Tires, how old is "old"

[Captain 80s]

5 minutes ago, bmart said:

Holy smokes! I was thinking what overkill that is for bike tires. I've been using this for decades and change/flip tires just about weekly for track events. I broke the beads on four last night in probably 2 minutes. I don't have the space for a large one anyway. 

 

 

 

For track bikes that have their tires changed out fairly frequently and are all using modern radials...  sure.   That thing wouldn't do shit on some of the tires I need to remove.  Not even close.

[bmart]

What kind of wheels/tires do you change? 

[Captain 80s]

All sorts.  Many are very old and hard,  on used wheels I buy for wheel swaps on projects.  And some are very old, hard bias plys that are VERY fucking hard to break.

 

Y'know...   Captain 80s 'n shit.

[Dutchy]

Hotel sidewalk...

"Sirtaki Style"  

 

 

 

[Bren]

@Captain 80s

 

Here's some close ups of how I made it.

Bolted to the wall is a U channel with holes drilled along the side flange to position the arm wherever I want, I could have fixed it higher up but it's easy enough to move if I have to because the holes on the back are all equidistant. 

The curved piece was bent with a lot of heat and is matches the radius pretty well. I welded the whole lot up, smoothed my terrible lumpy bumpy welds and gave it a spray of paint. I added some rubber tubing before using it to make sure there was no steel to rim interference going on.

The arm with the breaker part can be moved on the lever arm to suit. I have to get a proper bar to fit in there which matches the inside dimensions to make it work even better, the bar I used was round and thin walled so bent a bit and I had to keep turning it.

Lastly, folded away for next time with my hard foam covered timber frame to keep the rims off the ground and protect my discs. I use a strap around the rim and frame to stop it tipping when in use.

All in all its simple and works well for me. If anyone wants measurements or whatever let me know.

[keny]

Well talking about tires as age, in 2015 (I think) I did ride a VF500 from Dutch ground to Finland (a good ironbutt!) on the tires it had on as Dutchy buoght the bike for me, Metzelers from 98/03... worked the trip and had amazing soft rubber still, ok no extreme riding, just highway but in Sweden temps where close to freezing on wet roads....... But did eventually put fresh rubbers on after the trip trough.

 

But fresh rubber is always the safe side, but sometimes you have to tide whit what the wallet allows, spechally these days as prices just get higher for tires

[Ranger77]

I forgot I had a new set of tires I bought before covid.  Been sitting in the shed and theyre dated '19.  Im gonna use them.