Lance Armstrong rides aged tubulars
 

Discovery Channel aired a TV documentary yesterday entitled, "The
Science of Lance Armstrong". In one segment, Lance's longtime Belgian
mechanic was profiled. He took the camera crew down into his "wine
cellar", where he stores scores of tubular tires for the pro team. He
had stacks of tires specifically designated for Paris-Roubaix, the
other spring classics, and, of course, the Tour De France, for which he
claimed the tubular tires had been specially *aging* for up to seven
years to improve their performance characteristics. This guy's been a
pro mechanic for 40 years, so he might know something about the
subject.
Comments?

Lance Armstrong rides aged tubulars
 

Aging adds nothing to a properly designed tire. It made natural rubber
a bit harder and longer wearing.

Lance Armstrong rides aged tubulars
 

Yeah, I saw the same show. Really surprised me about aging the
tubulars. I don't know anyone riding them, so I do not know if this is
common practice for racing.

Lance Armstrong rides aged tubulars
 

Its obvious this "GURU" pro mechanic with 40 years of experience hasn't
read the Bicycle FAQ:

What advantage is there in aging tubulars?
None! The aging concept arose from the same source as the "steel frames
need to be replaced because they get soft with age" concept. Both were
intended to improve sales during the off (winter) season by bike shops
with too much inventory on their shelves. Tires oxidize, outgas, and
polymerize from ultraviolet light. The concept of a tire manufacturer
making a tire that cannot be used until ripened for six months from the
date of purchase is ridiculous. Tires can be made to any specification
at the factory. Tires are most flexible and durable when they are new.
They don't improve with time and exposure to heat, light, and oxygen or
ozone.

"Over-aged" tubular tires, have crumbling hard brown latex on their
sidewalls that exposes separating cords directly to weather and wear
and they have treads crack when flexed. Considering that this is a
continuous process, it is hard to explain where, in the time from
manufacture to the crumbly condition, the optimum age lies. The claim
that tires are lighter after aging is true. Their elastomers have
evaporated making the tire brittle and weak.

Purchasing tubular tires in advance to age them is unwise, although if
there is a supply problem, tubular tires bought in advance should be
sealed tightly in airtight bags and kept in the dark, optimally in a
freezer. For best results, use new tires because aged tires are only as
good as how little they have aged.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/tubular-fables.html

Lance Armstrong rides aged tubulars
 

This guy's been a
pro mechanic for 40 years, so he might know something about the
subject.
Comments?

He may know very little about it, unless he has subjected his
assumptions to a controlled test.

The fascinating thing is that he can stock up on tires 7 years in
advance!... when he doesn't even know who he will be working for or
what their tire sponsor will be. Or do teams generally not use the
tires that their sponsors make? Are 7 year old tubulars readily
available? I didn't see the show BTW, so maybe this was explained.

-Ron Ruff

Lance Armstrong rides aged tubulars
 

bfd wrote:
Its obvious this "GURU" pro mechanic with 40 years of experience hasn't
read the Bicycle FAQ:

What advantage is there in aging tubulars?
None!

Then again, Lance hasn't been known to have an exceptional number of
flats (even assuming Lance has actually been using this guy's tires).
Maybe there's something special in the vermin juices of this cellar.

Lance Armstrong rides aged tubulars
 

what do we smell here?

Lance Armstrong rides aged tubulars
 

I think that this guy is just making a few Euros for renting out his
old wine cellar!

Lance Armstrong rides aged tubulars
 

itsa cover for a weed op!

Lance Armstrong rides aged tubulars
 

Jay S. Hill wrote:
bfd wrote:
Its obvious this "GURU" pro mechanic with 40 years of experience
hasn't read the Bicycle FAQ:

What advantage is there in aging tubulars?
None!

Then again, Lance hasn't been known to have an exceptional number of
flats (even assuming Lance has actually been using this guy's tires).
Maybe there's something special in the vermin juices of this cellar.

Hey, maybe he's perpetuating the myth "to improve sales during the off
(winter) season by bike shops
with too much inventory on their shelves. "

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training