Remove Tar from tires?

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Richard Adams
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?

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?

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 [email hidden]