Conference noted::bicycle

    
    RE: .0
    
    Is this guy a comedian?  What do you do for DEC?
    
    Anyway... I assume this was a Zefal floor pump you were using. 
    They usually work pretty well.
    
    Do you have Schrader (like a car) or Presta (little French racy)
    valves?  If you have Schrader that could be some of the problem.
    They tend to not work as well (hence cyclists don't use them).
    All you have to do to change is replace the tube (not the tire or
    wheel).  Then change the head on the pump.  
    
    This is all not as hard or expensive as it sounds.  Just an idea.
    
    Chuck
    

    re .0	I think you're right (probably 'coz I'm old too).  
    When *I* wuz a kid the pump had a hose that screwed between it and the
    valve, the hoses came in two types, ordinary and HP (for high
    pressure), I later learned the terms "Schrader" and "Presta".  Frames
    had pump pegs on them in those days, typically on the down tube, though
    we probably didn't refer to it as that, 'cos it didn't need to be
    referred to, it was just the place where the pump went.  
    BTW, a pump with a hose on it was a wicked weapon for raising welts
    on the backs of smaller kids' (short pants) legs.  Yeah, I was a
    bully at one time too.
    
    	Anyway, tire pressure isn't all that critical for casual riding,
    though a good track pump with an accurate guage will give you
    repeatability if nothing else, and harder tyres do roll easier.
    
	Reg
    

    I believe it is easier to damage the rim by hitting a curb, pothole
    or some other obstacle if your tire is to soft.

    I don't think I have EVER seen a hand pump which performs as
    advertised.  For bicycle tyres with their small volume, the lost
    air as you unscrew or unclamp is significant, and you also either
    get a pump with a big barrel which is too hard to operate or a pump
    with a small barrel which takes 1,374 strokes to get the job done.
     
    I have a (?Zefal?) pump with a right angle fitting on the head which
    will pump to high pressures; you hold it on the tyre while pumping
    as opposed to screw down or clamp type, so you don't lose too much
    air, but it's got two problems:  you get a hand cramp from holding
    it on and the heat generated pumping the air melted the nylon piece
    which mounts the pump to the bicycle frame the first time I used
    it.  
    
    If I ever found a GOOD pump, I'd pay a lot for it.  In the meantime,
    I carry the Zefal around for emergencies on the road and use an
    electric air compressor for inflating tyres in the garage.
    
    John

	At least with Schrader valves, you can pump 'em up at the
	local gas station...  (Bring your own valve, of course.)

	-LC

	The pressure in the tires is not critical.  It would probably
	take over 100 PSI to blow your 85 PSI tires off the rim and
	it would take under 50 PSI before you were in grave danger
	of pinching the tube on a bad bump.  I inflate my 90 PSI
	tires to 90 PSI (give or take for guage inacuracy) and after
	a week or two they get down to 65 PSI.

	For Schrader valves you can get a frame pump at K-Mart for about $3
	that has a hose that screws on to the valve.  I have one for
	on-the-road repairs (although I havn't had to use it yet).  For
	inflating at home I have a cheap ($15?) foot pump with a built-in
	pressure guage.

				-John A. Wasser

I never saw a $3 pump that could get 50psi.

Twice I got into the following situation.  I got a flat, pumped it up
pretty well with my Zefal HPx3, checked with a guage and the guage indicated
85 lbs.  Not bad says I, I so I gave it 40 more strokes.  Not wanting to
fiddle with the guage, I rode on it.  The next day, closer to a more
convenient floor pump, I checked the pressure with the guage, guage 
indicated 120 lbs.  I decided that I really liked that pump.

Then here was the time, in a soaking rain on the first day of my Merrimack,
NH, to Buffalo, NY, trip that I had to fix a flat and the plastic part
of the screwon thing on the my Zefal HP3 broke.  Brand new pump, too.  I 
borrowed a Silca which didn't work too well and bought an Atmos in 
Peterborough.  I have other Silca's that don't work too well either.

The Atmos worked well, it's a 2 stroke but you have to remember to take the
fit adapter off.  The only make two sizes and for the "other" size frames 
the make an adapter that fits over the tube inside the handle, if you don't 
take it off, you only pump on the pull stroke and not the push.  It does 
take between 1341 and 1347 strokes to reach 90 lbs on a 27x1.125 tyre, 
however.

    
    ramblings...
    
    Zefal frame pupms will eventually break (maybe right away, maybe
    not in your lifetime) at the head, it's a known design flaw. Silca
    frame pumps are the best, but are subpar without the Campagnolo
    steel head (or Primus schrader valve head). They will pump 110 psi
    without major effort (something like 60 strokes from flat).
    
    Schrader valves were not designed for the high pressure/light weight
    environment of the modern bicycle, hence the Presta (screwy) valve.
    You can convert your Schrader wheels to Presta by purchasing a new
    Presta tube. The Presta stem is smaller, so you should also get
    a set of rim grommets to properly seat the stem in the oversized
    hole in a Scrader valve rim. Of course, if your rims are shot, then
    replace them with Presta valve rims. You can get a little brass
    adapter for emergencies, that lets you use the gas station pump
    on your Prestas.
    
    Running your tires low just wastes the tire and your effort. Your
    car will run with 2 less quarts in the crankcase, but is it a good
    idea to drive it cross country as such? How hard is it to check before
    you go out? No, you don't need 95.0076 lbs/sq in. in a 95 lb. tire to
    get you down the road, but attention to pressures will certainly help
    you ride more safely. If you're even remotely serious about riding a
    floor pump with a gauge is a great investment, it'll take just a minute
    or two to get your tires up to pressure with very little effort. The
    Zefal, Silca and MDI are all good floor pumps (about $40, $30 and
    $20 respectively).
    
    CdH
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
   
    

    
    
    
    

As mentioned in .8, Silca frame pumps are GREAT, but toss the head that 
comes with it and get the Campag steel head. Great tool for whacking 
vicious puppies, too. :-). One day, feeling energetic, I pumped up a 
tyre 'til it seemed *just about* hard enough (using the Silca). It 
wouldn't have been hard to pump some more, but I thought I'd check it 
with a guage. Surprise! 145 lbs....... Their floor pumps are nice, too.
The Zefal pumps I've looked at seem to have a smaller cylinder (more 
strokes to fill, somewhat lower pumping effort). Our shop made a regular 
habit of fixing old mod. Zefals whose shaft separated from the 
plunger/washer assembly, but the newer ones seem a bit less prone to 
that.

I'd recommend ANYONE getting Presta valves. They work so much better 
than Schraeder for high pressure applications. And, they remove the 
temptation to fill up at a gas station, which will probably eventually 
get you. Even many of the metered gas station hoses work on the 
following priciple:

squirt <measured volume of air> measure pressure. Not enough? then <loop>

Unfortunately the <measured volume of air> is enough to raise the 
pressure of an auto tire 1 or 2 pounds. This amount of air in a bike 
tire can be *BOOM* too much. The Mobil station near the shop I worked at 
was famous for blowing tires: the first squirt from their "metered" air 
pump produced roughly 150 lbs of pressure in a bike tire. Several times 
the explosion actually destroyed the rim and spokes of a wheel - one rim 
was actually snapped as well as twisted into a pretzel. Dangerous for 
the person pumping the tire as well.
                                              ken

    You can use the Zefal Metal Tube Dog Whacker to pump up tires, too?

    I've had good luck with my Zefal (HP, i think... the 'usual' one).
    I've had it for probably 8 years without any problems.  I just changed
    tires on the chariot a couple weeks ago, and I don't recall spending
    an enormous amount of effort getting them up to 100psi...
    
    I bought a 'short' atmos for my other half (she rides an 18-1/2
    inch frame) so I'll try it out and see how it works... feels like
    it wouldn't be a good Dog_whacker, though....
    
    If I pump the tires up to 100psi, they fall back to about 90 after
    about 8-10 days... so I get a good weeks riding in on the couple
    dozen strokes the refill takes.  I've never had a problem with losing
    a lot of air getting the pump on/off the Presta valves... my pressure
    gauge used to dump a lot of air, but I found that if I only unscrew
    the lock_thingy on the valve part way it loses almost no air...
    
    Using gas_station pumps to fill up tires is scary. period.
    
    					...tek
     

    has anyone ever seen a GOOD adapter for the Schrader floor pump
    to Presta tire valve? I've bought three different kinds and they
    all are nicely machined from brass and none of them work well.
    One is so short the valve poker on the pump's Schrader head pushes
    in the Presta valve plunger, so the tire leaks air out as fast as
    you pump it in. The others just press-fit down over the Presta
    threads (rubber bushing in adapter to give it semi-airtight fit),
    but it's almost impossible to get the thing to fit straight onto
    the Presta valve without using one hand to hold it on; if it's
    cocked to one side at all it leaks or won't pass air at all, and
    if you use one hand to hold it you've only got one hand to pump
    with, which is very difficult to get 100+ PSI with floor pump. I
    like to use this pump because it's got a good gauge. It has Schrader
    head so I can do car tires with it too in emergency. If I had to
    list the most aggravating things about bicycle ownership/maintainance
    this would be near the top. It seems such a simple thing, why hasn't
    anyone done it right yet?

For finest performance with your floor pump, forget adapters; just remove
the Schrader head (gracefully, or by violence) and get a replacement Presta
head which just friction fits into the naked hose. Most also require a small
hose clamp at this point to keep things from leaking. I suppose for emergency
car use, you could take along the Schrader head (presuming it's still
compatible) and replace the Presta head if you get a flat car tire. Or
buy a cheapo-cheezo Schraeder pump and use the bike pump for what it's
intended for.....
                                      ken

    
    I wasn't advocating using gas station pressure hoses. Between the
    poorly regulated pressure and the compressor oil in the air, you're
    almost sure to have a problem.
    
    Zefal hand pumps are the BIC butane of dog whackers, one good smack
    and the aluminum's dented, new pump please. The Silca pump body
    is plastic and is available seperately cheap ($5) in case you break
    it.
    
    Most shops have two pumps, one for each valve type. Those confounded
    adapters never work right for long.
    
    CdH
    
    

    Schraders aren't THAT bad.  I use a Zefal HP on mine, pump the tires
    to 100+ lbs. without strain, the pump releases cleanly with almost
    no loss of air, and the valves don't leak.  But then, I'm not a
    mudder (clean valves) and I don't use the pump as a canine disciplinary
    tool, either...:-)
    
    Mac.

>    Schraders aren't THAT bad.  I use a Zefal HP on mine, pump the tires
>    to 100+ lbs. without strain, the pump releases cleanly with almost
>    no loss of air, and the valves don't leak.  

Zefal HP is the ONLY frame pump I know of that does a credible job on a 
(unmodified) Schraeder valve. If you have to have a Silca pump, there is 
an ECO to the standard head that allows it to pump Schraeders. You have 
to ECO the valve, too, by removing the core with a valve wrench and removing
the spring from the core, making it easier to push air in. If you have 
the cores with the internal spring, go to your gas station and get new 
cores, with the external spring.
                                                      ken

	So, where do I get presta valves for my car?

	Actually, I've never gotten air for bicycle tires at a gas
	station.  (Though I did once pump a car tire up to 80 lbs with
	a gas station pump - a Firestone 500, no less - and it survived.
	It got rid of that flat look radials normally have, too!)


	I've had pretty good luck with the $7 Zefal hp.  The rubber
	spacer/grommet/seal-thing in the head eventually wears out,
	since the threads on the valve scrape on it each time it
	goes on or off.  But they're pretty cheap - free if you pair up
	with someone else with one who also has presta tubes, since the
	pump comes with both seals.  I also lost one by loaning it to a
	clutz who broke off the little plastic things that hold it onto
	the bike.  And I ran over someone else's once after it fell
	off his bicycle.  I seem to kill just as many as I lose to suicide...
	It still ends up costing only something like $1/year for pumps, and
	the Zefal pumps up the tires with little effort.  And, what's a
	little extra exercise, anyway?

	Action item:  Can the bike club sponsor an exchange program for
	those little rubber things?  How many could we buy with what's in
	the treasury?

re: .12 "has anyone ever seen a GOOD adapter for the Schrader floor pump
to Presta tire valve?"

Get a Silca pump head.  A few bike shops stock them.  Goodale's in Nashua
has a few.  Cut off the old Shraeder end and put this into the hose.  Use
a half-inch hose clamp to fasten it.  I sed to just use it with the shraeder
head holding it but my Shraeder valve friends would "leave it places"
when they pumped up their tires and forget to put it back.

It is a press fit but it's pretty good.

In a pinch you can take it apart and turn over the middle part to make it
fit a Shraeder but it's not very good for that.

    Thanks for the information. On looking more seriously at the pump it is
    a Zefal 'rush' floor pump for Schrader with Presta adapter. Thanks to
    your replies I now know what Schraader and Presta are.
    
    re reply 1 - I would like to know what tone of voice it was written
    in - what is wrong with wrapping a serious inquiry in a light hearted
    vein.
    
    It's all a  little academic for me at the moment however as I have
    my leg in plaster for the next three weeks (from volleyball - not
    cycling). 
    
    Tim

    
    RE: .19 and .1
    
    I made the remark about your being a comedian as a compliment. 
    Your note (.0), and another one you wrote earlier, were very 
    funny.  I was wondering if you write professionally.   
         
    
    RE: Zefal pumps that look like device to explode things
    
    I have one of the blue double barrel pumps.  It has worked well,
    but I wish they made the base out of metal rather than plastic.
    It takes all the stress, and has cracked.
    
    Chuck
    

RE: The double barrelled Zefal pumps.  They are great!  BUT, they do
not stand up to very heavy use.  Like, for a bike shop or someone who
might regularly make them available for others to use.

The first thing that goes is that the 2 longitudinal bolts on them come
loose.  That's easy.  Tighten them.  I did, often.

Then, there's an inlet valve that gets dirty because it's on the bottom
of the pump, minor disassembly required (I am told).

Then, the internal parts need lubrication -- as does every pump eventually
-- disassembly again required.

Then, the internal parts just wear out.

For the amount of money I would expect it to last as long as a Silca track pump,
and it just does not.

But, boy is it ever fast!  On the upstroke, you put 4 atmospheres pressure 
into the left barrel, on the downer, it all goes into the tyre (tire).

I watched a friend struggling with one once and noticed that she was not
pulling it all the way up before proceeding with the downstroke.  It takes
a long time that way so I told her how to use it.  Of course, she was too 
short to do this comfortably, so that's a problem.

    re .20
    
    Thanks - it is hard to tell in a written medium. No, I do not write
    professionally, but in September several of you should be receiving
    a book called "Producing International Products". I wrote most of
    the software and part of the hardware sections. (Dear moderator
    - sorry for the non cycle  related plug, but ...)
    
    Tim (Just beacuse they are all out to get me does not mean that
    I am paranoid)

    Last Wednesday, I got my first flat in about a year.  It was convenient
    as flats go (I discovered it at work before starting home) and I'm not
    complaining.
     
    The tire (front) is 700 x 23.  I bought three replacement tubes: Giant 
    is the brand and the marked size is 700 x 19-23.  When I inspected the
    old tube, I found a pinhole on the outside circumference but I did not
    find any corresponding problem in the inside of the tire.
     
    Two days and fifteen miles later, I had a blowout in the same tire on
    my way to work.  Later, I took one of my new spare tubes and the flat
    tire to Pedal Power and asked them to change it.  I figured that maybe
    I did something wrong when I changed my own.  They reported nothing odd
    but there was again a pinhole in the tube.  Some observations:
     
         *  The rim strip was a bit wrinkled (I had noticed this)
            and Pedal Power replaced it.  It was presumably wrinkled
            for the past year (~600 miles) with no problem, however.
     
         *  I have a flickstand that holds the front wheel straight
            when the bike is leaned against something.  It normally
            fits loosely against the front tire but, since I have
            installed two of the new tubes, it seems to fit a bit
            tighter.  Maybe the tire's outer diameter is slightly
            greater now?
     
         *  Subjectively, it is slightly more difficult to get those
            last few PSI into the tire (~100).
     
    Maybe it's just glass on my route that I haven't observed.  Maybe it's
    just my good flat luck catching up with me  (-:  .  If the information
    above suggests another problem, however, I will appreciate any ideas.
     
    Thanks \ Erik
    

    yes, of course it's slightly harder to get the last few psi into the
    tire.
    
    I would not expect the same tire to appears to have a different outside
    diameter relative to the flick stand.
    
    Are you using really thin lightweight tubes?  I think they go flat
    too easily.
    
    If it happens again this week, pretend you don't care about the cost
    and replace the tire.  :-)
    
    ed

        What I meant to say in .-2 was that the last few PSI seem
        subjectively harder than they did with the original tube in 
        place.
    
        The inner tube's box merely says:
    
             700 x 19-23C PV
             100% inflation tested bicycle tube
    
        Unless this presents a clue, I don't know if this is one of those
        new thin lightweight tubes or not.
    
        Thanks for the help.

    Well I have some tubes that can be rolled up about the size of a silver
    dollar and some that can't be rolled up smaller than the diameter of
    a coffee cup.  The former are lightweight and maybe $6 each, while the
    latter are a bit thicker, heavier and sometimes available at $2.50 or
    less (though often found for $5 or even $6).
    
    ed

    I think the "PV" means presta valve.
    
    If it doesn't say otherwise, the tubes are thin and cheap.
    
    I've had cheep tubes go flat 10 miles out of the box.  I've also had
    them go hundreds of miles, no problem.  For consistent driving, eat the
    extra weight and get thorn proof tubes.  They'll outlast the tires.
    
    Later,
    	  Mike

    Thanks for the advice.
    
    Well, since most of my riding is back and forth to work carrying my
    briefcase and lunch and shoes in a milk crate, I guess I shouldn't 
    worry about the incremental weight of better tubes.
    
    Assuming that most bike stores carry them, I'll go for a pair.
    
    Erik

    A number of years back, when I bought my Fuji, I had 3 flats inside of
    a week.  I went to thorn-proof tubes and never regretted it.  Re: .28
    Hi Erik!  Was that a designer milk crate, or the real thing?  Bob

    
    There is no normal Law of Physics governing punctures. They just happen
    and for some strange reason they do seem to happen in spates for no
    apparent reason other than to annoy the hell out of you.
    
    FWIW, it's not your rim tape. Your rim tape woul dcause semi-circular
    punctures on the inside where the tyre was getting pinched on the spoke
    hole but not on the outside. Still, I stopped using the silly elasticy
    stuff you get because i don't think that it's wide enough and slips
    sideways to easily. I'm a pseudo Old Codger and use the good old cloth
    stuff...  :-)
    
    Graham.

    I had a time that I got them just about every 40 miles.  Upon close
    inspection I realized that there was chafing near the puncture.
    That was caused by a small cut in the tire where the cut would
    expand and close with each revolution of the wheel and abrade the tube.
    the cut was less than 2mm long.  This span of 160 miles was from
    Thursday evening to Friday Morning of BMB '90.  I changed one of those
    flats under a street light, another in the dark.  When I relaized what
    it was I grabbed a new tire at the first opportunity.  I had tried a
    few things as boots but they were not sufficient (I didn't yet know
    how effective a dollar bill would have been.)
    
    ed

As long as this topic has "tyre pressure" as it's title......


I typically bleed my tires (down to say 80psi from 115) prior to putting the bike
into my car when I take it to work for a lunch time ride.  I started doing this 
because I saw all the other (supposedly clever folks) doing the same thing.   My 
guess was that it couldn't be a bad idea since the interior temp in the car would
go well over 100 by the end of the afternoon (raising the pressure above 115).  
I typically don't do that when I leave the bike home in the garage (it's stored 
on a shelf that holds the top tube, with the tires off the ground).  Over the 
winter, I usually bleed all the air out and store it with the wheels off the 
ground.

Here's a couple of questions.....

1)  Do you bleed pressure after each ride regardless of where you're storing
	the bike?

2)  Any thoughts on cycling (heh heh) the pressure in the tubes multiple times?
	(could little abrasions in the tube rub the wrong way or just be
		exposed to bad stresses?)

3)  How about the valves....  Is the MTF of a presta valve a few hundred cycles,
	a few thousand, or a few million?

/Ron 

>1)  Do you bleed pressure after each ride regardless of where you're storing
>	the bike?

    In the summer, yes. As you guessed, the heat (even in Scotland :-)
    inside the car or the shed is much hotter and can blow the tube if it
    is already at max pressure. I just give the valve a quick blast that
    lets maybe 15psi out and have no problems. In winter time, I don't
    bother the same with my hack bike, but my good bike in store will have
    the wheels off the ground and just enough air to keep the tubes in
    shape but no real pressure in them. Really it's just to prevent the
    wear on tube (obviously a tube at pressure has a shorter life than one
    not at pressure. Split seems, etc...).
    
>2)  Any thoughts on cycling (heh heh) the pressure in the tubes multiple times?
>	(could little abrasions in the tube rub the wrong way or just be
>		exposed to bad stresses?)

    Not sure what you mean here. Do you mean is it bad for a tube be
    continually deflated and inflated. I would guess it probably is, but
    so minimal you can forget about it. I've never had any problems.
    
>3)  How about the valves....  Is the MTF of a presta valve a few hundred cycles,
>	a few thousand, or a few million?

    Like punctures, pot luck... Generally you'll throw the tyre out because
    it's more patch than tube before the valve really goes. At least you
    will on Scottish road surfaces...
    
    Graham.                          

    Oooooo... Another highly opinionated topic! 
    
    I don't ever worry about bleeding air. Never have and never will. I've
    never had a problem and don't ever expect too.
    
    Unless you're running air pressure on or close to the busrt threshold,
    which is almost alway close to 100lbs. above the recommended pressure
    on the tire, you shouldn't have a problem with heat playing on the
    tire/tube.
    
    Like Graham stated, valves (unless there's a defect) will normally
    outlast the life of the tube. 
    
    Fire away...
    
     Chip

RE: <<< Note 115.32 by ROCK::PRESTON "Dirty Logic Motto -- Issue Early, Issue Often" >>>

>Do you bleed pressure after each ride regardless of where you're storing the
>bike? 

No, I couldn't be bothered. As Chip says, the absolute pressure limit is MUCH
higher than the rated limit, making blow-outs from heat quite unlikely (though
I suppose not impossible). I don't store my bike in a car often anyway. As for
stress on the tube from sitting at 100PSI all the time, I'm not worried about
that either. The tube material is being squeezed/flattened by the pressure, but
it's not being stretched (thanks to the tire containing it).
						-- Tom

>    I don't ever worry about bleeding air. Never have and never will. I've
>    never had a problem and don't ever expect too.
    
    I started doing it when three tyres blew one summer while the bike was
    in the shed (wasn't bad luck, it happened to every cyclist in the club
    that didn't defate tyres). In my town, most sheds have got windows in
    them, usually on the south side for maximum light. I reckon that it was
    caused by the heat being magnified through the glass. I suppose you
    would get away without doing it if you don't have glass around the
    storage area.
    
    Actually, this could go in the dog note. It's amazing how frightened
    the local animals get when a tyre suddenly blows in the shed... :-)
    
    Graham.

    Letting some air out was an old habit recommended for tubulars.  Not
    much need for it with clinchers, especially these days.  I did have
    one blow out shen it was sitting in my van one hot summer day.  Might
    have hit 150�F in there that day.  Then again there might have been a
    weak spot in the tire.
    
    ed

    ummm
    
    Just did a quick application of Boyle's law (?).
    
    Assuming that you have your tyres are 130psi @ 17�C (62�F) and that
    they burst at 185psi, then the air inside needs to go upto over boiling
    point (260�F).  Not impossible under heavy sustained breaking but under 
    glass??
     

     I keep my rides in my basement. I had been doing a lot of "on road"
     riding with my off-road bike. Naturally, I cranked the psi up to
     un-godly limits. One afternoon we were all sitting around watching
     the TV (wife, cats, and the dog). Yup, kaboom! We weren't quite sure
     what it was at first. After peeling the animals off the ceiling and
     vacuuming the fur they left from lift-off :-) I went down stairs
     and sure enough... In fact, it ripped my side-wall out! I immediately,
     with eyes closed, let some air out of the other tire.
    
     Naturally, I told the shop it must've been defective... ;-)
    
     Chip

    
    You can blind me with science if you want, but it really does happen...
    :-)
    
    Graham.

I keep my bike in my station wagon lying on it's side (the bike, not the car :-)
every day for a quick lunchtime ride.  I always crack the windows since it has
gotten pretty hot this summer (in Littleton, MA).  I've never had a problem
with a blown tire.  I'm using a brand new set of wheels with Mavic Open 4CD
rims and Conti GP clinchers.  Always inflated to the 120 psi max, as well.

Haven't had a flat yet, either.  It's been ~1500 miles, so I probably just
jinxed myself!

One other thing to consider would be to cover your saddle with a light colored
rag if it is going to be in the sun.  My brand new Selle Italia Turbo started
having problems with the leather separating from the plastic shell due to
the extreme heat of the sun.  I used a hot glue gun to glue the leather back
into place and haven't had a problem since I've been covering it with a rag.

-Buddy

    Helmets don't do to well either, specifically the cheap glue they put
    on the velcro.
    
    Steve

    But instead of blasting off the rim, it could have been something like
    the sustained high pressure of the tube against the nipple heads or the
    nipple indents.  Though covered by the rim strip the strip can be
    compressed and provide less protection.
    
    Wot the hay, it's a theory.  :-)
    
    ed

re .38

Didn't the law say something about something else being constant?  I remember 
the good old Pirelli Gran Premios (29 shillings and sixpence, sir) that never 
got harder - just fatter!!  I used to bleed the air out of my tubs after 
races, now I object to wasting the energy I used to put it in - a bit like 
trying not to brake too much going downhill - and if they don't blow up 
outside a Bar in the S of F in summer at mid-day.....

(I got my best marks in Thermo - but I didn't _understand_ any of it for the 
whole 3 years...)

    P/T = rV..
    
    (or as applied to politicians `the greater the pressure, the greater
    the volume of hot air')