Originally Posted by
Road Fan
This was about 15 years ago. I had been using Giros off and on for a few years, on roads in Denver Colorado and Dallas, TX. I didn't have a lot of trouble with them at first. Occasional flats and one carcass failure. Then I started reading horror stories on BF about whole batches failing. I pooh-poohed it, until someone asked for my address. A few days later I I opened a UPS box which had 4 unused and absolutely useless and unrepairable Giros in it. At this point I realized I needed to stop recommending them. Not long after their price popped up about $10 each (about $40?), while the YJ tires were unchanged and still 3 for $50. At that point I just left the Giro behind me. I continued using my small stash when I had to equip a wheel, but those tires eventually all turned into that twisty snake inside shape. Have never had that problem with YJs. My Gommi experience is fewer tires, but all good - Reliable and they feel good!
You also mentioned the Gommi Champions mounted to the rim with a gap on either side of the valve. I have had that happen with a few tires, but I have never worried about it, and just went out riding. After some time on the road the tires got "rounder." If I was really conscientious I would have demounted and re-glued them after they settled, but I did not. As a cyclist I beleive they are safe. As a safety engineer I am not supposed to believe anything is safe unless I have a well-documented paper pile that explains how its safety is guaranteed by known physics, but actually BF is probably the closest to that, as far as I can see. I think they are most-likely fine, and I would still just ride them cautiously/carefully and look, feel, and listen for any signs of trouble brewing. Have you tried to ride them with those gaps? What happenned? Did you put maybe 4 days of usage on them? Did it feel odd in any way on the road? Have the gaps become smaller in any amount?
Thanks for the detailed answers!
My pair of Giros are probably from the same era; gumwalls with the small orange label. Tread still seems pliable, tho the latex on the sidewalls is beginning to brown nicely. The valve sits nicely and doesn't ride up, so that's a bit of a leg-up over the Gommi Champions, but the Champions are newer. I would also imagine that a little bit of a gap that will probably settle later is no biggie in any case; the area is as small as the area some have suggested to leave tape- or glue-less on the opposing side. Pretty sure if it were an issue more people would be pointing that issue out.
I've not mounted any of the tires yet as I'm waiting on tape and the new Challenge Elites to arrive; they are going to be my beginner pair. My plan is to ride them - if possible - for an entire week straight, then go over to one of my clincher-tired bikes and do the same, then report my findings in a compare/contrast post in this thread. If nothing else, it may serve as a practical lesson to someone else thinking of going back to tubulars after a long absence - or even for someone contemplating tubulars for the first time.
DD