Want to buy some wire-bead clinchers at a web site. Am nervous Mr. UPS will deform the tires during shipping. Does everyone receive theirs in good shape? Any horror stories? Am thinking about biketiresdirect.com. Can I assume they know how to ship to protect the tires? Any reason to avoid them?

I've bought many wire beads tires online including biketiresdirect.com and it's never been a problem.

You are being extremely paranoid. They will be fine, it's not fine china.

If imagining Mr. UPS dropping a mega-pound package on a tire thrown in at an angle, and having the wire bead bent so as not to seal later is paranoid, then you're right. But "extremely" is a bit of hyperbole...

Yes it does.

This is why nobody ever buys tires online.

Oh, wait...

extremely paranoid

Just forget about wire bead then. Even if they're fine they are going to have to be put in a bigger box and it will cost more to ship.