Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Strange Tubeless Tires

Just when things are running smoothly on my multiple bikes equipped with tubeless road bike tires, two really strange things happened to me. I was replacing the rear tires on my racing bike and my commuter bike. When I do this, I move the front tire to the rear and put the new tire on the front, in order to get the most life out of my tires while keeping the newest tire on the more critical wheel.

I ordered a Hutchinson Fusion 3 for the racing bike and a Hutchinson Intensive
for the commuter bike. The orders were from two different sources. Inside the package of the Fusion 3 was actually an Hutchinson Atom?!  To their credit, the seller has agreed to provide me with the correct tire, no questions asked. As for the Intensive, it developed a bulge in the sidewall and is incapable of holding more than 30 psi.  I tried two different sealants, both would allow the tire to inflate to full pressure, but the tire would slowly leak air down to almost nothing.  I am pretty sure the manufacturer will replace the tire under warranty.

I have had ordered standard clinchers that were defective, and I have also received the wrong item on several previous occasions from all sorts of companies. Neither of these problems are unique to road tubeless, they are just an example of how weird things can happen even when you purchase your favorite products.

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