Eric E
08-03-2004, 11:55 AM
Hi,
A couple of months ago, I offered some opinions about Ruffy Tuffy tires. Over the last three weeks, Katie and I have put 1200 miles on our Ti Serotta Rapid Tours during a loaded tour from Eugene to Missoula followed by a supported Adventure Cycling Association tour from Missoula to Bozeman.
First, my inital problem with wheel flop disappeared when I went from 110 lbs to 90 lbs (the recommended level) of inflation. I suspect that the higher inflation level made the tires too round.
Second, the tires were just great on the tour - 1200 miles without a single flat! Tire wear seems minimal and the often rough and debris-filled roads were negated better than any other tire we have used.
The oversized Ti Serottas also worked great, needing only one headset adjustment while on tour. The bikes were very stable with loads - much more stable than a previous Ti Rapid Tour with more ordinary tubing diameters. And it was fun to shed the panniers and boogie on the lightened bikes when we joined Cycle Montana in Missoula. These bikes really do it all!
I only had one real bike problem, which I discovered just before leaving on the tour. The front drop-out eyelet on my threaded steel Serotta fork was too close to the quick release nuts so that a standard Blackburn front rack could not be mounted. Luckily, a guy from Paul's Bicycles in Eugene fixed the problem by grinding down one side of the quick release nuts.
Best, Eric E. from Fort Collins
A couple of months ago, I offered some opinions about Ruffy Tuffy tires. Over the last three weeks, Katie and I have put 1200 miles on our Ti Serotta Rapid Tours during a loaded tour from Eugene to Missoula followed by a supported Adventure Cycling Association tour from Missoula to Bozeman.
First, my inital problem with wheel flop disappeared when I went from 110 lbs to 90 lbs (the recommended level) of inflation. I suspect that the higher inflation level made the tires too round.
Second, the tires were just great on the tour - 1200 miles without a single flat! Tire wear seems minimal and the often rough and debris-filled roads were negated better than any other tire we have used.
The oversized Ti Serottas also worked great, needing only one headset adjustment while on tour. The bikes were very stable with loads - much more stable than a previous Ti Rapid Tour with more ordinary tubing diameters. And it was fun to shed the panniers and boogie on the lightened bikes when we joined Cycle Montana in Missoula. These bikes really do it all!
I only had one real bike problem, which I discovered just before leaving on the tour. The front drop-out eyelet on my threaded steel Serotta fork was too close to the quick release nuts so that a standard Blackburn front rack could not be mounted. Luckily, a guy from Paul's Bicycles in Eugene fixed the problem by grinding down one side of the quick release nuts.
Best, Eric E. from Fort Collins