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From: fish@ihu1g.UUCP (Bob Fishell)
Newsgroups: net.bicycle
Subject: Re: Tire Questions
Message-ID: <375@ihu1g.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 24-May-84 12:09:04 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihu1g.375
Posted: Thu May 24 12:09:04 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 30-May-84 08:40:48 EDT
References: <1474@sdccs6.UUCP> <2579@tektronix.UUCP>, <522@dual.UUCP> <2997@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 21

(oo)
The pneumatic foam which is supposed to eliminate flats will also
eliminate a good deal of efficiency, and should probably be avoided.
I rode with an experimental solid inner tube for a while, and it
was like riding in wet sand.  The problem is that elastic materials
absorb energy on comression and dissipate it as heat.  This energy
comes from you, and it doesn't get transferred to linear motion.
Result: you pedal harder and get tired sooner.

An air-filled tube exhibits this problem to a lesser degree, since
there is less energy absorbed and dissipated by the tire, tube, and
air it holds.  The harder the tire, the better, that is, a 90-psi
tire will ride better than a 70-psi tire, and a 120-psi lacer will
ride even better, but will pop if you ride over a hot match.

Try getting a set of tire savers if you're worried about flats.
They help a lot.  And keep your tires pumped up.
-- 

                               Bob Fishell
                               ihnp4!ihu1g!fish