# 13 Years Of Oil



## SirMike1983 (Sep 18, 2016)

Here's a set of Kenda tires I put on my 1974 Raleigh in 2003. They were brand new at that time and have been on the same wheels ever since. The darker tire on the right is the rear and was subjected to any excess oil that escaped from the Sturmey hub. Its condition was worse than the front. Oil has an insidious negative effect on tires and tubes, and these pictures show it.

http://bikeshedva.blogspot.com/2016/09/panaracer-col-de-la-vie-for-raleigh.html


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## Gasbag (Sep 18, 2016)

My Rudge Sport has Kenda gumwalls, fantastic tires at a good price.

Oil on the rear tire and rim is a Sturmey thing. Two things I do is periodically wipe the rims braking surface with degreaser and try to remember to park them with the oil port façing upward.


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## ChimeraCycles (Sep 19, 2016)

Is the integrity of the tire affected?

Sent from my SCH-R970 using Tapatalk


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## bulldog1935 (Sep 19, 2016)

I use 303 Protectant on my tires - it seems to remove fresh oil spots

the integrity thing is over time residual oil will oxidize into organic acids that will attack the rubber chemical bonds


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## SirMike1983 (Sep 19, 2016)

These had not yet reached the point where they were structurally deficient, but they were on their way there. The side walls grew more petrified and became filled with cracks. The front tire was in better shape. It may be tempting to rotate the tires, but this is actually a mistake. By doing so you put the more worn, potentially damaged tire in front, which is where a blow out will do far more damage.


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## rideahiggins (Sep 19, 2016)

Why you want to ride on a stained, questionable tire when you can replace them for less than $12 a piece?


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## Gasbag (Sep 22, 2016)

Now that you have had the Col De La Vie for a few days, how are you liking the ride? I have a set for my upcoming restoration on my '55 Superbe and am a little concerned that the increased cushy ride is going to mean more rolling resistance. The combined weight of me and the bike will be around 275#.


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## SirMike1983 (Sep 24, 2016)

Gasbag said:


> Now that you have had the Col De La Vie for a few days, how are you liking the ride? I have a set for my upcoming restoration on my '55 Superbe and am a little concerned that the increased cushy ride is going to mean more rolling resistance. The combined weight of me and the bike will be around 275#.




They're very good. The side walls quote a pressure just below 45 PSI. Harris Cyclery quotes 55 psi. I found that at 45 PSI, they were very cushy but very slow. That might be good on gravel or such. 50-55 PSI they ran much better. They are only slightly slower than Kenda K40s at the same pressure, but much cushier. They have an "all 'rounder" type tread that is not quite slick, but has small knobs. They handle dirt/sand/stones better than Kendas.

The hardest part is getting them to fit. It's a _very_ close fit in the fenders. I did get them to go OK on my 1974 Sports.


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## bulldog1935 (Sep 26, 2016)

Grand Bois tires are excellent, a good range of sizes, and good service.  
Plus they send their nifty catalog with every order.  
Can be a little tricky to figure out their website, but it works.  When you place an order, they will contact you with a paypal invoice.


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## momo608 (Sep 26, 2016)

Automobile tires are said to be compromised after only ten years of life due to age not miles traveled. 13 years for Kendas sounds to me that they should be replaced anyway.


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## SirMike1983 (Sep 26, 2016)

momo608 said:


> Automobile tires are said to be compromised after only ten years of life due to age not miles traveled. 13 years for Kendas sounds to me that they should be replaced anyway.




Bicycle tires seem capable of lasting longer than 10 years, but the general point that they go south at some point holds. The treads on these were still OK, the side walls on the back were a little hardened, but still safe. I probably could get another season, but as was said above, why force it when I could try the Col de La Vies as an upgrade.


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## Dale Alan (Sep 26, 2016)

Those tires have me interested. All my tires are good right now but I think I will give them a try anyway on my favorite Superbe. anyway.


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## momo608 (Sep 26, 2016)

SirMike1983 said:


> Bicycle tires seem capable of lasting longer than 10 years, but the general point that they go south at some point holds. The treads on these were still OK, the side walls on the back were a little hardened, but still safe. I probably could get another season, but as was said above, why force it when I could try the Col de La Vies as an upgrade.



A dry rotted, cracked and hardened tire on a bicycle is a collectors item. On a car it's a life risking hazard. From the safety aspect, you would be better off getting rid of old hardened bicycle tires that have lost most of their road gripping abilities if you actually ride the bike. just sayin.


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## bulldog1935 (Sep 26, 2016)

I prefer the tires that wear out the rubber rather than crack with thick tread


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## SirMike1983 (Sep 26, 2016)

momo608 said:


> A dry rotted, cracked and hardened tire on a bicycle is a collectors item. On a car it's a life risking hazard. From the safety aspect, you would be better off getting rid of old hardened bicycle tires that have lost most of their road gripping abilities if you actually ride the bike. just sayin.




Yet knowing when it's "hardened" or lost enough grip incrementally is the trick. Safety is a fuzzy judgment call on the part of the ride often. Some people have to have new tires every 5 years on their bike because they just think they're too exposed to conditions at 5 years.  I've seen other people run them until the tread is gone or the side wall starts to open up. In this instance, I do think 13 years is pretty good from "cheap Kendas".  But the Col de la Vie tires, so far, seem even better.


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## bulldog1935 (Sep 27, 2016)

petritl (Tad) is still rolling fast his '34 Rollfast on cracked postwar tires, and they seem to be holding up - maybe he can find some big cushy tires for it.


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## SirMike1983 (Sep 27, 2016)

bulldog1935 said:


> petritl (Tad) is still rolling fast his '34 Rollfast on cracked postwar tires, and they seem to be holding up - maybe he can find some big cushy tires for it.




Some of the really old tires were very well made, tubes too. The Kenda tires are a decent value, but I wish we had the selection of quality Dunlop tires available in the 50s and 60s today. I have a Dunlop White Sprite hanging on my garage wall that is still pliable after 50 some odd years on a Raleigh. They must have been great new.


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## petritl (Sep 28, 2016)

The tires on the Hawthorne are 1950s vintage Western Flyer brand. The were NOS but have lots of character cracks and fits the overall image of the bike; I call them "maypop" tires.

Hasn't stopped me from riding the bike some (~50 miles this summer) and jumping curbs but I expect someday I will have a blowout.


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## bulldog1935 (Sep 28, 2016)

I get the sense Tad is looking forward to that day


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