I now have half a dozen rides on the Basso and although it has the same measurements as the others, it does not leave my hands numb and unfeeling as the other bikes do. I have set some recent personal bests on the bike and with the padded Flite saddle I am not staggering in the door after a ride with a butt that needs trading in on a new one.

Now, the EC90 saddles I use on the other bikes is a fairly good saddle the paddling just isn't enough.

The Tracking of the Allez derailleur hanger says that I should take delivery today so I will be able to compare the two bikes by riding the Allez tomorrow. They appear to have similar measurements and I have fitted them with identical components except the wheels are Bontrager RSL's rather than X-lites.

I have discovered the cause for the TPU innertubes going flat (hopefully) - the valves must be very carefully closed, completely, since they leak at the slightest provocation. They do not seal unless you tighten them very carefully and not to the point where they simply feel tight as in normal innertubes. Over the last 4 rides I have not had a flat and I am wondering if last weeks heavy rains washed most of the fine wires into the gutters or even down the drain. Lately the use of cars has lessened a great deal so the renewal of the fine wires on the street might have lessened. I know that I am being offered the same three jobs over and over meaning that they cannot find people competent to do the jobs they require. Without workers you do not have traffic. I caqn tell you that my flat ride goes by Abott and two other pharmaceutical companies that are heavily staffed with people that seem to be coming and going all day despite normal working hours. But these are the people less likely to have worn out tires bleeding wires from steel belts. The wires seem to appear on my hilly ride that I do once a week. All of the people that live up Cull Canyon are the sorts that have the lowest paid jobs. Though with California, the illegals are now being employed by the state rather than minimum wage jobs being waiters and such. Trained people are jnow so rare in California that I suppose they have no other resort.

On Mon, 26 Feb 2024 17:13:30 GMT, Tom Kunich <cyclintom@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>I have discovered the cause for the TPU innertubes going flat (hopefully) - the valves must be very carefully closed, completely, since they leak at the slightest provocation. They do not seal unless you tighten them very carefully and not to the point where they simply feel tight as in normal innertubes. Over the last 4 rides I have not had a flat and I am wondering if last weeks heavy rains washed most of the fine wires into the gutters or even down the drain.

You might find this Facebook "evidence" useful:
<https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1196571907472124>
Notice the lack of reader comments.

It should be easy enough to collect these fine wires and demonstrate
their existence. Steel belted tires are made from high carbon steel.

"Automobile Tires’ High-Carbon Steel Wire"
<https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/13452>
<https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8392/1/3/66>
"For steel cord, the high carbon steel is usually used at 0.70 - 0.95%
C (carbon)"

Such pearlite phase steel is magnetic. You should be able to gather
some of the "fine wires" with a magnet and post microscope photos on
your Facebook page.

However, I don't believe you'll find any wires what will actually fit
into a (Presta) tire valve. If you do find some wires, they will
likely be fused to pieces of rubber.

"Automobile Tires’ High-Carbon Steel Wire"
<https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/13452>
"To ensure a good adhesive bond between the rubber of the tire and the
steel cord, the cord is either brass-plated or bronzed. The reason
brass or bronze is used is because copper, which is a part of these
alloys, makes a high-strength chemical composition with sulfur in
rubber."

Also, you might find it difficult to find a tire belt wire with a
small enough diameter to actually fit in a Presta valve:
<https://www.hengxingsteelwire.com/product/Steel-Cord-for-Radial-Tire.html>
Available diameters are:
"0.15/0.175/0.20/0.22/0.27/0.28/0.30/0.35/0.38 mm"
To insure that you get ALL the credit, I haven't done any measuring or
testing. I might be wrong and you may find a wire diameter that
actually fits in a Presta valve.

Best of luck and let me know when you publish your discovery.

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
PO Box 272 http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Ben Lomond CA 95005-0272
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

On 2/26/2024 2:55 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
> On Mon, 26 Feb 2024 17:13:30 GMT, Tom Kunich <cyclintom@yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>
>> I have discovered the cause for the TPU innertubes going flat (hopefully) - the valves must be very carefully closed, completely, since they leak at the slightest provocation. They do not seal unless you tighten them very carefully and not to the point where they simply feel tight as in normal innertubes. Over the last 4 rides I have not had a flat and I am wondering if last weeks heavy rains washed most of the fine wires into the gutters or even down the drain.
>
> You might find this Facebook "evidence" useful:
> <https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1196571907472124>
> Notice the lack of reader comments.
>
> It should be easy enough to collect these fine wires and demonstrate
> their existence. Steel belted tires are made from high carbon steel.
>
....
> Such pearlite phase steel is magnetic. You should be able to gather
> some of the "fine wires" with a magnet and post microscope photos on
> your Facebook page.

When Tom first made his claim that Biden was causing his flats via worn
tire wires, I thought about magnets to gather evidence. Tom could give
some evidence that his absurd claim had merit.

I didn't even bother to post the idea. Tom would refuse to try gathering
wires. Even if he did, he would refuse to post photos - or perhaps he
can't figure out how to post photos. And any posts in response would be
insults, more right wing fantasies and radical changes of subject.

--
- Frank Krygowski

On Mon, 26 Feb 2024 11:55:03 -0800, Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com>
wrote:

<slight snip>

>You might find this Facebook "evidence" useful:
><https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1196571907472124>
>Notice the lack of reader comments.

I have anything Facebook related in my /etc/ hosts file. Can't
see it.
>
>It should be easy enough to collect these fine wires and demonstrate
>their existence. Steel belted tires are made from high carbon steel.
>
>"Automobile Tires’ High-Carbon Steel Wire"
><https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/13452>
><https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8392/1/3/66>
>"For steel cord, the high carbon steel is usually used at 0.70 - 0.95%
>C (carbon)"
>
>Such pearlite phase steel is magnetic. You should be able to gather
>some of the "fine wires" with a magnet and post microscope photos on
>your Facebook page.

Over the last three years I've had 4 punctures. One when a
horribly worn tire split at the side. LOL, I have a photo of that.
User abuse.
The other three were caused by very fine wire FROM THE
ASPHALT. I looked it up. Asphalt here includes recycled car/bus/truck
tires.
Maybe the asphalt firms should use a stronger magnet to remove
the stuff. It's a nuisance.

It causes very slow leaks, you can pump your tires up every 5
km or so until you get home. And then you have to find the bl^%$dy
wire. Tiny, barely visible.
Never had a puncture on any one of my cars. The wires are
around 7 mm long. Tires are too thick to be affected.
I kept a couple, I suppose I could take a photo.
>
>However, I don't believe you'll find any wires what will actually fit
>into a (Presta) tire valve. If you do find some wires, they will
>likely be fused to pieces of rubber.

The punctures were in the tire, between the "studs". No way a
wire is going to get into a valve. It's on the wrong side.
[]'s
--
Don't be evil - Google 2004
We have a new policy - Google 2012
Google Fuchsia - 2021