> of rubber off on the asphalt) are much less frequent. It was also my intention
> to reposition the tire to put an area with more tread in the spot that seems
> to get the most abuse, but I haven’t gotten around to it, and now I see the
> first sign of threads showing on the tire.
FUnny this isn’t it? It’s such an easy thing to do, rotate the tyre, but I don’t
think I’ve ever bothered. Ah well, new tires look nice anyway 
> So now the questions: How much difference is there between a ‘real’
> unicycle tire and the more readily available bike tires? If I were to buy a
> bike tire for
If this isn’t in the FAQ it ought to be. Basically there isn’t any difference
that I’m aware of. In fact generally speaking unicycle manufacturers are so
cut-throat on quality that you’ll probably find the tyres that come with your
unicycle are about the lowest quality money can buy imported in huge quantities
from an Eastern country where no-one gets paid.
The usual fare is some rubber/plastic compound which slips in the wet, wears out
quickly, has ridiculously high hysteresis (ie absorbs loads of energy when it
flexes: so feels like it’s flat+like riding in treacle even though there’s
100psi in it), and can’t take high pressure (although it’s worth trying!).
Essentially they’re crap.
I’d recommend a good quality BMX tire as it’s a sufficiently large market to
demand quality. What’s more, you don’t have to get out a second mortgage like
you would if you had a mountain bike - the most expensive (although nice) are
Redline’s which here are about 15 quid (ie 15 dollars, you lucky people). Tioga
Comp ST are semi-grippy road tyres. Tioga Comp Ramp’s are worth looking at. The
Comp Pool’s are totally slick (ie no grip whatsoever) and are phenomenal on
concrete. All these will happily take 100psi (thin lightweight skinwalls).
Chunkier are GTs whose grips are actually loads of GT logos. Those come in
2.125" too (as opposed to 1.75). Haro also produce OKish ones, although they’re
somewhere between the plastic tires and gorgeous tiogas.
Oh, you want a 24" tyre? Too bad. If anyone’s found a decent manu. of these, let
me know. One day I’ll get round to putting a narrow ally rim and thin tire on…
Upshot: go to a respectable BMX shop and have a look around, armed with the
words ‘Tioga’, ‘Redline’, and ‘GT’. There may be others that are good, but those
three spring fondly to mind. sigh.
Cheers, Paul.
> use on my uni, would I regret it and end up ordering a better tire anyway? And
> how fast do experienced riders wear out tires when riding on asphalt, or more
> to the point, if I do order a new ‘real’ unicycle tire, should I order several
> at once?)
>
> TIA!
>
> Paul
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> Paul Halter o o "I can’t remember when I’ve felt Software Engineer and o o o
> better!" - Ralph Wilson after Juggler-in-Training o O trying new Norecog
> vitamins with (paulha@postalsoft.com) _/[ ]_o special memory inhibitors