19-05-2019, 11:45 AM
Since we are full of doom and gloom, the other side better be presented.
I bought a 1935 chrome rad 2 seater nearly 20 years ago. It was a stalled project and had been sat 10 years when I bought it. It came with 4 brand spanking avons, and a similar pattern but clearly much older part worn firestone.
When I sold it to buy my steam roller I kept the tyres. 2 Avons went on the front of fathers RP. The other 2 on my RL. All with wheel swaps, so all got a 'visual'. And all passed MOT back then. The firestone was hung on the wall. When I got the RP here 3 years ago the Avons were still on the front but near worn out. I fitted the Firestone and an old Avon SM I had. The better avon went on the spare. Ive now worn out the Firestone and the SM is getting there so a new pair for the front is imminent.
The pair of Avons that went on my RL went on a set of red wheels I bought from it, I find the earlier closed centre wheels less durable than the open centre ones, and after numerous single spoke breakages and getting fed up of painting wheels red I fitted a set of black wheels about 5 years ago with a pair of brand new longstones on the front and a pair of brand new 350-400 Excelsiors on the back.
The black wheels and tyres were meant for the chummy, so when I put that back on the road 12months or so ago the old avons on the red wheels went on the front. Some spare 400's on open centre wheels on the back. But I have since fitted a pair of closed centre wheels (Ex Mr Betts) with another 'used' set of tyres. A pair of Mitas 400's.
Now with 2 cars running entirely 'old' tyres, one even with motorcylce tyres. And one car on what are fairly 'new' tyres youd expect me to be well placed to comment on the relative differences.
My comments are that I can percieve no noticable difference in grip between old and new. It is actually the car on the newer tyres that ive had the arse end out recently. Even the Mitas on the back of the chummy, somoeone told me they were particularly unsuitable. My view is that they are perfectly fine.
Tyres (or rims!) that are so bad that that the tube is going to make an appearance should be obvious enough to even the most incompetent Austineer. Particularly with the wheel off the car.
I bought a 1935 chrome rad 2 seater nearly 20 years ago. It was a stalled project and had been sat 10 years when I bought it. It came with 4 brand spanking avons, and a similar pattern but clearly much older part worn firestone.
When I sold it to buy my steam roller I kept the tyres. 2 Avons went on the front of fathers RP. The other 2 on my RL. All with wheel swaps, so all got a 'visual'. And all passed MOT back then. The firestone was hung on the wall. When I got the RP here 3 years ago the Avons were still on the front but near worn out. I fitted the Firestone and an old Avon SM I had. The better avon went on the spare. Ive now worn out the Firestone and the SM is getting there so a new pair for the front is imminent.
The pair of Avons that went on my RL went on a set of red wheels I bought from it, I find the earlier closed centre wheels less durable than the open centre ones, and after numerous single spoke breakages and getting fed up of painting wheels red I fitted a set of black wheels about 5 years ago with a pair of brand new longstones on the front and a pair of brand new 350-400 Excelsiors on the back.
The black wheels and tyres were meant for the chummy, so when I put that back on the road 12months or so ago the old avons on the red wheels went on the front. Some spare 400's on open centre wheels on the back. But I have since fitted a pair of closed centre wheels (Ex Mr Betts) with another 'used' set of tyres. A pair of Mitas 400's.
Now with 2 cars running entirely 'old' tyres, one even with motorcylce tyres. And one car on what are fairly 'new' tyres youd expect me to be well placed to comment on the relative differences.
My comments are that I can percieve no noticable difference in grip between old and new. It is actually the car on the newer tyres that ive had the arse end out recently. Even the Mitas on the back of the chummy, somoeone told me they were particularly unsuitable. My view is that they are perfectly fine.
Tyres (or rims!) that are so bad that that the tube is going to make an appearance should be obvious enough to even the most incompetent Austineer. Particularly with the wheel off the car.