Stelvio flats?

I've had a set on my VREX for about 450-500 miles without a vist from the p*n*t*r* fairy. I don't
care if they are fragile and expensive! They are the

days after the races in North Brook. I thought I'd keep the Stelvios 'new' for next year's races,
but the Marathon/Comp Pol were tough to push even 2-3 mph slower than the speeds I could get when I
was riding Stelvios and not working as hard. I ride mostly subdivision streets and bike trail so
there isn't so much broken glass as city streets, but there are holes and cracks and lots of tree
root bumps and the Stelvio's take that abuse in stride. At 120 psi, they ride more softly than the
Comp pols/Avocet style rear baldy did at 90 psi.

When my baby needs some new shoes, she's gonna' be treated to the kevlar 'race' front to go with the
kevlar 559.

By the way, did I mention that I like the Stelvio's. "Mike" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Are many of you using Stelvios? If yes are you getting a lot of flats?

The new issue of Recumbent & Tandem Rider states the sidewalls are thin

and

Quoted message said:

get a lot of flats.

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Interesting to read all the reports of multiple flats on Stelvios. I have ridden about 800 miles
over good roads without a flat and find the grip excellent and the speed impressive. But ... I now
stand warned. "Mike" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Are many of you using Stelvios? If yes are you getting a lot of flats?

The new issue of Recumbent & Tandem Rider states the sidewalls are thin

and

Quoted message said:

get a lot of flats.

They do get squirrelly cornering hard through the kind of moist greasy areas that exist in some of
the perpetual shady spots on the trail, and wet wood plank bridges are like glare ice. Did you see a
mile or two mph speed gain over your last pair of tires? "Robert Siegel"
<[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Interesting to read all the reports of multiple flats on Stelvios. I have ridden about 800 miles
over good roads without a flat and find the grip excellent and the speed impressive. But ... I now
stand warned. "Mike" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Are many of you using Stelvios? If yes are you getting a lot of flats?

The new issue of Recumbent & Tandem Rider states the sidewalls are thin

and

Quoted message said:

get a lot of flats.

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Mike,

I've ridden the Stelvio's, two of them on my Cobrabike now for almost 2,000 miles with no failure
due to sidewall or road hazard punctures. I did flatted two of them after hitting a huge pothole in
the darkness of night, something I don't blame the tire for.

On the Festina, the front Stelvio has fared perfectly for the last 4 months and also many thousands
of miles, however this is a Pantour suspended wheel alleviating the bumps and obstacles a bit.

Ed - Cobrabike/Festina - Gin

Mike said:

Are many of you using Stelvios? If yes are you getting a lot of flats?

The new issue of Recumbent & Tandem Rider states the sidewalls are thin and get a lot of flats.

Ed Gin & Shirleen Kajiwara said:

Mike,

I've ridden the Stelvio's, two of them on my Cobrabike now for almost 2,000 miles with no failure
due to sidewall or road hazard punctures. I did flatted two of them after hitting a huge pothole
in the darkness of night, something I don't blame the tire for.

On the Festina, the front Stelvio has fared perfectly for the last 4 months and also many
thousands of miles, however this is a Pantour suspended wheel alleviating the bumps and
obstacles a bit.

As I am sure Ed will recall [1], there was a case of a Stelvio sidewall herniating on July 4, 2002
on the front wheel of carbon fiber lowracer with a Pantour hub.

[1] Since he provided the "tire boot" [2] to the Stelvio's owner.
[2] A piece of a sew-up tire IIRC.

Tom Sherman - Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

"Mike" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Are many of you using Stelvios? If yes are you getting a lot of flats?

The new issue of Recumbent & Tandem Rider states the sidewalls are thin and get a lot of flats.

I put a set of Stelvios on my Baron, shortly after they were first available in both the 406 and 559
sizes. The rear developed a huge sidewall bulge after only 25 miles on a road that was not perfect
but was certainly not overly rough. After getting it replaced, I rode on them for 1 week and over
200 miles and then removed them because I found they were not any faster than the S-Licks I was
previously using. I also found their handling to be downright scary on the chip and seal roads I
commonly ride. I still have the scars from a spill I took with them on some loose chips on such a
road. When riding on them, I had the opposite experience as Harv as they felt much tougher to push
to maintain the same speed as with the S-Licks. This was not just an impression either because I
kept a log of my rides, using both them and the S-Licks for on week each, riding the same roads, and
the statistics backed it up.

Harry Jiles

I have Stelvios on my Rans Stratus. Previously I had the original equipment Primo Comets and then
Comets with kevlar. As I had multiple flats with all these tires, my conclusion is that glass and
sharp things are an issue with all road tires. The Stelvios do seem to be weak in the sidewalls.
Both the front and rear had some threads showing on the sidewalls after only a couple of months. The
front one appeared damaged such that my bike shop replaced it with a new tire and is trying to get
Schwalbe to warranty it.

I just went out to look at my front tire to see how to spell Schwalbe and noticed that the air
pressure is low after my 40 mile ride this evening, so I must have another leak. I guess I must
say that I have had more flat trouble with the Schwalbes, but I don't know that I can blame it on
the tires.

One more note - the Schwalbes are much more difficult to mount on the rim that the Comets.

Bill Kelley

"Mike" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Are many of you using Stelvios? If yes are you getting a lot of flats?

The new issue of Recumbent & Tandem Rider states the sidewalls are thin

and

Quoted message said:

get a lot of flats.

"Mike" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Are many of you using Stelvios? If yes are you getting a lot of flats?

The new issue of Recumbent & Tandem Rider states the sidewalls are thin and get a lot of flats.

The sidewalls are pretty thin- but I don't understand how that correlates to getting flats.

The Stelvio on the front of my Tour Easy lasted about 8 months before suffering a fatal casing rip.
I'd attribute this to a pothole I hit at full speed a couple weeks back- or maybe it was the
off-roading session- or maybe it was all those oversize curb-cut lips that I bash into. In any case,
I haven't been babying it. The tread had plenty of life left in it- and there was very little
evidence of puncturing debris.

Jeff

Yes Tom,

Thanks for reminding me. It seems like this is a love / hate tire.

So far I like it.....but who knows?????

Ed - no Conti - Gin

Tom Sherman said:

Ed Gin & Shirleen Kajiwara said:

Mike,

I've ridden the Stelvio's, two of them on my Cobrabike now for almost 2,000 miles with no
failure due to sidewall or road hazard punctures. I did flatted two of them after hitting a huge
pothole in the darkness of night, something I don't blame the tire for.

On the Festina, the front Stelvio has fared perfectly for the last 4 months and also many
thousands of miles, however this is a Pantour suspended wheel alleviating the bumps and
obstacles a bit.

As I am sure Ed will recall [1], there was a case of a Stelvio sidewall herniating on July 4, 2002
on the front wheel of carbon fiber lowracer with a Pantour hub.

[1] Since he provided the "tire boot" [2] to the Stelvio's owner.
[2] A piece of a sew-up tire IIRC.

Tom Sherman - Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

Mike said:

Are many of you using Stelvios? If yes are you getting a lot of flats?

No worse than GP's or S-Licks as regards attractiveness to the P+nct+r+ Fairy, and faster than both.
Though I did get a big cut in the sidewall of the (almost new - Grrr!) 559 on the back of the
Speedmachine the other week from I know not what, and thus have a Hutchinson Top Slick on there at
the moment as the LBS has only them and GP's, at more than twice the price.

Dave Larrington - legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uklegslarry.beerdrinkers.co.ukOpen ↗
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
bhpc.org.ukbhpc.org.ukOpen ↗
===========================================================

Curses on you all!!!

I have been running a stelvio for months without problems.

Along comes this thread.

This morning, I walk past the Tour Easy Clone and "VIOLA"

It is flat.

--
Miles of Smiles,

Tom Blum Winter Haven, Florida Homebuilts: SWB Tour Easy Clone Speed Machine Clone High Racer Clone
www.gate.net/~teblum

Seems like any performance tire would have thin sidewalls. Thin sidewalls are part of what makes a
performance tire, since it takes less energy to flex the sidewall as the tire rolls on the road.

I'm not making excuses for this tire, nor do I have any experience with it; just making a general
observation.

John Riley

"john riley" skrev...

Quoted message said:

Seems like any performance tire would have thin sidewalls. Thin sidewalls are part of what makes a
performance tire, since it takes less energy to flex the sidewall as the tire rolls on the road.

I'm not making excuses for this tire, nor do I have any experience with it; just making a general
observation.

If people are riding on the sidewalls they are doing something wrong anyway. ;-) I managed a
sidewall puncture on a 700C (ISO 622) after 15 miles while others have lasted many many miles. (Not
Stelvios mind) Mostly a question of bad luck.

Mikael

I had a problem with this tyre after professing my love for them last year. It seems that they are
very sticky, which almost always means shorter life. I'm a heavier rider (220#) though, so that
might have had something to do with it - I ended up scrubbing off the center of the tyre and then
getting 3 flats right through the worn center on the same ride. My riding buddies were not impressed
either :-| as they waited for 3 flat repairs (good thing I carry a patch kit).

I've been using a Conti GP since then and it has about 2,000 miles on it without any significant
wear. The Stelvios only lasted me 1,200 miles.

Quoted message said:

--
Chris Champion Vision R40 SWB OSS Double Vision R85 USS

"Mike" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Are many of you using Stelvios? If yes are you getting a lot of flats?

The new issue of Recumbent & Tandem Rider states the sidewalls are thin and get a lot of flats.

"Mike" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Are many of you using Stelvios? If yes are you getting a lot of flats?

The new issue of Recumbent & Tandem Rider states the sidewalls are thin and get a lot of flats.

Yes, the sidewalls are thin: that's part of the secret to their speed. The easier it is for the
sidewall to flex, the less energy is wasted in friction. I've got about 300 miles on mine so far
and no flats yet. My secret: As much as possible (i.e., when traffic is light) I ride in the same
groove as the right wheels of the cars. On paved shoulders, I try to avoid the far right part with
all the debris.

As for speed, I'm easily 1-2 MPH faster AVERAGE. The Stelvio really comes into its own on smooth
roads (rare around here, unfortunately).

Bill Anton 2001 Vision R-40 SWB, OSS Lubbock, TX, USA

Mike said:

Are many of you using Stelvios?

Yes

Quoted message said:

If yes are you getting a lot of flats?

Not yet

Quoted message said:

The new issue of Recumbent & Tandem Rider states the sidewalls are thin and get a lot of flats.

Under what conditions? Heavy or tandem touring is not going to be a good fit for Stelvios, but as a
fast road riding tyre they are amazing. You really do go faster!

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. chapmancentral.comchapmancentral.comOpen ↗ New!
Improved!! Now with added extra Demon!

Just to save Tom Sherman the effort, Tom Blum finds a flat and "Viola". Who is Viola? I think the
sister of the puncture fairy, that being the spelling fairy, has struck again.

I have run Stelvios on my Barcroft Virginia for 2100 miles. I have had no "traditional" flats. I did
get a slice in the sidewall on the rear tire which was caused by rolling the bike out of the LBS
after someone had broken in and smashed their front glass doors. Thought all the glass was cleaned
up but apparently not. I too have heard the horror stories but as of yet they have not been borne
out by my performance. That includes many miles on the chip and seal roads Harryo mentioned, a lot
of city streets which, here in St. Louis, won't be confused for the autobahn. My impression is that
the Grand Prixs I rode for 3000 miles on my V-Rex are tougher, but they ride harsher. So far,
Stelvios have been fine. However, I now expect to flat out this weekend on the Mt. Vernon, Ill.
ride, just for sharing my experiences today.

Mike S. ST. Louis, Mo

mike s said:

Just to save Tom Sherman the effort, Tom Blum finds a flat and "Viola". Who is Viola? I think the
sister of the puncture fairy, that being the spelling fairy, has struck again.

I've found that Comp Pools, for all of their long-wearing tread, aren't the most puncture-resistant
tires around. I hit a bit of glass last year on the Fox River trail, and cello!
Fss-fss-fss-fss-oh-fsck!

At least they have plenty of air inside, so they don't go flat instantly.
--
Russ [email hidden] the wabbit to despam "Fascism should be more
appropriately called corporatism, for it is a merger of state and corporate power." -Benito
Mussolini (rest in pieces)

My Speedmachine came with Stelvios fitted. After about 1000 miles I replaced the rear tyre when I started getting a pinch flat every day (yes, I did pump them up hard). Yesterday the front tyre split. They seem to be made of Kevlar-reinforced cheese.

Chris Walker

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Mike
Are many of you using Stelvios? If yes are you getting a lot of flats?

The new issue of Recumbent & Tandem Rider states the sidewalls are thin and get a lot of flats.