Remove Tar from tires?

Richard Adams said:

Hi, I just finished a ride and they've been putting down tar and gravel
around here and theres quite a bit on my tires. It didn't seem to cause
any problem on hard cornering, but I'd like to get the junk off anyway,
particularly since I keep the bike indoors, on carpet. (it has paper
under the wheels at the moment. Is there a safe way to remove road tar
without damaging the rubber?

In all likelihood it is asphalt cement and not tar, which means it is
soluble in a lighter petroleum fraction. WD-40 is commonly available and
works reasonably well for this purpose.

--
Tom Sherman – Quad City Area

Richard Adams said:

Hi, I just finished a ride and they've been putting down tar and gravel
around here and theres quite a bit on my tires. It didn't seem to cause
any problem on hard cornering, but I'd like to get the junk off anyway,
particularly since I keep the bike indoors, on carpet. (it has paper
under the wheels at the moment. Is there a safe way to remove road tar
without damaging the rubber?

Use "GOO GONE" following the directions for Carpeting and Upholstery;
making sure you rinse and blot away all residual GOO GONE.

--

Richard Adams said:

Hi, I just finished a ride and they've been putting down tar and gravel
around here and theres quite a bit on my tires. It didn't seem to cause
any problem on hard cornering, but I'd like to get the junk off anyway,
particularly since I keep the bike indoors, on carpet. (it has paper
under the wheels at the moment. Is there a safe way to remove road tar
without damaging the rubber?

A rag soaked in WD-40 works well for me. Hasn't seemed to hurt the
tires yet. Not sure if it harmed me, breathing all the fumes. (Use the
solvent outdoors before bringing the bike in.)

DISCLAIMER: I've done this with common vulcanized tires. Solvents may
be harmful to the relatively rare and expensive handmade non-vulcanized
tires (Veloflex, etc.) which are held together by glue/cement. I
remember being told mournfully (long ago) that Armorall dissolved the
cement holding a friend's Clement Del Mundo tires together.

Regards,
Mark Janeba

Richard Adams said:

Hi, I just finished a ride and they've been putting down tar and
gravel around here and there's quite a bit on my tires. It didn't
seem to cause any problem on hard cornering, but I'd like to get the
junk off anyway, particularly since I keep the bike indoors, on
carpet. (it has paper under the wheels at the moment. Is there a
safe way to remove road tar without damaging the rubber?

Don't buy any esoteric solvents, plain paint thinner will do. Us an
old t-shirt and give it a rubdown, rubbing away the excess when you
are through with a clean part of the "rag". Don't use oily or
lubricating liquids because they aren't easy to remove.

Jobst Brandt
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