Steve, I agree about used sewups. I think I posted about a year ago my sage of flatting the front and spare on a solo ride 10 km from home. Fortunately, the 10 km had all been climbing, and I rolled back downhill on the flat front tire (slowly and carefully). That cured me of using used tubulars of unknown age as spares. I agree old tubulars should be tested for several miles around town, and the spare should be new or at least little used with a known history.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
Steve Freides wrote:
> Anyone know anything about these? As part of a deal from a fellow list
> member, I got a few old sewups, some of which I'm going to have repaired
> and some of which still hold air. Among the living (at least they're
> holding some air in my basement) are a couple of Vittoria Trofeo tires.
> They say "250" on them and, according to my handy-dandy kitchen scale,
> that's about what they weigh in grams - I got 260 or so.
>
> They seem like nice enough tires and I'm looking forward to taking them
> for a spin around the neighborhood, but I'm curious to know about when
> they were in use, what sort of materials they may be made from, if they
> were made in Italy or elsewhere, and the like. Any light anyone could
> shed on these would be appreciated.
>
> (For anyone else who may want to have the experience of riding on old,
> used sewups, allow me to share my one previous experience. I put the
> original tires back on my Raleigh, which were probably 15 years old at
> that point, and they both held air. "Great," I said, and took them out
> on a club ride. That became the only club ride on which I've gotten two
> flats, and I had only one spare tire. (Fortunately I had a cell phone
> and my kind, generous wife rescued me.) One of them held air for
> perhaps 5 miles while the second one lasted about 30. Thus, I've
> decided that any used sewups get ridden around town for at least a few
> days, preferrably a few weeks, before venturing further afield.)
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> -S-