Microcellular Urethane Foam Tires

These are the best things to ever happen to bicycle commuters after recumbents. I replaced the 16" tire on the front of my BikeE with a microcellular nylon-urethane foam tire from Air Free Tires. They are shockingly lightweight and durable (When I was installing the tires on the RIM, I tried shaving the underside of the tires with a razor blade to make them fit more easily on my rim, but I finally gave up because the blade would just not penetrate without great effort). In fact the only downsides to this tire are the unprofessional nature of the only company that sells them on the web (AirFree Tires), the difficulty of installing them, and the slight "harshness" they add to the ride, which is mostly the result of the high equivalent pressure that I chose (90 psi) in order to make them equivalent in efficiency to my pneumatic tires. Actually, they are more efficient than my pneumatic tires were after a week or two of pressure loss.

I was tremendously interested in getting their newer no-compromise Open Road Tires, but I have yet to receive them. Reportedly, they are having "production difficulties" (Read they pissed-off their sole-source manufacturer and need to find another one).

HPV Speed Records

Isn't it interesting the fully-faired recumbent (FFR) bikes are now achieving 81 mph on level highways. This is nearly twice as fast as the fastest velodrome upright bikes, and considerably faster than the slow pokes in the Tour de France (TdF) can sustain on level ground. Yet the TdF gets much more publicity?? When I mention the records that are being set now by FFRs to my friends, they find it incredible.

Where are the cameras and the reporters? This is real news! When the petroleum runs out, mass-produced vehicles such as these are our best hope for affordable transportation in the future. Will the Fords and GMs be able to adapt?

I also find the bikes and personalities of the teams are much more interesting than those of the characters in the TdF.

I have no doubt that history will be set once again this year at Battle Mountan with the entrants having tweaked their designs to make them more aerodynamic. So stay tuned.