Tire question for the truly anal-retentive

[Louis]

Last weekend I changed out my front tire from an Avocet to a Michelin PR. The little nubs around the circumference of the tire are annoying the heck out of me. I've never seen a tire with that many - one every 3/4 inch or so, on each side!!! So now I know why I'm so slow - all that drag (and rotating mass at the rim) is slowing me down.

The question: Have you ever taken out your wire cutters and removed the nubs? I'm holding back, thinking that that's too anal, but I may not be able to restrain myself much longer.

[thejen12]

The question: Have you ever taken out your wire cutters and removed the nubs?
Yes, on every tire. They are as annoying as heck.

Jenn

[Grant McLean]

The question: Have you ever taken out your wire cutters and removed the nubs? I'm holding back, thinking that that's too anal, but I may not be able to restrain myself much longer.

Yes, I always remove them. You get good at it, and it's doesn't take much time.

-g

[regularguy412]

Yes, on every tire. They are as annoying as heck.

Jenn

Remove them with the nippers. They rubbed the inside of my F1 fork and I didn't even realize it was happening. There were wear marks completely through the clear coat and into the paint. It didn't appear that they had worn into the CF. I do this on all new tires, now, as a precaution.

Mike in AR

[dauwhe]

Yet another advantage of generous clearances and fenders--it's never even occured to me to worry about this!

I think of those "nibs" as a sign that I need to put some miles on the tires :)

Dave

[11.4]

There's actually a proper procedure for this -- imported from the mechanics at Saunier Duval who have learned all the ins and outs of dealing with Michelin tires.

You need to find one of the French versions of the Gillette MachIII men's razor. The French version has a different angle for the blades in the cartridge (French beards being different from American ones, just like their tires) and the American ones will dig into the tire. First, scrub the tire with a soft bristle brush -- a French manicurist's nail brush is the preferred tool -- until the little nibs are soft and floppy (like French men). Just do this dry. Then use the razor, being sure you are cutting at about a 30 degree angle, and shave off the nibs. You will still have some short little bumps left which are actually more detrimental than the long fingers, so you need to make another pass at these, this time with a women's disposable razor -- the French Gillette Venus being the preferred model. Don't expect to re-use the razor in either case -- replace the cartridge after shaving every tire.

At this point you'll have a glossy smooth surface, which actually isn't good for you either. But here you can use a nice American product -- blue Scotchbrite -- to roughen up the surface slightly so the tires don't slip out from under you while riding (like French women). After roughening the surface, be sure to scrub the surface with a medium-weave terrycloth towel and some acetone (definitely not mineral spirits or alcohol or other solvent) to remove any remaining mold-release compound.

This method isn't absolutely necessary if you aren't anal retentive (though I can't attest to the safety of your ride without this process meticulously applied), but I did hear the OP calling my name.

[soulspinner]

wow-who says ya cant learn sumpin new everyday... :beer:

[Dude]

I always used fire. If you light one, and the get angle right, the top of the flame from the nub below it will catch that nub, and so on and so forth, rotating the wheel slowly all the while to keep the flame continuously moving from one nub to the next. It actually works really well, faster than dikes and fire makes everything better. I used to use this when the nubs would interfere with fenders.

Also, those nubs make a Huge difference as far as drag goes. I know it sounds lame but when you cut them off, you'll notice. SOmetimes wehn i am riding, i can see the nubs blowing around in a strong cross wind and I can hear them "whooshing" through wind when i go fast.

[fstrthnu]

Have you ever taken out your wire cutters and removed the nubs?

Doesn't everyone?

[Blue Jays]

"...There were wear marks completely through the clear coat and into the paint. It didn't appear that they had worn into the CF..."Mike, better get a new CF bicycle, just to be safe. Hey, I'm helping you to justify adding another one to the stable! :beer:

[gdw]

I have one of Rapha's nub trimmers ($299.99) which does a first rate job of removing most of the nub yet leaves a manly amount of trace stubble to impress the folks at the coffee shop. Removing the complete nub can cause your bike to become overly fast and sterile possibly even mechanistic and synthetic. Just the right amount of stubble causes wind resistance which forces one to work harder and suffer and suffering is the whole point. Right? :D

[CNY rider]

I have one of Rapha's nub trimmers ($299.99) which does a first rate job of removing most of the nub yet leaves a manly amount of trace stubble to impress the folks at the coffee shop. Removing the complete nub can cause your bike to become overly fast and sterile possibly even mechanistic and synthetic. Just the right amount of stubble causes wind resistance which forces one to work harder and suffer and suffering is the whole point. Right? :D


gdw you are so ridiculous.
Don't you know your bicycle won't plane correctly without those nubs?

[slowgoing]

Sounds like something my wife would do.

I don't sweat the little stuff.

[Blue Jays]

Too smooth actually increases drag. That is why golf balls have dimples.

[DarrenCT]

hmmm this is a very technical topic.

I think golf balls have dimples to grip the golf club. (this is just a guess) :)

[Blue Jays]

DarrenCT, the dimples on a golf ball technically increase drag slightly, but they also serve to simultaneously reduce disturbance at the boundary layer, which surrounds the ball as it flys through the air...which decreases overall aerodynamic drag. A dimpled golf ball will fly much further than a smooth golf ball.

It is for this reason the earth-shattering notion of trimming rubber nubs off new tires must be approached with due caution.

[DarrenCT]

BJ,

how the hell do u know all this? do u play golf? i played golf a few times but got bored out of my mind!

btw, i believe u

[11.4]

By the way, Michelin is coming out with a cyclometer that uses a photoelectric eye to count the little nibs to measure speed. Since the nibs are at a consistent interval on the tire, they measure circumference directly so there's no need to set wheel diameter. As an example of superb French engineering, this relies on your tire picking up enough glass cuts that you despair and throw it in the dumpster before the little nubs wear off and you can't measure speed any longer.

[Blue Jays]

DarrenCT, all the stuff about the golf balls / dimples / aerodynamics / boundary layers is completely factual. The silly joking about the rubber tire nubs, not so much!

:)

[konstantkarma]

This thread reads like the transcript of an OCD group therapy session :D . Yous guys are all crazy :p

[11.4]

The silly joking about the rubber tire nubs, not so much!

:)

Speak for yourself.

Signed, respectfully,

Anal-retentive 11.4

[Louis]

By the way, Michelin is coming out with a cyclometer that uses a photoelectric eye to count the little nibs to measure speed.

You know how when they find out that a police testing lab has been messing things up, it invalidates hundreds of convictions based on evidence from the lab? Well, I think we now need to go back to all of 11.4 posts, those detailed explanations where he amazed us with his erudition, and reconsider everything he said. Tonight he has gone too far and has finally been exposed as a fraud.

Excuse me now, I have to go shave and buff my nubs...

Louis

[93LegendTG]

I've never found any easy way to remove the mold release "stuff" from Michelin PR tires. Is acetone the way to go or has anyone found another product or method? Also, what danger would denatured alcohol present to a tire that acetone would not? Or, was the danger reffered to about the lubricants in mineral spirits and rubbing alcohol?

[tbushnel]

Excuse me now, I have to go shave and buff my nubs...

Louis

Please... this is a family-oriented forum. Terrifying images come to mind - don't do that. :rolleyes: :)

Ted

[barry1021]

There's actually a proper procedure for this -- imported from the mechanics at Saunier Duval who have learned all the ins and outs of dealing with Michelin tires.

You need to find one of the French versions of the Gillette MachIII men's razor. The French version has a different angle for the blades in the cartridge (French beards being different from American ones, just like their tires) and the American ones will dig into the tire. First, scrub the tire with a soft bristle brush -- a French manicurist's nail brush is the preferred tool -- until the little nibs are soft and floppy (like French men). Just do this dry. Then use the razor, being sure you are cutting at about a 30 degree angle, and shave off the nibs. You will still have some short little bumps left which are actually more detrimental than the long fingers, so you need to make another pass at these, this time with a women's disposable razor -- the French Gillette Venus being the preferred model. Don't expect to re-use the razor in either case -- replace the cartridge after shaving every tire.

At this point you'll have a glossy smooth surface, which actually isn't good for you either. But here you can use a nice American product -- blue Scotchbrite -- to roughen up the surface slightly so the tires don't slip out from under you while riding (like French women). After roughening the surface, be sure to scrub the surface with a medium-weave terrycloth towel and some acetone (definitely not mineral spirits or alcohol or other solvent) to remove any remaining mold-release compound.

This method isn't absolutely necessary if you aren't anal retentive (though I can't attest to the safety of your ride without this process meticulously applied), but I did hear the OP calling my name.

to hide your wife's razor for five days, and then rub the tire against her leg at precisely a 30 degree angle--same effect.

b21

[11.4]

Good one, except that your method will elicit a response that mine won't. Of course, if you want to live single and have more budget for tires, that's not bad.

[Ginger]

to hide your wife's razor for five days, and then rub the tire against her leg at precisely a 30 degree angle--same effect.

b21

Don't shave your own face for a day...

ok...some of you will need a couple weeks and even then it looks like heck...but that's not the point.

Perform the same procedure using your face.

:)

[11.4]

Don't shave your own face for a day...

ok...some of you will need a couple weeks and even then it looks like heck...but that's not the point.

Perform the same procedure using your face.

:)

See, Barry, what did I tell you?

Barry understands that there's a difference in the hair emergence angle and individual fiber rigidity between men and women. MA, men may create plenty of facial hair but -- as usual -- the quality isn't up to that which women are able to offer. And we're talking about nice clinchers here that one wouldn't want to abuse with anything but the proper technique. Heck, it'd be like gluing on tubulars with a hot glue gun.

[gdw]

Rapha's special blade ($109 each) for clincher cross tires is on backorder and the French Gillettes are actually made in China. The carbon fiber handles don't really fit my hand and use a weave pattern which doesn't inspire confidence. barry1021's method seemed promising but the SO wasn't receptive so I'm considering a new approach. The town I live in, Boulder, has quite a few earthy women who appear to have an abundance of leg hair. I'm considering stopping by one of the coffee houses or feminist bookstores they frequent and seeing if it might be possible to rent their services for a short period. It really shouldn't take too long, probably less than an hour. Have any forum members tried this approach before? If so, how much do you suggest I pay? Finally, is one hair color superior to the others?

[Louis]

It really shouldn't take too long, probably less than an hour.

Actually, your time is up when the cigarette burns out...

[Ginger]

See, Barry, what did I tell you?

Barry understands that there's a difference in the hair emergence angle and individual fiber rigidity between men and women. MA, men may create plenty of facial hair but -- as usual -- the quality isn't up to that which women are able to offer. And we're talking about nice clinchers here that one wouldn't want to abuse with anything but the proper technique. Heck, it'd be like gluing on tubulars with a hot glue gun.

I beg to differ here.

It really depends on the guy. You're absolutely correct that many men cannot perform this procedure themselves. Blonds and light brunettes in particular have difficulty growing the required coarseness, density, rigidity, and angle of hair emergence to get a satisfactory result. There are however men who after a mere 6 hours after shaving have the required specifications to remove the nubs on several sets of tires.

[manet]

....

Excuse me now, I have to go shave and buff my nubs...

Louis

b pro _ wax em off.

[barry1021]

See, Barry, what did I tell you?

Barry understands that there's a difference in the hair emergence angle and individual fiber rigidity between men and women. MA, men may create plenty of facial hair but -- as usual -- the quality isn't up to that which women are able to offer. And we're talking about nice clinchers here that one wouldn't want to abuse with anything but the proper technique. Heck, it'd be like gluing on tubulars with a hot glue gun.

From experience, I know whenever my wife uses my razor, becasue the next day I cut my face to shreads with the blade. I think women's leg hair is akin to what grew out of Jeff Goldblum in the remake of "The Fly". I cannot explain it as well as 11.4, but it is true.

b21

[barry1021]

I beg to differ here.

It really depends on the guy. You're absolutely correct that many men cannot perform this procedure themselves. Blonds and light brunettes in particular have difficulty growing the required coarseness, density, rigidity, and angle of hair emergence to get a satisfactory result. There are however men who after a mere 6 hours after shaving have the required specifications to remove the nubs on several sets of tires.

but it will HURT!!! We are sensitive!!

b21

[mister]

There's actually a proper procedure for this -- imported from the mechanics at Saunier Duval who have learned all the ins and outs of dealing with Michelin tires.

You need to find one of the French versions of the Gillette MachIII men's razor. The French version has a different angle for the blades in the cartridge (French beards being different from American ones, just like their tires) and the American ones will dig into the tire. First, scrub the tire with a soft bristle brush -- a French manicurist's nail brush is the preferred tool -- until the little nibs are soft and floppy (like French men). Just do this dry. Then use the razor, being sure you are cutting at about a 30 degree angle, and shave off the nibs. You will still have some short little bumps left which are actually more detrimental than the long fingers, so you need to make another pass at these, this time with a women's disposable razor -- the French Gillette Venus being the preferred model. Don't expect to re-use the razor in either case -- replace the cartridge after shaving every tire.

At this point you'll have a glossy smooth surface, which actually isn't good for you either. But here you can use a nice American product -- blue Scotchbrite -- to roughen up the surface slightly so the tires don't slip out from under you while riding (like French women). After roughening the surface, be sure to scrub the surface with a medium-weave terrycloth towel and some acetone (definitely not mineral spirits or alcohol or other solvent) to remove any remaining mold-release compound.

This method isn't absolutely necessary if you aren't anal retentive (though I can't attest to the safety of your ride without this process meticulously applied), but I did hear the OP calling my name.

haha, great.
that's like shellac.

[zeroking17]

There's actually a proper procedure for this -- imported from the mechanics at Saunier Duval who have learned all the ins and outs of dealing with Michelin tires.

You need to find one of the French versions of the Gillette MachIII men's razor. The French version has a different angle for the blades in the cartridge (French beards being different from American ones, just like their tires) and the American ones will dig into the tire. First, scrub the tire with a soft bristle brush -- a French manicurist's nail brush is the preferred tool -- until the little nibs are soft and floppy (like French men). Just do this dry. Then use the razor, being sure you are cutting at about a 30 degree angle, and shave off the nibs. You will still have some short little bumps left which are actually more detrimental than the long fingers, so you need to make another pass at these, this time with a women's disposable razor -- the French Gillette Venus being the preferred model. Don't expect to re-use the razor in either case -- replace the cartridge after shaving every tire.

At this point you'll have a glossy smooth surface, which actually isn't good for you either. But here you can use a nice American product -- blue Scotchbrite -- to roughen up the surface slightly so the tires don't slip out from under you while riding (like French women). After roughening the surface, be sure to scrub the surface with a medium-weave terrycloth towel and some acetone (definitely not mineral spirits or alcohol or other solvent) to remove any remaining mold-release compound.

This method isn't absolutely necessary if you aren't anal retentive (though I can't attest to the safety of your ride without this process meticulously applied), but I did hear the OP calling my name.

What type of aftershave do you recommend? I'm guessing it's not Aqua Velva or Old Spice. Maybe some "French Otter Musk" or even some "Eau du Gast."

[chrisroph]

or you could just do like the motorcycle riders and take some sandpaper to the tires. the moto guys do it to get rid of the chickenstrips so it looks like they can ride at extreme lean angles.

[rounder]

There's actually a proper procedure for this -- imported from the mechanics at Saunier Duval who have learned all the ins and outs of dealing with Michelin tires.

You need to find one of the French versions of the Gillette MachIII men's razor. The French version has a different angle for the blades in the cartridge (French beards being different from American ones, just like their tires) and the American ones will dig into the tire. First, scrub the tire with a soft bristle brush -- a French manicurist's nail brush is the preferred tool -- until the little nibs are soft and floppy (like French men). Just do this dry. Then use the razor, being sure you are cutting at about a 30 degree angle, and shave off the nibs. You will still have some short little bumps left which are actually more detrimental than the long fingers, so you need to make another pass at these, this time with a women's disposable razor -- the French Gillette Venus being the preferred model. Don't expect to re-use the razor in either case -- replace the cartridge after shaving every tire.

At this point you'll have a glossy smooth surface, which actually isn't good for you either. But here you can use a nice American product -- blue Scotchbrite -- to roughen up the surface slightly so the tires don't slip out from under you while riding (like French women). After roughening the surface, be sure to scrub the surface with a medium-weave terrycloth towel and some acetone (definitely not mineral spirits or alcohol or other solvent) to remove any remaining mold-release compound.

This method isn't absolutely necessary if you aren't anal retentive (though I can't attest to the safety of your ride without this process meticulously applied), but I did hear the OP calling my name.

Exactly...

I read somewhere that they are called "air whiskers." It only makes sense that you would use a razor to get them off.

[11.4]

What type of aftershave do you recommend? I'm guessing it's not Aqua Velva or Old Spice. Maybe some "French Otter Musk" or even some "Eau du Gast."

Why, I would never recommend any kind of aftershave. They all are contaminated by various oils and lubricants that would then get on your Michelin nibs. Worse, you might be so inclined to ditch the Michelins and get some good tires (i.e., tubulars). Then you'd be worrying about the oils on your fingers getting on the rims and interfering with your gluing. Roll a tire and you might not want to apply any aftershave for a while until the rash is healed.

Now that Eau Dugast is nice stuff, but I save it for mounting keirin grips on track bars. Slick stuff.

[rounder]

[QUOTE=11.4]There's actually a proper procedure for this -- imported from the mechanics at Saunier Duval who have learned all the ins and outs of dealing with Michelin tires.

You need to find one of the French versions of the Gillette MachIII men's razor. The French version has a different angle for the blades in the cartridge (French beards being different from American ones, just like their tires) and the American ones will dig into the tire. First, scrub the tire with a soft bristle brush -- a French manicurist's nail brush is the preferred tool -- until the little nibs are soft and floppy (like French men). Just do this dry. Then use the razor, being sure you are cutting at about a 30 degree angle, and shave off the nibs. You will still have some short little bumps left which are actually more detrimental than the long fingers, so you need to make another pass at these, this time with a women's disposable razor -- the French Gillette Venus being the preferred model. Don't expect to re-use the razor in either case -- replace the cartridge after shaving every tire.

Exactly...

I read somewhere that they are called "air whiskers" that are formed during the manufacturing (vulcanization??) process. It only makes sense that you would use a razor to get them off.