Originally Posted by
Steve B.
I think it was the legendary Jobst Brandt who commented that by the time you are able to reach down and place a gloved hand onto the tire, it’s made many, many revolutions and whatever puncture is going to happen, has. Stopped doing this maybe 15 years ago, but then I cannot recall the last time I had a front flat.
Yes, indeed. Jobst Brandt was a very smart fellow. It never occurred to me to question the received wisdom of wiping tires on the fly, learned from older riders back in 1965, until I read his comments on the topic (from
this page):
Wiping tires is an old trick that riders did when they had nothing
better to do while cruising along. If you observe the ritual, it
should be apparent that it serves no practical purpose because between
the time the hazard is run over and the wheel wipe, two or more wheel
revolutions take place. Anything that's going into the tire is in by
that time although the tube may not be punctured yet.
Beyond that, my tire wiping friends had no less flats than the average
but that proves nothing because I also have friends who never find
tools or money on the road, and they get lots of flats... but that's
because the are not especially observant. Any sharp object that
enters the tire is usually in on the first contact and is definitely
in with its protruding end trimmed by the third. Puncture vine is the
most insidious offender and it takes only the first contact to penetrate.