On Wed, 28 Apr 2021 18:51:58 +0100, T i m wrote:

Methinks a barrow's wheel gets more exposure.

Quite, and I really don't think you can beat a pneumatic tyre on a
barrow for ease and comfort of use.

As you say, if the foam is soft enough to 'give' with anything below a
full (weight) load, the chances are it won't last that long after
being driven over sharp edges (rubble and the like).

Hard enough to be tough and it ends up being solid, especially with a
medium load and you feel every bump and can't easily start moving over
even small obstructions. Easy effect to see when you hit a small stone
with a reasonably loaded std in-store shopping trolley. ;-(

The old barrow has a solid tyre, don't know if it's foam (and don't intend
to find out!) Could be useful as a bodge-on spare. It's at least 30 yo and
spent about 15 y on a building site (all guestmations). It is hard, though.

If you end up with an inflatable tyred barrow and want to run an
experiment with me, if we confirm the valve position I'll get a
suitably sized tube (normally 3.50x8?), treat it to a dose of
Punctureseal and stick it in the post (all foc), as long as you let us
know how it works out? ;-)

Thank you very much. It might take some time as use is intermittent.
A mate put something in the tubs on his time-trialer (in the '70s. Saved the
frequent pumping up, as they leak a bit at 7 bar, and saved unstitching
thetyre to get at the tube).
--
Peter.
The gods will stay away
whilst religions hold sway