31
votes
Why are there no snow chains for bicycles?
TL;DNR - They would (probably not) solve a problem that does not exist and would probably cost to much.
I suspect the reasons you cannot get chains (including modern equivalents such as 'snow socks' ...
- 47.8k
26
votes
How to tell when it's time to give up on tires?
For reference - tire parts names.
The "Anti-puncture strip" and "bead protection tape" are not found on most tires.
Bead, casing, sidewall, and tread are the most common ...
- 19.9k
23
votes
Why is my inner tube not distributing air evenly in it?
If you are just inflating a tube alone, it will be uneven above a certain pressure. It is not supposed to hold significant pressure on its own. It is used inside a tyre. If you did not overstretch it, ...
- 15.3k
23
votes
Should I risk riding these tires?
This is old rubber. Depending on the state of the carcass (the fabric within the rubber), it's still perfectly rideable. However, you can expect a slightly increased puncture frequency (small stones/...
21
votes
Accepted
Can you buy tyres to resist punctures from large thorns?
The Schwalbe Land Cruiser (without Plus) only has a “K Guard” puncture protection.
According to Schwalbe it’s one of their weakest puncture protection technologies:
https://www.schwalbe.com/en/...
- 25.8k
20
votes
Accepted
Are pre-glued patch kits advisable?
Personally I don't bother patching on the roadside - my success rate was low.
Instead I carry a spare tube (sometimes 2) and just swap the whole thing as a primary fix. Then I patch the tube at home ...
- 120k
20
votes
Why don't my studded tyres grip on ice?
Stud tyres are very much not a scam. Of course even they don't produce as much grip on ice as on tarmac, but very much more than non-studded tyres do.
I agree with Ted Hohl that your mistake was ...
- 3,346
20
votes
Are wider tires better on ice?
On a smooth sheet of ice only studded tyres provide real grip. With all other tyres you can only hope to stay upright if you go as straight and steady as possible. Even the tiniest turn or braking is ...
- 25.8k
19
votes
I have a bent aluminum rim on my Merida MTB. Is it damaged beyond repair?
UPDATE That aluminium rim is cracked. You should scrap it immediately. The crack is a weak point and if you try and straighten it, the crack will widen.
The air pressure in the tyre will lengthen ...
- 120k
18
votes
Accepted
Why Does Braking to a Complete Stop Feel Exponentially Harder Than Slowing Down?
Mostly aerodynamics. When you brake, you stop pedalling. So the air resistance actively contributes a braking force which is proportional to the square of your speed.
The wind at 10 km/h has far ...
- 120k
17
votes
Why are there no snow chains for bicycles?
There is a product called ReTyre , https://www.retyre.co/ , that aims to solve that problem. It is heavily advertised here in Norway.
- 171
16
votes
Accepted
Anything wrong with 100 PSI in 700x32 tires on a road bike?
The Trek Domane SL7 comes with wide, modern rims with 25mm internal width. Using 32mm wide tyres at 100 PSI (6.9 bar) should be perfectly safe with such rims. As you note, the tyres are also rated for ...
- 25.8k
14
votes
I have a bent aluminum rim on my Merida MTB. Is it damaged beyond repair?
When dealing with dents like in the first photo only…
I get dents like this all the time. I straighten them out with a crescent (adjustable) wrench.
Start with small movements to get a feel for how ...
- 3,245
14
votes
Accepted
Why is my inner tube not distributing air evenly in it?
Tubes aren't designed to be stretched; they are simply there to hold the air while the rim and tire contain the pressure.
Consider what happens when you blow up a long thin balloon.
First, the loose ...
- 637
14
votes
Why are mountain bike tires rated for so much lower pressure than road bikes?
There are three aspects to it:
Rated max pressure doesn't necessarily have much to do with how much pressure the tyre can really withstand safely. All ratings on products are at least a bit below ...
- 3,346
12
votes
Accepted
How can I estimate the actual tire width of the new tire?
Curiously, Schwalbe make this statement:
Why are tires often narrower than the stated tire size?
In order to ensure that tires have sufficient frame clearance, tire manufacturers generally prefer to ...
- 120k
12
votes
Are wider tires better on ice?
There's no significant difference in grip on ice between different tyre widths or thread pattern. Only steel studs can really help. Tyre compound can perhaps make a small contribution, but not enough ...
- 3,346
12
votes
Why are mountain bike tires rated for so much lower pressure than road bikes?
Of course it would be possible to build mountain bike tyres that could take the same sort of pressure as road bike tyres. But they'd be very heavy, expensive (with all the extra material in them) and ...
- 55.7k
12
votes
Should I risk riding these tires?
Two main problems with old rubber like this - risk of punctures is increased, as already describe in the answer by @monica, but the other problem is the rubber is now hardened and has less traction, ...
- 47.8k
11
votes
Back tire flat only when I sit on it
A tire may look fully inflated when only the bike's weight is on it.
The median bike weight is somewhere between 10 and 15 kilograms, so about half of that on each wheel.
But add a rider who weighs ...
- 120k
10
votes
Are pre-glued patch kits advisable?
They can be useful, if you use them right. In particular:
The area where the patch will be applied still needs to be rasped a bit just like if you were applying a regular patch. The same mold release ...
- 1,051
10
votes
Why are there no snow chains for bicycles?
There is also a different product that might be useful for you.
https://www.slipnottraction.com/shop
But I would really only ride with this on snowed in roads. I prefer studded tires as they also ride ...
- 101
10
votes
Why don't my studded tyres grip on ice?
I believe you may have answered your own question.
But I noticed that the tyres (which had been professionally installed by a local bicycle place) had far less than 50 PSI of pressure, so I had to ...
- 5,830
10
votes
Why don't my studded tyres grip on ice?
When the studs on tires work correctly they actually bite into the ice. If the tire does not have the "right" pressure the tire surface will flex around the studs and defeat the ...
- 19.9k
10
votes
Are wider tires better on ice?
Yes. On clean ice the width doesn't make much difference but on frozen tarmac the larger contact surface increases the chances that there is something the tire can grip.
Note that the area and shape ...
- 21.6k
10
votes
What do these tire markings mean?
Sounds like your tyre is something in the Energiser range.
https://www.schwalbetires.com/Energizer-Plus-11101131
The 50 marking might be "E-50" which is an ebike certification claiming its ...
- 120k
10
votes
Accepted
I can't fix my tire
It looks like you have the bead outside the rim.
Here's a schematic from Wikimedia, of an installed tire. It looks like you have left the part labeled 4 on the outside.
How you can fix this is, put a ...
- 1,050
10
votes
Accepted
When does the braking power stop scaling with Rotor Size
"wouldn't that be fundamentally limited by the friction between the ground and the rider" - no. The most common limit is the rotational force from the torque generated between the ground/...
- 47.8k
9
votes
Accepted
Slick Hybrid Bike Tires on Steep Gravel Descent?
Going very slowly, modulating the brakes, using not only front brake but as much rear brake as you can is the best idea.
I'm assuming it's not -25 degrees (-47%) but rather -25%. That's because -47% ...
- 17.7k
9
votes
Slick Hybrid Bike Tires on Steep Gravel Descent?
If you have concerns, there is absolutely no shame in getting off and walking down this descent.
There is no reason to ride anything that makes you feel unsafe, so just don't. Always an option.
- 120k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible