streetsurfer

1989Pre

I just got the proper wheel-set built-up for the Barnard, and I plan on using these "flint catchers". The tyres I have on there right now are 1970's IRC (heavy) wire-bead, with no real flat protection, so I could use the boon. I hope they link-up with my steel Phillips calipers.

1989Pre

That is good news and must be something new. When I lived there, up to 2012, the stretch from Sullivan Square, through Charlestown and into N. Station was hell, on wheels. Lots of steel debris that flew or fell off of trucks of all shapes and sizes. "Mefa" roads were comparitively clean.

SJX426 

PXL_20221105_141121406 on Flickr
PXL_20221105_141246359 on Flickr

tiger1964 

I see a little daylight between tire and tire saver between 12 o'clock position and one thirty? I presume one could drive oneself mad trying to get the perfect 'bend' so that contact is even across the entire surface. I am becoming interested as I do get flats, never from thorns and such but there is an amazing amount of glass along roads.

SJX426 

@tiger1964 - If you watch the tire as it rotates, the gaps move based on the tire shape. For me that is good enough. I don't let them ride on the tread because it wears out the wire and is still effective if the gap isn't too big.

scarlson 

Oh, yeah, that's the thing. Main roads in somerville are still really bad. Somerville focuses way too much on street sweeping the little side streets and neglects main thoroughfares. It goes against what you'd think would be right, and I think it's just to get parking ticket revenue from hapless renters and workers in service vehicles who don't know the system.

Medford's approach makes more sense. They do a weekly sweep of the main arteries at night, May-Oct, and leave the side streets alone. Then all the residential side streets get swept twice a year to get rid of leaves and litter in fall, and traction sand from snow melt in spring.

I'm lucky enough to have a commute that's mainly on smaller residential streets.

1989Pre

I rode in and out of Harvard square to Stoneham for eighteen years. I never had a problem with Medford. My first Kevlar-belted tires (Bontrager Select K) were a revelation. They literally changed my life.

unworthy1

I was a dedicated user when riding sewups, they were not a panacea but seemed to help...until they didn't.
There was a guy (maybe retired from posting here) that had a cottage business hand-crafting these, his were very nice, cannot recall his name right now. He used brass wire.
EDIT: I re-read earlier posts and both Pastor Bob and Bianchigrll named "Rootboy" and that he has passed on...sorry I did not realize! May he RIP.

it's quaint how in some locales they are referred to as "flint catchers": we have no flint littering any roads around here. The locals discovered beer bottles decades ago!

streetsurfer

One of the flats I was spared….I had a green piece of beer bottle fly up at me after hitting the tire saver. It stuck to my leg.

tiger1964 

Wait -- you mean tires are not 100% concentric?

Anyway, reading this topic, I might reconsider their use. That said, most of the flats I get are from relatively small glass splinters. I'll presume the benefit is from getting them knocked loose before driven into the tire by subsequent revolutions of the wheel.

pastorbobnlnh 

Yes. Take a look back in this thread at the pictures I posted (in post number 8). You can easily see the difference in the debris between the two sides of the tire savers.

The Golden Boy 

Yes, Scott made them- he was the supplier for Compass/Rene Herse.

He was an awesome guy.

79pmooney

I ran them actually rubbing. Spokes make good replacement wire so I never considered the wear to be much of an issue. (I always had dead ones on hand. Way, way too useful for all sorts of house stuff to throw out!)

79pmooney

Few tubulars are actually concentric. (And most of those that are are quite expensive. Gotta find people with real sewing skills and who care.) That said, the time saved from routine flats from little pieces of glass, etc. are fully worth the use of a tool that usually doesn't rise to the expectations of the OCD crowd.

BTinNYC

I'd like replace the plastic tubing on mine, it's gross. Any ideas on a source?

pastorbobnlnh 

My local ACE Hardware carries clear tubing in different diameters, and they sell it by the foot. However, since you live in NYC, is there even a hardware store in the city?

pastorbobnlnh 

My local ACE Hardware carries clear tubing in different diameters, and they sell it by the foot. But, do you live in NYC, and is there even a hardware store in the city?

BTinNYC

Cool.
I'm in an old fashioned neighborhood; single family houses and a Main St with an Ace Hardware. Not in glittery Manhattan or supercool Brooklyn. 😉

albrt 

If somebody can figure out a design that functions as both a tire-protector and a flickstand, they will rule the world.

tiger1964 

Good to know -- last time I had tubulars was almost 50 years ago, I have forgotten a lot. Planning on using some in the foreseeable future, however; somewhere in the seventeen thousand posts in "Totally Tubular" will be input on which are most concentric, I'm sure.

himespau 

I bought several sets from Rootboy back in the day. I think only my wife's bike has them mounted currently. When I took it to the shop for something I couldn't figure out a couple years back, all the mechanics were confused by it and asked if they were just there to make noise. I eventually decided I didn't really trust most of the mechanics at that shop for completely unrelated reasons and found a new shop.