Has anyone successfully ridden a new (oversized) Coker tire on a new (undersized) airfoil rim?
And oes anybody know the actual difference in bead diameter between the Coker and TA tire?
The reason I want to know is I am planning on building a studded winter tire for my 36 and using a Coker tire could save me $90 over using a TA tire because if I got the TA I would also get a tire grover to cut a more aggressive tread in it (~$70 on eBay)
Would it be possible to glue the bead to the rim in a way that could be re-done every year without wrecking anything?
If this means anything to anyone I measured my rim and it has a 82+1mm diameter.
I’ve never tried putting a coker tire on an airfoil rim because of the apparent non workings of it and the problems it poses. If you try it, use tubular tire glue ( http://3-athlon.com/product.php?productid=348&cat=17&page=1 ) and it will stay a heck of a lot better. My old airfoil rim (that was stolen… ) had a hard time even holding a Wheel TA on it and I finally got sick of blow outs and the tire bead popping out of the rim that when we put it back on we used that cement that I linked to…It stayed put like none other. Wasn’t a problem at all in the future.
edit: if you plan on using the TA and have it studded you may be fine as is without grooving the tire out. I ride in Northern Indiana which is plagued with lake effect snow every winter and my TA handles quite nicely as is so long as you don’t lean or fight the slippery pavement too much. With studs or other additions you might be okay without changing the rubber tire surface itself.
Cool, thanks Mouse. I have had the TA fall of the rim the first time I rode my 36er, great way to instill confidence in my new wheel eh? Because I have had my TA come off and have heard of a couple other people have their TA come off I am starting to doubt that the Coker tire is really bigger.
I think I will try it. I don’t think I will ever really be using this tire with much more than 20PSI so that might help it stay on the rim and if it does come off I will get the glue you linked to.
I have rode the TA in the snow and it does OK but it could be much better. In my opinion a 36" wheel with a studded knobby tire would be awesome in the snow, its just to bad the button tread is the closest thing we have to “knobby”
I’m as cheerful a UDC basher as any. They always screwed up my orders, not that it ever cost me $, I just like to whine.
I wonder if all the negative flack they got over the last batch of air foils has took the wind out of their sock on this deal.
Everyone was kinda almost talking hazard, maybe they got worried of being sued, and were happy when the last “complainy” airfoil was sold.
Anyway, it’s been a few months since they have had any in stock. I think it seems easy enough to us that they should order a few hundred a mm or so smaller then the last batch. But they seem to be taking their time about it eh?
Yeah, cos finding an original supplier for the airfoil was really easy, and trusting a supplier who already screwed up on the size might not be such a good move, and maybe, just maybe it might take them a bit of time to find a new rim manufacturer willing and able to make such large rims?
Maybe manufacturing is a bit more complex than just putting in dimensions and clicking an order button?
I’d guess given that Roger (who designs most of the unicycles out there) runs unicycle.com uk, and is a completely obsessive coker rider, that they are getting replacements as quickly as they can, I’m sure he wouldn’t want people to be airfoil-less for ever, just that these things do take time.
Can’t comment on the fit or lack of it, but I’d say a grooved TA would make a significantly better offroad tyre than a coker “octopus” tyre anyway. Apart from the effort of cutting it I reckon that’s the better way to go. Sam W did his with a knife and I’m sure he said it took him a couple of hours, so with a proper tyre groover it should be even quicker. I think the bloke who grooved some TA tyres for the 36" bike he built (can’t remember who but he posted some pictures and comments on RSU) used a motorcycle tyre groover - might be worth tracking down his thread.
I read the thread about the guy that built the 36" bike back when I was considering which 36er to get. I am planning on using the same type of groover. I sent an e-mail to UDC while they did not directly answer the question I asked them they told me this:
Anyway It looks like I am going to get the tire groover and see what Coker comes up with for a new tire whenever they get around to releasing it, who knows I might want that as my summer tire.
Perhaps you can recoup come of the cost of the tire groover by hiring it out to other unicyclists who want to convert their Radial tires to off-road tires.
Will the new toast rack have rounded corners and be just a tad further from the seat handle? Looking forward the the new and improved toast rack announcement.
Toast rack? What gives? I thought from your meeting with Childs that the onboard espresso maker was going to be prioritized.
The Harper-built espresso setup I have now is good, but the shifting process is challenging. I need to dismount and re-position a lug nut, and the downside is you can’t change on the fly. You’re either riding, or your riding and brewing espresso. I was looking forward to the heel-shifting on/off switch.
) had a hard time even holding a Wheel TA on it and I finally got sick of blow outs and the tire bead popping out of the rim that when we put it back on we used that cement that I linked to…It stayed put like none other. Wasn’t a problem at all in the future.
