Clean tires matter?
10-14-23, 07:33 PM
#26
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Yeah. Unless something unusual has happened. One day, during my cross country ride, it was so hot the tar patches on the road became gooey. Lots of little pieces of stone stuck to the tar on the tires (and the frame). One of the few times I’ve cleaned my tires.
10-14-23, 07:37 PM
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10-14-23, 07:56 PM
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Cycling attracts some interesting OCD habits.
I just ride my bike and park it when I'm done. Lube the chain every now and then. No disasters in the last 45 years or so.
I just ride my bike and park it when I'm done. Lube the chain every now and then. No disasters in the last 45 years or so.
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10-14-23, 10:29 PM
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10-15-23, 11:11 AM
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I like wiping tyres with a baby wipe.
It cleans the gunk off, plus on not so rare occasions it catches things like thorns and shards of glass.
It cleans the gunk off, plus on not so rare occasions it catches things like thorns and shards of glass.
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10-15-23, 11:22 AM
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10-15-23, 11:24 AM
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10-15-23, 11:50 AM
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I find the early rains after a long dry spell (like that late August rain in Oregon) are filthy. Oil, worn tires, etc. from cars. That the roads are far cleaner mid-winter after a hard rain save the (now clean) sand on the roads. So my tires get dirtier and cleaner depending on how I ride but it would never occur to me to modify my riding in light of the tires' appearance. So my bikes look ridden. And it never occurred to me that was bad.
10-15-23, 01:00 PM
#35
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Bike tires inevitably become dirty from dusty roads. Kitchen utensils inevitably become blackened due to heat and flame.
Are you going to stop riding? Are you going stop cooking and eating?
Brrrruuuuuuuuuuuhhhh?
Are you going to stop riding? Are you going stop cooking and eating?
Brrrruuuuuuuuuuuhhhh?
10-15-23, 01:34 PM
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If you want to see a lot of OCD on display, check out your local car shows. A shrink could be employed for life by attending one show.
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10-15-23, 01:49 PM
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Cleaning tires can be tiring. It looks gooders though!
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10-15-23, 01:53 PM
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10-15-23, 03:24 PM
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Not the rain where I live. The rain here makes a mess of my entire bike. Tires included.
I have to clean after every wet ride, with a garden hose set to light spray and a brush with a handle. It takes like 2 minutes.
I have to clean after every wet ride, with a garden hose set to light spray and a brush with a handle. It takes like 2 minutes.
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10-15-23, 05:07 PM
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During my winter rides my bike will get very messy and sometimes I will use a brush and brush off snow and grit and dirt before bringing my bike inside my home.....However I never actually wash my bike and I don't use any special cleaning products on my bikes...What OP is talking about is different, his obsession with keeping his tires shiny by using special cleaning products is laughable and ludicrous.
10-15-23, 05:16 PM
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Everybody knows... A Clean Bike Goes Faster!
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10-15-23, 05:23 PM
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And when giving the bike a full wash, I always take the brush to the tires. Why would I want muddy water flying everywhere after going to the trouble of washing the bike?
Yeah, tires get cleaned. Not that often, but there are lots of reasons to clean tires.
That said, I've never used any sort of tire products on my tires like I do on the car. I've found no need.
10-15-23, 05:50 PM
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Then you've either had a very short life, or you never ride off road in extra-urban environments. I've had to clean dog crap off of my tires on many occasions. Not fun. That crap really likes to get wedged in the knobs. Sucks.
And when giving the bike a full wash, I always take the brush to the tires. Why would I want muddy water flying everywhere after going to the trouble of washing the bike?
Yeah, tires get cleaned. Not that often, but there are lots of reasons to clean tires.
That said, I've never used any sort of tire products on my tires like I do on the car. I've found no need.
And when giving the bike a full wash, I always take the brush to the tires. Why would I want muddy water flying everywhere after going to the trouble of washing the bike?
Yeah, tires get cleaned. Not that often, but there are lots of reasons to clean tires.
That said, I've never used any sort of tire products on my tires like I do on the car. I've found no need.
10-15-23, 06:05 PM
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These days I'll hit them with a brush and soapy water when I wash my bikes. And while I try to keep my bikes looking presentable, other than from people that have never seen a skin wall tire before, I don't think I've ever got a comment on how my tires look.
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10-16-23, 05:58 AM
#47
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Never more than spraying them off with a hose for me. Well okay, maybe rarely a breush might have been applied.
As far as manure on the tires... On bike tours (I have done long ones including coast to coast) I have often ridden where cattle trucks were frequent enough that the road was pretty manure covered. Also there have been places with free range livestock. So I have had plenty of manure on my tires. More often that not it was on tour where the opportuntity to wash the bike was limited so it mostly wore off by itself. Closer to home it happened much less but the hose sufficed.
As far as manure on the tires... On bike tours (I have done long ones including coast to coast) I have often ridden where cattle trucks were frequent enough that the road was pretty manure covered. Also there have been places with free range livestock. So I have had plenty of manure on my tires. More often that not it was on tour where the opportuntity to wash the bike was limited so it mostly wore off by itself. Closer to home it happened much less but the hose sufficed.
10-16-23, 06:07 AM
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On a road bike, I think clean tires matter if you are seeing tiny stone chips etc. that are embedded. On some tires, that happens. I noticed that on some Michelin tube-type tires. I keep all my bikes clean and rinsed but on road bikes, I definitely watch the tires.
10-16-23, 06:23 AM
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Of course. I live in NYC, the first thing I do when I get my bike in is to wipe down the tires and all road spray with sanitizing wipes. This town is disgustingly filthy; dead rats, fecal matter with urine everywhere. Filthy town.
10-16-23, 06:23 AM
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