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Primo Comet WARNING

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Primo Comet WARNING

Old 02-19-15, 02:19 PM
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Primo Comet WARNING

Hi folks,

Awhile back iambent over at BRO wrote "A front Comet on a LWB riding wet pavement is a recipe for disaster." I stupidly ignored his (and others' on the net) advice and wanted to make sure no one else here makes my same mistake.

I've been riding ER bikes for almost a decade now, first a TE and then a GRR. In all that time I have NEVER had the bike slip out on a wet or damp surface. EVER. Then last month I decided I wanted to try a wider tire on my front 451 for a softer ride and installed a Comet.

BIG mistake. ONE WEEK LATER - literally one week - at around 5mph I hit a damp patch on the bike path and before I knew what had happened the bike was flat and we were sliding with my ankle trapped underneath. Fractured ankle, multiple nasty abrasions, all in the blink of an eye. Unbelievable.

PLEASE LEARN FROM MY MISTAKE. I know a lot of people like Comets, and maybe they're okay on SWBs or other configurations (I don't know), but run (while you can - little fractured ankle humor there) from them if you're riding a LWB. That's my advice to you anyway.

Good luck out there!
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Old 02-19-15, 05:48 PM
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by definition the front wheel on a LWB wont have much weight on it ..

A Friend put a pannier rack on the front of his Ryan Vanguard . (406 front wheel)
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Old 02-19-15, 09:21 PM
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My V3 (LWB) has about a 30/70 F/R weight distribution. Currently running a Forte Metro K on the front (and rear). Less tread than Comets. No problems with the Fortes or with Comets when I used them on this bike for a couple of years.
Dropped my V-Rex (Comet on the front) on oily pavement a couple of years ago and went down on our Screamer last summer on a bridge with wet steel decking. (Comets again.) No tire is a match for oily pavement or wet steel.
Sorry to hear of the accident and injuries.
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Old 02-20-15, 07:36 AM
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Yeah, I've stayed out of the thread over on BROL. I've always heard that Primos can be slippery on wet pavement, but I've always had good luck with them. I'm pretty sure part of the 'recipe for disaster' involved the lighty-loaded front wheel on a TE. And any time there's freshly-wet pavement, there's the possibility of oil on top of it, or at least of the 'damp patch' having that effect.

I think it's a good cautionary tale, but not just for Comets. Our only traction on pavement comes from rubber-to-pavement contact and wet disrupts that.
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Old 03-05-15, 09:57 PM
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If you can find a folding bead tire for a 451, you can play with lower tire pressures and get the softer ride you want. I have a 406 front tire on my Easy Sport and run Panaracer folders. At 65 to 70 psi (max 90) it gets rid of the road buzz that drives the nerves in my hands crazy. I hope you heal up well. bk
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Old 03-07-15, 03:26 PM
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I don't think that folding beads have anything to do with being able to run lower pressures. That's more a function of weight versus tire width. I run the front [wire bead] 1.25" tire on my LWB at about 50psi. That's a bit higher than recommended by 15% tire drop calculators.

Doesn't appear that cyclorama has been back since posting his warning. Hope things are healing.
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Old 03-07-15, 05:22 PM
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My Tour Easy LE has that 451 front end,

I run the Kenda quest 100 psi at 75 psi.

When I find myself entering a fast turn and suspect wet I sit up, lean forward and lead the bike with my head and shoulders.
This helps me keep the bike a bit more upright...
That seems to load the front tire some, I have never washed it out yet.

You don't have to be static on a LWB bent. you need to become one with the bike but no one said we had to be a fixed static payload...

,,,just sayin,,,,


That 'Road Buzz' bkaapcke spoke of, I feel that when my psi is above 85
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