I once took a nasty fall training at the velodrome on "new" Clement track silks that were about 10 years old. These were 180 or so gram silks and looked fine but the sidewall simply ruptured. A delicate tire and silk but it is a data point.
Joe
At 11:10 AM 11/19/00 EST, Cino1947@aol.com wrote:
>Would using latex solution on the sidewalls prevent flats on old tubulars?
>Are unused but old tubulars equally prone to flats?
>Josh Berger
>
>In a message dated 11/19/00 11:00:29 AM Eastern Standard Time, moos@penn.com
>writes:
>
><< 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-