(repost)


vlad
Cabinite
Member # 16
posted November 23, 2001 17:15
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No flat tires on my BOV-bicycle.
Nov 9 I telephoned AirFreeTires http://airfreetires.com/
to place a credit card order; two each airfree high resilient Charleston Runabout 27x1-1/4 @ 160 psi-equiv.

They arrived yesterday. I did not succeed immediately in installing the tires per instructions. A few minutes of grunting and muttering convinced me there had to be a better way to install 160 psi-equiv tires. It occurs to me that tires with lesser psi-equivalent are probably easy to install with the tool I bought with the tires. I quit for the day having installed zero tires.

This morning I had a better idea. This method is actually easy.

-lower the tailgate of your pickup
-set the wheel on two 4x4 blocks on the tailgate
-run a rope around the rear bumper and over the driver side of the tailgate and through both bicycle wheel and tire at the 6 o'clock position. (You are standing at 3 o'clock.)
-at 12 o'clock use a ratchet-type-nylon-strap load binder.
-run the strap around the rear bumper, over the side of the tailgate and through the tire.
-work the ratchet to stretch the tire.
-put plenty of liquid hand soap on the inner surface and sides of the tire
--spray water on the rim
-lever a portion the tire onto the rim with a flat screwdriver or similar
-secure that segment of the tire with wire ties
-reposition one or more times as necessary to install the tire



By this time it was midday and warmer than I like. I rode only 5 miles. The tires had zilch rolling resistance. The 160 psi transmitted every bump to my bones as expected on a hardtail bike. I had purposely removed my gel seat pad so as to gain an appreciation of these tires with a normal bike seat. On a bike with springs and/or gel seat pad you probably would not notice the difference in tires -- except no flats.

I called AFT to order two Teton All Terrain HP 26x2.0 high resilient @ 160 psi-equiv for my Schwinn Impact 18 speed mountain bike. The answering machine answered. Maybe a long weekend? I will order the other tires first thing Monday morning.


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