots. Especially glass shards go through gloves like a hot
> knife through oil.

Really ? I have never seen a case of that. Have you done it?

--
Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971
 
A Muzi wrote:
>>>>>and brush the tires with a gloved hand to catch what I couldn't.
>>>>
>>Because *if* there's something on there that's loose enough to brush off, you've got 50% chance of
>>banging it in instead of taking it out, and 50% chance of having it pierce your gloves and making
>>you remember when you last got tetanus shots. Especially glass shards go through gloves like a hot
>>knife through oil.
>
>
> Really ? I have never seen a case of that. Have you done it?

I once saw a guy using his index fingertip to keep his front tire clean. Couldn't decide whether he
was tough or stupid.

--
--
Lynn Wallace http://www.xmission.com/~lawall "I'm not proud. We really haven't done everything we
could to protect our customers. Our products just aren't engineered for security." --Microsoft VP in
charge of Windows OS Development, Brian Valentine.
 
"Chris Zacho "The Wheelman"" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> >"Chris Zacho "The Wheelman <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >I usually get about two flats in the 4000 mile life of my Hutchinsons (Profile U
> >w/kevlar).
>
> >But then I'm conscientious enough to avoid what I can, and brush the tires with a gloved hand to
> >catch what I couldn't.
>
> Don't do that.
> --
> Robin Hubert <[email protected]>"
>
> Why not?
>
> May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills! Chris
>

In addition to my last response (it has not effect), you also create a risk to yourself. This is
especially important for newbies to not learn as it creates hazard with no good result.

--
Robin Hubert <[email protected]
 
"Jasper Janssen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Wed, 28 May 2003 15:37:15 +0000 (UTC), Fritz M <[email protected]+> wrote:
>
> >"Robin Hubert" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >>> and brush the tires with a gloved hand to catch what I couldn't.
> >
> >> Don't do that.
> >
> >Why not?
>
> Because *if* there's something on there that's loose enough to brush off, you've got 50% chance of
> banging it in instead of taking it out, and 50% chance of having it pierce your gloves and making
> you remember when you last got tetanus shots. Especially glass shards go through gloves like a hot
> knife through oil.
>

More directly, because it has no effect on incidence of punctures, as indicated by my God (and don't
think I'm kidding) Brandt.

--
Robin Hubert <[email protected]
 
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