OT? bicycle tires

1) I thought, starrting about 1978, that bicycle tires had to have a
reflective strip on each side, so the tires would show up in
headlights. I've seen tires for sale without that. ???

2) Bike tires could be twisted into three rings, easier to carry than
one big ring but still pretty bulky. Now Bell and maybe others sell
tires where the tire is rolled up, and from left to right, including
both beads, the tire is flat. These are sold in boxes where the front
of the box is cut out and one can see the surface well and touch it.

Now isn't the middle of the tire longer than either bead? Does it
stretch when it's rolled up? What about the side wall? Does the middle
get shorter?

On Sun, 14 Jul 2013 08:40:19 -0400, micky
wrote:

OT? bicycle tires

1) I thought, starrting about 1978, that bicycle tires had to have a
reflective strip on each side, so the tires would show up in
headlights. I've seen tires for sale without that. ???

2) Bike tires could be twisted into three rings, easier to carry than
one big ring but still pretty bulky. Now Bell and maybe others sell
tires where the tire is rolled up, and from left to right, including
both beads, the tire is flat. These are sold in boxes where the front
of the box is cut out and one can see the surface well and touch it.

Now isn't the middle of the tire longer than either bead? Does it
stretch when it's rolled up? What about the side wall? Does the middle
get shorter?

For example
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Bell-Sport...-Tire/15188807

' This 26" tire can be used as a spare tire, because it folds and
unfolds with ease.

Bell Sports 26" Road Ti

Carbon-steel bead
DuPont layer
Does not fit comfort, cruiser or mountain bike'

On 7/14/2013 8:45 AM, micky wrote:
On Sun, 14 Jul 2013 08:40:19 -0400, micky
wrote:

OT? bicycle tires

1) I thought, starrting about 1978, that bicycle tires had to have a
reflective strip on each side, so the tires would show up in
headlights. I've seen tires for sale without that. ???

2) Bike tires could be twisted into three rings, easier to carry than
one big ring but still pretty bulky. Now Bell and maybe others sell
tires where the tire is rolled up, and from left to right, including
both beads, the tire is flat. These are sold in boxes where the front
of the box is cut out and one can see the surface well and touch it.

Now isn't the middle of the tire longer than either bead? Does it
stretch when it's rolled up? What about the side wall? Does the middle
get shorter?

For example
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Bell-Sport...-Tire/15188807

' This 26" tire can be used as a spare tire, because it folds and
unfolds with ease.

Bell Sports 26" Road Ti

Carbon-steel bead
DuPont layer
Does not fit comfort, cruiser or mountain bike'


Used to cycle back then but never heard of such a rule.
I don't know about this tire but I recommend tires with Kevlar because
of their cut resistance.

On Sun, 14 Jul 2013 08:40:19 -0400, micky
wrote:

OT? bicycle tires

1) I thought, starrting about 1978, that bicycle tires had to have a
reflective strip on each side, so the tires would show up in
headlights. I've seen tires for sale without that. ???

I don't think it was the tires that needed a reflector, I think the
rule required that the "wheel" have a reflector. Mine have them
attached to the spokes.

On 07/15/2013 04:32 AM, Ashton Crusher wrote:
On Sun, 14 Jul 2013 08:40:19 -0400, micky
wrote:

OT? bicycle tires

1) I thought, starrting about 1978, that bicycle tires had to have a
reflective strip on each side, so the tires would show up in
headlights. I've seen tires for sale without that. ???

I don't think it was the tires that needed a reflector, I think the
rule required that the "wheel" have a reflector. Mine have them
attached to the spokes.


I believe it may be required in Europe but not in the US. I assume not
Japan either as the tires that I've seen with the reflective sidewalls
are all European (Michelin, Schwalbe, etc.) but Panasonic tires don't
have them...

You'd probably get a more exact answer asking somewhere like
rec.bicycles.tech (or A. Muzi may be reading this group?)

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

On Mon, 15 Jul 2013 08:32:43 -0400, Nate Nagel
wrote:

On 07/15/2013 04:32 AM, Ashton Crusher wrote:
On Sun, 14 Jul 2013 08:40:19 -0400, micky
wrote:

OT? bicycle tires

1) I thought, starrting about 1978, that bicycle tires had to have a
reflective strip on each side, so the tires would show up in
headlights. I've seen tires for sale without that. ???

I don't think it was the tires that needed a reflector, I think the
rule required that the "wheel" have a reflector. Mine have them
attached to the spokes.

Yes, the wheels needed a reflector, and I added them to this bike,
built from junk parts 38 years ago. Red in front and white in back,
iirc (My bike is upstairs, but I'm too lazy to go look)

But I had a pair of tires that also had a reflective strip, ring,
circle, about 1/4 or 3/8 inch across, on the sidewall. And I
remember seeing a commercial, or maybe a public service announcement,
on tv that showed a bike from the car driver's pov, and the two
reflective circles were very noticeable, and were enough to make it
seem like a bicycle.

Now, when I needed another tire, I thought every tire would have them.
Not that I plan to ride at night, but I've been starting about dawn
when it's not hot out, and I can imagine waking up earlier and having
nothing to do but ride.

I believe it may be required in Europe but not in the US. I assume not
Japan either as the tires that I've seen with the reflective sidewalls
are all European (Michelin,

I think they sell Michelin bike tires here, in the US. I'll look.

Schwalbe, etc.) but Panasonic tires don't
have them...

You'd probably get a more exact answer asking somewhere like
rec.bicycles.tech (or A. Muzi may be reading this group?)

Thanks. I'll check with them. I didnt' get that far alphabetically
before.


nate

On 07/15/2013 12:53 PM, micky wrote:
On Mon, 15 Jul 2013 08:32:43 -0400, Nate Nagel
wrote:

On 07/15/2013 04:32 AM, Ashton Crusher wrote:
On Sun, 14 Jul 2013 08:40:19 -0400, micky
wrote:

OT? bicycle tires

1) I thought, starrting about 1978, that bicycle tires had to have a
reflective strip on each side, so the tires would show up in
headlights. I've seen tires for sale without that. ???

I don't think it was the tires that needed a reflector, I think the
rule required that the "wheel" have a reflector. Mine have them
attached to the spokes.

Yes, the wheels needed a reflector, and I added them to this bike,
built from junk parts 38 years ago. Red in front and white in back,
iirc (My bike is upstairs, but I'm too lazy to go look)

But I had a pair of tires that also had a reflective strip, ring,
circle, about 1/4 or 3/8 inch across, on the sidewall. And I
remember seeing a commercial, or maybe a public service announcement,
on tv that showed a bike from the car driver's pov, and the two
reflective circles were very noticeable, and were enough to make it
seem like a bicycle.

Now, when I needed another tire, I thought every tire would have them.
Not that I plan to ride at night, but I've been starting about dawn
when it's not hot out, and I can imagine waking up earlier and having
nothing to do but ride.

I believe it may be required in Europe but not in the US. I assume not
Japan either as the tires that I've seen with the reflective sidewalls
are all European (Michelin,

I think they sell Michelin bike tires here, in the US. I'll look.
but
Schwalbe, etc.) but Panasonic tires don't
have them...

You'd probably get a more exact answer asking somewhere like
rec.bicycles.tech (or A. Muzi may be reading this group?)

Thanks. I'll check with them. I didnt' get that far alphabetically
before.


nate


yeah you are required to have reflectors on a new bike sold in the US -
usually white front red rear.

I and most cyclists hate them (they always rattle and look goofy, and
there's a pic floating around somewhere of a reflector stuffed into the
chainstay of a 'spensive new carbon fiber frame, apparently that
happened when a reflector came loose on a test ride!) so the reflective
stripe tires really are an excellent idea.

Another idea which I did on one of my bikes is if you have deep section
rims you could put little patches of 3M reflective tape on the side of
the rim (but obviously you cannot do that if the entire side of the rim
is the braking surface.) That still looks a little Fredly but better
than the plastic reflectors, and if being a Fred keeps me from getting
hit by a car, so be it.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

On 7/15/2013 11:37 AM, Nate Nagel wrote:
On 07/15/2013 12:53 PM, micky wrote:
On Mon, 15 Jul 2013 08:32:43 -0400, Nate Nagel
wrote:

On 07/15/2013 04:32 AM, Ashton Crusher wrote:
On Sun, 14 Jul 2013 08:40:19 -0400, micky
wrote:

OT? bicycle tires

1) I thought, starrting about 1978, that bicycle tires had to have a
reflective strip on each side, so the tires would show up in
headlights. I've seen tires for sale without that. ???

I don't think it was the tires that needed a reflector, I think the
rule required that the "wheel" have a reflector. Mine have them
attached to the spokes.

Yes, the wheels needed a reflector, and I added them to this bike,
built from junk parts 38 years ago. Red in front and white in back,
iirc (My bike is upstairs, but I'm too lazy to go look)

But I had a pair of tires that also had a reflective strip, ring,
circle, about 1/4 or 3/8 inch across, on the sidewall. And I
remember seeing a commercial, or maybe a public service announcement,
on tv that showed a bike from the car driver's pov, and the two
reflective circles were very noticeable, and were enough to make it
seem like a bicycle.

Now, when I needed another tire, I thought every tire would have them.
Not that I plan to ride at night, but I've been starting about dawn
when it's not hot out, and I can imagine waking up earlier and having
nothing to do but ride.

I believe it may be required in Europe but not in the US. I assume not
Japan either as the tires that I've seen with the reflective sidewalls
are all European (Michelin,

I think they sell Michelin bike tires here, in the US. I'll look.
but
Schwalbe, etc.) but Panasonic tires don't
have them...

You'd probably get a more exact answer asking somewhere like
rec.bicycles.tech (or A. Muzi may be reading this group?)

Thanks. I'll check with them. I didnt' get that far alphabetically
before.


nate


yeah you are required to have reflectors on a new bike sold in the US -
usually white front red rear.

I and most cyclists hate them (they always rattle and look goofy, and
there's a pic floating around somewhere of a reflector stuffed into the
chainstay of a 'spensive new carbon fiber frame, apparently that
happened when a reflector came loose on a test ride!) so the reflective
stripe tires really are an excellent idea.

Another idea which I did on one of my bikes is if you have deep section
rims you could put little patches of 3M reflective tape on the side of
the rim (but obviously you cannot do that if the entire side of the rim
is the braking surface.) That still looks a little Fredly but better
than the plastic reflectors, and if being a Fred keeps me from getting
hit by a car, so be it.

nate


http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...olights-wheels

On Mon, 15 Jul 2013 11:59:20 -0700, chaniarts
wrote:

On 7/15/2013 11:37 AM, Nate Nagel wrote:
On 07/15/2013 12:53 PM, micky wrote:
.................

Yes, the wheels needed a reflector, and I added them to this bike,
built from junk parts 38 years ago. Red in front and white in back,
iirc (My bike is upstairs, but I'm too lazy to go look)
.........


yeah you are required to have reflectors on a new bike sold in the US -
usually white front red rear.

I and most cyclists hate them (they always rattle and look goofy, and
there's a pic floating around somewhere of a reflector stuffed into the
chainstay of a 'spensive new carbon fiber frame, apparently that
happened when a reflector came loose on a test ride!) so the reflective
stripe tires really are an excellent idea.

Another idea which I did on one of my bikes is if you have deep section
rims you could put little patches of 3M reflective tape on the side of
the rim (but obviously you cannot do that if the entire side of the rim
is the braking surface.) That still looks a little Fredly but better
than the plastic reflectors, and if being a Fred keeps me from getting
hit by a car, so be it.

nate


http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...olights-wheels

The picture here agrees with what Nate said, white front and red rear.

But that's not the way I remember the rules, and it makes more sense
the other way.

If the bike is to your right, say, but headed into your path (in a
car) , you really should stop, and that's why the front tire should
have the red reflector. OTOH, if the bike is in front of your car
already and headed, to your left, out of the path of the car, you may
only have to slow down, because in a couple seconds the bike won't be
in your way. So the rear wheel doesn't need a red reflector. It can
be white or something.

To prove my point I went to google images of "bicycle" and most by far
have NO wheel reflectors, and most of the rest have two that are the
same color!!!! (white, orange, or red) I went to kmart.com and
walmart.com and their pictures of bicycles have no wheel reflectors
either. So now I''ll hve to go to a store that sells bikes.

On 07-15-2013 04:32, Ashton Crusher wrote:
On Sun, 14 Jul 2013 08:40:19 -0400, micky
wrote:

1) I thought, starrting about 1978, that bicycle tires had to have a
reflective strip on each side, so the tires would show up in
headlights. I've seen tires for sale without that. ???

I don't think it was the tires that needed a reflector, I think the
rule required that the "wheel" have a reflector. Mine have them
attached to the spokes.

There's no such thing as "the rule." Now if you were to say, "The rule
in (place) ..."


--
Wes Groleau

The man who says, €œI can do it!" may sometimes fail.
The man who says, €œImpossible!" will never succeed.