D-Rider wrote:
- Having significantly reduced gyroscopic mass by fitting OZ wheels, how much will I be adding back (per wheel) by having a squirt of Nooj's special juice contained within the rubber?
More of a theoretical one this ... but in the less likely event of getting a puncture in an area of the tyre you are not allowed to repair, I assume the special juice will seal it. Although Mr Plod is unlikely to spot this, were I to have an accident, will my insurance company take a dim view?
Last time I had a puncture repaired, the tyre fitter at first thought I had Pirelli Corsas which, he tells me, cannot be repaired. Asking around it seems that a number of the new tyre designs fall into this category - if I remember correctly the construction is too thin to be safely repaired (Fortunately mine are Diablo Rossos which were OK to be repaired).
What is the situation when it comes to sealing these thin, modern tyres with Puncturesafe?
Cheers - and I hope your new businesses become a success for you.
Weight first: Maybe 500g rear, 300g front as an over estimate. What weight of rubber is lost between a brand new tyre and a worn out one? Probably about the same, so would you only fit worn tyres to keep the unsprung mass down? Course not, don't be daft.
Boring theory: The way a tyre is traditionally repaired is that the area with the puncture in it is actually cut out/ground away and replaced with a bung, that's why there's a maximum diameter hole that can be repaired and minimum thickness of rubber needed to glue the bung into. If you're not allowed to repair some tyres in this way it makes even more sense to use tyre jollop in them as a precaution.
What it will and will not seal is down to a few variables, the thickness and flexibility of the tyre's rubber and the size, shape and internal texture of the puncture being the main ones.
Puncturesafe relies on 'Rubber Recovery' to work. As long as the hole is small enough and the rubber is thick and flexible enough to recover and close up again, the jollop will get pushed by the internal air pressure into any tiny gaps and cracks that remain and set so the hole will be sealed stopping air getting out and road crud getting in.
As for a puncture in an area you're not allowed to repair, same again, depends on the puncture. A needle hole or small nail hole isn't a problem if there's enough rubber in that area to squash the hole closed again. If there isn't then you will loose air, but you will loose it much slower than if you had no sealant in your tyre, which could mean the difference between having a blow-out or getting home slowly, but safely. Puncturesafe WILL NOT hide a potentially dangerous puncture, it will give you a controlled deflation enabling you to stay in control of your vehicle as it happens.
As for what your insurance company would say? No idea. They don't follow the same logic that dictates how the rest of the world works, so you'll have to speak to them.
Other Benefits: As well as plugging small holes, Puncturesafe also distributes heat more evenly throughout your tyre, meaning on a cold day's ride you have less chance of leaning your bike over onto an unexpectedly cold area of tyre and ending up on your arse in the road. It also means that in hot weather, the crown of your tyres are less likely to over heat and wear excessively.
Also: Modern cast aluminium wheels are porous by nature, (magnesium wheels especially so, this is one reason why magnesium race wheels are illegal on the road). Paint or powdercoat will go some way to sealing them, but not completely. Not only does Puncturesafe seal tyres, it also seals any remaining porosity in cast wheels.
